Our experts and speakers

Samuel Cadavid Palacios

Samuel is a Colombian aeronautical engineer with experience in space projects, defense, and commercial aviation. He has contributed to the structuring of satellite missions, strategic planning, and international cooperation with agencies such as NASA, ESA, and ISRO. He is a co-founder of the Cydonia Foundation, where he promotes space education and capacity-building in Latin America. As an advisor to the Colombian Aerospace Force in R&D&I initiatives, he is passionate about bridging engineering and science with social impact and space exploration. He works to strengthen the space ecosystem from a technical, institutional, and collaborative perspective.

Nicolas Guarín Zapata

Physics engineer, specialist in computational mechanics, master’s degree in engineering, and doctorate in computational engineering focused on mathematical modeling and simulation of phenomena across various disciplines with an emphasis on mechanical problems, material science, and computational physics. Currently, he is an assistant professor at the School of Applied Sciences and Engineering at EAFIT University. Additionally, he is a researcher at the Mathematical Applications in Science and Engineering Group.

Yael Natalia Méndez

Yael is a Microbiologist from Universidad de los Andes and a M.Sc. in Geology at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Her work focuses on extremophile microorganisms and their applications in astrobiology and geobiology. She is a researcher in spectral geology and has experience in the mining and energy sector. She has participated in two Colombian missions at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), serving as Crew Scientist for Crew 203 and as Commander for Crew 226. Yael was one of the organizers of the first Bootcamp: Colombian Mission to Mars and currently serves as the Scientific Director of the Cydonia Foundation. She also represents the Latin American chapter of The Mars Society in Colombia. She has been recognized as an outstanding woman in science within the space sector. Her involvement with the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) began in 2015 with a national workshop held at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. She has participated as a delegate and local organizer in both the 4th and 8th South American Space Generation Workshop (SA-SGW). In 2019, she was honored with the South American Space Leader Award during the 5th SA-SGW.

Steve Neira Acosta

Steve Neira is a Cadastral and Geodetic Engineer graduated from the Universidad Distrital de Bogotá. He holds a specialization in Geomatics from the Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, along with two master’s degrees: one in Territorial Planning and Environmental Management from the Universidad de Barcelona (Spain), and another in Astronomy and Astrophysics from the Universidad Internacional de Valencia (Spain). With extensive experience in geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis, he has recently published research in Astrophysics, focusing on GIS-based methodologies to identify and select optimal landing sites on planetary bodies.

Oscar Ivan Ojeda

A Bogotá native, Oscar is a Mechanical Engineer from Universidad Nacional de Colombia with a Master’s in Aerospace Engineering from Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, where he received the “38 by 38” award, granted by the School of Engineering to outstanding students. He is currently pursuing a specialization in International Cooperation at Universidad Externado. Oscar serves as Director of Fundación Cydonia, a Colombian nonprofit dedicated to advancing the space sector in Colombia and Latin America. With hands-on experience in space analogs, he has completed two-week rotations at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) twice (Crew 187 and 203), the Hawaii-Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (Crew Selene 3), and Colombia’s Simulated Space Exploration Analog Habitat “HAdEES-C” (Crew Demo 1). He also holds leadership roles as a board member of the National Space Society of Colombia (Science Directorate) and as part of the aerospace team within Colombia’s Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation. Previously, Oscar taught at Universidad de América and Universidad de Antioquia and served as Colombia’s National Point of Contact and Regional Coordinator for South America in the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC).

Greither Scarleth Quinayás Muñoz

Greither Scarleth is an Astronomy student at the Universidad de Antioquia, co-founder and board member of the Red Latinoamericana de Divulgación Científica. As a science communicator for SCIOP, (the optics chapter of UdeA), she brings science to communities across Antioquia, fostering scientific curiosity and accessibility for all ages. Through her Instagram platform @protoastronoma, she makes astronomy relatable while amplifying the visibility of women in science, inspiring girls and young women to pursue STEM careers. Her motto: “La ciencia será de todos, o no será”.

Manuela Ramos

Manuela is a Physical Engineer and a Master’s student in Data Science. She works as a Research Assistant at Universidad EAFIT, where she focuses on remote sensing applications for the agro-environmental sector. Throughout her career, she has led diverse projects, such as developing deep learning models for plant nutritional diagnosis using images and implementing Machine Learning models for land-use classification with aerial imagery for environmental monitoring. After exploring near-field and aerial image analysis, she is now expanding her research to larger spatial scales by integrating satellite data, particularly Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery, to study vegetation dynamics in citrus crops. With a forward-looking vision, Manuela aims to develop multi-scale data fusion methodologies that contribute to comprehensive environmental monitoring.

Sara Rengifo

Sara is an accomplished Colombian mechanical engineer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, where she spearheads research in tribology, metrology, and material wear for critical missions such as Artemis. Currently serving as Project Manager for the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS), she leads cross-functional initiatives in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams across NASA centers. A graduate of EAFIT University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and holder of a Master’s in Materials Science from Florida International University (FIU), Sara has built an exemplary career in aerospace. Since 2016, she has worked with interdisciplinary teams to develop cutting-edge technologies for the Space Launch System (SLS) and exploration vehicles. Honored with NASA’s Trailblazer Award, she combines scientific excellence with leadership, while actively advocating for women in STEM and Latino representation in science.

Julian Rodriguez

Dr. Julián Rodríguez Ferreira @cosmojules [email protected] A Colombian astrophysicist and aerospace engineer, he holds degrees in Astronomy, Astrophysics, and Aerospace Engineering from the Paris Observatory and Université Paris-Saclay. He has contributed to ESA space missions including SMOS, BepiColombo, and Euclid, while leading research in radio astronomy, planetary sciences, space instrumentation, and extreme environment exploration. His research focuses on studying the early universe, CubeSat design, and developing aerospace technologies for sustainability and digital inclusion. tAs a professor at Universidad Industrial de Santander, he established Colombia’s first professional radio astronomy observatory and served as principal investigator for three scientific expeditions to Antarctica with the Colombian Antarctic Program, deploying the country’s first Antarctic radio telescope at CANTAR Station. He is currently CEO of Orion Space Labs, an aerospace technology company.

Jorge Cortés

Jorge is a serial entrepreneur with 15+ years of experience building smart, resilient and sustainable cities. As an immigrant in Miami, Jorge attended Miami Dade College and FIU for Business and International Development respectively. During his last year of college, he was invited to work for the Colombian American Chamber of Commerce when Colombia, Peru and Panama signed the Free Trade Agreement with the USA (2012). He cofounded his first startup in 2006 and by 2013, he started Momentum International, the organization committed to Social Innovation growth across sectors in South Florida and Latin America from the Wynwood District (Miami). He was advisor and/or cofounder of four (4) concepts of co-working spaces focused on different disruptive technologies (Creative Industries, Smart Cities, Drones & Blockchain) across Miami Dade County. He later received the key to the City of Miami followed by the key to Miami-Dade County in 2017 for his achievements on building Miami’s innovation & tech ecosystem. 

Javier Eduardo Suárez

Javier  s a Colombian geologist with a PhD in planetary sciences from Construtor University Bremen. His research focuses on the use of remote sensing and digital platforms for the study and mapping of planetary surfaces, particularly on the Moon, Mars, and Pluto.

Coronel (r) Raúl E. Gutiérrez G

Coronel (r) Raúl E. Gutiérrez G., quién ha participado activamente en la estructuración, divulgación y promoción del desarrollo espacial colombiano a lo largo de su carrera militar y desde su retiro del servicio activo. Es Administrador Aeronáutico, Especialista en Seguridad y Defensa Nacional y Magíster en Administración Aeroespacial. En la FAC, además de piloto militar, fue responsable del desarrollo y dirección del Museo Aeroespacial Colombiano, director del Centro de Investigación en Tecnologías Aeroespaciales, gerente del Clúster Aeroespacial Valle del Cauca y jefe de Asuntos Espaciales. En Colciencias, actual Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología de Colombia, estuvo a cargo de la formulación del proyecto “desarrollo y empleo de tecnologías satelitales para Colombia”. Ha desarrollado la faceta empresarial en el ámbito espacial como Socio y Director de Desarrollo de Negocios de Satellite Squared (Reino Unido) y como cofundador y Director de Desarrollo de Negocios para Latinoamérica de Octant Aerospace Consulting (Canadá). Ha sido invitado a múltiples eventos nacionales e internacionales a presentar sus charlas y conferencias sobre el presente y futuro del desarrollo espacial colombiano y latinoamericano. Lideró la iniciativa para crear la asociación espacial National Space Society Colombia de la cual es Presidente y CEO. Actualmente se desempeña en el Instituto Geográfico Agustín Codazzi-IGAC, en la calidad del Instituto de Secretaría Técnica de la Comisión Colombiana del Espacio, como coordinador del Comité Técnico de Asuntos Espaciales articulando el trabajo de los Grupos en Observación de la Tierra, Comunicaciones Satelitales, Asuntos y Fundamentación Legal, y Asuntos Internacionales.