Barbara Flexter 5/26/19 Barbara Flexter 5/26/19

Mike Canga

Mike Canga retired from NASA in 2021 after a 35-year career with the Agency. Most recently Mike was head of the Program Science Management Office for NASA’s Human Research Program coordinating strategic planning supporting HRPs mission to develop methods to protect the health and performance of astronauts in space. Mike led the Exploration Medical Capabilities Element with HRP Learning how to apply systems engineering principles and probabilistic modeling for requirements definition and design for long duration exploration medical systems. Mike was the Risk Manager for the Space Shuttle Program responsible for ensuring risk informed decision making was applied in the program. Risk assessments were used both for both operational and programmatic operation decisions. Mike received his BS in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY.

Barbara Flexter 5/18/19 Barbara Flexter 5/18/19

Michelle Lucas

Michelle Lucas has been inspired by space her entire life. After years of hard work in school, Michelle graduated from university and went to work at Johnson Space Center (JSC) to follow her dream. There she was part of the Payload Safety Review Panel, then she worked Mission Control for the International Space Station as a Flight Controller. After that, she then went on to be a technical instructor for astronauts as well as instructors and flight controllers all over the world. Along the way she found a passion for inspiring the next generation so she left JSC to pursue this new trajectory. Michelle started Higher Orbits – a non-profit that uses space to excite students about STEM. She runs programs all over the country (and world!) encouraging students to find and pursue their passion. Michelle is honored to be an AIAA Associate Fellow.

Barbara Flexter 5/16/19 Barbara Flexter 5/16/19

Shareen Reza

Shahreen Reza is the CEO and Co-Founder of Astreas, a food innovation company redefining the multi-sensory pleasure of food in space.

Her first start-up, PurifAid, developed cleantech using the byproduct of Scotch Whisky to decontaminate industrially polluted water in Europe, and brought it to the villages of Bangladesh to tackle the arsenic water crisis through adsorption technology. She then worked as Deputy Head of Global Business for Palantir Technologies, before founding Astreas.

Shahreen studied Finance & Strategy in Sciences-Po, Paris, and holds an MPhil in Counterterrorism and Security from the University of Cambridge, and a Bachelor's in Philosophy, Russian Literature, and Politics from Trinity College, University of Toronto. Shahreen specializes in global business development.

Astreas has been selected as one of only 200 startups to exhibit at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 as part of the highly competitive Startup Battlefield 200! We’ll be in San Francisco from October 28th to 30th, showcasing our product on the main stage.

Barbara Flexter 5/10/19 Barbara Flexter 5/10/19

Tiffany Vora

Dr. Tiffany Vora is a speaker, scientist, futurist, writer, and entrepreneur who lives in Silicon Valley. She is a Board Member and the Vice President for Innovation Partnerships at Explore Mars, a nonprofit advancing sustainable and inclusive exploration of Mars and beyond by the 2030s. Tiffany is also a Nonresident Senior Fellow of the GeoTech Center at the Atlantic Council, Faculty at Singularity University, and Faculty at EY Tech University. Her thought leadership focuses on the biotechnologies and industries affected by them, such as space, agriculture, medicine, and longevity. Please visit her website, https://www.tiffanyvora.com/, to explore her articles, videos, podcasts, and more.