Tara Ruttley, associate program scientist for NASA’s International Space Station, will join a panel of UC Irvine faculty Thursday, Feb. 27, for a discussion of the latest ISS research findings and their real-world implications. She’ll be joined by Alexander McPherson, professor of molecular biology & biochemistry, and Ali Mohraz, associate professor of chemical engineering & materials science, who will talk about their projects requiring the no-gravity environment of the space station. In addition, Charles Limoli, professor of radiation oncology, will discuss the effects of space radiation on human performance and health. Orbiting 260 miles above Earth, the ISS is the largest spacecraft ever built. It’s an official U.S. national laboratory where astronauts and scientists from around the world conduct experiments in a microgravity environment on human health, life and physical sciences, and Earth and space sciences. With space station assembly complete and a full-time crew of six, a new era of utilization for research has begun. The event starts at 4 p.m. in the Calit2 auditorium on the UC Irvine campus. Admission is free and open to the public.