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.
Lucy Ma
Biomedical Engineering PhD Candidate
University of Toronto
Lucy Ma is a Biomedical Engineering PhD student at the University of Toronto, with a BASc in Engineering Science and a minor in Business & Entrepreneurship. At the Garton and Gilbert labs, Lucy’s thesis centers around genetically engineering stem cells for regenerative medicine and cell-based therapies. One of her projects is working on creating a gene therapy for astronauts to protect them from ionizing radiation induced DNA damage. With a long-term vision to build a sustainable ecosystem for a Canadian space health research, she aims to make outer space accessible to the scientists and trainees on the ground. Lucy is the Advisory Board Member and one of the Chairs leading the Canadian Space Health Research Network, an organization founded by Dr. Giuseppe Iaria dedicated to create trainee research funds and to organize the bi-annual national symposiums. Most recently, she worked with Dr.Marcelo Vazquez from the Canadian Nuclear Lab to build the first Canadian Space Radiation Research Group. Through non-profit initiatives, she creates opportunities for trainees & underrepresented groups, to promote a future where space research is inclusive and accessible to all. As an advocate for women in STEM, she uses her social platforms to inspire and empower the next generation of innovators.
Callum French
Medical Student
University of Alberta
Callum French (he/they) is a second year medical student at the University of Alberta. He is a Medical Students Representative for the Canadian Society of Aerospace Medicine (CSAM) and is member of the Students and Residents subgroup (CStaRs). Callum is also the Space Medicine club lead at the UofA and the administrative lead for the Canadian Queer Medical Students Association (CQMSA). When he isn’t watching lectures on 2x speed or playing the most complex board game you’ve ever seen, you can find him doomscrolling Tiktoks or sleeping in as late as humanly possible.
Karim Jaffer
Space Science Professor
John Abbotts College
Prof. Karim Jaffer has been a Faculty member at John Abbott College in Montreal since 2006, following teaching positions at Bishop’s & Carleton Universities and Marianopolis College. Prof. Jaffer led several Ministry projects at the College level in Science & Math education before moving his focus back to Space Sciences. Karim began teaching a unique student-directed Introductory Astronomy course in 2016 which has evolved to incorporate current astronomical data and research, including experiential learning opportunities with the local Montreal Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. This approach led to the campus embracing astronomy observing activities, outreach, and astronomy-related projects in various disciplines including other science departments and visual arts.
Karim has been the Public Events Coordinator for the RASC Montreal Centre for the past decade, helping re-establish the I.K.Williamson Astronomy Library and coordinating both public events and outreach activities – initially throughout the Montreal area, then nationally as a member (and now Chair) of the RASC Education & Public Outreach Commmittee, and globally as an Explore Alliance Ambassador, Starmus VI Star Party co-Coordinator, presenter at online Global Star Parties and founding member of Space Oddities Live. Prof. Jaffer was the recipient of the 2021 Charles M. Good Award, 2024 Forces Avenir Faculty Finalist and the 2025 Fred Clarke award, both for his work in public education and mentoring students in Astronomy Outreach.
Inna Sharf
Mechanical Engineering Professor
McGill University
Dr. Inna Sharf is a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Sharf conducts research in robotics and autonomous systems with applications to space systems and sustainable timber harvesting. Sharf has worked on problems related to space debris remediation, on-orbit servicing and more recently, autonomy for timber-harvesting machines. Sharf has an established publication record in robotics, dynamics and control journals and conferences and has given numerous presentations on her research. She has supervised over 60 PhD and Master’s level engineering students over her career. She is an associate fellow of American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, a member of Robotics and Automation Society and of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Vithurshan Suthakar
Earth & Space Science PhD Candidate
York University
Vithurshan Suthakar is a Ph.D. student in Earth & Space Science at York University, supervised by Prof. Regina Lee. He obtained his M.Sc. in Earth and Space Science in 2024 and his B.Sc. (Honours) in Physics, specializing in Space Science, from York University. His research focuses on optical Space Situational Awareness (SSA), including algorithm development for Resident Space Object detection and imaging. He has led and contributed to SSA missions and software efforts at York and with international teams, and is currently involved in flight software development for an upcoming Canadian SSA mission. He has presented SSA outreach to public audiences and at scientific conferences.
Mariek E. Schmidt
Professor and Chair of Earth Sciences
Brock University
Mariek Schmidt is Professor and Chair of Earth Sciences at Brock University. A volcanologist and igneous petrologist, her research spans both Earth and Mars. She is among the most experienced Mars rover geologists, having served on three Mars rover missions. She is currently a Canadian Space Agency–supported Co-Investigator on the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission as part of the PIXL instrument team. Her work integrates geochemical and microscopic imaging data of rocks to interpret magma petrogenesis, volcanic emplacement, aqueous alteration, and to assess potential biosignatures. She also investigates volcanic fields on Earth, including sites in New Mexico, Oregon, Hawaiʻi, and Iceland and uses rover-analogous methods to reconstruct environmental, volcanic, and alteration histories.
Pramit Shende
Aerospace Engineering Student
Carleton University
Pramit Shende is a third-year Aerospace Engineering student at Carleton University, specializing in Space Systems Design. With over three years of extensive experience using Systems Tool Kit (STK) and holding a Level 3 Grandmaster Certification, he has applied STK across CubeSat mission design, defence scenarios, and space asset analysis. Pramit has extensively used STK in Carleton’s CubeSat design team during the mission design phase to validate payload performance, optimize orbital configurations, and assess overall mission capability, and he continues to integrate it into his mission analysis work today. Last summer, he interned with Space Strategies Consulting Ltd., where he utilized STK to develop and present complex space and defence scenarios for clients, design interactive mission simulations and demonstrations to showcase STK’s analytical capabilities, and support both technical implementation and client engagement through training, troubleshooting, and software integration support.
Gordon Osinski
Earth Sciences Professor
University of Western Ontario (Western)
Dr. Gordon “Oz” Osinski is a Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Western Ontario (Western), Canada. He is also the Director of the Canadian Lunar Research Network, Chair of the Planetary Sciences Division of the Geological Association of Canada, and was the Founding Director of the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration at Western. Dr. Osinski’s research interests are diverse and interdisciplinary in nature, motivated by understanding the evolution of the surface of the Earth and other planetary bodies as well as the origin and evolution of life. He has conducted fieldwork on 6 continents, from Antarctica to Africa, but the Canadian Arctic is where much of his research takes place. Dr. Osinski has received numerous awards for this research. Most recently, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2024. Dr. Osinski is also involved in several past and ongoing planetary exploration-related activities. He is the Principal Investigator for the Canadian Lunar Rover – Canada’s first ever rover mission to the Moon – and is a Co-Investigator on the PanCam and Enfys instruments on the European ExoMars mission to Mars. Dr. Osinski is also involved in providing geology training to Canadian and US astronauts and is a member of the Artemis III Science Team, the first mission to return to the Moon in over 50 years.
Siamak Tafazoli
Chief Engineer for the Commercial Space Launch Program
Transport Canada
Siamak (Mak) Tafazoli is the chief engineer for the Commercial Space Launch program at Transport Canada since 2023. He holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from Carleton and McGill, respectively, and obtained his Ph.D. from Concordia working on flexible spacecraft dynamics and control. Mak also has a graduate degree in Air and Space Law from McGill’s IASL. He has over 30 years of experience in the aerospace industry having had his own consulting company, working in industry at CAE Electronics and Canadair, in academia for McGill and Concordia universities as adjunct professor and in government at NRC, CSA and DND. He was actively involved in (systems) engineering, launch and/or project management of several Canadian space missions such as Scisat, Radarsat 2, NEOSSat, M3MSat and RCM. Mak has more than 60 technical publications.
Harmil Kalia
Medical Student
Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine
Harmil Kalia is a first-year medical student at Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine. He holds a BASc from McMaster University and is a member of the Canadian Society of Aerospace Medicine (CSAM). Harmil has led and participated in analogue field research within Icelandic lava tube cave systems, where he directed life sciences investigations in space health/agriculture while also serving as team medic. This work, which explored human performance and biological adaptation in extreme environments, has been featured nationally on CBC.
His current research interests lie at the intersection of hypometabolic science, human hibernation, and physiological adaptation, with a focus on utilizing metabolic suppression to extend survival and support performance under extreme physiological stress. In recognition of his service as a Canadian Armed Forces Combat Medic and his contributions to aerospace and military health research, Harmil was awarded a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Scholarship in 2024.
Beyond research, Harmil is the co-founder of the Youth Geographic Society (@youthgeoassoc), a global, student-driven initiative dedicated to advancing public engagement in natural sciences, exploration, and conservation through interdisciplinary education, research and outreach.
Outside of medicine and research, he is an avid reader and writer with enduring interests in philosophy, art, and the sciences.
Tristan Prejean
Associate Director of Business Development
Vast
Tristan Prejean is the Associate Director of Business Development at Vast, where he coordinates business partnerships enabling technology development, scientific research, and in-space manufacturing on Vast’s space stations. Prior to joining Vast, he was the Director of Space Operations at Lunasonde Inc. and was a Mission Manager for satellites & hosted payloads at Nanoracks LLC. Tristan holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park, and is based in the Washington, DC area.
Yaroslav Pustovyi
Director of Safety & CTO
Maritime Launch
Dr. Yaroslav “Yarko” Pustovyi is a space industry professional with career experience in the sector since 1988. Formerly an astronaut with the National Space Agency of Ukraine, Dr. Pustovyi was trained by NASA and served as a Backup Payload Specialist for the STS-87 Space Shuttle Columbia mission in 1997.
As Chief Technology Officer and Director of Safety, Yarko is responsible for ensuring all technological aspects of Spaceport Nova Scotia design, development and operations are planned and implemented in the most effective way to achieve both safety and mission success, while managing technical cooperation with international partners.
At Maritime Launch, Yarko is working as lead interface with federal and provincial regulatory authorities responsible for launch and related aspects of the spaceport functionality, serving as project manager for suborbital launch campaigns, and leading research and development undertakings. As part of company’s outreach, Yarko supported student rocketry events organized by Launch Canada and served as range safety officer for the launch of the largest student-designed liquid propellant rocket built by the team from Concordia University.
Prior to joining Maritime Launch, Dr. Pustovyi was involved in both government space programs and commercial space ventures. Among other endeavours, he played active role in the development of the Ukrainian National Space Program for 2003-2007, participated in the international Ansari X-Prize competition as part of the Canadian Arrow team, and served as President and later – as Chairman of the Board – of the Canadian Space Commerce Association.
Fluent in English, French, Ukrainian and Russian, Dr. Pustovyi has over 25 years of media experience, public appearances and speaking. He is an accomplished presenter and public educator on a variety of space-related issues from importance of space exploration to human spaceflight to the new era of commercial space industry and others. Having been involved in government space programs of several countries, as well as in the commercial spaceflight industry, Dr. Pustovyi brings a unique view on perspectives of the international space development.
Aran Abrahamlingam
Systems and Software Engineer
Avalon Space
Vincent Côté-Larouche
Mechanical Systems Specialist
SFL Missions
Vincent has a vision that space exploration can greatly contribute to global prosperity and strives towards this vision throughout his career. He completed his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering at the University of Ottawa and his master’s in aerospace engineering at the University of Toronto’s Institute for Aerospace Studies as part of the Space Flight Laboratory. Throughout his career, Vincent contributed to the development of Canada’s first lunar rover at Canadensys Aerospace, helped develop new simulator experiences for astronaut training at the Canadian Space Agency and is currently working as a mechanical systems specialist at SFL Missions on various small satellite missions, focusing on the design of flight structures and their assembly, integration and testing.
Elsa Lange
Engineering Graduate
University of Ottawa
Elsa Lange is a recent graduate at the University of Ottawa’s mechanical engineering program. She recently completed the International Space University’s 8-week Space Studies Program in Seoul, South Korea and an ESA Academy Training Course on Spacecraft communications. Elsa is an avid conference attendee and hopes to meet other space enthusiasts throughout the weekend.
Kaizad Raimalwala
Director of Business Development
Mission Control
Lifelong evangelist for exploration and development of space, Kaizad works as Director of Business Development for Mission Control, helping shape how the company is at the forefront of lunar exploration, enabling onboard AI for space systems, and bringing humanity along on our journey to the stars. He has a background in Aerospace Engineering, with a BASc. from Purdue University and an MASc. from University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies. Outside of his day job, he enjoys supporting SEDS-Canada as a member on the Board of Advisors, and enjoys climbing and going into the mountains.
Aaron Persad
Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering
University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)
Dr. Aaron Persad is an space scientist and educator whose research focuses on the interface between fundamental physics and human spaceflight, with particular emphasis on microgravity sciences, bioastronautics, and space life-support technologies. As of 2023, he is an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), where he leads research programs investigating fluid behavior in reduced gravity and applications to future human space missions.
Dr. Persad’s work is characterized by a strong emphasis on human-in-the-loop experimentation and flight validation. He serves as Director of Bioastronautics at the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS), where he leads efforts in spacesuit evaluation, astronaut training, and experimental validation for commercial suborbital spaceflight. In 2023, he led a microgravity fluids experiment that flew aboard Virgin Galactic’s Galactic 05 mission, contributing flight data on fluid stability and transport in weightlessness.
In parallel with his academic work, Dr. Persad is active in the commercial space sector. He is the co-founder and former Chief Technology Officer of Astreas (formerly Mission: Space Food), a company developing nutritionally optimized, shelf-stable food supplements for long-duration missions. This work addresses challenges relevant to astronaut health and performance, including nutrition, cognitive function, and operational sustainability. He was also the former Chief Science Officer for the Association of Spaceflight Professionals. And he was co-founder of the SEDS-Canada CAN-RGX program.
Previously, Dr. Persad was a research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he worked on graphene-based nanofiltration systems for advanced hydrocarbon and fuel separation, with applications to closed-loop life-support and in-space resource utilization. He earned his PhD in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto, where his award-winning doctoral research applied quantum mechanical models to evaporation and phase-change processes. He was a finalist in the Canadian Space Agency’s 2017 astronaut recruitment campaign, placing in the top 60 candidates.
Caleigh Cowen
Juris Doctor Candidate, Co-President
University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law, Space Law Society
Caleigh Cowen is a Juris Doctor candidate at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law and Co-President of the Space Law Society. She completed her Bachelor of Arts Honours in Law, Policy, and Government at Carleton University. Within the Space Law Society, Caleigh has led and helped run events, including the So You Want to be a Space Lawyer career panel and the annual Space Bar Research Gala. Caleigh is actively involved in space law initiatives and student-led outreach, helping to connect legal education with Canada’s evolving space sector and broader policy community. In 2025, Caleigh worked as a Legal Intern at the Department of National Defence with the Provost Marshal Legal Advisor, supporting legal analysis in operational and policy-driven government contexts, gaining practical insight into the intersection of law and security. Outside of school, Caleigh enjoys Formula 1 and is a competitive dressage athlete.