SGAC is proud to announce the following appointments to our team after the latest round of vacancy applications.

• Diversity and Gender Equality PG Co-Lead – Keerthana Dana Sekaran
• Human Resources Team Co-Coordinator – Rishin Aggarwal
• Space Law & Policy Project Group Co-Lead – Maya Nasr
• Space Law & Policy Project Group Co-Lead – Álvaro Piris Cuiza
• PR & Communications Team Member – Ruth Okoh
• PR & Communications Team Member – Paulina Valle
• Project Groups Partnerships Co-Lead – Laura Breckon
• Report Editor – Silvia Toro Sima
• Report Editor – Aoibhín Crowley
• SGAPP Coordinator – Gina Petrovici
• Commercial Space Project Group Co-Lead – Marcelo Boldt 
• Project Group Logistics Lead – Sakari Teerikoski
• Slack Team Member – Eshana Mariam John

If you are interested in being part of the SGAC Team, you can find the latest vacancies here.

Aspiring aerospace engineer with an interest in materials engineering. Passionate about working for Diversity and Gender equality in the space sector. Currently majoring in Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honors) at Curtin University Dubai, President of Curtin Dubai Student Council. She is also an active member of Engineers Australia, Women in Aviation and the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). Her research interest includes the development and characterization of smart composite materials for space applications.

Rishin is currently working full-time as a Scientist/Engineer at the Indian Space Research Organisation. His areas of interest include astrodynamics and spacecraft dynamics. He is a certified STK master and NX expert. He has good experience in dealing with the technicalities of space missions and subsystem management to ensure that mission teams are able to achieve their objectives within the respective mission timeframes. He is an active member of the SGAC Near-Earth Objects Project Group and has authored and presented research papers at GLEX 2021 in Russia and IAC 2021 in UAE. He recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace engineering from the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology. He is passionate about reforming the space industry and aspires to help make space more accessible for everyone in the future. He believes that his contributions to SGAC will propel him toward the successful fruition of his dreams.

Maya is a Postdoctoral research fellow at Harvard SEAS with expertise in spacecraft operations, engineering systems, technology strategy, and space law and policy. She holds Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD degrees in Aerospace Engineering from MIT. Maya is passionate about increasing global representation and access in the space sector and raising awareness about nationality-based discrimination. She is the co-founder and project lead of HUMANS, a symbolic avenue for space access worldwide. Her previous experiences include MOXIE for NASA Mars 2020, Cassini, and OneWeb satellites network.

Currently working as a consultant in Paris (France). Graduate Astrophysicist specialised in gravitational wave astronomy and black hole phenomenology.
Attended SGC 2021 as an online delegate. Delegate and presenter at the 73rd International Astronautical Congress (2022), presenting on behalf of the SGAC Space Law and Policy Project Group a project from the Disarmament subgroup titled “International Space Security Mechanisms: Current Status and Analysis of Their Limitations in the Context of the Prevention of an Arms Race in Space”. Participated in various Sustainability and Human Rights projects.
Co-Lead of the Space Generation Policy and Advocacy Platform Policy Overview on “Responsible Uses of Outer Space”.

Ruth Okoh is an Aerospace engineer and Founder, SpaceBoss Aerospace, a Research & Development Organization. She is currently the Chief Technology Officer at Sigicomms Ltd. She is a dedicated volunteer, as the National Director of Students Affairs for Space & Satellites Professionals International (SSPI), Nigeria Chapter, the Nigerian National point of contact for Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), as well as a vocal advocate for the importance of aerospace applications. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the National Aerospace University (KhAI), Kharkiv, Ukraine. Throughout her career, Ruth worked on the design and development of aircraft and spacecraft, including her work as the Design engineer, Space Mission Analysis and Design (SMAD) Propulsion Unit 2015, at the National Space Research and Development Agency (Obasanjo Space Center), showcasing Her expertise in propulsion systems. She worked as an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer in the fixed & rotary wing of Bristow Helicopters, Lagos & Pan-African airline. Asides from being versatile as a Fashion designer, Perfumer & Phyto-therapist, She connects with Aerospace industry professionals and also encourages African youths to get involved in research and development projects.

Paulina is an International Business student from Mexico, specializing in Aerospace Engineering and Space Leadership and Policy. She is very passionate about building business models for new space markets and aspires to make space sustainable and accessible for every country. Born in Hong Kong as a Mexican, Paulina has grown up in intercultural environments and has also lived in the United States, Germany, China and France. Understanding culture and language became key to her interests, and this allowed her to unfold professionally by working exceptionally with international groups.
She has a long history of volunteering and participating in social causes, being a strong activist for women aspiring for STEM careers in Mexico and giving focus to the UN’s SDG’s on her personal projects. Some of them include creating bio-gas through Sargasso algae in Mexico’s coasts, Converting Berlin’s energy usage into solar, and the de-carbonization of NFT’s through a Virtual Art Gallery with PoS minting.

Laura is currently a trainee with global law firm Clifford Chance. She is also a passionate advocate for green industry and the responsible engagement of the space domain.

Silvia is a graduate student in Economics and Business, and currently a master student in Management at Luiss University in Rome, Italy. She has always been a curious person, passionate about other cultures and languages. During her education path, she had the opportunity to study abroad at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, and University of Gothenburg in Sweden where she had learned to adapt in new environments. These opportunities have been key to delve into new areas of study, acquire new skills and learn new methods.
Being at the final stage of her university education she started to explore sectors that could match with her professional and personal aspirations to learn, grow and improve herself, something that she found in the space sector. To this end, she started to connect with students and experts passionate about space. From now on, she would like to deepen her knowledge in space economy and in particular strategy.

Aoibhín is a masters student of international relations currently writing her thesis on the role of the private actor in the development of space governance. She is currently an intern at the Copernicus Space Office of the European Space Agency, and previously worked with the European Southern Observatory as External Relations an Science Policy Intern. She plans to return to her home country Ireland to help shape its emergence in the space industry.

Gina Petrovici, LL.M., is a space lawyer working in the UN Affairs Department of the German Space Agency at DLR, where she advises on space law and policy. In this capacity, she is currently a member of the German Delegations to COPUOS, including its Subcommittees and at the ESA International Relations Committee. Previously, Gina worked as Junior Lawyer at ESA’s Legal Services Department as part of a DLR fellowship. She is also a Lecturer on Space Law and Policy at Leuphana Law School. Gina holds an LL.M. from the University of London International Programme and has contributed to several publications. She is a member of SGAC, IISL, ECSL (2015/16 Student Representative), WIA-E and the United Nations Association of Germany (DGVN).

Marcelo Boldt is an space engineer from Argentina with a masters degree in the same discipline from University of Bremen.
Currently works as technical project manager in the space industry and consulted several startups – in space awareness, space debris mitigation and textile industries. Additionally collaborates as Study Lead at Mandala Space Ventures, a space focused venture studio located in Pasadena, California. In 2021 he won the second place at Launchpad – an international startup competition held ESA Bic Denmark.
Marcelo Boldt enjoys reading – autobiography, science fiction, and reading in general – and playing the bass guitar or doing sports – Karate being his favorite one, where he competed internationally, winning important championships on a South American level.

Sakari Teerikoski, based in Sweden, works in the space satellite sector, currently as Technical Manager at GomSpace Sweden. He is also the former President of the Swedish Association of International Affairs, an organisation aimed at fostering knowledge about international politics in Sweden and internationally. He co-founded the Nordic Convention on International Affairs conference series and was the Project Chair for the Atlantic Forum’s debut conference Transatlanticism 2020.

Sakari received his M.Sc. in engineering physics from Uppsala University (Sweden) and another M.Sc in chemical engineering from Åbo Akademi University (Finland), where he also actively participated in academic research. He previously worked at the EU Commission in Brussels (Belgium) within the fields of sustainability and transport.

In SGAC, Sakari has been part of the Project Group Coordination Team since 2021, and National Point of Contact for Sweden since earlier this year.

Eshana is a Quality Assurance Automation Engineer at Tata Elxsi. She has been an active member of the SGAC community where she now serves on the Mentoring Committee Team and is also involved in many other projects. Furthermore, she volunteers for organizations such as the Moon Village Association. She is passionate about Space Tourism, In-Orbit services, Outer Space and Exoplanet explorations, as well as Space Robotics. In addition, she is a volunteer for various organizations, including the Moon Village Association. She looks forward to creating a positive, collaborative and diverse Space culture. Reading books and watching movies are two of her favourite things to do. She is an avid Harry Potter fan.