Published on March 24, 2023

The IAF is Proud to Present its IAF GLOC 2023 Student Grant Winners !

Congratulations to all !

We are very excited to announce the winners of the very first IAF GLOC 2023 Students Grant Programme. This grant is the very first offered in the frame of an IAF Global Conference. Twelve students from twelve different countries will be fully funded by the Federation to participate in the IAF Global Space Conference on Climate Change - GLOC 2023 to take place in Oslo, Norway from 22 - 26 May 2023.

The grant recipients were selected through a very competitive process by high level IAF decision-makers.

Join us at #GLOC2023 by registering now.

Congratulations to all !

Fahimeh BARZAMINI

Iran

Fahimeh Barzamini has been an associate researcher at the Space System Design Institute (SSDI) in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the K.N. Toosi University of Technology (KNTU) since 2014. She earned her MASc (2017) in Aerospace Engineering from the KNTU and her BASc (2013) in Robotics Engineering from the SUT. Mainly, her research was centered around studying Star Sensors' capability enhancement in complex and perceptually-degraded environments. Her research towards a new algorithm for the Nasir-1 Star Tracker increases the reliability and efficiency of the existing autonomous navigation systems using optical sensors. Fahimeh served as an executive administrator in the SSDI from 2017 to 2020 while conducting her activities as a senior system engineer in several Iranian leading-edge space programs, including the Pars-1 Iranian Satellite Design, Nasir-1 Celestial Navigation Sensor, Industrial Software Engineering, Competition Teams Consulting, etc.

As a Control Engineer (ICE) at the PGPIC companies since 2019, she has attained a broad sight in project engineering, stakeholder communication, interdisciplinary interactions, and complex systems requirements along with team working. Fahimeh started her contribution with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in 2018, rolling as a scientific member and arbitrator. Her current research professionally focuses on Deep & Machine Learning, Path Planning & Trajectory Optimization, and Optimal Control of spacecraft swarms.


Gavin CHOONG

Australia

Situated in Australia, Gavin is 21 years old and completing his Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Biomedical Science at Monash University.

In 2022, Gavin was awarded as a Young Australian Space Leader by the Australian Youth Aerospace Association and received a scholarship to attend IAC 2022. This was in recognition of his publications on the use of Earth observation to tackle climate change in Australia and the Indo-Pacific. At GLOC 2023, Gavin will be presenting an article on how space technologies can be used to overcome challenges faced by the Australian carbon market.

Aside from this, Gavin is a youth and human rights advocate. He is currently a global youth spokesperson for Amnesty International, with experience in First Nations justice, climate and human rights, and refugee aid.


Sahba EL-SHAWA

Jordan

Sahba El-Shawa is a Jordanian-Canadian interdisciplinary researcher and social entrepreneur originally from Palestine. She is the Founder of the Jordan Space Research Initiative (JSRI), which aims to bridge sustainable development with space exploration and establish an analog research facility in Jordan. Sahba holds several roles in the Space Generation Advisory Council, including National Point of Contact for Jordan, as well as Co-Lead of the Ethics & Human Rights project group and the Space for Climate Action policy division. She is also a National Coordinator in the Moon Village Association and its Participation of Emerging Space Countries program.

Sahba holds a BASc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia, an MSc in Space Studies from the International Space University, and is currently pursuing her PhD in Sustainable Development and Climate Change at IUSS Pavia in Italy. Her PhD research centers around the neuropsychological basis of the Overview Effect, and how making it more accessible using Virtual Reality can help drive sustainable behaviour on Earth. During her studies, she collaborated with the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) on robotics research and completed an internship at the European Space Agency’s Clean Space initiative focusing on the environmental impacts of space activities. Sahba is a vocal advocate for decoupling defense and space. She is committed to creating opportunities for underrepresented communities and helping guide the industry towards a more equitable, ethical, and sustainable future.


Seamus LOMBARDO

United States

Seamus Lombardo is an Aeronautics and Astronautics PhD candidate conducting research in the Engineering Systems Lab at MIT. He utilizes satellite remote sensing and integrated environmental and socioeconomic modeling for decision support in sustainable development. Applications of this research include analyses of flooding and mangrove reforestation to improve coastal resilience in Indonesia, forest and carbon sequestration project trends for Yurok Tribe in Northern California, and monitoring of invasive aquatic plant species in Benin. All of these collaborations have entailed stakeholder interviews, collaborative development of satellite remote sensing analyses and decision support tools, as well as the evaluation of the prototype software by end-users.

In addition, Seamus was also a part-time consultant for Planet where he analyzed the application of Planet satellite data to forest carbon applications, and has interned as a researcher at NASA Goddard where he aided in the development of global mangrove biomass map.

Seamus previously conducted research on spacesuit performance and received his Master’s degree in AeroAstro from MIT in May, 2020. He received his BS in Aerospace Engineering from SUNY Buffalo in 2018. He has previously interned throughout the aerospace engineering industry at Millennium Space Systems, SpaceX, and NASA, and was a program manager for the University at Buffalo Nanosatellite Lab. Additionally, Seamus has experience in policy and advocacy through his work as a member of the MIT Space Policy Research Group, climate policy research intern at the Massachusetts Statehouse, and Federal Affairs Chair for the MIT Graduate Student Council’s External Affairs Board.


Kumbirai MATINGO

Zimbabwe

Kumbirai is a young innovative student and freelance geospatial consultant who utilized GIS and Earth Observation technology to develop impactful and cutting-edge solutions that support sustainable growth and development across various sectors. He is currently serving as the National Point of Contact with the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) and has over the years worked with various organisations (both local and international) to implement solutions through geospatial technology. Kumbirai has a passion for and strives to achieve global sustainability, focusing on developing countries towards the 2030 SDGs vision.


Elen NOVIANTI

Indonesia

Elen is a Bina Nusantara University student in Jakarta, Indonesia. Throughout her study at college, she actively participates in several student activities both inside and outside the campus. In 2021, she and her two colleagues successfully became the grant recipient of the Student Creativity Program held by Indonesia's Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology. Regarding climate change issues, she is concerned about the food waste problem. She manifests her interest in the form of active participation in research related to food, which is currently in the process of writing scientific articles. She also expresses her interest through real action by participating in committee activities whose theme directly intersects with the problem of food waste. She learned a lot about managing food waste properly and correctly through that event. She got an opportunity to help those with difficulty accessing food directly. As a Psychology student, she is deeply concerned about climate change issues, especially people as the agents who make the change. To expand and manifest her participation in overcoming climate change, she wants to contribute more through the IAF GLOC 2023. This program facilitates the participants to gather and expand their knowledge regarding climate change.


Alessandro PARAVANO

Italy

Alessandro Paravano is a PhD candidate at the School of Management at Politecnico di Milano, where he collaborates as a researcher in the Space Economy Observatory. His main research interests encompass studying complex project business, space industrial value network transition, and its impacts on non-space sectors.


Sathesh Raj PERIASAMEY

Malaysia

Sathesh Raj is passionate about Earth and Space. He has participated in grassroots movements such as Extinction Rebellion and MY Climate Strike to advocate for climate action and promote journalism that drives discourse on climate change. He has also contributed prototype solutions to tackle climate change using space technologies.

He is one of the alumni of British Council Scotland's Future News Worldwide programme and in 2021, his project was one of the 15 projects around the world which was awarded a professional development grant. Through this grant, he worked on "Peaks of Paradise: Slowly Depleting Forests in Malaysia," a data journalism and visualization project that aimed to uncover the state of Malaysian forests using environmental data and visualization methods.

Currently, Sathesh is exploring research and academia to also contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. He is a member of the innovative research team at Time To Rice, which received a grant for Communicating Science for Climate Action from the British High Commission Kuala Lumpur, supported by EcoKnights in 2021. Additionally, he is pursuing a Laurea Magistrale in Biology of Extreme Environments, specializing in Astrobiology at the University of Naples Federico II in Italy.


Prem PHILLIPS

Canada

"I am a third year student at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver Canada, studying Computer Science. Ever since I got my first telescope as a child, I was fascinated about space, and the idea of humanity going out into the stars. A few years later, as an adult, I am now able to realize these dreams of working in the space industry. At my university, I have had the opportunity to contribute to UBC Mars Colony and UBC Orbit, two space related engineering teams. I plan to continue to grow and develop my abilities, so that I can one day create my own space company, and help humanity become a space faring civilization."


Kwerit SARAH CHEBIJIRA

Rwanda

Kwerit Sarah Chebijira is a distinguished leader in the field of environmental sustainability, serving as the team leader at Climate Change Action Africa. This initiative is focused on raising awareness of climate change among young people in Africa, an issue that Sarah is deeply passionate about. Through her tireless efforts, Sarah has established proactive climate action clubs in 18 secondary schools in Uganda, successfully empowering young people to recognize and overcome the barriers that prevent them from adopting more environmentally-friendly lifestyles.

In addition to her outstanding work with Climate Change Action Africa, Sarah is also the founder of Clean Cities Uganda, a groundbreaking project aimed at addressing the issue of poor waste management in major Ugandan cities. As the leader of a group of young climate activists, Sarah has spearheaded the development of an innovative application that raises awareness of proper waste management practices and promotes responsible waste disposal.

Sarah's exceptional leadership skills and dedication to environmental sustainability have earned her a prominent role in the Youth Climate Voices Project, an Initiative aimed at building capacity on solar radiation modification. Her role in this crucial initiative involves raising awareness among youth, women and policy makers on the impact of solar radiation modification. With her unwavering commitment to climate action and innovation, Sarah is determined to create a brighter, more sustainable future for all.


Abd El Hamid SHERIEF

Egypt

Abd El Hamid Sherief, from Egypt, is currently pursuing a masters degree in Sustainable Development at the American University in Cairo with a specialization in Green Technologies. He is an active member in the Moon Village Association and the Space Generation Advisory Council Teams in Egypt and is the recipient of the SGAC African Space Leader Award. His proposal on mycelium as a sustainable material for space habitats has been selected as one of the 10 global finalists in MVA Promo-Moon Competition and he is also a part of SGAC Satellite Tracking Initiative. His current thesis research tackles algae utilization to tackle climate change and water-energy-food nexus. He is interested in how space technology could be utilized to not only inform policy makers, but to provide the basis for a fair trading scheme for carbon credits. His presentation at GLOC would be inspired by the graduate course he attended on the Arctic at University of Oslo with a focus on permafrost thawing. You could reach him via his Linkedin Account: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abd-el-hamid-sherief-02871420a/


Lew TÖPFER

Germany

Lew Töpfer is currently pursuing an interdisciplinary degree in space law and sustainability at the Leuphana University Lüneburg and has participated in the IISL Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court and the ECSL Young Lawyers' Symposium. Lew works as a project assistant for UN-Affairs at the German Space Agency at DLR, focusing on the implementation on the Space2030-Agenda, and is a German UN Youth Delegate to the UN General Assembly.