Feb. 9th – Kris Kimel, Co-founder, Space Tango

LEXINGTON, KY – The Rotary Club of Lexington held its weekly meeting Thursday, February 9, at the Mane on Main, Chase Bank building on Main St. The program’s guest speaker was  Kris Kimel, Co-founder, Space Tango

This meeting was also  on Zoom. For the Zoom link please email, trafton@rotarylexky.org.

If you would like to have lunch, please contact Jenny@rotarylexky.org to reserve your meal.

“The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you.”  Neil deGrasse Tyson

“I would like to die on Mars, just not on impact.”  Elon Musk

“Think Interstellar™” are the words that greet a visitor to the web page of Humanity in Deep Space™ (HIDS), a nonprofit initiative founded in 2019 by today’s speaker, Kris Kimel.  By its own admission, the mission of HIDS is a lofty one: “[t]o explore and pursue a planetary conversation surrounding the constellation of issues and challenges from science to food, health, design, economics, governance, ethics, etc., that must be addressed as our species prepares to transition to deep space.”

Kris may be known to Rotarians as the Co-founder and former Chairman of the commercial company Space Tango, the subject of a previous presentation and a company with its focus also on space as it provides access to microgravity for research and development and manufacturing in space via the International Space Station.  Kimel’s interests in science and technology run deep.   Prior to Space Tango, he was co-founder and President of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, another nonprofit, this time devoted to developing and managing creative initiatives in education, economic competiveness and scientific research based on Kentucky know-how.  Kimel was also the founder of the IdeaFestival, an annual event held in Louisville for a number years with the premise of creating a “disruptive catalyst for innovation.”

Early in his career, Kimel served as the executive assistant to Kentucky’s Attorney General and as chief administrative assistant to then-Lieutenant Governor Steve Beshear.  In 2022 he was awarded a degree of Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by the University of Kentucky. He is originally from Miami Florida, and holds bachelor and masters’ degrees from the University of Kentucky.

In the press release announcing his receipt of his honorary degree, the following was noted:

Kimel’s work is uniquely others-focused, evidenced by his unwavering devotion to philanthropy, human development, education and societal well-being.  He has made education more accessible, provided opportunities for rural communities, and made considerable progress to better the Scientific and Technological education and economic development efforts within the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Interested Rotarians and guests can learn more about the work of HIDS by visiting its webpage at http://humanityindeepspace.com.