Lost in space? Careers in space have varying trajectories, as no one person is the same. Our mission is to showcase amazing people within the space industry and share their personal journeys to inspire your own.
Read more about Careers in Space, in the Letter from the Editors.
—Makenna Kuzyk and Justin Fuentes, Careers in Space Editors
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Nicole Mortillaro is an award-winning science reporter, as well as the editor of the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.
Stephen Matier, President and CEO of Maritime Launch Services (MLS), is the visionary and driving force behind the development of Canada’s first spaceport, a world-class commercial space complex that will launch Canada into the global space industry from near Canso,, Nova Scotia. A mechanical engineer (Bachelor of Science, University of New Mexico, 1989) and an award-winning former NASA contractor engineering manager (NASA White Sands Test Facility), Matier is leading coordination and approval among provincial, federal and international governing bodies, conducting environmental assessments, negotiating land-use agreements, securing private financing, leading satellite sales, coordinating launch vehicle integration and selecting best-in-class commercial firms for the design, construction, and launch operations at Maritime Launch. As part of Steve’s work with Maritime Launch, he is driving the collaboration and partnerships that will support the development of a safe and environmentally sustainable commercial space market in Canada. With satellite clients within Canada and around the globe interested in Maritime Launch’s offering, and a principal launch vehicle developer in Ukraine, Maritime Launch is joining a global industry that will exceed one trillion dollars annually within the next 20 years. While Steve’s day-to-day focus is squarely focused on developing Canada’s first commercial spaceport, Matier’s interest in space extends beyond the technology and the launch itself. Steve has a passion for teaching, which means he is never far from the classroom, whether guest lecturing at a local high school physics class in Canso, or presenting to kids at summer programs in Antigonish. He has driven partnerships with St. Francis Xavier University and Cape Breton University and is a supporter of Dalhousie’s Cubesat program. His passion for working with schools began in his early career in the Space Shuttle program, with the recognition that kids can look up into space and see opportunity for themselves on the ground.
Hira Nadeem is currently an M.E.Sc. graduate student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Western University’s Institute for Earth and Space Exploration and received her B. Eng. from McMaster University. Hira is a strong believer in making space accessible and interdisciplinary. Through her involvement as the former President of the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) Canada, and the Co-Founder of the McMaster Planetary Society, Hira has led teams to create opportunities for Canadian students and young professionals locally and nationally.
Last year, Hira was selected as the first Canadian Brooke Owens Fellow with the opportunity to intern at Planet in San Francisco, CA in the fall of 2020. Hira is excited to research solutions to problems both on Earth and in space during her Master’s, and looks forward to continuing to support and contribute to the Canadian space industry.
Dr. Parshati Patel is an Astrophysicist turned Science Communicator and STEM Education Researcher based in London, Ontario, Canada. She is the Educational Outreach and Communications Specialist at the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration at Western University. She is currently on leave from this position and on secondment to the Canadian Space Agency, where she is the Program Designer and Education Advisor with the Youth STEM Initiatives team. Dr. Patel is an Adjunct Research Professor in the Faculty of Education at Western University. She recently completed professional certification in Public Relations and Communications as well as certification in Digital Communications and Innovation from Western University’s School of Continuing Studies.
Originally from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, Parshati moved to Canada in 2006 to pursue Astronomy and graduated in Hons. BSc in Astronomy & Physics from the University of Toronto in 2010. She received her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Astronomy and Planetary Science and Exploration under the supervision of Dr. Aaron Sigut & Dr. John Landstreet from Western University. You can learn about her astrophysics research here! Parshati has been communicating her passion for space science and technology with students and the public for the past 9 years in various capacities through outreach initiatives and programs at Western University. She develops and leads classroom workshops and camps, produces podcasts, organizes public events, trains educators, and acts as a science consultant for children’s books. Parshati conducts research in the Faculty of Education to understand and gauge the engagement of the participants as well as their outlook on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers and interest in STEM fields, you can learn more about her research here!
She has co-founded Women of Color in STEAMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics and Medicine) Canada in 2018. Since June 2019, Parshati has been part of the Principal Scientific Adviser’s Consultative Group to the Government of India. She is also currently on the Board of Advisors for SEDS-Canada.
He is an interdisciplinary scientist, working on astrophysics and on the intersection of science, astronomy, and Indigenous knowledge. As a Mi’kmaw person, he strives to embrace and integrate Indigenous knowledges and methodologies to better understand the physics of stars and the Universe and our place in it. More specifically, he probes the physics of stars, from the nuclear-burning core out to the circumstellar medium where stellar winds interact with the interstellar medium to understand connections between stars and planets; stars and cosmology; and stars and us. He exploits theoretical and numerical tools to compare with observational data sets to reveal the hidden physics of stars. He enjoys teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well as participating in public outreach and science communication.
Dr. Cecilia Leung is a planetary scientist specializing in the present-day water cycle on Mars. Her research focuses on the atmospheric structure and dynamics of water, dust, and winds in the planetary boundary layer and in the lower atmosphere. Unlike the Earth, a significant percentage of Mars’ polar ice cap sublimates into water vapor every year, which gets carried by winds and deposited in other regions of the planet forming interesting clouds and surface features before circulating back to the poles and becomes incorporated into the polar ice caps once again. Dr. Leung’s research combines the use 3D numerical atmospheric models (global circulation models and mesoscale atmospheric models) and spacecraft data to study the global and regional atmospheric circulation of water, subsurface-atmospheric exchange processes, as well as coupling between the water and dust cycles. While earning her PhD from the Lunar and Planetary Lab at the University of Arizona, she worked on water-ice fogs in Valles Marieris, and modeling atmospheric influences on the formation of Recurring Slope Lineae. She also simulated regional dust storms in support of the Entry-Descent-and-Landing (EDL) of the InSight Mars Lander.
Cecilia Leung is currently a NASA Postdoctoral Program fellow at JPL, collaborating with Dr. Leslie Tamppari and the Mars Climate Sounder team to understand the vertical distribution water vapor above the Phoenix Mars Lander and the Curiosity Rover landing sites.
Keith Vanderlinde studies the nature and evolution of large-scale structure in the Universe, as well as the evolution of the cosmos itself. Studying large-scale structure requires specialized instruments and Vanderlinde is a member of collaborations using and developing ones that are unique.
One such instrument is the South Pole Telescope (SPT). The SPT surveys the sky at microwave frequencies to reveal the Cosmic Microwave Background—a snapshot of the Universe less than 400,000 years after the Big Bang.
Vanderlinde is also a member of a cross-Canada collaboration operating an innovative, digital radio telescope near Penticton, B.C. The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment, or CHIME, is a radio array creating a three-dimensional map of the largest volume of the Universe ever. CHIME will also be an excellent detector of radio pulsars and the newly recognized phenomenon of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs). CHIME began science operations in the fall of 2017.
The group includes the Dunlap Institute, CITA, UBC, McGill University and the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory.
Vanderlinde is also a member of a team using the Algonquin Radio Observatory in northern Ontario and the Giant Metre-wave Radio Telescope in India to make ultra-high resolution observations of pulsars, using pockets in interstellar gas as billion-kilometre-wide lenses.
Vanderlinde received his PhD from the University of Chicago and joined the Dunlap Institute in 2013. He is also a 2014 TEDxToronto fellow.
Dr.Jamil Sharrif is a Astrophysicist currently working on robotic hardware for space exploration at MDA.
Dr. Jamil Sharrif is a postdoc at the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, specializing in observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB)
From 2015-2016, He was a postdoc in physics at Case Western Reserve University, working with Prof. John Ruhl on CMB polarization experiments.
He completed my PhD in Astrophysics in 2015 at the University of Toronto, in the Balloon Astrophysics Group. During this time, he specialized in developing the flight power systems, control systems, and scan strategy for two balloon-borne telescopes: the SPIDER and BLASTPol experiments. He also worked on the analysis of submillimetre dust polarization data from BLASTPol’s observations of molecular clouds in the Galactic plane.
For three months from late 2014 to early 2015, He lived at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, where he worked as part of a team of 20 scientists to prepare SPIDER for its launch and 16-day stratospheric balloon flight around Antarctica.
As a graduate student he co-ran the AstroTours: a series of free monthly astronomy public lectures and observing sessions at the University of Toronto downtown campus. He also participated in organizing outreach activities at such events as Science Rendezvous.
Farah Alibay is a French-Canadian Aerospace Engineer. Born in Montreal (Quebec, Canada), she spent most of her childhood in Joliette (Quebec) and of her teenage years in Manchester (United Kingdom) tinkering with any project she could get her hands on and fascinated with space and exploration. These passions led her to pursue a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Aerospace & Aerothermal Engineering from the University of Cambridge (Cambridge, United Kingdom) before moving back across the Atlantic ocean to pursue a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Boston, USA) with a focus on Systems Engineering. In 2014, she joined NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) where she is currently part of the M2020 mission, working on the Perseverance rover, which landed on Mars in February 2021, and the Ingenuity helicopter, which performed the first powered flight on another planet in April 2021. Prior to joining the M2020 team, she worked on several other missions, including the InSight Mars Lander and its companion mission the Mars Cube One (MarCO) CubeSats.
Outside of her day-to-day job, Farah has a passion for science communication, having appeared in newspapers, tv and radio shows, and conferences across the world. She is a fierce advocate for women and minorities in STEM and has given herself the mission of contribute towards making this field more diverse and equitable. She is also active in her local community, notably as a Big Sister in the Los Angeles Big Brother Big Sister program, and as a Court Appointed Special Advocate, helping children navigate the foster care system. Finally, in her spare time, Farah can be found exploring the mountains near her home where she enjoys hiking, rock climbing, and mountaineering.
Dr. Matt Russo is an astrophysicist and musician who teaches physics at the University of Toronto. He completed his PhD and
postdoctoral research in theoretical astrophysics and is also a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Jazz Guitar Performance
program. He is the director of SYSTEM Sounds, a sci-art outreach project that converts astronomical data into music and
sound. Their work has been featured in the New York Times and they frequently collaborate with NASA to make astronomy
more accessible to the visually impaired. Matt’s TED Talk “What does the universe wound like? A Musical Tour” has been viewed
over 1.7 million times.
Dr. Kris Lehnhardt is the Element Scientist for Exploration Medical Capability at the NASA Johnson Space Center. He is also Senior Faculty with the Baylor College of Medicine in the Center for Space Medicine and Department of Emergency Medicine. He is board-certified in Emergency Medicine in both Canada and the U.S.A and he works clinically in the Emergency Department at the Ben Taub Hospital in Houston. Prior to these positions, Kris was an Attending Physician and Assistant Professor at The George Washington University (GWU) School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Kris is a reservist in the Royal Canadian Air Force, a private pilot, and a PADI advanced open water SCUBA diver.
Mariek Schmidt is an Associate Professor of Earth Sciences at Brock University and a geologist who studies igneous and volcanic rocks on both Earth and Mars. She received a BA in Geology from Colby College in Maine before going to Oregon State University where she got a PhD researching the eruptive history and geochemistry of volcanic rocks in the Oregon Cascade Range. Professor Schmidt first started working on Mars in 2005 when she was hired as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.. For this position, she was a Postdoctoral Collaborator on the Mars Exploration Rover mission and worked with data from both the Spirit and Opportunity rovers. She joined the Earth Science Department at Brock University in 2009 and established a research program investigating the eruptive and environmental histories of volcanic fields on Earth and Mars. In 2012, Professor Schmidt was selected by NASA to be a Participating Scientist on the Mars Science Laboratory mission, working with the Curiosity rover, a project that is ongoing. And in late 2020, she was selected by NASA to be a Participating Scientist on the Mars 2020 rover mission and will get to work with data from the Perseverance rover. Schmidt also keeps active in terrestrial research with ongoing projects on the histories of volcanic fields in central Oregon, New Mexico, Nevada, and Iceland.
Dr. Kendall is the Faculty Emeritus of the International Space University. Dr. Kendall is also the past Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (2016-2017). During his career he has held senior positions with the Canadian Space Agency including as the Director General of Space Science and Space Science and Technology. He is also a faculty member of the International Space University based in Strasbourg, France and a founding member of the Outer Space Institute. He holds an undergraduate degree in physics from the University of Swansea, UK, and masters and doctoral degrees from the University of Calgary in atmospheric physics. In 2002, Dr. Kendall was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in recognition of his significant contributions and achievement to Canada.
Dr. Tanya Harrison is the Director of Science Strategy for the federal arm of Planet. She is also a “Professional Martian,” having spent the last decade working in mission operations for NASA’s Mars orbiters and rovers. She holds a Ph.D. in Geology with a Specialization in Planetary Science and Exploration from the University of Western Ontario, a Masters in Earth and Environmental Science from Wesleyan University, and a B.Sc. in Physics and Astronomy from the University of Washington. Tanya is also an avid science communicator, having made appearances on TV, radio, and podcasts around the world. You can find her prolifically tweeting about space, Mars, and inclusion in STEM on Twitter as @tanyaofmars.
Kate Howells is a science communicator, space policy advisor, and non-profit management consultant based in Guelph, ON. Kate’s day job is with The Planetary Society, a U.S.-based non-profit that works with the public to advance space science and exploration. She is also the author of Space Is Cool As F*** and serves on the board of directors of Royal City Science in Guelph.
Dr. Parshati Patel is an Astrophysicist turned Science Communicator, and STEM Education Researcher based in London, Ontario, Canada. She is an Educational Outreach and Communications Specialist at Western University’s Institute for Earth and Space Exploration. She is currently on leave from the Institute and on secondment to the Canadian Space Agency. Parshati is an Adjunct Research Professor in the Faculty of Education at Western University. Parshati has a Ph.D. in Astronomy and Planetary Science & Exploration from Western University. Parshati has been communicating her passion for space science and technology with students and the public for 9+ years through various outreach initiatives. Parshati is passionate about Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as well as uplifting women in STEM.
I am a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Alberta advancing curation methods for planetary materials by investigating best practices in preserving samples returned from future space missions through simulations of returned sample curation and analysis. My Ph.D. dissertation focused on stable isotope ratios of oxygen and silicon isotopes in lunar material. I love all things planetary science, especially the Moon.
Sohrab is the visionary leader of SpaceRyde. He has a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from University of Toronto, and was one of the first engineers developing Cruise Automation’s autonomous driving technology in San Francisco. Before Cruise, Sohrab was developing cutting edge technologies at Safran Landing Systems, Mitsubishi Electric Research Lab, and Cymer. In 2017, Sohrab left his job leading Controls and Planning teams at Cruise to move back to Canada and start the space launch industry in his home country. Sohrab has been an innovator for over 10 years, and published 12 patents before SpaceRyde. His entrepreneurial journey started in his youth when he developed a digital calendar in 1996 before Google existed. His first profitable business was running a tea stand at the university during his undergraduate studies where he served beverages and snacks on his breaks between classes. Sohrab is living his dream everyday, opening access to space, and bringing Canada to the forefront of the space launch industry.
Ryan is the founder and President of Satellite Canada Innovation Network, a not-for-profit industry association dedicated to driving the competitiveness of the Canadian space industry. Satcan provides strategic consulting services to small and medium enterprises and recently brought together an advanced Optical Satcom Consortium (OSC), in collaboration with the National Research Council.
A professional engineer with over 13 years’ experience, Ryan has worked on dozens of satellite programs spanning design, development, procurement and operations. Most notably, as lead of Telesat’s innovation program, Ryan was instrumental in the early development of Telesat’s LEO constellation. Other highlights include work on COSPAS-SARSAT, PCW, Anik F2, Anik G1, Nimiq 6, NEOSSat, and Urthecast’s OptiSAR constellation.
An active member of space and engineering communities, Ryan is also President of the Canadian Space Society, a national association of space professionals, students and enthusiasts. He has led the CSS to a contribution from Global Affairs Canada to support a Canada Pavilion at the International Astronautical Congress and in successful Canadian Space Summits in 2013, 2017, 2018.
Ryan serves on the Board of Advisors for the Students for Exploration and Development of Space. In the past, he has volunteered for the National Research Council’s Marsville and Engineering Challenge programs to encourage Canadian students to pursue careers in science and engineering and served as Lead Engineer on the 31st Crew at the Mars Desert Research Station.
I am a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Alberta advancing curation methods for planetary materials by investigating best practices in preserving samples returned from future space missions through simulations of returned sample curation and analysis. My Ph.D. dissertation focused on stable isotope ratios of oxygen and silicon isotopes in lunar material. I love all things planetary science, especially the Moon.
Vinita Marwaha Madill is a space engineer and Founder of Rocket Women. Vinita is currently a Project Manager and Business Development Lead at Mission Control Space Services in Canada, focused on lunar exploration missions and leading space health initiatives. Previously, Vinita has been based at the European Space Agency (ESA) (as a contractor via TERMA B.V.) focused on human spaceflight operations for future projects, including the European Robotic Arm to be launched to the International Space Station (ISS). Vinita has worked at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and ESA on International Space Station (ISS) operations and spacesuit design. At ESA’s European Astronaut Centre, Vinita helped design the SkinSuit and conducted a study on future spacesuit design for lunar exploration.
At the German Aerospace Centre, she guided astronauts through experiments and wrote astronaut procedures in Germany’s version of Mission Control. Vinita studied Mathematics and Physics with Astrophysics at King’s College London and went on to gain master’s degrees in Space Management from the International Space University (ISU) and in Astronautics and Space Engineering from Cranfield University, UK.
Vinita is an advocate for STEM outreach, founding the platform Rocket Women (www.rocket-women.com) that aims to inspire women to study STEM and consider a career in the space industry. Rocket Women has been featured in media including BBC, Stylist Magazine, She The People, Fast Company and The Telegraph. Based in Canada, Vinita led an Intelligent Transportation Systems team as an Engineering Manager and took part in a focused round table discussion with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, highlighting the importance of education. She was mentioned in ELLE magazine’s feature on ’12 Genius Young Women Shaping The Future’.
Taryn Tomlinson has spent her career committed to exploring and discovering space, from roles in academics to industry and now in government. Taryn co-founded a high-tech space startup in 2003, and subsequently sold it in 2008, after which she joined the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to work on the robot “Dextre” for the International Space Station. She has been an engineer and project manager at the CSA for 10 years, as well as serving as the Chief of Staff to the President. Taryn gravitates to discussions on innovation, on leadership, and the contribution of the diverse players in the space sector ecosystem. Taryn holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from McGill University and a Master’s Degree in Space Science from the University of California, San Diego.
Dr. Hilding Neilson is a CLTA assistant professor in astronomy at the University of Toronto where he studies stellar physics and exoplanets while working to integrate Indigenous knowledges and methodologies into the academic study of astrophysics. He is Mi’kmaw and a member of the Qalipu First Nation of Newfoundland.
Jennifer Elliott is VP Business Development and co-founder of QEYnet. QEYnet is a startup working on Quantum Key Distribution using satellites. Jennifer’s background is in aerospace engineering, specializing in the development of micro and nano satellites. During her time working at the UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory, she contributed to the development of five cutting-edge satellite missions that are currently in orbit. At QEYnet, Jennifer’s focus is on sales and business development.
Dr. Gordon Osinski is currently a Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences and the NSERC/MDA/CSA/CEMI Industrial Research Chair in Earth and Space Exploration at the University of Western Ontario. He is a world-renowned expert in planetary exploration and the winner of multiple research awards.
His research interests include, but are not limited to:
Professor Alex Ellery is a Canada research professor who is involved in a number of far-sighted, futuristic research projects. Among his various research interests, he focuses on cyber-security and building self-replicating robots to colonize the moon. His work on cyber-security is focused on building autonomous space systems. These systems would be more secure than current systems because they will not require an operator to upload instructions to them – these instructions potentially being vectors for logic bombs and viruses. Dr. Ellery received his phD in aerospace engineering from the University of Cranfield, UK. He is also the author of two textbooks: “An Introduction to Space Robotics” (2000) and “Planetary Rovers” (2016). Currently, he is writing a popular science book “Manna from Heaven” about how to save the world through space exploration.
Dr. Gwendolyn Eadie is an Assistant Professor of Astrostatistics at the University of Toronto (U of T), jointly appointed between the David A. Dunlap Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics and the Department of Statistical Sciences. Prof. Eadie’s research bridges astronomy and statistics, including estimating the masses of astronomical systems using hierarchical Bayesian inference and studying fast radio bursts using time series analysis. At the U of T, Prof. Eadie is building Canada’s first Astrostatistics Research Team (ART) consisting of people in both astronomy and statistics. She recently won the 2020 Connaught New Researcher Award at U of T, and her 2017 PhD Thesis won the Plaskett Medal from the Canadian Astronomical Society and Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.
Dr. Shawna Pandya is a physician-scientist and astronaut candidate with Project PoSSUM, an aquanaut, public speaker, martial artist, diver, skydiver, pilot-in-training, VP Immersive Medicine with Luxsonic Technologies, and Fellow of the Explorers’ Club. She is Director of the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences (IIAS)/PoSSUM Space Medicine Group, Chief Instructor of the IIAS Operational Space Medicine course, a clinical lecturer at the University of Alberta, Primary Investigator for the Shad-Blue Origin student payload competition, Chair of Strategic Directives for the PoSSUM13, session organizer for ASCEND 2020, Life Sciences Team Lead for the Association of Spaceflight Professionals, and medical advisor to several space companies, including Orbital Assembly Construction and Mission: Space Food. Her publications include book chapters on space spin-offs for medical benefit, psychological resilience in long-duration spaceflight, and reproduction and sexuality in long-duration spaceflight. She previously interned at ESA’s European Astronaut Center and NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Dr. Pandya earned her aquanaut designation during the 2019 NEPTUNE (Nautical Experiments in Physiology, Technology, and Underwater Exploration) mission. She previously served as Commander during a 2020 tour at the Mars Desert Research Station.
Andrea is the CEO and founder of Luna Design and Innovation, a Toronto-based startup that helps biotech and pharmaceutical companies plan missions to space. Luna’s goal is to advance health for humanity so people can lead full, healthy, and purposeful lives in space and on Earth. Luna is a channel partner for Blue Origin’s New Shepard suborbital reusable vehicle, focusing on global biotech/pharma and Canadian payload opportunities. Andrea is a biologist, design strategist, and public health practitioner with an extensive career designing human-centered products and services in the healthcare sector.
Jean-Francois Gauthier is a mechanical engineer and lifelong space geek with over 15 years of experience in the commercial space industry in various capacities at COM DEV including design and test, project management and sales and marketing. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Dalhousie University and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University. He is also a graduate of the International Space University’s Summer Session Program (2006). In October 2016, he joined GHGSat to help commercialize the products and services from their breakthrough satellite around the world. He now leads the growing Sales and Marketing team for the company.
Kevin Stadnyk is the co-founder and CEO of Obruta Space Solutions where he is working to improve the sustainability of the space sector by bringing space debris removal and orbital satellite servicing to the commercial market. With a love for all things space, he holds a BEng and MASc both in aerospace engineering from Carleton University. His other technical interests focus on attitude control and orbital mechanics. He also enjoys playing badminton and tabletop games in his spare time.
Previously a researcher in combustion dynamics and propulsion, Bachar oversees launch vehicle development at Reaction Dynamics as well as building a world- class team to support the company’s vision. He has authored several scientific papers on a variety of topics ranging from rocket propulsion to systems engineering and has delivered lectures on the same topics, including a TEDx talk.
Mariam is a Visiting Scholar at the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science working on science communication projects and collaborating on research involving Ocean Worlds with NASA Goddard. Mariam has a BSc. in Electrical Engineering from UT Austin and an MBA from the University of Toronto. She has a global and multi-disciplinary background, having worked as a commercial space consultant, as a technology strategist in the Enterprise Innovation team at one of the largest banks in Canada, as a field engineer on an oil rig in Russia, a manufacturing engineer in a Product Development center in Texas and as a business development manager for a Toronto-based Quantum computing startup. Mariam serves as National Point of Contact for Canada at the Space Generation Advisory Council and as a SEDS-Canada Advisory Board member.
I am Adaeze Ibik, a PhD student of David A. Dunlap Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto. I am from the eastern part of Nigeria in Africa where I earned my Bachelors and Masters in Physics both from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Due to my passion for STEM development in Africa, I am one of the instructors for PASEA (Pan-African School for Emerging Astronomers) which is a bi-annual event across Africa. I have also been involved with lots of other science outreach projects and science communication in Africa and Canada. As a student, I spend most of my time studying the explosions in the universe such as Fast Radio Bursts and Supernova using different types of telescopes such as CHIME. One of the reasons for my research is to understand the universe and create awareness of our origin as humans through science communication.
Lucy Stojak holds an undergraduate degree in law from the Université de Montréal, and a Masters and Doctorate degree in law from the Institute of Air and Space Law, McGill University. She has over 25 years of experience in the development and management of international, interdisciplinary, and intercultural educational programs. She served as the first Director of the Space Studies Program (SSP), a 9-week professional development program in the aerospace field, offered by the International Space University (ISU). She is a lawyer specialized in space law. Her fields of interest include security and space, the commercialization of space, and intercultural negotiation and team building.
She has been a member of the Canadian delegation to international organizations such as the United Nations, the EU, the OECD, the Conference on Disarmament and the European Space Agency (ESA). She is a Faculty member of the ISU and a current elected member of the ISU’s Academic Council. She is a member of the SEDS-Canada Board of Directors. She is a member of the New Space Associate Editorial Board (AEB). She is the Chair of the Canadian Space Advisory Board (SAB). In 2008, she joined HEC Montréal, the oldest business school in Canada. She is Executive-Director of Mosaic, a multidisciplinary platform for research and training in the management of creativity and innovation. Mosaic carries out academic research, action-research with local and international businesses and organizations, workshops, seminars, events, training and development programs, and a yearly Summer School on Management of Creativity and Innovation. This intensive 2-week program is designed to compare creative practices & methods from diverse fields ranging from industry and art to science, to foster innovation within organizations.
Tahir Merali is Chief Operating Officer of 4pi Lab Inc., a Calgary-based start-up providing early wildfire detection and alert services via satellites for smart, real-time, global coverage. A social entrepreneur, he is also Founder and Director of Zenith Canada, a not-for-profit delivering bespoke aerospace mentorship for Canadian post-secondary and early career professionals. He also runs Escape Velocity Services Inc., offering project management and technical consulting to small and medium enterprises. Mr. Merali has worked across Canada and the world at space agencies and commercial companies in human spaceflight, space exploration & earth observation, including major programmes such as the International Space Station, Lunar Gateway and Canadarm3. He is an International Astronautical Federation Workforce Development-Young Professionals Programme Committee member, and in 2018 was globally recognized as a Top 35 Under 35 of the space industry. He holds a B.A.Sc in Mechanical Engineering (University of Toronto), a M.Sc in Space Management (International Space University), and is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.Eng), Project Management Professional (PMP) and Advanced Open Water Diver.
Invariably when you meet someone for the first time they ask, “What do you do?”
That is usually when a large smile creeps across my face and I reply, “Too much.” I’ve been a ski instructor, a lifeguard and swimming instructor, and now teach scuba diving. I am a private pilot and fly hang gliders and paragliders as well as skydive regularly, and run marathons when I find the time to train. I build and repair guitars and am “trying” to learn how to play them. When I was much younger I used to build and fly model rockets; that turned to radio controlled planes which I still do. I guess all that designing and building led me to get my degree in engineering at Concordia University, where , like many of you, I participated in SAE completions; Ultra-mileage, Mini-Baha, Aero Heavy-Lift and a few others. One of my first engineering jobs was at a small company, ATS Aerospace, that designed, built, and installed air traffic control simulators. As it was a small company, I had the opportunity to participate in pretty much every facet of the business, from project management and marketing to coding, testing, and training. That small company offered me a chance to travel the world and I wouldn’t have given up that experience for anything. For over twenty years I have been a systems engineer at the Canadian Space Agency and have worked on many projects including the International Space Station robotics systems, James Webb Space Telescope, technology development programs including rover prototypes and exploration tools such as drills, microscopes, and imaging systems to name a few. We also get to review student programs such as the small satellite program and the reduced gravity experiments (vomit comet). In my spare time I am part of the organizing committee for Launch Canada and mentor university student teams participating in rocketry completions which is one activity where the students are actually mentoring me.
Dr. Bhairavi Shankar is a Planetary Scientist and entrepreneur. She founded Indus Space, a social enterprise, to raise public awareness around Space Science and Exploration and its links to STEM. Through programs and workshops (virtual or in person) she often works with all age groups. She loves to promote space science and the role of diverse women in STEM. She serves on the boards at Lotus STEMM (engaging South Asian girls in STEMM) and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada – Toronto Centre. Additionally, she participates in the Skype a Scientist and ESRI GIS Ambassador initiatives.
Marc Boucher is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of SpaceQ, a Canadian media and market intelligence company. He is also the founder of SpaceRef, a US media company.
Chris Kitzan is the Director General of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, one of three national science and innovation museums that make up Ingenium. Building on more than thirty years of experience working for heritage organizations, including the Canadian Museum of History and Library and Archives Canada, Chris has also been instrumental in organizing the Canadian Aero/Space Skills Network. Brought together to realize a common goal – inspiring the next generation of aviation and space professionals – the network includes more than fifty members ranging from major Canadian industries and government departments to post-secondary institutions and school boards.
Clinton is the Co-founder & COO of Influencive, which is an online media platform that teaches and inspires millions of people around the world about entrepreneurship, success, and technology. He’s the CEO of Senkow Ventures, which is a digital consultancy focused on growing businesses through the power of partnerships. He is a writer on Forbes.com and is a member of the Forbes Business Development Council while also receiving the honor of being a top G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance member representing Canada.
Erin is a PhD student and certified rover operator for the NASA Mars 2020 Perseverance rover. Erin’s research is dedicated to studying life in extreme environments on Earth – from volcanoes in Hawaii to frozen lakes in Iceland – and biosignatures they leave behind. The goal is to understand the limits of life as we know it so we may predict where and how to find it elsewhere in the Universe.
Wilfred Buck is a science facilitator and Indiginours star lore expert with the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Center. He is a member of the
Opaskwayak Cree Nation, within which he is known for his knowledge of First Nations astronomy. Through his research, Wilfred has compiled astronomical knowledge of the Cree, Ojibway and Lakota peoples. Wilfred is the co-curator of the ‘One Sky, Many Astronomies exhibit in Canada’s Science and Technology Museum, which features constellations of Canada’s indigenous cultures. He has also served as a storyteller in the short film “Legends of the Night Sky’ which is shown in the planetarium of the Telus World of Science in Edmonton.
Roxy Fournier received her PhD in 2020 from the University of Toronto in the department of Cell & Systems Biology where she studied the effects of microgravity on bone cellular processes. Her doctoral research was funded by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to support their human spaceflight program under a Flights and Fieldwork for the Advancement of Science and Technology (FAST) grant. Her work resulted in a peer-reviewed article describing novel methods to utilize an established simulated microgravity platform to study the response of osteocyte bone cells to mechanical unloading. She has also served as Program Manager and advisor for Canada’s yearly parabolic flight campaign for undergraduate students for 4 consecutive years. She led the initiative and established long-term partnerships with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and the CSA. She also gained reduced gravity flight experience, and was responsible for managing the delivery of flight research payloads and their integration into the Falcon 20 reduced gravity aircraft owned by the NRC. She is now coordinating an upcoming Arctic Research Expedition for undergraduate students to test space exploration payloads in Canada’s Arctic as well as serving as lead R&D Scientist for Mission: Space Food, a startup company focused on optimizing nutrition for spaceflight.
Associate ProfessorAndrew Higgins is a professor of Mechanical Engineering at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. He has over 25 years of experience in shock wave experimentation and modelling, encompassing shock and detonation waves in gas-phase and condensed-phase materials, with applications to advanced aerospace propulsion, defense, and fusion energy. He serves as the Managing Editor of Shock Waves, An International Journal on Shock Waves, Detonations, and Explosions. His two most recent projects have been: (1) Developing a hypervelocity launcher to launch projectiles to world-record velocities (exceeding 12 km/s) for orbital debris impact testing and (2) a research collaboration with General Fusion Inc. (Burnaby, BC) applying the implosion of liquid cavities to magnetized target fusion. In 2018, while on sabbatical from McGill, he was a visiting scholar at UC Santa Barbara in the Experimental Cosmology Group, working on problems related to interstellar flight. Andrew Higgins has a PhD (’96) and MS (’93) in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Washington, Seattle, and a BS (’91) in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the University of Illinois in Urbana/Champaign.
In her role as Communications Strategist, Kate works to engage The Planetary Society’s myriad audiences in the adventure of space exploration. Kate provides tools, training, and other resources to help ordinary people share space with their communities, and connects Planetary Society members with opportunities to get involved in advancing exploration. She also writes for The Planetary Report and planetary.org on a variety of space and outreach topics.
As a Space Policy Adviser, Kate guides The Planetary Society’s positions on space policy and advocacy in Canada and connects Canadian Planetary Society members with opportunities to advocate for Canadian space science and exploration programs.
Kate also serves on the Government of Canada’s Space Advisory Board and is a trusted media source for expertise and analysis of Canadian space policy. This is also the author of Space Is Cool As F***, a science columnist for The Editorial Magazine, and creator, writer, and producer of the digital series Whoa.
Gay Yuyitung is the Executive Director at the McMaster’s Industry Liaison Office (MILO); this office supports faculty, staff, and students at McMaster and the affiliated hospitals in obtaining government grants, working with companies for sponsored research contracts, and in the commercialization of their research. She has experience in negotiating license agreements to transfer technology from the university to both large multinationals, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. Gay has also represented the university on the Board of Directors, and provided management support for several McMaster start-ups and not-for-profit organizations, including ProSensus, Turnstone Biologicals, and Triumvira, as well as the Centre for Probe Development and Commercialization (CPDC). Prior to joining MILO, she has had experience with marketing at MDS Nordion and price reimbursement at Eli Lilly. Gay has her PhD in chemistry from the University of British Columbia and an MBA from McMaster.
Founder/CEO
Luna Design and Innovation
Andrea is the CEO and founder of Luna Design and Innovation, a Toronto-based startup that is creating end-to-end mission planning experiences for the biotech and pharma industry. Our goal is to advance health for humanity so people can lead full, healthy, and purposeful lives in space and on Earth. Luna is the global biotech partner and Canadian point of contact for Blue Origin.
Andrea is a scientist, design strategist, and public health practitioner with an extensive career designing human-centered products and services in the public and private health sectors. She previously led cross-functional global design initiatives at Johnson & Johnson and consulted with Virgin Galactic on the future of commercial spaceflight. Andrea is passionate about building products and systems that advance the future of health for humanity.
National Point of Contact for Canada
Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC)
Zaid is currently the National Point of Contact for Canada with the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) and working for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) as a Junior Program Scientist. He has previously completed an internship in 2018 at CSA in systems engineering and a one-year traineeship term at the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2019. Over the course of his time at ESA, he has engaged in various domains ranging from space operations to space resources, with a focus on lunar in-situ resource utilization. He also led the development of Space Concordia’s Orbital Dust Imaging Nanosatellite (SC-ODIN), a 3U Earth-observing CubeSat and one of 15 projects selected across Canada by the CSA for the Canadian CubeSat Project. The spacecraft is anticipated to launch from the ISS in 2021. SC-ODIN’s primary mission is to study dust particles across large geographic areas and its role in Earth’s energy budget as well as to improve current climate models. Zaid is actively involved in space advocacy, in addition to education and public outreach initiatives across Canada in his capacity with SGAC.
Alyssa Ang, Shawn Lobo, Jeff Kim, Molly Lu, and Priya Jain are representing WatLock, a diverse student design team from the University of Waterloo consisting of students from multiple faculties: Engineering, Science, Mathematics and Arts. WatLock’s mission is to design an airlock for human habitation on Mars. Consisting of a multifaceted group of young innovators, WatLock hopes to address the many challenges of space exploration, space engineering and space colonization.
Founder
Starscape Creative
Jay is a Chemical and Bioengineer from McMaster University and an alumnus fo the International Space University (ISU) Space Studies program 2018. He served the following year (2019) as a Teaching Associate in the Space Applications department. Jay’s passion and curiosity for Space Exploration have always driven him to seek adventure and gain different perspectives. He aims to always seek knowledge, experiences and continue to develop new skills. Jay’s other interest lies in biotechnology, emerging markets that will shape our future and business. Outside of academia, he enjoys dancing, hip-hop, basketball and staying active when he can. He is also the Founder of Starscape Creative, with a mission to ignite curiosity and wonder about Outer Space and its benefits through Art. He is actively involved with the Space community in Canada and internationally through ISU and Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC).
Co-Founder/VP Engineering
C6 Launch
Daniel McCammon is the Co-founder and VP Engineering of C6 Launch Systems (c6launch.ca), a new Canadian company providing dedicated, on-demand turnkey launch services specifically for the nano and CubeSat market. The C6 Launch rocket is capable of inserting up to 30 kg payloads into SSO and custom orbits with suborbital flights mid-2021 and orbital flights in early 2022.
Daniel has a MASc in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, and specializes in systems engineering/project management, high-speed aerodynamics, numerical analysis and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics). As VP Engineering at C6 Launch, he is providing oversight and management of the rocket design team
Student
University of North Texas
Alex is an undergraduate student at the University of North Texas. He is the Vice President of SEDS UNT and is helping plan the SpaceVision 2020 conference in Fall 2020. After completing his first analogue astronaut mission, he has become more interested in deep-space technologies. Alex plans to work as an engineer, focusing on electric propulsion, or possibly an astronaut with NASA in the future.
Systems Engineer
Canadensys Aerospace
Dr. Adam Sniderman is a systems engineer working at Canadensys Aerospace, where he develops devices and software for robotic systems both on- and off-planet. He holds a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from the University of Toronto and a B.A.Sc. in mathematics & engineering from Queen’s University, with a specialization in control theory and robotics. Adam has long had his head in the clouds, but is a recent transplant into the space sector, coming from a background spanning medical robotics, machine learning, and coordinated multirobot systems. He is passionate about science communication and education, and is excited to be joining this year’s SEDS Ascension line-up.
Member of Technical Staff
MDA
Elias is an aerospace engineer at MDA, where he supports robotic operations using the Canadarm-2 and Dextre manipulators onboard the International Space Station (ISS), and the development of advanced dexterous-robotic solutions for extreme environments on Earth, the Moon and beyond. He completed his Master of Applied Science at the University of Toronto’s Space Flight Laboratory, where he specialized in end-to-end spacecraft development and testing. He previously served as President of SEDS-Canada in 2017, and co-founded Canada’s reduced experiment design challenge (CAN-RGX). He’s an avid scuba diver, pilot in training and outdoorsman.
Citizen-Scientist Astronaut Candidate
Dr. Shawna Pandya is a scientist-astronaut candidate with Project PoSSUM, physician, aquanaut, speaker, martial artist, advanced diver, skydiver, pilot-in-training, VP Immersive Medicine with Luxsonic Technologies and Fellow of the Explorers’ Club. She holds degrees in neuroscience, space, entrepreneurship and medicine, and is currently completing a fellowship in Wilderness Medicine.
In 2015, Dr. Pandya completed scientist-astronaut candidate training with Project PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere) and was on the first crew to test a commercial spacesuit in zero-gravity. She has flown over 140 parabolas in microgravity to date. Dr. Pandya is the lead instructor for Project PoSSUM’s EVA 102: Operational Space Medicine course. Through Project PoSSUM, she completed hypobaric hypoxia training, centrifuge studies, aerobatic flight, basic and advanced emergency spacecraft egress and sea survival training, and high altitude noctilucent cloud research. Dr. Pandya also completed a tour at the Mars Desert Research Station analog in Utah, both as Commander and as Crew Health & Safety Officer. In 2019, Dr. Pandya attained her aquanaut designation during a 5-day underwater mission (NEPTUNE) at the Jules Underwater Lodge, completed the World Extreme Medicine Hyperbaric and Dive Medicine Course at Aquarius Reef Base, where NASA NEEMO missions take place, and was named a fellow of the Explorers’ Club. Her adventures were recently captured in the Land Rover short, released with the Apollo 11: First Steps film.
President
McMaster Planetary Society
Sobia Nadeem is a second year Engineering Physics student at McMaster University. She is the President of the McMaster Planetary Society and in November of 2019, her team organized McMaster’s first Space Week. There were several events hosted by other McMaster space teams and clubs during the week, with the McMaster Planetary Society’s Space Industry Night being a highlight. Sobia is passionate about space outreach as well as art. She was a former youth poet for the Hamilton Youth Poets, as well as a former artist for McMaster Unspoken, a poetry initiative on campus. She is excited to co-host the Ascension Space Conference at McMaster University this year!
Business Development Officer, City of Hamilton
CEO, CoMotion Group
Tammy Hwang is a passionate Hamiltonian and City Builder. By day, she works for the City of Hamilton in Economic Development’s Global Hamilton Office helping immigrant business owners access city resources and generally spreading the good word about Hamilton internationally. Tammy has helped launch programs like “Land in Hamilton”, a soft landing program for international firms to experience and learn about starting/expanding a business in Hamilton, Hamilton’s International Delegation Protocol, and supporting Hamilton’s Foreign Direct Investment Strategy to make Hamilton a top international destination for investment and economic development. Tammy also helped Hamilton achieve Top7 Intelligent Community status and is an active and engaged cheerleader for Hamilton’s technology, smart city initiatives, and our thriving startup ecosystem. In her evenings and weekends, she is the CEO of CoMotion Group, a small business that runs CoMotion on King; a coworking space for small businesses, freelancers, and solo entrepreneurs. She is passionate about building Hamilton as a globally recognized intelligent community.
Student
Queen’s University
Thomas Sears is passionate about the sustainable exploration of space and connecting people with all things science and technology. As a PhD candidate at Queen’s University, he is developing cooperative strategies for multi-vehicle missions on the Earth, the Moon, and beyond. He believes that the key to solar system exploration is collaborative robots that thrive where we cannot. Previously, Thomas worked in engineering roles at Sinclair Interplanetary and the University of Toronto’s Space Flight Laboratory, building new and experimental satellite systems. He obtained his undergraduate degree at Carleton University and his master’s at the University of Toronto. Beyond his research, Thomas seeks to establish a diverse and flourishing space industry in Canada.
MAC Dance is an amalgamation of several established McMaster dance organizations representing a team of dancers of all levels, including recreational and competitive teams. All styles are encouraged and welcomed, for individuals interested in a just-for-fun recreational experience. The recreational team’s focus is on an annual dance show, which is completely organized and choreographed by club members consisting of McMaster students.
Founder, Continuum Aerospace
Founder & President, Launch Canada
Adam Trumpour is a rocket and gas turbine propulsion professional with broad involvement in the industry. He is a turbine engine concept designer at Pratt & Whitney Canada, and a founding partner of Continuum Aerospace, a small company devoted to engineering consulting and developing innovative rocket propulsion systems. In his spare time, Adam is heavily involved in liquid-propellant rocketry activities, mentors student rocketry teams, and works tirelessly to advance the cause of entrepreneurial space and rocketry in Canada. He served as a technical advisor for the Base 11 Space Challenge rocket competition and is co-chair of its Safety Council. He is the founder and president of Launch Canada, an organization founded to support and advance grassroots experimental rocketry in Canada.
Adam earned his bachelor’s in Engineering Science (aerospace) at the University of Toronto, and his Master of Applied Science in aerospace engineering at Ryerson University.
Project Officer, Operational Space Medicine
Canadian Space Agency
Linda Dao is a Project Officer in Operational Space Medicine at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) contributing to vision development for Canada’s next space health initiatives. She received a B.Sc. in Honours Biochemistry from McMaster University and went on to the International Space University where she attended the Space Studies Program and received her Master’s degree. Linda was the co-founder of the two-time award-winning McMaster Observatory Outreach at Night (MOON) Club. Linda is additionally the Education Officer of SEDS-Canada, aiming to spark greater awareness for space exploration and highlight opportunities in the Canadian space sector. In 2013, Linda won the CSA nationwide science challenge where her designed experiment was performed in the International Space Station by Chris Hadfield. Currently, Linda serves on the organizing committee for the International Space Development Conference.
Student
Guelph University
I recently completed a MSc in Physics, at the University of Guelph, specializing in Planetary Science. My supervisor, Dr. Ralf Gellert, is the Principal Investigator for the APXS instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory Rover, Curiosity. My research used data from the APXS, as well as the ChemCam instrument to analyse and quantify sulfur and calcium in Gale Crater, Mars. In addition to my research, I am a Payload Uplink / Downlink Lead (PUDL) for the APXS, this encompasses operating the instrument by delivering sequences to the rover and assessing downlinked data. I completed both my BSc. and MSc. at the University of Guelph, while being a member of the Varsity Women’s Lacrosse Team. I will be starting a PhD next semester at the University of Toronto in the field of Atmospheric Physics.
Student
McMaster University
Michael is a 5th year Mechanical and Management Engineering student at McMaster University. Throughout his undergraduate degree, he has held several Space related positions, including but not limited to a position at NASA JPL and Caltech. He has also been involved with the Space community at McMaster, as a member of both McMaster NEUDOSE and MERGE. These Space clubs have provided Michael with unique learning opportunities and skills that he believes are relevant to the space sector.
Student
McMaster University
Devan Wagner is a Masters student, an aspiring engineer in the Canadian space industry, and the Engineering Manager for McMaster NEUDOSE, the University’s first satellite mission. During his time as undergraduate in Engineering Physics & Management at McMaster, Devan was one of the original members of the satellite project which has since grown to include over 100 students and become a mission under the Canadian Space Agency with an expected launch in 2022. Now, as a graduate student, he is completing his research in Engineering Physics while continuing to manage NEUDOSE through all design phases and mentoring the next generation of space engineers and scientists at McMaster University.
Andrew is a Canadian Barrister and Solicitor (Ontario), Australian Lawyer, and Australian Registered Migration Agent. His research focus is international space law, international migration law, human rights law and polar law. In particular, Andrew has published extensively on and advocates for freedom of movement in outer space as an individual human right. He speaks frequently at space and international law events in North America, Australia and Europe, including recently with UNOOSA, and is a member of both the International Institute of Space Law and the European Centre for Space Law.
Andrew is employed in a research capacity by the Melbourne Social Equity Institute at the University of Melbourne and also works for an immigration consultancy firm located in London (UK). He has additionally served as faculty on multiple International Space University programs in Cork (Ireland), Adelaide (Australia) and most recently in Strasbourg (France) as the Associate Chair of the “Applications and Potentials of Intelligent Swarms” (APIS) team project sponsored by NASA. Previously he has worked for both the Australian Departments of Immigration and Defence and in offices of the Australian and United States Senate respectively.
Andrew has completed a Master of Research from Macquarie University (Sydney) examining the Outer Space Treaty from an international migration law perspective, as well as the Strategic Space Law Program at McGill University. In addition to his Juris Doctor from the University of Melbourne, he holds two Master of Laws degrees, a Graduate Certificate in Migration Law and a Graduate Certificate in Space Studies. Andrew’s most recent publication, “Bifurcated Sovereignty and the Territorial Conception of ‘the Province of all Mankind’”, can be found in volume 43 (2019) of the Journal of Space Law.
Product and Business Development
Mission Control Space Services
Kaizad works at Mission Control Space Services, a space exploration and robotics company with a focus on mission operations, onboard autonomy, and artificial intelligence. He has Bachelors and Masters degrees in aerospace engineering from Purdue University and the University of Toronto. Kaizad joined Mission Control in 2016 as a robotics engineer, contributing to the development and analog field testing of advanced technologies in perception, path planning, and mission operations for planetary rovers, while also supporting other activities such as mission design, systems engineering, and STEM education through Mission Control Academy. He now works in product and business development to support the growth of Mission Control as a commercially focused space tech company that aims to offer novel software solutions for next-generation space missions.
His previous experience includes 6 years of service at SEDS national organizations, including Vice-Chair at SEDS-USA, followed by re-starting and leading SEDS-Canada as Chair and Chief of Staff, and co-founding SEDS programs such as CAN-RGX.
Founder/CEO
CATx Technology
Christine completed a BASc in Engineering Science-Aerospace from the University of Toronto and Masters in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT.
Christine has noteably worked with BAE, EADS Astrium Services, and was appointed Vice President for Research and Technology and Chief Technology Officer for the US arm of Airbus Group, Inc. At Airbus, Christine helped determine the technology needs of all business lines in the US and for delivered US-based research for the entire company.
Christine now focuses on organizational topics related to innovation and engineering. Through her company, CATx Technology, she also as a consultant to Toronto area technology start-ups on technology road mapping, strategy and organizational design. Christine is a member of Canada’s Space Advisory Board, which provides advice on Canada’s space strategy to the Minister for Industry, Science and Economic Development. She also sits on the Department of National Defence (DND) Independent Review Panel for Defence Acquisition and is a mentor for the Space stream at the University of Toronto’s Rotman Business School Creative Destruction Lab.
Founder/CEO
SpaceRyde
Sohrab is the founder and CEO of SpaceRyde, a space launch startup in Toronto. He holds a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Toronto. Before SpaceRyde, Sohrab led Planning and Controls Engineering of Cruise Automation, a San Francisco based self-driving car company that was acquired by GM for over $1B. He was the recipient of the prestigious Etkin Medal for research excellence in Atmospheric Flight, has published numerous technical papers, and has been awarded 9 patents.
Manager of Science Programs at Planet,
Founder Professional Martian LLC
Dr. Tanya Harrison calls herself a “professional martian.” She has spent the last decade working as a scientist and in mission operations on multiple NASA Mars missions, including the Curiosity and Opportunity rovers. Her specialty lies in geomorphology: the study of a planet’s evolution based on its surface features. Before Mars however, Tanya had her head in the stars as an astronomer studying the metal content of star clusters and recurring novae systems. She holds a Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Western Ontario, a Masters in Earth and Environmental Sciences from Wesleyan University, and a B.Sc. in Astronomy and Physics from the University of Washington. Currently she is the Manager of Science Programs at Planet Federal, the federal arm of Planet Labs. Tanya is also an advocate for advancing the status of women in science and for accessibility in the geosciences. You can find her prolifically tweeting about the Red Planet as @tanyaofmars.
Professor of Surgery at McMaster University
Dr. Mehran Anvari is a tenured Professor of Surgery at McMaster University, the Chair of Minimally Invasive Surgery and Surgical Innovation at McMaster and an Adjunct Scientist for the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES). He is the past president and founding member of the Minimally Invasive Robotic Association (MIRA) and the founding director of the Centre for Minimal Access Surgery (CMAS). Dr. Anvari is the Scientific Director and CEO of the Centre for Surgical Invention and Innovation (CSii), which recently partnered with MDA to create Insight Medbotics Canada Corporation (IMCC) – a start up to commercialize a new generation of intelligent robotic systems.
He is one of the first surgeons in Canada to use robotics in surgery, establishing the world’s first telerobotic surgical service and has since performed multiple remote telerobotic surgeries. He is a recognized pioneer in the field of remote telesurgery and was the Primary Investigator on NEEMO 7 & 9 missions which were joint missions of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Centre (TATRC). These projects evaluated the use of telesurgery in remote and hostile environments. His research over these missions initiated the development of a medical robotic system capable of programming and automation which can be controlled remotely to perform specific medical acts. IGAR is a product of the collaborative research with a number of recognized US and international researchers.
Dr. Anvari is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery. His work with telerobotics has also been recognized by the federal and provincial government with the “Gold Medal of Distinction” and the “Diamond Award for Innovation in Technology”. Most recently, Dr. Anvari was appointed to the Order of Ontario for his support in the development of medical robotics for early detection and treatment of cancers.
As a researcher, supervisor, mentor and advisor, Dr. Anvari has a continued commitment to teaching, education, publication and innovation. Dr. Anvari is the founding director of the McMaster Institute for Surgical Invention, Innovation and Education (MISSIE). He has authored numerous publications; holds several patents; and is the principle investigator of numerous studies related to obesity, gastrointestinal disease, surgical robotic systems and techniques.
Research Scientist, School of Geography and Earth Sciences
McMaster University
Allyson is currently a research scientist in the School of Geography and Earth Sciences at
McMaster University. She holds degrees in microbiology (B.Sc. Guelph), bioarchaeology (M.A.
Western) and earth science (PhD McMaster) and is actively involved in astrobiology research
and the development of mission concepts of operations for human exploration. Her main area of
interest is in understanding how life can thrive in extreme environments on Earth, how that
information translates into searching for evidence of life on other planets such as Mars and what
signs of life might be left behind once that life is no longer there. Understanding how to identify
and interpret these signs is key for the space science community to effectively plan future space
missions including those that will target sample collection.
Allyson has over 10 years of experience working in analogue environments – settings on Earth
that simulate conditions on other planets – to try and tackle these questions. She has participated
in several NASA and Canadian Space Agency supported research programs focused on not only
detecting signs of life but understanding how to effectively integrate scientific research activities
into crewed space missions. Her work has taken her to field sites in the Antarctic, hotsprings in
Western Canada, volcanoes in Hawaii, and piloting single-person submersibles underwater in
B.C. She hopes that the insights gained through studying these environments will be used to help
guide human scientists and explorers on Mars or other planets.
Space and Ground Systems Developer
Sinclair Interplanetary
Julia Gibson is an American applied mathematician, poet, musician, and visual artist currently working for Sinclair Interplanetary, a small Toronto-based space company. After studies in violin performance at Manhattan School of Music, she finished her undergraduate degree in cognitive science at Brown University and a master’s in mathematics at McMaster University. Her first book of poetry was released in 2019. Her interests in the space industry include robotics, navigation, propulsion, and the politics of space exploration and commercial services.
Student
McMaster University
Arielle Ainabe is a first year engineering student at McMaster University and 2019 Schulich Leader. Her research has been presented at the International Science and Engineering Fair three years in a row where she won the second place special award from NASA in 2018. In addition to her endeavors in science fair she co-founded her highschool’s STEM club and first ever science council. Both of which were highlighted in the TEDx talk she gave last year. Arielle was also an air cadet where she was a Warrant Officer Second Class and received her glider and power pilot’s license.
Student
University of Toronto
Shira Jackson is a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto studying experimental quantum optics. She’s currently working on the construction of two-photon optical clocks for field- and space-based fundamental physics investigations. In August 2019, Shira participated in the CSA’s Strato-Science campaign to launch a compact optical atomic clock on a stratospheric balloon. When not in the lab playing with lasers, she’s busy with her two little children.
Chair, Board of Directors
SEDS USA
Charlie Nitschelm, a student at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) studying mechanical engineering and physics, actively leads SEDS-USA as Chair of the Board of Directors. Before being elected on the national level, Charlie founded and remains the President of UNH SEDS, a team of 30 students working to develop New Hampshire’s first hybrid rocket for the Spaceport America Cup competition during the Summer of 2020. Under Charlie’s lead, the local SEDS chapter has grown to become the largest and most interdisciplinary engineering organization at UNH in three short years. Outside of university, Charlie was awarded a Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship where he interned at Rocket Lab as a manufacturing engineer. After graduation in May 2020, Charlie will move to Hawthorne, California to start his full-time job as a build engineer on Starship, SpaceX’s next vehicle destined to bring humans to Mars. Charlie hopes to bring a unique perspective to the space policy panel at Ascension 2020 representing the US student perspective.
Chief Legal Consultant
Ardaker Space Consultants
Aram Daniel Kerkonian is the founder and Chief Legal Consultant of Ardaker Space Consultants, a firm dedicated to providing space law and policy advice to governmental and non-governmental entities. Aram is also the Erin J.C. Arsenault Doctoral Fellow in space law at McGill University’s Institute of Air and Space Law, where he researches the structure and gaps of Canada’s existing space regulatory framework. In addition to being a licensed attorney with the Law Society of Ontario (having completing his articles as a judicial law clerk with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice), Aram holds a Master of Laws degree from McGill University, a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Windsor and an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen’s University. Aram is frequently invited to present and speak on issues of space law and policy at Canadian and international events and has been interviewed by several news outlets related to these topics. In addition to publishing a book of edited works, various book chapters and multiple articles in leading international space law journals, Aram has drafted two reports for the Canadian government, one of which was presented in Parliament. Aram is a member of the US Federal Aviation Administration’s Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation as well as the coach of McGill University’s two previous space law moot teams (the reigning champions of North America).
Aram was recently selected to the highly-competitive Canadian Recruitment of Policy Leaders program and will begin working as a Senior Policy Advisor to the federal government in 2020. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Aram now lives in Montréal.
President
Pley Consulting Inc.
Michael Pley retired as CEO of COM DEV International in 2016 after a 30-year career, and is currently supporting technology SMEs and space companies through his management consulting company. COM DEV was one of the leading suppliers to satellite manufacturers and space agencies around the world, having supplied equipment to over 80% of all communication satellites ever launched and many international science and exploration missions.
Michael graduated Summa Cum Laude from McMaster University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and Management in 1983. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and received his honorary Doctor of Science Degree from McMaster in 2017.
In 2006, he was the inaugural recipient of McMaster’s Les W. Shemilt Distinguished Engineering Alumni award. In addition to being a member of the Advisory Board to the Dean of Engineering at McMaster since 2002 and its Chair since 2016, he is involved in a number of charitable and volunteer organizations. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada and chairs its Space Committee. He is currently an Associate/Mentor for the Space Stream at Creative Destruction Lab, a Toronto-based incubator for early stage companies.
Founder/CEO
Indus Space
Bhairavi is a Planetary Scientist and founder/CEO of Indus Space. Through her company, she actively focuses on public education in space science working with school-aged students. She also helps to connect the public with space-themed resources, assisting with curriculum development. She loves to promote about space science and the role of women in science as often as possible.
Executive Director
Canadian Association of Science Centres
Co-founder, steamlabs
Dr. Marianne Mader is the Executive Director for the Canadian Association of Science Centres (CASC), one of the largest membership-based associations of informal science learning organizations in Canada, collectively reaching more than 8 million citizens per year. Dr. Mader is also the co-founder of steamlabs, a non-for profit education-innovation organization. A Planetary Scientist with over 13 years of research and field experience, Marianne has studied some of the oldest rocks on Earth in Greenland, collected meteorites in Antarctica, and has helped plan and execute simulated lunar and planetary exploration missions. Dr. Mader is committed to building a thriving science and innovation culture in Canada.
Community Strategist
The Planetary Society
Kate Howells is a science communicator, space policy advisor, and non-profit management consultant based in Guelph, ON. Kate’s day job is with The Planetary Society, a U.S.-based non-profit that works with the public to advance space science and exploration, where she leads community engagement and provides guidance on Canadian space policy. Kate is also the author of Space Is Cool As F*** and writes for magazines and websites about space, nature, brains, and whatever else fascinates her
Director, Business Development
GHGSat
Jean-Francois Gauthier is a mechanical engineer and lifelong space geek with over 15 years of experience in the commercial space industry in various capacities at COM DEV including design and test, project management and sales and marketing. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Dalhousie University and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University. He is also a graduate of the International Space University’s Summer Session Program (2006). In October 2016, he joined GHGSat to help commercialize the products and services from their breakthrough satellite around the world. He now leads the growing Sales and Marketing team for the company.
Senior Business Development Manager
Magellan Aerospace
Eric Choi is the senior business development manager for the space business unit of Magellan Aerospace. Over the course of his career, he has held positions of increasing technical and managerial responsibility in both the aviation and space sectors, the latter including work on QEYSSat, the Meteorology payload on the NASA Phoenix Mars Lander, the Canadarm2 on the International Space Station, the RADARSAT-1 Earth-observation satellite, and the MOPITT (Measurements of Pollution on the Troposphere) instrument. He holds a B.A.Sc in engineering science and an M.A.Sc in aerospace engineering, both from the University of Toronto, and an MBA from York University.
Educational Outreach and Communications Specialist
Institute for Earth and Space Exploration
Dr. Parshati Patel is an astrophysicist, science communicator and educator based in London, Ontario. She is an Educational Outreach and Communications Specialist at the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration and an Adjunct Research Professor in the Faculty of Education at Western University. She is currently pursuing a professional certification in Public Relations and Communications from Western University. She has been communicating her passion for space science and technology with students and public for the past 8 years in various capacities through outreach initiatives and programs at Western University. Dr. Patel conducts research in the Faculty of Education understand and gauge the engagement of the participants as well as their outlook on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers and interest in STEM fields. She has co-founded Women of Color in STEAMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics and Medicine) in Canada in 2018. Since June 2019, Dr. Patel is part of the Principal Scientific Adviser’s Consultive Group to Government of India.
Student
I have been working on Space, Robotic and Machine Learning for the last 5 years. I am interested in deep space exploration and have been applying machine learning to space challenges, including: predicting risk index of asteroids colliding with Earth, detecting atmospheres of exoplanets, and object mapping by autonomous rovers using stereotypic vision.
I have presented my machine learning projects at several conferences including the 2020 Innovation Nation Conference, the 2019 Planetary Defense Conference in Washington DC where it won the Honorable Mention Award, the 2019 Montreal Space Symposium, and the 2018 Toronto Machine Learning Summit. I participate in Kaggle and citizen science challenges on astronomy and machine learning. I was one of the winners of the Ariel Machine Learning Data Challenge and presented my project at the ARIEL: Science, Mission and Community 2020 Conference in the Netherlands. I am the winner of the NASA SpaceApps Challenge Toronto 2018, 2017, 2014 as well as the 2018 Imagining the Skies, and the 2017 Jesse Ketchum Award of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.
In 2014, I co-founded the HotPopRobot.com Initiative to carry out youth to youth science communication and outreach on space and carry out several free workshops and events each year.