2023-2024 Board of Directors
Will is a third-year Engineering Science student at the University of Toronto, majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Will is currently a Mission Operators Engineering Intern with MDA, and works to analyze and upgrade the Canadarm2 system on the International Space Station; he also works on exciting new projects in applied Virtual Reality and 0-g robotics testbeds. He leads avionics for UofT’s Aerospace Rocketry design team, growing their technical capabilities and engineering practices; on the side he is very involved with their business development subteam.
Will believes that Canadian students’ interest in space eclipses our endeavors, and will push to position Canada as a world-leader in the new space age. As VP Internal, Will intends to greatly expand our membership base and Canadian knowledge of SEDS, bring about organizational unification and standardization, identify bottlenecks in productivity, and be a strong advocate for staff and member engagement and opportunities.
We are small on this planet and our destiny is the stars.
Adam is the Vice-President Communications and the Chief Technology Officer of SEDS Canada. He is responsible for SEDS-Canada’s communications strategy, online presence, and the application of software development & managed services for internal processes. He hopes to work on problems faced by organizations in the space industry by applying capabilities in process automation, user experience (UX) research, and software development. Outside of SEDS, he studies mathematics in his third year at the University of Toronto and has developed software for human rights groups. He continues to study French, Spanish, and Chinese dialects as a hobby.
Tianna is pursuing an undergraduate degree in Sustainable Energy Engineering with a minor in International Studies (environmental concentration) at Simon Fraser University. With an interest in both aerospace and sustainability, Tianna has been interning in the Canadian Space Agency’s Green Operations department, working to analyze the CSA’s environmental impact and policies. From working at the CSA Tianna hopes to continue her work in the aerospace sector and apply her sustainability and clean technology knowledge to future space missions! As the previous outreach coordinator, Tianna is looking forward to sharing her passions as she continues to expand SEDS Canada’s Outreach programs!
Cici Hall is an Aerospace Engineering student specializing in Management Sciences and Physics at Toronto Metropolitan University. Cici had heard of SEDS-Canada through the Zenith Canada Pathways Foundation and was drawn to the board as a means to expand on their passion for space exploration, science communication, and leadership. Throughout 2022, Cici has been a Project Management & Business Analysis Intern at Pratt & Whitney Canada and a Software Exploration Intern at the Western Institute for Earth and Space Exploration. Additionally, they have leadership experience as the VP Administration for the Canadian Aeronautics & Space Institute’s TMU Chapter, the Finance Director for TMU’s international Hyperloop team, a Structures Engineering lead for the Cansat team, and an ongoing Eng-Frosh leader. As the Director at Large (Projects), Cici aims to spread awareness and open doors to opportunities for fellow space enthusiasts from coast to coast!
Sharanjit Virdi is a fifth year Computer Engineering student at Simon Fraser University (SFU) with 20+ months of work experience at Sierra Wireless, Deloitte, and most recently, at Space Alpha Insights as a Software Engineer where she further explored the space industry while working with SAR-XL satellite technology. Sharanjit is a strong STEM advocate with a passion for innovation and making a difference around her. As the Co-President of the Women in Engineering club at SFU, she hosted numerous Networking Nights, STEM workshops, computing Help Nights, and the first-ever female Hackathon at her university to empower fellow students for their professional careers. Similarly, as the current Team Captain and Web-Interface Lead of her WiE Design Team at SFU, she is currently working on an autonomous robot to keep the beaches clean and help make the world a more sustainable place. Sharanjit’s passion for space and making a difference led her to join SEDS-Canada as the Canadian Space Conference Logistics Lead for 2022-2023. This year, as the Events Chair, Sharanjit aims to continue with the same vision to provide richer experiences and opportunities for students, make space more inclusive, and expand SEDS-Canada’s reach to every corner in Canada.
Sasha likes naps and getting her nails done (can’t you tell)!