CSC 2026 Team
Meet the team behind the 2026 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, marketing, web, graphics, translator, sponsorship, and more.
Kaia Turchio
Kaia is a 4th year Space Engineering student at the Lassonde School of Engineering and is completing her technology entrepreneurship certification with one of Canada’s top law and business schools. Her passion in her studies has brought her to pursue engineering and space related projects with her most recent participation in SEDS CAN-RGX with McMaster University. Aside from engineering, she applies her entrepreneurial skills by competing in tech startup competitions.
Kaia is the conference lead for SEDS Canadian Space Conference and aims to support the vision of SEDS by inspiring students like herself to become innovators in Canada’s space sector. Her background in hosting events for Lassonde Engineering Society has led her to taking on this role, allowing her to give back to a massive community that she has been involved in since the beginning of her studies.
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!
Shivam Khera (he/him)
Shivam enjoys organizing large-scale events, conferences, workshops, and career fairs, including co-hosting the Canadian Space Conference 2025 on behalf of Space Concordia. His interests include human space exploration, sustainable spacecraft design, and fostering collaboration between national & international student organizations.
Outside of academics, he enjoys working out, traveling, and working on technical projects involving machine design, composites, 3D printing, and material science, with a particular curiosity about how different structures behave under various conditions. He is passionate about leading projects that combine technology with community impact.
Hasaan Mohsin (he/him)
Hasaan Mohsin is an aspiring astronaut currently studying Astronautics with the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences, specializing in Spacesuit Engineering. He has completed hands-on training in zero-gravity flights, IVA spacesuit operations, high-G aerobatic flight, suborbital spacecraft simulation, and hypoxia awareness. He previously graduated from the University of Toronto with a double major in Physics and Astronomy, where he completed several internships focused on exoplanetary habitability and space lighting design.
Beyond academia, Hasaan is a licensed airplane pilot, holds an Open Water Scuba Diver license, has skydiving experience, and speaks five languages. Through storytelling, mentorship, and advocacy, he is committed to making space exploration more inclusive and inspiring the next generation of explorers.
Phone Min Thant (he/him|they/them)
Phone Min Thant is a third-year International Studies (Honours) student at Simon Fraser University (SFU). He is a Research Assistant for the Research Network on Women, Peace and Security (RN-WPS) and a section editor for the Peak student newspaper at SFU. He is responsible for managing marketing and promotion-related issues for the Canadian Space Conference (CSC) as the CSC Marketing Lead. His research interests include disarmament and demilitarization (including in Outer Space), diplomatic relations between China and ASEAN, and Canadian defence policy. He was first exposed to Outer Space policy at the Canadian Undergraduate Policy Competition (CUPC), and has maintained a consistent interest in the topic since then. Outside of academics and work, Phone is also a hobby-led Kendo practitioner, and has taken part in numerous tournaments around BC with the SFU Kendo Club.
Rory Macdonald (he/him)
Rory is a third year computing and physics dual-degree student at Queen’s University. He is passionate about programming, space science, teaching, and connecting with his community. Rory has experience with running summer camps teaching kids STEM, and is now exploring the world of physics research, having completed an internship at SNOLAB working on the DEAP-3600 dark matter detector. At Queen’s he holds leadership positions with space-related and software engineering extracurricular activities, and is an active member in student communities. Combining his love for space science and creating strong communities, Rory currently serves in two positions at SEDS; Rory manages the Discord server to allow for internal SEDS communication, as well as creating a space for our members to connect. He also is one of the web developers for the 2025 Canadian Space Conference (CSC), where he is able to help CSC inspire as many students as possible to pursue their passions and interests.
Margaret Bui (she/her)
Margaret is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at McMaster University. She enjoys interacting with her community and participating in clubs on campus, such as the McMaster Drone Team and Mac AI Society. She joined SEDS-Canada as one of the CSC Graphic Designers on the Conference Team, designing graphics to promote the conference and other events.
Aude Benk-Fortin (she/her)
Aude is an engineering physics graduate from Polytechnique Montreal and an International Space University alumni. She is specialized in the development of biomedical technologies adapted to isolated, confined, and extreme environments, in space medicine, and in space operations. She has developed an ophthalmic instrument to monitor the retina in spaceflight and spaceflight analogs at the German Aerospace Center in Cologne, in collaboration with the European Astronaut Center. Aude has joined SEDS-Canada in order to contribute to the Canadian space industry. When not thinking about space exploration, she likes to explore Earth, at home and abroad, and to write fantasy and science fiction stories.
Amanda Mongillo (she/her)
Amanda Mongillo is a second-year Engineering Science student at the University of Toronto. She is the Co-Logistics Lead for the Canadian Space Conference at SEDS-Canada. Amanda has a strong interest in space exploration, robotics, and human spaceflight, with a particular passion for mission operations. She currently contributes to the Mission Operations team at UTAT Space Systems, where she helps support satellite development and operations. Amanda is also involved with Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), where she helps create inclusive spaces and events for women in STEM. Inspired by the success of SEDS events and the supportive community they foster, Amanda is excited to contribute to that impact and help build meaningful connections across Canada’s space community.
Ritambhara Kalia (she/her)
Ritambhara is a Health Sciences student at Queen’s University with a strong interest in space health research and contributing to the space community in different ways. As the Sponsorship Lead for the Canadian Space Conference, she reaches out to potential sponsors, talks with them about being part of the event, and helps wherever she can during the planning process. She has attended SEDS conferences for several years and recently took on the same role for the wSEDS Inaugural Conference. She’s keen to keep learning, meet new people, and take on opportunities that challenge her to grow both personally and professionally.