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Hakeem Oluseyi

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  • Renowned Astrophysicist and Inventor
  • CEO of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
  • Author of Acclaimed Memoir, 'A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Streets to the Stars'
  • Former Space Science Education Lead for NASA

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Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi is a true triple threat: a world-class astrophysicist, transformational leader, and master communicator. A Stanford-trained scientist and accomplished inventor, he has spent decades advancing our understanding of the universe and the technologies that make exploration possible. As CEO of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and former NASA Space Science Education Lead, he pairs deep scientific expertise with visionary leadership and a passion for public engagement.

Holding a dozen U.S. and international patents, Oluseyi has made pioneering contributions to computer chip manufacturing and space technology. Seen on PBS NOVA, Discovery, and NASA programs, he is known globally for making science accessible and inspiring through humor, clarity, and heart. His bestselling memoir A Quantum Life traces his journey from hardship to discovery, showing how curiosity and determination can open doors once thought closed. Hakeem helps leaders apply the mindset of cosmic curiosity to everyday business disruption, empowering teams to stay inventive and future-ready.

 

Hakeem Oluseyi headshot
Past Hosts Include:
  • Google
  • Microsoft
  • Capital One
  • Dell
  • Deloitte
  • Boston Museum of Science
  • Bryant University
  • Financial Planners Association
  • American Bankers Association
  • National Council of State Housing Agencies
Rave Reviews About Hakeem Oluseyi
“
Hakeem was phenomenal! He was engaging, interesting, insightful and HILARIOUS! Our members really enjoyed hearing him speak. Many stood in line to get a selfie with him before he left for the airport."

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More rave reviews

"Hakeem Oluseyi was a big hit with our housers! He received a standing ovation at the conclusion of his address, the crown bought out the books, and the book signing line to meet him was the longest I've ever seen at one of our events. Hakeem connected with each person in that line, jumped up and greeted them warmly, engaged personally, and took photos. It was amazing to be a part of. "

-National Council of State Housing Agencies
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Africa’s Astronomical Society | Hakeem Oluseyi - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Hakeem Oluseyi
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The Power of Curiosity: How Asking Better Questions Changes Everything

Through decades of discovery and leadership, DR. HAKEEM OLUSEYI has seen how curiosity fuels innovation. He invites audiences to rediscover the art of asking better questions, the kind that spark creativity, reveal new possibilities, and build resilience in the face of uncertainty. His stories from ...

Through decades of discovery and leadership, DR. HAKEEM OLUSEYI has seen how curiosity fuels innovation. He invites audiences to rediscover the art of asking better questions, the kind that spark creativity, reveal new possibilities, and build resilience in the face of uncertainty. His stories from the lab, the classroom, and beyond reveal that the spirit of inquiry is the foundation of progress in every field.

Innovation Under Pressure: Lessons from the Lab and Beyond

Having led teams across NASA, universities, and global research institutions, DR. HAKEEM OLUSEYI understands what it means to lead through complexity. He shares what those experiences reveal about creativity under constraint and the mindset required to turn uncertainty into progress. This talk gives ...

Having led teams across NASA, universities, and global research institutions, DR. HAKEEM OLUSEYI understands what it means to lead through complexity. He shares what those experiences reveal about creativity under constraint and the mindset required to turn uncertainty into progress. This talk gives leaders and teams a practical framework for staying inventive and decisive when the pressure is on.

A Quantum Life: From the Street to the Stars

Before he was a world-renowned astrophysicist, DR. HAKEEM OLUSEYI was a kid in some of America’s toughest neighborhoods, spending his days buried in encyclopedias and PBS nature shows. What began as curiosity became a calling that carried him from failing early physics exams to earning a PhD from St ...

Before he was a world-renowned astrophysicist, DR. HAKEEM OLUSEYI was a kid in some of America’s toughest neighborhoods, spending his days buried in encyclopedias and PBS nature shows. What began as curiosity became a calling that carried him from failing early physics exams to earning a PhD from Stanford and leading some of NASA’s most ambitious projects.

In this unforgettable talk based on his bestselling memoir, Hakeem shares the lessons behind his extraordinary journey, weaving moments of humor and honesty with insights on perseverance, mentorship, and imagination. His message inspires audiences to build opportunity where it doesn’t yet exist and to pass that spirit of possibility forward.

Why Do We Exist? The Science of Connection and Possibility

Drawing from his research and his book Why Do We Exist?, DR. HAKEEM OLUSEYI explores how the same forces that shape the cosmos shape human life and leadership. He challenges audiences to think beyond what they know, to approach uncertainty with imagination, and to see exploration as both a scientifi ...

Drawing from his research and his book Why Do We Exist?, DR. HAKEEM OLUSEYI explores how the same forces that shape the cosmos shape human life and leadership. He challenges audiences to think beyond what they know, to approach uncertainty with imagination, and to see exploration as both a scientific and personal act.

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Books by Hakeem Oluseyi
Why Do We Exist?

Why Do We Exist?

A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Street to the Stars

A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Street to the Stars

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Press & Media
World Space Week And Promising Climate Tech Companies [podcast] - WNYC Studios
When the Culture Wars Came for NASA [podcast] - The New York Times
How Naming the James Webb Telescope Turned Into a Fight Over Homophobia - The New York Times
An Eclipse Chaser’s Guide to Your First Eclipse - The New York Times
Scientists at Cal Tech develop 'baby wormhole' - ABC News
Honors College launches new YouTube series addressing global challenges - George Mason University
The ‘Does It Fly?’ podcast separates fact from science fiction - Science News
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Biography

Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi is a generational polymath—scientific thought leader, technological innovator, organizational executive, and one of the most compelling science communicators of our time. He is the author of the critically acclaimed, multi-award-winning memoir A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Street to the Stars and the forthcoming book Why Do We Exist? The Nine Realms of the Universe That Make You Possible (Random House, 2026). He is also the creator and host of the new PBS NOVA podcast Particles of Thought.

Oluseyi serves as CEO of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, America’s longest-standing national astronomy organization. He has held professorships across a distinguished set of institutions—MIT, UC Berkeley, Princeton, University of Cape Town, George Mason University, Florida Institute of Technology, University of Washington, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He has published more than 100 scientific papers and holds multiple U.S. and international patents for pioneering technologies now standard in astrophysics and semiconductor industries, earning him induction into the National Academy of Inventors.

As NASA’s Space Science Education Lead for the Science Mission Directorate, Oluseyi became the public voice of space science, hosting the Science@NASA YouTube channel, earning four Webby Awards, an Emmy nomination, and a New York Times profile as the leading spokesperson during the 2017 total solar eclipse. He continues this role today as Public Spokesperson for the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission.

His career extends far beyond the laboratory and lecture hall. As a diplomat-scientist, he has represented the United States abroad in Indonesia, China, Algeria, and South Africa. As a journalist, his investigation into the naming of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope reshaped the historical record and landed on the front page of The New York Times. A fixture on global media, he has appeared in dozens of television programs—from How the Universe Works to PBS NOVA and Baking Impossible—bringing the wonders of science to millions.

From his unlikely beginnings in some of America’s toughest neighborhoods to the forefront of discovery and innovation, Dr. Hakeem Oluseyi embodies resilience, imagination, and the power of science to change lives.

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