Meet the Our Giant Leap Hackathon 2022 organizing team!
Ben Greaves attended the University of Michigan where he received a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, a minor in Astrophysics and a master’s degree in Space Engineering.
As a graduate student, Ben interned at NASA Kennedy Space Center and NASA Langley Research Center where he developed projects for extraterrestrial food production as well as Martian habitat designs. Ben then became a US Peace Corps Agricultural Volunteer, where he engineered sustainable agroforestry and water irrigation systems in The Gambia for six months until he was evacuated due to COVID-19.
After returning, he attended the International Space University’s Interactive Space Program and conducted plant growth research as a HI-SEAS analog astronaut.
Now with StarLab Oasis, Ben is utilizing space systems to improve global food security and nutrition.
Yulia Akisheva is an aerospace engineer by training currently pursuing a PhD in Protective Use of Regolith for Planetary and Lunar Exploration, or PURPLE in short. This PhD is supported by the European Space Agency (ESA), TRAD Tests & Radiations and ISAE-SUPAERO under the ESA OSIP collaboration platform.
Yulia has a continually growing passion for human spaceflight. Over a decade ago, she knew she wanted to work on putting that first human boot on Mars so she invested in her academic background. Yulia has three Master’s degrees from top European universities, KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden and ISAE-SUPAERO in France. She specialised in Aerospace Structures and Materials, Design and Operation of Space Systems, and Sciences of the Mechanics of Materials and Structures.
Besides Mars exploration, Yulia is invested in fostering international cooperation and outreach about space. She contributes to building a more diverse and inclusive aerospace sector as a volunteer at Space Generation Advisory Council, where she is a team member and co-lead of the Diversity and Gender Equality Project Group, otherwise known as the Our Giant Leap initiative.
Program team:
Megha is a final year student at Vellore Institute of Technology, India, pursuing her bachelor’s in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. She serves as the Vice-Chair of SEDS India and was the former Expansion Chair of WoAA International. Within Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), she serves as the NPoC of India, is an Onboarding Team Member on the Human Resources Team, a member of the Mentoring Committee, and volunteers in the Space Exploration and OGL Project Groups. The recipient of the NASA SCaN and SGAC Scholarship 2021, her interests include orbital mechanics, spacecraft navigation, and planetary science. After graduating this summer, she wishes to pursue her master’s in the field of space exploration. As a woman of colour, she is passionate about advocating for diversity and inclusion and wants to help make space accessible for everyone. In her free time, she likes to read fiction, draw and go on walks.
Agustina Gala is an Aerospace student originally from Supaero in France and currently studying a Master at the University of Bristol in the UK. Passionate about space, Agustina has followed different summer schools and courses related to space from ESA and ArianeGroup. She is also the founder and the President of Solarboost, a technical club in Supaero, aiming to construct zero fossil fuel vehicles.
Moreover, Agustina likes to get involved in space related events where she has won three different prizes related to her involvement and participation from Boeing, Dalkia (EDF) and Supaero. She has also been a volunteer at the Cité de l’espace in Toulouse and is currently a volunteer at the 3AF (Association Aéronautique et astronautique de France) association.
Sarah Hasnain is a Physicist, Software Engineer, and budding Human Systems Engineer supporting robotic space missions and innovation on the lunar surface. They are especially interested in the intersections of Disability and Human Spaceflight, Space Medicine, AI Ethics, and Serendipity in Science.
Hackers team:
Leandro Camacho is an Artificial Intelligence Developer, Lead of the community NASA Space Apps in San Jose, Costa Rica. He has participated in more than 40 Hackathons around the world, and has won and been awarded in competitions, such as NASA Space Apps, Hack Zurich, MIT AI LATAM, IBM Call for Code, International Monetary Fund, Tech Crunch DisruptSF, Startup Weekend, among others.
Antony D. Ramírez is a Costa Rican student of Electronics Engineering, Industrial Electronics Technician, IT Support Tech and Electronics Teacher for technicians, won an academic excellence scholarship to study an Associates Degree in Robotics & Automation Technology in the US, have been working in the aerospace field in the region, last year being semi finalist on the Mission Idea Contest with the LWISAT Mission, won the third place nationwide in the NASA Space Apps Challenge with the AstraLand Project, nowadays, president, founder and Chief Operating Officer of BioMechaX Tech (third aerospace startup in Costa Rica)..
Yeonjung Yoo is a senior in Korea Aerospace University studying aerospace/mechanical engineering. Currently, she is doing an internship in Las Vegas, designing a machine for optimizing how to analyze friction and stress forces. Yeonjung Yoo is interested in the aerospace industry and looking forward to participating in the Our Giant Leap Hackathon as a volunteer.
Communication team:
Vatasta is an Aerospace Engineering with splz in Avionics graduate from India. Her experience includes participation in academic and extra co-curricular activities of both national and international recognition. She has been a part of Infinity Space Club: The Astronautical Society of UPES, India, and served as one of the senior executives. Previously, she has also served as the co-leader of Team Agastya: Aero- Design Team of UPES for the AIAA DBF. She has several research papers about aerodynamics, space exploration, and space debris management. Further, she wants to pursue a career in the field of space sustainability and awareness.
Rayan Khan is the Founder of Cosmic Tribe. His passion for the field of astronomy and space developed during his study period. During the early nurturing period of his career, he learned and developed the quality of being proactive which proved to be profound when he started outreach and public awareness campaigns on light pollution known by the name of Light Pollution Fighter.
He received his master’s degree in space science with a specialization in astrophysics. He is also an aerospace certified apprentice and holds an aircraft maintenance engineer’s license. He is the International Astronomical Union-IAU Dark Skies Ambassador, IDA Dark Sky Delegate/Advocate, National Node of International Day of Light, Young Persons Committee Head of the Royal Aeronautical Society Pakistan Division, National Coordinator of the Moon Village Association, and IAU NAEC National Astronomy Education Coordinator from Pakistan Team.
Juliah Sinpanich Champion is a designer specialising in creative problem solving and a young entrepreneur. She is the founder and Art director of MANRVA, a company that aims to bridge the gap between art and Science.
She works with like-minded individuals to expand space culture and industry by using art and design to create a new medium for people to experience space exploration.
Graduated in 2019 from a Master’s degree in GNSS at ENAC (Toulouse), Maëlys now works at Safran Electronics and Defense as a GNSS Systems engineer in the region of Paris. She is truly interested in daily GNSS applications whether it is for autonomous vehicles, environment monitoring, personal wearables etc. Outside of her field of expertise and generally speaking, she is passionate about all kinds of space-related activities.
In life, she is a risk taker and loves meeting new people and changing environments. Her whole life, she has traveled and lived abroad with her family (Vietnam, Germany, Mexico, Canada), and only came to France for University. This international experience is a big part of her identity.
Sponsors team:
Alexandra is currently working as a Project Manager for Euroconsult – a consulting company fully dedicated to space and satellite vertical markets – where she works on several program development tracks for Euroconsult’s flagship event, the World Satellite Business Week (WSBW) whilst also contributing to space policy and programs consulting missions for global governmental and industry clients. Before Euroconsult, Alexandra worked as a Project Manager for Eurisy, where she focused on building bridges between space and non-space sector markets to strengthen the diffusion of satellite-derived innovation, technology, and data.
Prior to switching to the space sector, she admits having never considered a professional path within this sector, nor the venues open to non-STEM academic profiles. She argues that encountering the enthusiastic and diverse global community of volunteers at SGAC has played a significant role in her decision to continue in space and motivates her to give back her skills to empower others to bring about positive change in the sector.
Alexandra holds degrees in International Security and Conflict Studies from the Paris School of International Affairs (SciencesPo) and Romania’s National School of Political Studies & Public Administration and is a recipient of the International Astronautical Federation’s 2019 Emerging Space Leaders Award.
Isabella McCulloch is from Adelaide, Australia and has a passion for all things space. She graduated last year from The University of Adelaide with a degree in Space Science and Astrophysics and is currently completing her Honours in Science Innovation. Isabella is also a Space Communicator at the Australian Space Discovery Centre, the Space Community Coordinator at Stone and Chalk and President of the Adelaide University Space Society.
Woo Yun Hwang is a Aerospace Engineering Student. Her interest is not just in Aerospace engineering, she is also interested in the business side of engineering, Space law and policy, ethics and human rights, and diversity and gender equality in engineering.
Logistics team:
Jaeyun Jung, from Republic of Korea, is currently in the 3rd year of Goyang International High School. Her dream is to become a diplomat or a worker within an International Organization. Jaeyun is interested in lots of international topics and news, and hopes to be a person to make good influence to our world.
Sungho Jung is an undergraduate in Seoul National University, majoring in Physics and Astronomy. He is currently taking an internship in the Center for the Gravitational Wave Universe (GWUniverse)
Do you have any questions to our team? Please reach out to [email protected]
