Former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino to speak at Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center

Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut who was a recurring character on the popular TV series The Big Bang Theory, is scheduled to speak at a free event at the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center on Thursday, March 30, 2023.

Massimino will take part in the UT Permian Basin Shepperd Leadership Institute’s Distinguished Lecture Series. The event will start at 7 p.m. at the arts center, located at 1310 Farm to Market 1788 in Midland.

After growing up as a working class kid, Massimino worked hard to become an astronaut and went on two missions to the Hubble Telescope and four spacewalks to make critical repairs. He is a New York Times best-selling author of Spaceman: An Astronaut’s Unlikely Journey to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe, and currently serves as the senior adviser for Space Programs at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

According to the lecture series, Massimino plans to share wisdom about teamwork, innovation, and leadership from a down-to-earth spaceman during the March 30 event.

The Distinguished Lecture Series is a hallmark program of the Shepperd Leadership Institute since its founding, promoting learning, connection, and leadership across West Texas. The lectures are open to the general public and free of charge thanks to generous donations from the Shepperd Inner Circle.