2025 Speakers – Canadian Space Conference

Speakers

Welcome to the heart of the Canadian Space Conference — our exceptional lineup of speakers who are industry leaders, astronauts, CEO’s, experts, and visionaries in across the fields of space science, aerospace engineering, art, space health, astrobiology, space law, exploration, and outreach/education. As we delve into the cosmos and explore the latest advancements in space technology, our speakers bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the forefront. Discover the faces and minds behind the innovations shaping the future of space exploration and this new space age.

Before being appointed as President of the Canadian Space Agency in September 2020, Lisa Campbell was Associate Deputy Minister, Veterans Affairs Canada, supporting the well-being of veterans and their families and promoting recognition of those who served Canada.

Previously, Ms. Campbell was Assistant Deputy Minister, Defence and Marine Procurement, leading the organization procuring Canada’s military and marine equipment. She worked at Canada’s competition authority as Senior Deputy Commissioner reviewing mergers and business conduct. Ms. Campbell also enforced civil and criminal laws for truth in advertising.

She has done extensive regulatory work on the collection and trade in data, particularly in emerging business models. Ms. Campbell worked as a litigator in the areas of criminal, employment and constitutional law. She holds a B.A. in political science from McGill University (1988) and an LL.B. from Dalhousie Law School (1991).

Olivier Hernandez, Director of the Planetarium, is an astrophysicist with expertise in instrumentation, specializing in galaxies and exoplanets.

He earned his engineering degree from the École centrale de Marseille and his master’s degree in physics from the Université de Montréal. He also holds a PhD in astrophysics, with a thesis conducted jointly between the Université de Montréal and the Astrophysics Laboratory of Marseille, focusing on galaxy dynamics.

A co-founder and former coordinator of iREx, he has also served as Director of Operations for the Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic (OMM). This observatory features a 1.6-metre telescope and is home to a nationally and internationally renowned experimental astrophysics research centre. Additionally, he has been a lecturer in the Department of Physics at the Université de Montréal.

His primary research interests include the kinematics and dynamics of barred spiral galaxies, particularly the study of the distribution of visible and non-visible matter. He also contributes to the development of advanced astronomical instrumentation, specializing in both the study of galaxies and the detection and characterization of exoplanets.

As a project director at OMM, Olivier coordinated international projects such as SPIRou and NIRPS from Montréal. These instruments aim to detect Earth-sized planets by 2021. He also played a key role as Montréal coordinator for the development and construction of one of the four scientific instruments for the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope: the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The Canadian JWST instrument, led by Professor René Doyon from the Université de Montréal, enables the detection and chemical composition analysis of exoplanet atmospheres, including the potential presence of water and other markers of biological activity such as oxygen and methane.

In addition, Olivier coordinated a team of researchers, engineers, and technicians managing and developing all astronomical instrumentation for the Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic, with funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) in 2009.

Currently the Director of the Planetarium, he is also responsible for research and ecological transition initiatives and is the founder of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee at Espace pour la vie. He remains an associate researcher at the Institute for Research on Exoplanets (iREx) at the Université de Montréal and is proud to lead a dynamic team of researchers and artists dedicated to public education.

Aleeza is a Jr. Materials and Process Engineer at MDA Space and an aspiring astronaut. She completed Project PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Program in 2022 with the International Institute of Astronautical Science in Florida, where she gained insight into topics such as mesosphere research, IVA spacesuit operations, human physiology in space, and more.

Aleeza also participated in the Canadian Reduced Gravity Experiment, organized by SEDS-Canada, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the National Research Council (NRC). Her research focused on exploring the feasibility of Binder Jetting Additive Manufacturing in Microgravity.

Currently, Aleeza is a contributor to the Materials and Processes Team at MDA Space, where she is involved in logistics and sustaining engineering for Canadarm2, and supporting the development of Canadarm3 for the Lunar Gateway Program, alongside other advanced robotic arm projects.

Aleeza is also deeply passionate about science research and outreach, dedicating time to inspire and educate others about space and engineering. In her free time, she likes to explore her creativity through mix media painting, staying active, photography, and exploring various other art forms.

Pierre Vuaillet is a senior environmental engineer with over fifteen years of experience assessing and mitigating the environmental impacts of infrastructure, mining, and natural site projects worldwide. He has contributed to sustainable development projects across Canada, France, Oceania, and beyond.

Building on this expertise, Pierre is wishing to address the environmental challenges of space exploration. He is currently developing a project focused on sustainable In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) on celestial bodies like the Moon and Mars, with the goal of contributing to frameworks that promote responsible, sustainable, and peaceful exploration practices.

In addition to his environmental work, Pierre is passionate about combining science and creativity. He is actively working to bring art into space through projects that explore how artistic techniques can adapt to microgravity and how art can enhance both the mental well-being and fine motor skills of astronauts on long-duration missions. While still in development, these projects reflect his commitment to expanding the horizons of human innovation and expression in space.

Pierre’s multidisciplinary approach unites engineering, environmental science, and art. Drawing on his extensive experience and ongoing training at the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences (IIAS), he is preparing to hopefully bring his projects to fruition and advance his journey toward becoming an astronaut. Pierre is driven by a vision to inspire sustainable solutions and creative possibilities for humanity’s exploration of the final frontier.

Toby Li is an Aerospace Engineering undergraduate at the University of California, Davis. He is deeply passionate about human spaceflight. With the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences, Toby has performed dexterity tests in Final Frontier’s IVA spacesuit and studied the dangerous consequences of hypoxia.

At UC Davis, Toby has conducted research on autonomous deep-space habitats and radiation protection systems for human spaceflight.

Toby shares his enthusiasm for space exploration as a freelance reporter, reaching over 16 million views in 2023. This reporter role has earned him several live TV interviews, including on the BBC, where he has discussed the importance of the Polaris Dawn spaceflight mission, NASA’s Perseverance Rover, and SpaceX’s delivery of Starlink internet to Ukraine, for example.

With the long-term ambition of becoming an astronaut, Toby is dedicated to accelerating human spaceflight to establish a sustainable presence beyond Earth’s orbit. Outside of his space endeavors, he loves to seek adrenaline as a licensed skydiver and PADI rescue scuba diver.

Dr. Shawna Pandya is the first named female commercial Canadian astronaut, and will be flying to space with the Virgin Galactic Delta class of spacecraft with the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) as early as 2026. She is also an emergency and aeromedical transport physician, aquanaut, skydiver, pilot-in-training, VP Immersive Medicine with Luxsonic Technologies, Director of IIAS’ Space Medicine Group, Executive Director of the IIAS Flight Opportunities Program, and Chief of Space Medicine at the Advanced Spacelife Research Institute. Dr. Pandya was on the first crew to test a commercial spacesuit in zero-gravity in 2015. She earned her aquanaut designation on the 2019 NEPTUNE (Nautical Experiments in Physiology, Technology and Underwater Exploration) mission, and completed a second aquanaut mission, NEP2NE, in May 2023, for a total of 11 days, 10 nights underwater. She served as Payload Crew and co-PI of the 2023 IIAS-01 suborbital research flight, as well as a PI and/or co-I for Ax-2, Polaris Dawn and Blue Origin payloads. Her publications include a paper on medical guidelines for commercial suborbital spaceflight, and book chapters on space technologies that have benefitted terrestrial medicine, psychological resilience in long-duration spaceflight, reproduction and sexuality in long-duration spaceflight, and the future of space medicine. Her work is permanently exhibited at the Ontario Science Center alongside Dr. Roberta Bondar, the first Canadian woman in space. In 2022, Dr. Pandya was named to the Explorers’ Club’s “50 Explorers Changing the World.” In 2024, she was recognized for her contributions by the Women’s Space Awards in the Medicine and Health category, and named a Karman Pioneer. Also in 2024, she was further inducted as a full member of the International Astronautical Federation’s Human Spaceflight Committee. Her work has been profiled by Nature Careers and the Royal Canadian Mint.

Andrew Higgins is a professor of Mechanical Engineering, with Masters and PhD degrees in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Washington, Seattle. At McGill University, he has taught courses on compressible flow, thermodynamics, combustion, space propulsion, and statistical mechanics. He has worked for 30 years on research in high-speed flow and shock waves for applications to aerospace propulsion and fusion energy and is now setting his sights higher by considering the engineering problems associated with interstellar flight.

Marie Pier Bouchier

Bettina Forget is the Director of the SETI Institute’s Artist-in-Residence program. In this capacity she facilitates the collaboration between artists and SETI Institute scientists, foregrounds art-science research, and weaves a network of institutional partners active in art, science, and technology. Her creative practice and academic research examine the re-contextualization of art and science, and how transdisciplinary education may disrupt gender stereotypes. Bettina works with traditional as well as new media arts, focusing on astronomy, sci-fi, and feminism. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including ISEA (Barcelona), CYFEST-13 (Saint Petersburg), and the Planetarium Rio Tinto Alcan (Montreal). Bettina is currently a doctoral candidate in Art Education at Concordia University, Canada, where her project “Imagine Aliens” connects astrobiology, exoplanet research, and art.

Lee Wilkins

Rahul is a proud Canadian, serial entrepreneur, and aerospace engineer. Rahul currently works at NordSpace as the CEO, a Canadian space company building an end-to-end orbital launch system for Canada with its historic first experimental flight launching in 2025. Rahul holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from UofT’s Engineering Science program, where he also founded the Robotics for Space Exploration (RSX) team, and is now pursuing a PhD part time at UTIAS in space robotics. He also is a strong advocate for supporting student design and engineering teams.

Rosanna is the Astronomer at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre in Vancouver, where she creates and reviews astronomy and space science programming, including developing planetarium shows, community activities, and special events. She also serves as an expert on astronomical events and space news for local and national media outlets, including CBC Radio Canada, Global News, and Daily Hive.

Rosanna has a Master’s degree in Physics and Astrophysics from the University of Sheffield as well as a PhD from the University of Leicester in the field of exoplanet discovery and characterisation. Since 2016 she has been involved in a diverse range of STEM initiatives and events, creating activities and content for science festivals, lectures, workshops, blogs, special events, and online school programs. She is excited to be working with SEDS-Canada as she was involved with the UK chapter of SEDS from 2016-2018 and served as Vice Chair in 2017.

Michael is currently the Interim Director of Programming at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre and has successfully organized several events like Pi Day for families, and the launch of the new adult series Cosmic Nights, and has founded programs across disciplines like dance and neuroscience, and drag and astronomy. He’s most passionate about finding new ways to connect to audiences, finding new perspectives from the diversity of humanity to look out into the cosmos and feel a sense of wonder and curiosity about the universe and our place in it.

He also manages SCI-CATs (Science Communication Action Team). They are a team of science communicators that have created open source teaching modules that span a range of science communication topics. He has managed a variety of workshops, and seminars from places like science conferences, to team building days.

Dr Leonardo Barilaro, The Space Pianist, is a visionary pianist, composer, and aerospace engineer who bridges the worlds of music and space exploration. As a Cultural Ambassador of the Space Art Movement, The Space Pianist is promoting the idea that ‘Art can help us better understand the Universe and our place in it’. Leonardo uses the emotive power of music to inspire people to view Space not just only as a scientific or technological frontier but as a source of creativity, expression, and imagination, as well as the power of human connection to the cosmos, embodying the ethos: “In Space, there is space for Everyone”. Leonardo the Space Pianist, is the project leader of the ASTROBEAT mission, that merged science and art onboard the International Space Station and plans to perform the first-ever piano concert on Mars, playing a Steinway, setting a new milestone in art and space history.

Loic Albert, Ph. D., is an astronomer affiliated with the Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets (IREx) at the Universite de Montreal. As an instrument scientist, he participated in the design, testing and commissioning of NIRISS, the canadian instrument onboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Since 2022, he is using data from JWST to study brown dwarfs and exoplanets.

Prof. Karim Jaffer has been a Physics Professor at John Abbott College since 2006 teaching Astronomy since 2016 employing a unique student-directed, just-in-time teaching approach incorporating current astronomical data, research, and including experiential learning opportunities open to the entire JAC community – resulting in several research awards locally and Nationally, plus published articles in SkyNews magazine and SkyWard newsletter over the past 8 years. In the amateur astronomy community Karim has been the Public Events Coordinator for the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada – Montreal Centre since 2016, helping re-establish the I.K.Williamson Astronomy Library and coordinating both public events and outreach activities throughout the Montreal area, cultivating partnerships with the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, the Institute for Research on Exoplanets (iREx), the Cosmodome, Explore Alliance, the Astronomical League, AstroRadio – now Space Oddities, CASCA and many local amateur astronomy groups, in addition to mentoring several Student Astronomy clubs and coordinating visits to local schools, guides, scouts and libraries. Karim is the Chairperson of the National RASC Education and Public Outreach Committee and the 2021 recipient of the Charles M Good Award.

Hilding Neilson, PhD, is an astrophysicist and professor in the Department of Physics & Physical Oceanography at Memorial University of Newfoundland & Labrador in St. John’s Newfoundland where his research focuses on stellar and exoplanet physics and the stories we can learn from stars and planets. He is also Mi’kmaw from Ktaqmkuk and works integrate Indigenous knoweldges in astrophysics research and how we relate to outer space exploitation and exploration and our place in the cosmos.

Dr Lauren Rhodes is an astrophysicist at McGill University. She is an expert in high energy astrophysics and radio astronomy which she uses to understand the formation and growth of stellar mass black holes both in our own Galaxy and those across the Universe. In her talk, she will present an overview of how she came to be a research fellow in Montreal, as well as discussing one of her favourite research topics: gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions of the universe and the birth sites of black holes.

Martin Lebeuf

Max King

Born 23 February 1949 in Quebec City, Canada. Received a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Physics from the Royal Military College of Kingston in 1970, and a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London, England, in 1973.

Naval career
Marc Garneau served as a Combat Systems Engineer in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1973 until 1984.

Astronaut career
He was one of six Canadians selected for astronaut training in December 1983. He became the first Canadian to fly in Space on Shuttle Mission STS 41-G in October 1984. He flew on two more missions: STS-77 in 1996 and STS-97 in 2000, logging over 677 hours in space. In November 2001, he was appointed President of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), a post he held until December 2005.

Political career
Marc Garneau was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament in October 2008. He became minister of Transport in November 2015, a post he held for 5 years until January 2021 when he was named Foreign Affairs minister, a post he occupied until October 2021. He retired from politics in March 2023. He is a Companion of the Order of Canada (2003). He served as Chancellor of Carleton University from 2003 to 2008. He is a Recipient of the NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1997), three NASA Space Flight Medals (1984, 1996, 2000), and eleven Honorary Doctorates.

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