University-Wide Ceremony

University-Wide Commencement Keynote Speaker: Dr. Moogega “Moo” Cooper

Drexel is pleased to announce that Planetary Protection Lead of the Mars rover Perseverance and Group Supervisor at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Dr. Moogega “Moo” Cooper, MS ’08, PhD ’09 will be the 2026 University-wide Commencement keynote speaker. Going from a Dragon to a real-life superhero and a “Guardian of the Galaxy” who protects a distant world, Cooper — who earned her master's and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering from Drexel University — works for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) as a supervisor for a group tasked with protecting solar system bodies from earth-sourced contaminants. Among her duties, she helps keep Mars safe from Earth’s contaminants while discerning for signs of Mars life and subsequently preparing for the next step: human exploration. Cooper has led planetary protection endeavors for missions like Mars 2020, which included the rover Perseverance and the robotic helicopter Ingenuity — two milestone concepts that reflect her passion for exploration and innovation. Passionate about inspiring the next generation by sharing the magic of science, Cooper’s contributions have earned her several awards and honors including the NASA Early Career Public Achievement Medal, JPL Voyager Awards for Technical Leadership, and The Root 100 Most Influential African Americans in 2020.