CSC 2027 Team
Meet the team behind the 2027 Canadian Space Conference. Every year, a group of passionate volunteers work hard to make the conference a reality and provide the best experience to those in attendance. Meet our Conference Lead, and all of our teams: logistics, speakers, sponsorship, marketing, outreach, web, graphics, translation, and more.
Kaia Turchio
Kaia is a final year Space Engineering student at the Lassonde School of Engineering and is currently a research assistant at York University. Her research focuses on modelling thruster activations on board GRACE-FO satellites, for the development and optimization of spacecraft thrusters. Her passion in her studies has brought her to pursue engineering and space related projects with her most recent participation in CAN-RGX 8, a SEDS-Canada microgravity experiment, with McMaster University. Aside from engineering, she applies her entrepreneurial skills by competing in tech startup competitions.
Aside from her education and volunteer work, Kaia enjoys rock climbing, hiking, swimming and writing. She is always on the go and reaching for the stars!
Suwethika Loganathan (she/her)
Suwethika once thought that the world of space and aerospace was far beyond her reach, until she took her first steps into the community and discovered that she could be part of it too. An Electronics Engineering Technology graduate from Seneca Polytechnic, she is a rocketeer and a passionate space enthusiast working toward a career in the aerospace industry. She is involved with SEDS Canada as the Logistics Lead for the Canadian Space Conference 2027. Her journey into the aerospace community started with volunteering at aerospace organizations such as Launch Canada and Space Place Canada. Through volunteering, hands-on rocketry experience, and leadership opportunities, she continues to grow her skills and connect with the Canadian space community. Fascinated by rockets, satellites, and space exploration since childhood, Suwethika is determined to turn her passion for aerospace into a career and contribute to the future of space exploration.
Charlize Chan (she/her)
Charlize is a University of Toronto student in Astronomy and Physics and Studio Arts. She serves as the Logistics Lead for Women in SEDS (wSEDS) and the Canadian Space Conference, where she helps coordinate event logistics and operational initiatives to support SEDS’ goals. Charlize is passionate about the intersection of science, creativity, and community and how different disciplines can come together to inspire innovation in the space industry. Outside of work and academics, she enjoys gallery hopping and stargazing!
Amin Nazari (he/him)
Speakers Co-Lead
Amin Nazari is a Space Engineering graduate from York University and an Associate Mechanism Engineer. Serving as the Speaker Lead at SEDS-Canada, he is responsible for curating keynote presentations, panel discussions, and guest lectures featuring leaders from across the aerospace sector. Amin joined SEDS-Canada to help bridge the gap between academic study and the Canadian space industry, creating dynamic platforms where students can engage directly with cutting-edge space missions and research. His technical interests center on spacecraft thermal systems, sub-orbital payload integration, and radio astronomy. When he isn’t working on space systems, Amin can usually be found outdoors hiking, camping, snowboarding, or climbing.
Nicole Dudar (she/her)
Nicole is a Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Toronto, minoring in Robotics & Mechatronics, and Engineering Business. With aspirations to become an Aerospace Engineer, Nicole makes her way into the aerospace industry through her current role at SEDS-Canada as a Canadian Space Conference Speakers Lead. She is responsible for managing communications and inviting guest speakers for the conference.
Through her experience with the University of Toronto, Nicole worked with Unmanned Aerial Systems and is now part of the Space Systems Satellite team. You can also find her actively participating in her community as a Director within Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), University of Toronto Chapter.
When away from academics, Nicole is found reading, swimming, playing tennis or cooking. As one of her favourite music artists says, she attempts to ‘…shoot for the stars…’ in everything that she achieves.
Darren Leung (he/him)
Darren is a Space Engineering graduate at York University. He is the sponsorships lead for the Canadian Space Conference (CSC), managing sponsorships at the event. In his spare time he likes to develop and play video games and hopes to create an animated show one day.
Jack Tremblay-Lessard (he/him)
Jack is an Aerospace Engineering student at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, with a minor in math. He shares his passion for outreach and space robotics engineering as the mechanical lead for the Carleton Planetary Robotics Team and an active member of the Zenith Canada Pathways fellowship.
Jack is the sponsorship lead for SEDS Canadian Space Conference and brings his experience planning numerous conferences as well as four VP External positions to the SEDS team in hopes to lower the barrier of entry to the space industry and space robotics. His goal is to help bridge the technical gap students feel to a successful career.
Aside from his time spent in robotics, Jack loves MMA, playing volleyball, playing the fiddle and exploring!
Bansari Jhaveri (she/her)
Bansari is a fourth-year Physics and Astronomy student at the University of Waterloo. Her interest in physics led her to complete an internship at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland, where she gained hands-on experience in quantum optics. Her passion for science, particularly astronomy, inspired her to join SEDS-Canada as the CSC Marketing Lead. In this role, she will manage the team’s social media, graphics, and overall marketing strategy. Bansari also enjoys teaching and mentoring youth in the sciences, as well as creative activities such as dancing and painting. Outside of academics, she runs a small art business, where she discovered her passion for marketing through managing social media and engaging with her community. By combining her love of space, creativity, and connecting with others, Bansari hopes to encourage more people to explore the sciences!
Moiza Mahmood (she/her)
Moiza Mahmood is a Space Engineering student at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Engineering Physics from Istanbul Technical University. She is team Lead of Arbalest Rocketry, Co-Lead of Outreach for the Canadian Space Conference 2027, a candidate with the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences, and a volunteer with Women in Aerospace Canada. She has presented lunar dust mitigation research at the Canadian Space Conference and co-hosted the wSEDS 2026 conference with SEDS Canada.
Moiza is a multilingual STEM professional, she is training as a student pilot and is scuba-diving certified. She hopes to build a career in propulsion engineering and joined SEDS Canada to be part of a student-led community that helps more young people, especially women, find their way into the space industry.
Alex Tolentino (he/him)
Alex studied Advertising and Graphic Design at Humber Polytechnic in Toronto, ON, and currently works as a full-time Graphic Designer based in Edmonton, AB. He is part of the Marketing team as a Graphic Designer in SEDS-Canada for the 2027 Canadian Space Conference. Outside of work, he enjoys going to the gym, travelling, collecting vinyl records, and attending concerts. Having been fascinated by space and space exploration since childhood, Alex has always been curious about the universe and the possibilities of exploration beyond our planet.
Hanyi Jiang (she/her)
Hanyi is an Interactive Media Management student at Sheridan College and a graduate of the Digital Product Design program, with a background in Animation. She is passionate about visual design, branding, illustration, and creating user-centered digital experiences. Alongside her studies, she has contributed to a variety of student organizations and hackathons as a designer, developing branding, social media graphics, website visuals, and event materials. At SEDS-Canada, Hanyi serves as a Graphics Designer, where she is excited to help communicate space-related initiatives through thoughtful and engaging visual design. Inspired by the intersection of technology, creativity, and innovation, she looks forward to supporting the Canadian space community while continuing to grow as a designer. Outside of design, Hanyi enjoys drawing, visiting art exhibitions, watching films and musical theatre, and exploring creative storytelling through illustration.
Cléa Cormerais (she/her)
Cléa Cormerais is a Mechanical Engineering student at Polytechnique Montréal with a lifelong passion for science, engineering, and space exploration. Ever since she was young, she has been actively involved in STEM through a wide range of projects, competitions, and community initiatives, driven by a curiosity for understanding how things work and a fascination with the aerospace industry. Today, she is the Co-Director of the CubeSat team at PolyOrbite and the President of Astropoly, Polytechnique Montréal’s astronomy club, where she enjoys combining technical innovation with science outreach and inspiring others to explore the space sector. Outside of her academic and extracurricular activities, she enjoys astronomy, robotics, dance, and sharing her enthusiasm for STEM with others. At SEDS Canada, Cléa serves as the French Translator for the Canadian Space Conference.
Aidan Schreder (he/him)
Aidan is the Chief Technology Officer of SEDS Canada. He is responsible for SEDS-Canada’s online presence and the application of software development & managed services for internal processes. Outside of SEDS, he studies systems engineering at the University of Waterloo and enjoys volunteering in the robotics and technology space. He also designs graphics for SEDS and other organizations.