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  • September 9, 2026
  • Sean Doherty

Space Law Expert Visits Northwestern Sept. 15

Dr. Mark J. Sundahl, professor of law and director of the Global Space Law Center at Cleveland State University College of Law, wearing clear-framed glasses, a tan suit jacket, a white button-down shirt and a pink patterned bow tie, in front of a softly blurred gallery wall hung with framed artwork.
Dr. Mark J. Sundahl, professor of law and director of the Global Space Law Center at Cleveland State University College of Law in Cleveland, Ohio, will present a lecture on Space Law at the annual Constitution Day observance at Northwestern on Tuesday, Sept. 15 in the Student Center Ballroom.

ALVA, Okla. — The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Department of Social Sciences and the Northwestern Institute for Citizenship Studies annual Constitution Day observance blasts off into orbit with a discussion on space law Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom on the Northwestern-Alva campus in Alva, Oklahoma.

The event is free and open to the public. Free snacks and beverages will be provided.

Event Details

  • What: Constitution Day observance — “We the People…Beyond Earth: The Founders, the Constitution, and Law in Outer Space”
  • When: Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Where: Student Center Ballroom, Northwestern-Alva campus, 709 Oklahoma Blvd., Alva, Oklahoma
  • Cost: Free and open to the public
  • Presented by: Northwestern Department of Social Sciences and the Northwestern Institute for Citizenship Studies
  • Refreshments: Free snacks and beverages provided

About the Guest Speaker

Dr. Mark J. Sundahl, professor of law and director of the Global Space Law Center at Cleveland State University College of Law in Cleveland, Ohio, will deliver the presentation.

Sundahl will discuss sovereignty beyond Earth, international space law and humanity’s next chapter.

He teaches space law, international business transactions, commercial law and ancient Athenian law. His outside appointments include:

  • Member, Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee, which advises the Federal Aviation Administration on regulations governing private space activity
  • Member and former assistant secretary, International Institute of Space Law, headquartered in Paris
  • Former member of the UNIDROIT working group that drafted the Space Assets Protocol to the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment

Open Discussion and Question-and-Answer Session

Dr. Aaron Mason, professor of political science, and Dr. Eric Schmaltz, Northwestern Social Sciences department chair and professor of history and global studies, are the co-founders and co-executive directors of the Northwestern Institute for Citizenship Studies.

They will chair the presentation.

The audience will be invited to join an open discussion and question-and-answer session after the presentation. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions to help spark a robust exchange of ideas.

Constitution Day 2026 event flyer showing George Washington illustrated in a NASA spacesuit, with two more Founders in spacesuits at lower right, over a starfield background on the social version and an American flag and Constitution background in print. Headline reads “We the People…Beyond Earth: The Founders, the Constitution, and Law in Outer Space.” Event details: Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Student Center Ballroom. Guest speaker Dr. Mark J. Sundahl, director of the Global Space Law Center, Cleveland State University College of Law. Presented by the Department of Social Sciences and the Institute for Citizenship Studies.

About the Northwestern Institute for Citizenship Studies

The Institute’s guiding motto is “Honoring Our Past; Understanding Our Future.” This year’s topic is titled “We the People…Beyond Earth: The Founders, the Constitution, and Law in Outer Space.”

Contact Information

  • Institute for Citizenship Studies: Visit the Northwestern Institute for Citizenship Studies webpage, or contact Mason at mason@nwosu.edu or 580-327-8522.
  • Department of Social Sciences: Visit the Northwestern Department of Social Sciences webpage, or contact Schmaltz at ejschmaltz@nwosu.edu or 580-327-8526.

Media Contact:

Sean J. Doherty, University Relations Specialist
Email: sjdoherty@nwosu.edu
Phone: 580-327-8480

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