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Abdullah AlGharrash is a Saudi aerospace engineer and space entrepreneur advancing the region’s space ecosystem. He serves as a Space Solutions Engineer at Saudi Aramco Space Group and a Strategy Consultant with Falak for Space Science and Research. Founder of the Saudi Youth Space Community, SpaceTech in Gulf and PhotoEnergy-TEC, he has published research at IAC, won the NASA Space Apps Challenge, and mentored with SGAC, Qimam, and the Saudi Space Agency, supporting Vision 2030’s space ambitions.
Dr. Ersin Soken is an Associate Professor in Aerospace Engineering at Middle East Technical University (METU). His research focuses on spacecraft attitude determination and control, space flight mechanics, and guidance and navigation.
Previously, he worked at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the TÜBİTAK Space Technologies Research Institute (TÜBİTAK UZAY), contributing to JAXA’s ERG satellite and TÜBİTAK UZAY’s Turksat 6A and IMECE satellite programs. He continues to serve as a researcher on TÜBİTAK UZAY’s AYAP-1 and IMECE-2 & -3 missions. He currently leads the CHERI micro moon rover and APSCO METUCube satellite projects at METU.
He has co-authored 2 books, written over 30 journal articles, contributed to 5 book chapters, and presented more than 80 peer-reviewed papers at international conferences.
His academic background includes a PhD in Space and Astronautical Science from the Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Japan; an MSc in Aerospace Engineering from Istanbul Technical University (ITU); and dual BSc degrees in Astronautical Engineering (1st major) and Aeronautical Engineering (2nd major) from ITU. He also spent a research term at Aalborg University, Denmark, as a visiting PhD scholar.
Dr. Firas Jarrar is the Dean of the School of Engineering Technology at Al Hussein Technical University (HTU). He earned his Ph.D. degree with honors in mechanical engineering from the University of Kentucky in 2009. His prior academic experience includes working as an assistant professor at Khalifa University and before that at the University of Jordan. Moreover, his professional background includes three years as a mechanical engineer with the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Co.
Dr. Firas is a passionate space enthusiast who has devoted significant efforts to advancing space technologies. During his work at Khalifa University, he supervised the design and construction of two CubeSats: DhabiSat and Light-1. He also served as manager of the Yahsat Space Lab, where he supervised the CubeSat projects and was responsible for the space concentration academic program at Khalifa University. To acknowledge his contributions, he was featured at the Expo 2020 UAE Pavilion, Land of Dreamers Who Do.
He also serves as the project lead for the Al-Rhim Sat CubeSat initiative at HTU, which was awarded a launch opportunity by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs in 2025. He is also the lead developer of the CubeSat Wizard software application.
Dr. Firas has more than seventy papers published in peer-reviewed international journals and conference proceedings. In 2017 he was awarded the Dean of the College of Engineering Teaching Award at the Petroleum Institute. He has also participated in several public television interviews to speak about space-related scientific and technological issues.
Dr. Nebile Pelin MANTI is a postdoc PIL researcher, specialised in Air and Space Law, Law of Air and Space Warfare, as well as Law of the Sea and uses of Emerging Technologies and IHL.
Graduated from the Galatasaray Faculty of Law. (Before becoming an academic, she worked as an attorney on IP Law and Criminal cases.)
She obtained TÜBİTAK and İstanbul Üniversity Tinçel Foundation Scholarships for her PhD research, which is entitled as Air Warfare and IHL. She was accepted as a visiting scholar in IASLI of Leiden University, under the supervision of Prof.Dr. Pablo Mendes de Leon and Prof. Dr. Robert Heinch. During the second semester, at Harvard Law School, under the supervision of Prof Dr. Bonnie Docherty. She participated in meetings of HMAMW both in Leiden and Harvard, as a reporter. She defended her thesis in May 2018, within Galatasaray University Institute of Social Sciences, and graduated magna cum laude, one of 5 graduates of the programme.
Her research interests are air and space law, and the role and regulation of emerging technologies under international law, air and space law and IHL.
Since 2018, she has been an active member of SGAC Space and Cybersecurity PG, participated IAASS and IAC with respectable PG members each year with several articles since 2018. She was one of the cohosts of IAC 2023 Baku, on Harmful Interference Session with other experts.
She is a member of TOBBUYUM Space Law Commission, IEEE SA, and IEEE AESS.
Meliha Ulamış is an Electrical and Electronics Engineering student at Bilkent University with a strong interest in space technologies, systems engineering, and the future of space exploration. She is currently a volunteer at Stellar Lab and contributes to the Ankara team, focusing on outreach and space-related research activities. She also serves as a core team member of Space Network, where she helps organize networking events that bring together students, professionals, and industry leaders. She aims to pursue a career in the space industry, contributing to projects that advance humanity’s presence beyond Earth.
