Seaver Spotlight
Seaver Spotlight with Wanda Austin, Ph.D.
"Leadership in a Complex World"
Wanda Austin, Ph.D., is an American businesswoman internationally recognized for her work in aeronautics and systems engineering. She served as interim president of the University of Southern California during a crucial transition period. Austin is the former president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation — the first woman and the first African American in the company's history to hold these positions. She authored the book Making Space: Strategic Leadership for a Complex World, which explores the leadership principles she learned during her decades-long journey as an engineer, space industry executive, daughter, wife and mother.
Austin served on the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology until January 2017, advising the President of the United States in areas where an understanding of science, technology and innovation was key to forming effective U.S. policy. She was a member of the Defense Science Board and the NASA Advisory Council. Austin is committed to inspiring the next generation to study the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines, and to focus on careers in science and engineering.
Seaver Spotlight is the college’s signature speaker series featuring leaders who share their experiences and career pathway as they seek to live a life of meaning and purpose.
Event Details:
Thursday, March 23, 2023
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. PST (reception to follow)
Featherston Life Sciences Building Auditorium
Past Seaver Spotlight Speakers
Learn more about the guests who have shared their stories with the Seaver Community as part of the Seaver Spotlight speaker series.
Deepak Srivastava, M.D.
President, Gladstone Institutes
Director, Roddenberry Stem Cell Center, Gladstone Institutes
Attending Pediatric Cardiologist, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital
"Hacking the Genetic Code to Treat Human Disease"
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Guy Consolmagno, S.J.
Director, Vatican Observatory
President, Vatican Observatory Foundation
"Your God is Too Small"
Thursday, March 11, 2021
Stephen Speicher, M.D.
Associate Medical Director of Patient Safety Programs, Flatiron Health
"Innovation in the Time of COVID-19"
Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski
Retired Four-Star General
"The Only Woman in the Room"
Friday, October 4, 2019
"Electronic Health Records: Past, Present and Future Trends"
Panel Discussion
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Paul Viviano
President and CEO, Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Chair, LMU Board of Trustees
"Do You Want to Hear God Laugh?"
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Robert Sclabassi, M.D. '62
CEO, Computational Diagnostics, Inc.
Managing Partner, Clinical Neurophysiological Services, LLC
Director of Intraoperative Monitoring Services, Allegheny Health Network
"Life is Not Linear: How LMU Prepares You for the Curves"
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Annette Walker '79
President of Strategy, Providence St. Joseph Health
Chief Executive, St. Joseph Health
"From Scientist to Strategist: A Mother's Journey"
Thursday, February 23, 2017
Dorota Shortell '98
President, Simplexity Product Development
"Success on Your Own Terms: Seizing Opportunity While Focusing on Your Priorities"
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Christian DeVirgilio, M.D. '82
Surgeon and Professor of Surgery
"From the Classroom to the Operating Room"
Thursday, November 6, 2014