One of the main missions of SGAC is to facilitate access to the world’s major space conferences for young professionals and students. The Space Generation Leadership Award enables outstanding SGAC members to attend the 22nd Space Generation Congress (SGC): 10-12 October 2024 and 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC): 14-18 October 2024 in Milan, Italy.

SGAC is proud to announce that eight outstanding SGAC members have been selected to win the Space Generation Leadership Award for their relentless contribution towards the growth of the community. The SGLA Scholarship facilitates the attendance of international delegates who bring unique and insightful firsthand perspectives to the Space Generation Congress. 

Congratulations to all the winners!!

Danielle Bierman (USA)

Danielle Bierman is a Systems Engineer at Northrop Grumman Space Systems. During her time at Northrop Grumman, Danielle has held various roles across spacecraft subsystem manufacturing, system level integration and test, launch systems integration, and program management. Additionally, Danielle has supported many corporate strategic initiatives aimed at overall program affordability, streamlining the design to production lifecycle, and bringing in new and advanced manufacturing technologies to the company. Danielle graduated from California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering, and from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) with a M.S. in System Engineering and a concentration in Manufacturing. Danielle joined SGAC in 2022 and the same year participated in her first event as a SGFF delegate. The community and inspiration she gained from her time as a delegate at SGFF encouraged her to take on more levels of responsibility with the event by joining the SGFF Organizing Team in 2023. In 2024, Danielle served as SGFF Deputy Manager, is now taking on the role of SGFF Manager for 2025.

“I am truly deeply honored and excited to be a recipient of the Space Generation Leaders Award for 2025. Getting to be more involved with SGAC over the last few years has brought me invaluable professional experience, an expanded network of incredible and inspiring individuals from all over the world, and lifelong friends. I am so grateful for the opportunity to attend SGC where I will be able to continue to see firsthand the amazing work this organization does!”

Subhrajit Barua (India)

Subhrajit Barua is a 3rd-year PhD candidate in Food Technology, specializing in sustainable agricultural techniques for space-based food production. With almost 2 years of active involvement in the Space Safety and Sustainability (SSS) Project Group at SGAC, he has contributed significantly to the group’s mission, serving as the PR and Communications Coordinator. In this role, he managed internal and external communications and led initiatives such as the Webinar Wednesdays series and the 2023 Essay Competition. Additionally, Subhrajit has served as the Mentoring Committee Co-Lead at SGAC, where he facilitated the connection of over 500 mentees with mentors across 30+ countries. His contributions to SGAC were recognized and appreciated when he was named Member of the Month for January. Subhrajit is characterized by his focus on sustainability and strategic collaboration among peers and leaders.

“It’s an incredible honor to be awarded the Space Generation Leaders Award 2024. This recognition fuels my passion for advancing space sustainability and inspires me to continue fostering global collaboration within our vibrant space community. I look forward to the opportunities ahead and to contributing even more to our collective journey into space.”

Katrin Dietmayer (Germany)

Katrin Dietmayer is the head of the research group Secure GNSS Technologies at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits. She joined the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits in 2017, where her main research was in the field of high precise GNSS receiver software development for embedded systems and algorithms as well as sensor fusion. Since end of 2021, she is a senior engineer and manages national and international projects. Since 2024 she forced the research group to focus on reliable and secure GNSS position and timing techniques. Katrin is actively involved with the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), having helped organize multiple prior events. She was the manager of SG[Germany] 2023 and helped with the finances for the E-SGW 2024. She is also the co-lead of the SGAC Alumni team which helps foster the Alumni community. Katrin holds a master’s degree of Science (M.Sc.) in Mathematics from the Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg, Germany.

“I am delighted to be honoured with the Space Generation Leadership Award. It has been an incredible journey since I joined SGAC and I look forward to the time ahead.”

Alejandro  Riaño (Colombia)

Alejandro Riaño was raised in Villapinzón, Colombia. He is awaiting his graduation ceremony as a mechanical engineer from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Alejandro’s fascination with mechanics and aerospace spans various fields, particularly solid mechanics, computational mechanics, energetic materials, systems of systems, and structural analysis. He has been actively involved in research groups such as GIDA and MIND, contributing to several projects presented at international congresses. Notably, he participated in NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge 2022, where his team “MIND” earned the Safety Award. Alejandro was a recipient of the Undergraduate Research Experience Purdue – Colombia (UREP-C 2023) scholarship, where he joined Professor Marisol Koslowski at Purdue University to analyze the effect of localized regions with high rates of temperature changes in energetic materials under shock waves. Additionally, he is working with Professor Juan Mantilla on analyzing the effects of Hydrogen Embrittlement (HE) in an engine valve using the Phase Field Damage Model (PFDM), Hydrogen Enhanced Decohesion (HEDE) model, and Hydrogen Enhanced Localized Plasticity (HELP) model. Within SGAC, Alejandro co-managed the 8th South American Space Generation Workshop (SA-SGW) and served as the National Point of Contact for Colombia from 2022 to 2024, where he continues to pursue his passion for advancing the aerospace industry and promoting space outreach to communities with limited access.

“I am deeply honored to receive the Space Generation Leadership Award. This support makes it possible for me to attend the Space Generation Congress and the International Astronautical Congress, opportunities I could not otherwise pursue. I am committed to expanding SGAC’s reach to not only my country, but to my region; and giving back by sharing the invaluable knowledge I have gained from the SGAC community. I look forward to connecting with a lot of SGAC colleagues in person for the first time, an experience I am sure will be unforgettable.”

Nelly-helen Ebruka (Nigeria)

Nelly-Helen Ebruka is a lawyer and space professional specializing in youth development and engagement. As the co-founder of the Learn Space Foundation, a non-profit organization promoting space and astronomy education for children and young people in Nigeria, she is committed to promoting space awareness and literacy.
In her role as Regional Coordinator for the Space Generation Advisory Council in Africa, Nelly-Helen leads initiatives to engage young people in the space sector and fosters collaboration between aspiring professionals and industry leaders. She’s also the promotions manager of Spacehubs Africa. In these positions, she actively collaborates with public and private institutions to organize capacity-building initiatives, deliver public speaking engagements, and inspire the next generation of young professionals who will harness space opportunities in Africa to drive innovation and change across the continent.
With a keen interest in the international politics of space, Nelly-Helen’s research applies international relations theories to Africa-Europe space cooperation. She holds a Master’s degree in Diplomacy and International Relations and is currently pursuing a PhD in Politics at the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.

“Thank you, SGAC, for this incredible honor and for being a transformative platform in my journey. Being surrounded by such passionate young leaders has not only inspired me but also instilled a profound belief that I can make a meaningful impact in my community.”

Ada Ranieri (Italy)

Ada is a Mechanical Engineer specializing in the space industry. Born and raised in southern Italy, she pursued her studies at the Polytechnic University of Bari. Currently, Ada is enrolled in an industrial PhD program at PoliBa, collaborating with Sitael SpA and the European Space Agency (ESA/ESTEC). Her research focuses on ensuring the safety of spacecraft mechanical structures during launches.

Within SGAC, Ada is the Regional Event Coordinator. In this role, she actively supports and coordinates regional events worldwide, fostering engagement and collaboration among young professionals in the space sector. Previously, she was Event Manager of the 7th European Space Generation Workshop and of the 4th Italian Space Startup Competition.

As an alumna of the International Space University, Ada has developed a well-rounded understanding of the industry. She is eager to pursue a career in business development and investment within the commercial space sector, continually seeking opportunities to expand her knowledge and skills in these areas.

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity that SGAC has given me. Winning the scholarship for such a significant event feels like a kind acknowledgment of my efforts with SGAC over the years. It motivates me to keep contributing to this incredible organization and its mission. Participating at the 22nd Space Generation Congress (SGC) represents an important step in my career.”

Luke Heffernan (Australia)

Luke is an active contributor to the Australian and global space, artificial intelligence (AI), and technology sectors, supporting policy, education, research, and business initiatives in these fields. His technical experience spans free space optical communications, space domain awareness, and AI. In 2022, Luke presented at the Next Generation Plenary of the International Astronautical Congress in Paris, discussing the future of AI for space applications. He is currently pursuing a PhD in machine learning, focusing on advancing foundational knowledge to facilitate space-based collaborations between humans and robots.
Beyond his technical work, Luke is committed to community engagement. He serves as the co-chair of the National Space Society of Australia’s annual New Horizons Summit, which builds the Artemis lunar habitation supply chain and integrates both Australian and international industry perspectives. Luke is also a founder and executive chair of Adept, a registered charity that supports practical projects for Australian university students, including leading Australia’s only student-led independent rocketry team, the Adept Rocketry Division. Additionally, he plays a key role as one of two SGAC National Points of Contact for Australia, fostering a rapidly growing community of young professionals dedicated to advancing the Asia-Pacific region’s space industry.

“I am incredibly thankful to SGAC for this honour. It’s an exciting opportunity to engage with global leaders and further our shared vision for the future of space. I eagerly anticipate spending time with our community in Milan (and onto Sydney in 2025)!”

Rachel Venn (UK)

Rachel Venn is Junior Space Policy Officer at Astroscale, working towards Astroscale’s vision for a sustainable and circular economy in space. She holds a degree in Physics and Astrophysics and graduated with an MSc in Space Science and Engineering from the Mullard Space Science Laboratory at UCL, London, along with a year studying abroad at Waseda University in Tokyo on the prestigious UK-Japan Daiwa Scholarship. She is a graduate of the ESA/ECSL Summer Course on Space Law and Policy and serves as Rapporteur for the International Astronautical Federation’s annual session on Norms and Standards for Safe and Responsible Behaviour in Space. Before interning at Astroscale in Japan, Rachel worked as an analyst with space consultancy BryceTech, advising on space and technology policy projects, and previously interned in EU-Africa space data sharing policies at the European weather satellite organisation EUMETSAT. She was on the organising team for both the G7 Youth Summit in Hiroshima and the European rounds of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court, and recently re-launched the Tokyo Space Network in Japan. She currently serves on the Early Careers Subcommittee of the Space Group of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
Passionate about connecting people and building a strong space community, Rachel has been actively involved as volunteer with the Space Generation Advisory Council since 2021, supporting SGAC’s 29,000+ members in support of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications. She has served as Reports Editor and Reports Coordinator, and was on the leadership team of the SGAC Task Force on U.S. Space Policy. She was a recipient of the 2022 European Space Leaders Award to attend the European Space Generation Workshop in Limassol, Cyprus, where she supported as working group moderator and was also responsible for the conference programme as member of the organising team. She was also awarded winner of the UNOOSA Space4Youth competition in 2023 and recipient of the Northrop Grumman Award in 2024. Most recently, she helped lead the programming team in the 21st Space Generation Congress in Baku, Azerbaijan. Rachel is now Synergy Manager for the upcoming 22nd Space Generation Congress in Milan, Italy.

“It is an immense privilege to recognised in this way by the Space Generation Advisory Council. My journey with SGAC has transformed my life in so many ways, far beyond any scope that I can enumerate here; through knowledge, through skills, through experiences, and most of all through the people who give their time and passion to be involved in this organisation. It has been a joy to contribute in my own small way towards SGAC’s vision and I would not be where I am today without it. I look forward to many more years to come together of building community, elevating voices, and reaching ‘ad astra’ towards the stars.”