Newswise — EVANSTON - Dennis Muilenburg, chairman, president and CEO of The Boeing Company, will discuss the future of space exploration, from traversing deep space and taking our first steps on Mars to the evolving combination of commercial air and commercial space travel, during the 37th Annual William A. Patterson Transportation Lecture on May 2 at Northwestern University.

The popular event will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Lutkin Memorial Hall, 700 University Place, on the Evanston campus. Sponsored by the Northwestern University Transportation Center, the free lecture is open to the public, but registration is required.

Muilenburg, who joined Boeing in 1985, became chairman of the board in March 2016, chief executive officer in July 2015 and president in December 2013. He holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering and an honorary doctor of science degree from Iowa State University as well as a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the University of Washington.

With roughly 140,000 employees across the United States and in more than 65 countries, Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and top U.S. exporter. It is the leading manufacturer of commercial airplanes, military aircraft and space and security systems, and is a provider of global services. Boeing supports airlines and U.S. and allied government customers in more than 150 nations.

The Patterson Transportation Lecture is an award that recognizes influential leaders from all facets of the transportation industry. It is supported by the Patterson Transportation Endowment, established at Northwestern in 1979 to honor the late William A. Patterson, founder and CEO of United Airlines.

Northwestern University Transportation Center is one of the world’s leading interdisciplinary education and research institutions, serving industry, government and the public. Founded in 1954 to make substantive and enduring contributions to the movement of materials, people, energy and information, the center stands at the forefront of transportation research and education, bringing together academic researchers, students and business affiliates in open exploration of transportation and supply chain operations.

For more information, call 847-491-7287 or visit the Transportation Center.