Speakers

Dr. Leon Alkalai is a recently retired Technical Fellow of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology where he spent 32 years after getting his PhD at UCLA in 1989. During his career at JPL, Dr. Alkalai held numerous leadership positions and was responsible for the capture leadership of both the GRAIL mission to the Moon (2007) and the INSIGHT lander on Mars (2012). For both efforts, Dr. Leon Alkalai received Distinguished Individual Achievement medals from NASA in 2011 and 2019 respectively.

Dr. Alkalai was also heading up JPL strategic partnerships and strategic planning for the Laboratory. In early 2021, Dr. Alkalai retired from JPL and created Mandala Space Ventures, a space-focused, Pasadena-based incubator for new start-ups in the emerging space economy.

Leon is also the General Partner at the Explorer-1 Venture Fund which is also affiliated with the Mandala space incubator. Recently, Mandala launched its first new venture called Continuum Space Systems, a Software as a Service (SaaS) company for the emerging digital space economy.

Dr. Leon Alkalai is a recently retired Technical Fellow of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), California Institute of Technology where he spent 32 years after getting his PhD at UCLA in 1989. During his career at JPL, Dr. Alkalai held numerous leadership positions and was responsible for the capture leadership of both the GRAIL mission to the Moon (2007) and the INSIGHT lander on Mars (2012). For both efforts, Dr. Leon Alkalai received Distinguished Individual Achievement medals from NASA in 2011 and 2019 respectively.Graduated in Law, with a Master’s Course in Diplomatic Studies and several certificate abroad during his career has held numerous public and management positions in important Italian companies and institution. He has been the first president of the National Aerospace Technology Cluster, Chief Executive Officer of the Apulian Airports, member of the Board of Directors of ENAV S.p.A., enterpreuner in the aerospace field, director of strategies and external relation of the Scientific Park PASTIS CNRSM. He has manged numerous R&D projects and post degree master.

Cristina Ananasso has a degree in Physics and PhD in Polar Sciences. Masters in Project Management and Space Policies. She worked for 13 years at the Italian Space Agency (ASI) in the Earth Observation department, managing scientific and applicative projects to exploit the use of Earth Observation data for the development of applications and services for the environmental monitoring. She was also deeply involved in several international programs with no EU Countries, like Argentina, India and Japan and in different international collaborative programs like ESA’s programs and CEOS.

In 2015, she moved from ASI to the European Commission to work for Copernicus, the European Union program on Earth Observation and monitoring. She experienced the policy-making environment of the European Commission, providing as Seconded National Expert, her technical and programmatic experience in support to the structured decision-making processes of the European institutions. In 2021 Cristina joined the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) as the leader of the Copernicus National Collaboration and thematic hubs team in the User Engagement and Outreach section.

Researcher of the Italian National Research Council (CNR) in Pisa, from 1980 to 1994 he was mainly involved in space mission design, analysis and flight control support for several national and international projects, including the first Italian geostationary satellite, a couple of space shuttle missions and a preliminary phase of development of the European contribution (Columbus) to the International Space Station. From 1982 to 2018 he was also involved in re-entry predictions of potentially hazardous space objects for the Italian Civil Protection Authorities.

During the last 30 years he was deeply committed to the orbital debris problem, mainly in the fields of modeling, mitigation and remediation, also participating in various international committees, as the first ESA’s Space Debris Working Group (1987-1988), the ESA’s Space Debris Advisory Group (1990-1997) and, since 1998, the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), as representative of the Italian Space Agency, being presently member of Working Group 4 (Mitigation). Since 1993 he was also member of various Study Groups on Space Debris promoted by the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA).

Previously, Ms. Azelton was in the field of international development as a Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at Development Alternatives, Inc in Afghanistan working on US military and local government initiatives and as Senior Program Assistant at the National Democratic Institute in Africa and Washington, DC working on sustainable governance projects. In those roles, she worked closely with the United Nations, the World Bank, the Department of State, the Department of Defense, US and international nonprofits, and others. Read Ms. Azelton’s publications.

Education
Ms. Azelton holds a BSFS in International Politics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Washington, DC and completed the Programme Internationale at Sciences-Po in Paris, France.

Being trained as a German lawyer, Roya Ayazi held for more than 20 years positions in European/Governmental Affairs and has work experience in public administration and associations of civil society represented in Brussels. Since 2009 Secretary General of the European network NEREUS (Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies) Roya heads its Brussels/Belgium based secretariat and is the main interface of the association at European level and coordinates network activities.

She followed the major space legislative procedures with impact for the downstream sector in the past 10 years and established the network as a reference for regional user-communities. Coordinating interregional co-operations and joint initiatives with the European Commission and the European Space Agency such as Copernicus4regions, Roya gained a broad overview on the deployment situation at local and regional level but also a practical insight into the needs and concerns of regional users.

Outreach and promoting space towards the next generation and society, showing the societal dimension of space as a facilitator of solutions are priorities to the network. In this context she embraces and strongly supports the networks’ flagship initiatives “SpaceForOurPlanet” that presents with individual portrays how space applications contribute to the accomplishment of UN development goals. NEREUS made Roya a space enthusiast and she joined Women in Aerospace (WIA) to share the fascination with other women and win new-comers for the sector.

Krystal Azelton (née Wilson) is a Director of Space Applications Programs at Secure World Foundation and has over 10 years of international and domestic space, public policy, and management experience.

Prior to joining SWF, Ms. Azelton was a consultant at Access Partnership, where she worked with international satellite service providers and other leading technology companies on policy issues related to spectrum management, emergency communications, telecommunications standards, orbital debris, and multilateral processes including representing industry at the Inter-American Telecommunication Commission. She has also served as a project manager at the Tauri Group, a leading aerospace analytics firm, providing research, analysis, strategic planning, and regulatory assessment to government and commercial clients. She led and supported production of NASA’s strategic plans, audits, performance plans, budgets, and annual reports. Her work exposed to the full range of NASA’s Earth observation, human exploration, and aviation programs. In that role, she was also recognized as a key member of a data management team that received the NASA Group Achievement Award.

Previously, Ms. Azelton was in the field of international development as a Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at Development Alternatives, Inc in Afghanistan working on US military and local government initiatives and as Senior Program Assistant at the National Democratic Institute in Africa and Washington, DC working on sustainable governance projects. In those roles, she worked closely with the United Nations, the World Bank, the Department of State, the Department of Defense, US and international nonprofits, and others. Read Ms. Azelton’s publications.

Education
Ms. Azelton holds a BSFS in International Politics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Washington, DC and completed the Programme Internationale at Sciences-Po in Paris, France.

Fabrizio Battazza is the Head of the Relations with ESA (European Space Agency) at ASI (the Italian Space Agency), coordinating the whole ESA Italian delegation and supporting the ASI President in the ESA affairs.

He is national delegate to ESA Council since 2021, to Program Board of Earth Observation (PBEO) since 2011 and Vice-Chair to PBEO since 2020.

Fabrizio Battazza graduated in physics from La Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. He has a solid background on Earth Observation with 20 years of experience in the Space sector. In early 2001 he joined the European Space Agency working in the preparatory programs of the agency, moving to ASI in late 2002 he joined first the COSMO-SkyMed team and then PRISMA mission team, when in 2010 he gradually moved to managing the European space programs, notably afferent to ESA and the European Union.

Piero Benvenuti is Professor Emeritus of Astrophysics at the University of Padova and has been recently appointed Director of the Centre of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) for the protection of the dark and quiet sky from satellite constellation interference.

He has been employed by the European Space Agency as IUE Observatory Controller and as Head of the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility. In Italy, he has been President of the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) and Commissioner of the Italian Space Agency. He has been the IAU General Secretary for the triennium 2015-18.

Marko Bertogna is Full Professor at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, where he leads the HiPeRT Lab. His main research interests are in High-Performance Real-Time systems and Autonomous Driving.

In 2008, he received a PhD in Computer Sciences from the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa. He has authored more than 100 papers, receiving different awards. He coordinated multiple EU and industrial projects, securing more than 10 MEuro in funding for his research group. He is CEO and founder of the academic spinoff HiPeRT Srl, and founder of Minerva Srl.

Giuseppe Borghi is the Head of the ESA Φ-lab Division: Accelerating the future of Earth Observation since June 2020. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence and Master in Executive General Management.

After some years of AI research activities @PoliMi (I) and IDSIA (CH), he joined the European Space industry contributing for almost 25 years to its worldwide innovation in various executive roles such as Vice President of Strategy, BD and Sales @Teledyne e2v (UK-USA), Programme Director @OHB (I), BU Manager @Media Lario Technology (I), AIPAS(I) Board Member, Research Programme Manager TNO (NL).

His contribution was always aimed to develop the worldwide Space Industry by exploiting technology and business model transformative innovation as the catalyst for success.

Michal Brichta is a co-founder of the newly-established Slovak Space Office and the head of its Industry Branch working under the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO). In 2019 he initiated a new strategic approach to the comprehensive development of national space industry capabilities.

Building on this approach, his team works today to support the further development of the Slovak space sector and its internationalisation with a focus on full utilisation of the country’s strong industrial and R&D potential as well as on the 21st century‘s newspace trends. It is also the official national contact point for foreign space agencies, offices, associations as well as businesses and research entities. Michal Brichta is a member of the Slovak delegation to ESA and he participates in the EUSPA administrative board.

I currently act as Business Development Director at Officina Stellare Spa (www.officinastellare.com), which I co-founded in 2009, with the partners Riccardo Gianni and Giovanni Dal Lago.

My technical-electronic background in the telecommunications field, combined with a natural attitude for communication and leadership, have allowed me to cover different roles within the company over the years: from marketing manager to COO, to the current role of Head of the Business Unit.
A path of both personal and professional growth that has led to some important successes, which have consolidated Officina Stellare as a major leader in the design and production of opto-mechanical instrumentation in the Aerospace, Defense and Astronomical Research sectors worldwide.

Maria Fabrizia Buongiorno, graduated in Geological Sciences at the University of Rome “La Sapienza” in 1988. Her current position is Director of Technological Research, since 2020 She is coordinator of the INGV Center for Space Observations of the Earth (COS).

In June 2021 she has been appointed by the Italian Space Agency as President of E -GEOS (Telespazio/ASI company). She has more than 30 years of experience in the field of EO missions and data processing for environmental and natural hazards applications. She started her professional career in the Telespazio Company working in the research & development area of the Earth Observation Division.

In 1990-1991 She spent a period at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (USA), as joint researcher in the “Earth Science” Division developing analysis techniques for volcanology using remote sensing data acquired by infrared and hyperspectral sensors. In 1992 she started her career as researcher by joining the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica (ING) focusing on the development of a Remote Sensing Laboratory dedicated to the analysis EO data for Earth Science applications.

From 2003 to 2017 she has been Responsible for Space Observations activities at Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV). She has a consolidated collaboration with many Space Agencies as ASI, DLR, ESA, NASA, and support them as member of Missions Advisory Boards to define scientific requirements for the new space missions to improve the understanding of Earth processes and climate change. Since 2013 she has been co-chair with USGS of the Earth Science “Working Group under the bilateral agreement USA-ITALY in Science and Technology, and coordinate the MoU between INGV and Italian Ministry of Foreign Affair (MAECI).

Carlo Buontempo is the Director of Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) at ECMWF. He coordinates the activities of a large number research teams working on the generation of climate data and its interface to decision and policy makers.

Carlo completed a PhD in physics at University of L’Aquila in 2004 then he moved to Canada for his post-doc before joining the Met Office.

Carlo worked at the Hadley Centre for almost a decade were he led the climate adaptation team and more recently the climate service development team. In this role he led numerous projects involving climate change adaptation and regional modelling in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. In 2012 Carlo became the scientific coordinator of EUPORIAS, and project funded by the European Commission through the 7th framework programme.

Masud Cader is the Lead of Country Analytics for the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group.  In this position Masud is responsible for strategy integration, impact assessment and applying complexity to create novel insights that link development strategy with private sector investment.  Masud also co-heads the World Bank Group-IMF Economic Networks practice.  He has over 20 years of experience in corporate finance, sustainable investing, investment management, equity and credit portfolio management, trading, and use of artificial intelligence to manage difficult development problems.  Masud has degrees from Purdue University, American University, and Johns Hopkins University.  He conducts MBA research courses at Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business.

Matias is an Ecuadorian engineer and space enthusiast. He graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (USA), where he obtained both his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Aerospace Engineering and a Minor in Robotics Engineering. Additionally, Matias obtained a Physics teaching license from the state of Massachusetts. Matias started his career in Germany where he worked at the firm Silver Atena GmbH and then returned home to Ecuador to become a space entrepreneur. Matias is the founder and CEO of Astralintu Space Technologies, which focuses on providing in-orbit services that look to grant space access to emerging actors in Latin America and the world.

Additionally, Matias volunteers as the STEM Program Director for the Sideralis Foundation acts as the SGAC’s National Point of Contact for Ecuador, is the current Vice-Chair of the IAF Administrative Committee for Developing Countries and Emerging Communities and is the Chair of the IAF Latin American and Caribbean Subcommittee. Matias has been recognized as an Emerging Space Leader by the International Astronautical Federation and as a Space Generation Leader by the SGAC. Through engineering and education, Matías looks to lead and promote the development of the New Space industry in Latin America so the region can attain all its benefits.

Currently, PAC is Associated to INAF at the Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale and Fisica Cosmica in Milano where she has been Director from 2011 to 2017. She is also Professor of “Introduction to Astronomy” at the University of Pavia, representative of INAF within the CTA Collaboration and Associate Editor of the Journal of High Energy Astrophysics.

A world leader in the study of high-energy emission from neutron stars, PAC is well known for her seminal work on Geminga, the first gamma-ray pulsar with no radio emission. Indeed, her career was based in interdisciplinarity in astronomy, from space and from the ground.

Dr Erasmo Carrera is Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Politecnico di Torino. He acts as President of the Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics, A.I.D.A.A and member of Accademia delle Scienze di Torino.
He has been visiting professor at the University of Stuttgart, Virginia Tech, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Tambov University, Supmeca and Ensam.

Dr Carrera has been responsible for various research contracts granted by public and private national and international institutions, including the European Community, European Space Agency, Thales Alenia Space and Embraer. He is founder and Editor-in-Chief of Advances in Aircraft and Spacecraft Science, Editor-in Chief of Mechanics of Advanced Materials Structures and Section Editor of Journal and Sound and Vibration.

He has introduced the Unified Formulation, or CUF (Carrera Unifed Formulation), as a tool to establish a new framework in which to develop theories of beams, plates and shells for metallic and composite multilayered structures. He has been author and co-author of about 800 papers on the above topics. Carrera has been recipient of various ‘best paper award’ and of the ‘JN Reddy Medal’.

Professor Carrera has been Highly Cited Researchers (Top 100 Scientist) by
Thompson Reuters in the two Sections: Engineering and Materials. He has been confirmed HiCI in 2015 in the Section Engineering. The only aerospace Engineering
worldwide.

Due to his scientific outcoming professor Carrera has been recently awarded by
the President of Italian Republic, as ‘Honoray Commendator’.
Dr Carrera is the Local Chair of 75th IAC Milano 2024 and 34th ICAS Florence
2024.

Simonetta Cheli took up duty as Director of Earth Observation Programmes and Head of ESRIN (D/EOP) on 1 January 2022.
Born in Siena, Italy, she studied law and economics at Yale University in the United States, before gaining a degree in political sciences with a thesis on international satellite telecommunication law at the University ‘Cesare Alfieri’ in Florence, Italy. She also holds a diploma of advanced studies (DEA) from the Centre d’Etudes Diplomatiques et Stratégiques (CEDS) in Paris.

She has worked at ESA for over three decades, both at Headquarters in Paris and at ESRIN, including 15 years of working within the Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes.
She joined ESA in 1988, working in International Relations, Programme and Strategy, then moved to ESRIN in 1999 as Head of Public and Institutional Relations covering Italy, Spain and Portugal. In 2008, she returned to Paris as Head of the Coordination Office for Earth Observation.

Before her selection as Director of Earth Observation, Simonetta Cheli was Head of the Strategy, Programme and Coordination Office for Earth Observation, coordinating relations with international partners in the field of environment and climate, and with ESA Member States and the European Union, managing the Programme Board of Earth Observation, and relations with European Partners such as Eumetsat and ECMWF.
She also teaches Master courses on space, is a member of numerous international
committees and has received various awards.

Massimo Comparini is Deputy CEO, Senior Executive Vice President Observation, Exploration and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space as well as CEO of Thales Alenia Space Italia. He has a long and proven track record in space industry, from technology to services, and in the earth observation domain; in 2016, he was named CEO of eGeos, a joint venture between Telespazio (80%) and the Italian Space Agency (20%). and Director Line of Business Geo Information at Telespazio. He was, at the same time, Chairman of GAF and EarthLab Luxembourg.

In 2013, Massimo Comparini was appointed CTO of Telespazio, a joint venture between Leonardo (67%) and Thales (33%).

He started his career in 1983 at Selenia Spazio (later Alenia Spazio), holding various management positions, up to his position as Chief Technology Officer.
Massimo Comparini holds a Master Degree in Electrical Engineering, Remote Sensing and Radar Systems from the University of Rome La Sapienza, as well as a Degree in Strategy from the Graduate School of Business, Stanford University.
He is member of the technical-scientific advisory board of the Research, Development and Higher Studies Center in Sardinia – CSR4 – (Italy).

Ricardo Conde, 57 years old, is the father of two beautiful girls. He holds a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from IST – Technical University of Lisbon and a postgraduate degree in Space Technologies. He began his professional career in 1991, having been linked to the Aeronautics and Space sector since 1993 with the participation in several National and International programs, in particular in Space and Ground segments. In 2019 Ricardo joined the Portuguese Space Agency, Portugal Space as a member of the board. About one year later, Ricardo Conde was appointed President of the Portuguese Space Agency.

Dr. Andy Court is a Principal Business Developer at the Dutch research organization TNO. He has been involved in space related missions for more than 30 years, ranging from hard x-ray instrumentation to optical earth observation systems. Currently he is the EU manager for the TNO Industry Unit, responsible for supporting HEU proposals and contacts to the EC. Dr. Court is also the chair of the EARTO space working group which carries out consultation and exchange of ideas from RTO’s with the European Space Agency, EC and industrial associations.

Born in Avigliana (TO) on 7th April 1955, he has over forty years’ experience in the development of space programmes for both human and robotic space exploration, holding increasing responsibilities in Aeritalia, Alenia Spazio, Alcatel Alenia Space and Thales Alenia Space.

Prior to the creation of the Join Venture between Leonardo and Thales, in Alenia Spazio, he held the position of Program and Operation Manager, developing significant experience in engineering, development, production, assembly, integration and testing and development of new technologies, occupying over time positions of increasing responsibility.

Since 1 January 2016, Walter Cugno has held the dual position of Vice President of Thales Alenia Space’s Exploration and Science Domain, as well as Head of the company’s Turin Site. Member, of the Board of Directors of ALTEC, a company co-participated by Thales Alenia Space and Italian Space Agency.
He has held significant positions in projects such as Spacelab, Tethered Satellite, IRIS, Lageos, Hipparcos and SAX X-ray, in roles such as Product Assurance Manager, Assembly, Integration and Test Manager, Launch Operation Manager and Project Manager.

From 1997 to 2013 he was Program Manager for the International Space Station programmes, in particular for NASA’s next-generation programmes, Node 2
(Harmony) and Node 3 (Tranquillity) programmes, the Cupola programme and the MPLM (Multipurpose Logistic Module), Pressurised Multipurpose Module and Cygnus Pressurised Cargo Module programmes. Also within Thales Alenia Space, he has been Director of the ExoMars Programme since 2013, arriving at this appointment thanks to the technical and management positions he previously held in the company.

On 16 October 2020, Rodrigo da Costa took up his duties as Executive Director of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), formerly the European GNSS Agency (GSA). Prior to this, he was the Galileo Services Programme Manager from March 2017.

Before joining the GSA, Rodrigo da Costa held several senior project management, business development, and institutional key account management positions in the space industry, in the areas of human space flight, exploration, launchers and R&D.

Rodrigo da Costa holds a degree in Aerospace Engineering from the “Instituto Superior Tecnico” in Lisbon, a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Delft, and an MBA from the EuroMBA consortium of Business Schools.

Guillaume de La Brosse is currently Head of Unit in charge of space innovation, start-ups and economics in the Commission (Direction-General for Defence Industry and Space). Previously, Guillaume was assistant to the Director-General.

Guillaume joined the Commission in 2016, as member of the Commission’s think-tank and member of the UK Task Force, where he dealt with security, defence and space.
Before joining the Commission, Guillaume worked in the European Defence Agency as assistant to the Executive Director (2011-2016) and as pol-mil adviser in the French Permanent representation to the EU (2006-2011).

Dr. Del Gaudio is the Coordinator of the Life Sciences Department at the Fondazione E. Amaldi. His research activity is mainly focussed on the design, fabrication and evaluation of bioresorbable scaffolds for tissue engineering applications and on the characterization of high-sensitive nanostructured sensors for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

He is also professor of “Engineering for regenerative medicine” at Sapienza University of Rome and supervisor of the ESA Topical Team “Bone Tissue Engineering in Space: a microgravitational understanding of the “scaffolds-cells-signals” paradigm for a more realistic investigation on the degenerative mechanism, regenerative expectations, and potential devices”.

Fiammetta Diani was appointed Head of Head of Market, Downstream and Innovation at the GSA, now EUSPA, in January 2019, previously she was Deputy Head of Market Development. She has been working at the Agency since 2009 and has been responsible for transport and governmental segments, while supervising the mass market and professional domains and contributing to some of the Agency’s major achievements in terms of Galileo market adoption and user uptakes.

Before joining the GSA, Fiammetta Diani worked in the private sector for more than a decade, both in the aerospace and information technology industry, with focus on market and business development of products, applications and services based on space technologies (GNSS, Earth Observation and Satellite Communications).

Fiammetta Diani holds a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Politecnico di Milano and a post-graduate Master in Economics and Business Administration of governmental and non-profit organisations from the University of Ferrara, in Italy.

Simonetta Di Pippo is Professor of Practice of Space Economy at SDA Bocconi School of Management and Director of Space Economy Evolution Lab (SEE Lab). She is an italian astrophysicist and before joining SDA Bocconi she served as Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).
She holds a Master’s Degree in Astrophysics and Space Physics from University “La Sapienza”, an Honoris Causa Degree in Environmental Studies, and an Honoris Causa Degree of Doctor in International Affairs.

In her career, she has been able to cover all the main different fields in space activities, with experience at national, regional and global level. She wrote two books and contributed to many more. She is also author and co-author to several international articles, and always advocating the importance of increasing awareness of the benefits of space activities, she has been featured in more than 1000 interviews and TV and radio shows and podcasts.

Prior to joining UNOOSA, she served as Director of Human Spaceflight at ESA, Director of the Observation of the Universe at the Italian Space Agency and led the European Space Policy Observatory at ASI-Brussels.
She is an Academician of IAA and a member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on space since 2016, co-chairing it since 2020. In her career, Simonetta Di Pippo has been active in bridging the gender gap in STEM and the space sector. In 2009, she co-founded Women in Aerospace Europe and in 2017, she became a UN International Gender Champion.

In 2008, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) named asteroid 21887 “dipippo” in honour of her contribution to space activities and in 2006, she was knighted by the President of the Italian Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi as Cavaliere Ufficiale al Merito. She has been the first woman to be honored with the Hubert Curien award.

Pascale Ehrenfreund is the President of the International Space University and Research Professor of Space Policy and International Affairs at the Space Policy Institute/George Washington University in Washington DC. She is also the President of the International Astronautical Federation IAF and Visiting Professor at Leiden Observatory.

Since three decades she contributed as Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator and Teamleader to ESA and NASA astronomy and planetary missions as well as experiments in low Earth orbit and on the International Space Station.

Pascale Ehrenfreund served as the Chair of the Executive Board of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) between 2015-2020 and the President of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) from 2013-2015.

Pascale Ehrenfreund holds a Master degree in Molecular Biology, a PhD in Astrophysics, and a Master degree in Management & Leadership.
The asteroid “9826 Ehrenfreund 2114 T-3” bears her name.

Maria Cristina Falvella is a published astrophysicist with 30 years of experience in space science and leading space programmes. She has been appointed General Inspector of the Italian Space Agency and President of E. Amaldi Foundation.

M.C. Falvella studied and taught at Sapienza University of Rome and the ENS in Paris. Her activity ranges from space programs to industrial policy dossiers. Former Chair of the Industry Policy Committee of the European Space Agency, she represented Italy in discussions over the space agenda at the highest level in Europe, contributed to building international collaborations and brought forward young talents in the space sector.

An engineer by background, Dr Feichtinger graduated from the Graz University of Technology and earned a PhD in Space Experimentation. During the early 1990s and within the Institute of Applied Systems Technology of Joanneum Research, Graz, he became Technical Manager of the first Austro-Soviet manned space mission to MIR “AUSTROMIR” and the follow-on missions “AUSTROMIR-E” and “AUSTROMIR MED-F”. In 1993 he became an integrated member of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) EUROMIR-94 and EUROMIR-95 Mission Management Team at ESTEC, The Netherlands, eventually becoming resident in Moscow as the EUROMIR-95 Flight Operations Manager at Russian Mission Control Centre.

He joined the European Space Agency in 1997 as its Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration Programme Representative in Moscow. He became Head of the ESA Permanent Mission in the Russian Federation in 2007 and from 2009 – 2011 was ESA’s Senior Advisor on Exploration.

Since 2012 he is Executive Director of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), a globally active federation, which was founded in 1951 to foster dialogue between scientists around the world and support international cooperation in all space-related activities and continues to connect space people worldwide. The Federation is the world’s leading space advocacy body with over 300 corporate members, including all key space agencies, companies, societies, associations and institutes across 66 countries. IAF is the organiser of the premier annual gathering of the global space community, the International Astronautical Congress (IAC).

In 2020 Dr Feichtinger was awarded the “Executive Director of the Year 2020” by the International Association of Association Executives.

Graduated in Physics at Roma University “La Sapienza” in 1977, with a thesis on X-Ray spectroscopy applied to Lunar Apollo Samples.
1977-1983 Researcher at the National Research Council. Main research: Thermo-dynamical evolution of Martian surface.

1983-1985: ESA Research Fellow at University of Sussex (UK) working mainly on: hypervelocity impacts applied to planetary evolution processes and materials selection for space applications (Giotto HMC).

1985-2018: Agenzia Spaziale Italiana – ASI:
• Program Manager of the Italian participation to the Cassini-Huygens Mission, Co-Investigator the Cassini Radar and on H-ASI on the Huygens probe; Program Manager of VIRTIS, and GIADA instruments on the Rosetta Mission, MARSIS and PFS on the ESA Mars Express Mission, Sharad on the NASA MRO Mission;
• Chairman, 2006-2010, of the Philae Comet Lander Steering Committee;
• Mission Science Director for the Launch of LARES on VEGA maiden Flight 2012;
• 2008-2010: ASI Director of the Observation of the Universe department;
• 2010-2018: ASI Chief Scientist

2006-today Professor of “Solar System Exploration “ G. D’Annunzio” University-Chieti, Italy.
2020-today President of the International Research School of Planetary Sciences. D’annunzio University
Co-chair of the Indipendent Assesment Team- AIT of the NASA-JAXA-ASI-CSA International Mars Ice Mapper study phase

Prof. Bernard H. FOING is executive director of ILEWG International Lunar Exploration Working Group, chair of LUNEX foundation, manager of LUNEX EuroMoonMars Earth Space Innovation & ArtMoonMars programme, and president of Space Renaissance International. Guest research prof at Leiden Observatory/EPFL Lausanne/ISU Intl Space University/ VU Amsterdam/Latvia U. He is vice-chair of COSPAR Commission B (Moon, planets and small bodies) and PEX Exploration panel, chair of IAF ITACCUS committee on Socio-Cultural Utilisation of Space, and member of IAF committees (Astronomy, space habitats, exploration, traffic management), and full member of IAA since 2010. Former President of ESTEC staff committee (2012-2017), and former Chief scientist ESA ESTEC (2002-2018).

He has worked at ESA Space Science Department at ESTEC (1989-2020) , as visiting scientist, staff scientist, study scientist (SIMURIS, MORO lunar orbiter, EuroMoon lander), Research Unit Coordinator, Project scientist of SMART-1 (first European mission to the Moon, launched in 2003), Head of Research Division, and Chief scientist. He has been active at ILEWG (International Lunar Exploration Working Group) as president (1998-2000), and initiator of ILEWG MoonVillage initiative since 2000. He has been Co-Investigator of space projects such as SOHO, XMM, BIOPAN, SMART-1, Mars Express, COROT, ISS/Expose. He has published over 950 articles, including 230 refereed papers, in lunar and planetary exploration, solar/stellar physics, complex organics in space, astrobiology, instrumentation.

Born in France, he was admitted at Ecole Normale Supérieure of Education & Technology (now ENS Paris-Saclay), and became Professor Agrégé of Physical sciences. He obtained a PhD on Astrophysics and Space Techniques using a sounding rocket ultraviolet camera experiment at CNRS, with research stays in the US (Lockheed, SacPeak, Boulder, Harvard). He worked 3 years in Chile as astronomer for ESO European Southern Observatory, the French embassy, and as Professor of Astrophysics. Permanent researcher at CNRS Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale, he obtained the Habilitation for direction of research in 1990.

Roberto Formaro has a degree in naval and mechanical engineering from the University of Naples, has thirty years of experience in the creation of major works and projects in the Aerospace, Oil & Gas and Construction sectors. For 20 years at the Italian Space Agency he has dealt with technologies and the realization of complex space projects, holding numerous organizational positions.

Currently he is Director of the Programs and since 2015 has been the Italian Delegate at the Industrial Policy Committee of ESA.

1985-2018: Agenzia Spaziale Italiana – ASI:
• Program Manager of the Italian participation to the Cassini-Huygens Mission, Co-Investigator the Cassini Radar and on H-ASI on the Huygens probe; Program Manager of VIRTIS, and GIADA instruments on the Rosetta Mission, MARSIS and PFS on the ESA Mars Express Mission, Sharad on the NASA MRO Mission;
• Chairman, 2006-2010, of the Philae Comet Lander Steering Committee;
• Mission Science Director for the Launch of LARES on VEGA maiden Flight 2012;
• 2008-2010: ASI Director of the Observation of the Universe department;
• 2010-2018: ASI Chief Scientist

2006-today Professor of “Solar System Exploration “ G. D’Annunzio” University-Chieti, Italy.
2020-today President of the International Research School of Planetary Sciences. D’annunzio University
Co-chair of the Indipendent Assesment Team- AIT of the NASA-JAXA-ASI-CSA International Mars Ice Mapper study phase

Graduated in Electronics at Naples University Federico II, has started his space activity designing communication systems and on-board computers.
He has been responsible within former AERITALIA of science projects like Hipparcos and Integral, working as well for the International Space Station.

He has been Vice President for Science and Exploration of Thales Alenia Space Italia participating to important European in-flight projects like GOCE, Herschel & Plank and of ongoing projects like: BepiColombo targeting Mercury, Solar Orbiter and ExoMars mission for the Robotic Exploration of the red planet.

Since 2004 he is member of ISEC “International Space Exploration Committee”.
He is now Vice President for Institutional Marketing & Sales at Thales Alenia Space Italia and CEO of ALTEC S.p.A.

Christian Hauglie-Hanssen is the Director General of the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA), and Norway’s Head of Delegation to ESA, a position held since 2018. NOSA is responsible for implementing the Norwegian government’s space policies, hereunder managing Norway’s participation in ESA, as well as in the EU Space Program.

Mr. Hauglie-Hanssen previously held the position of Executive Vice President of Space & Surveillance in the Kongsberg Group. He has 30 years of industrial experience, hereunder executive management positions in various defence and aerospace programmes, civilian businesses and space. He has also held the presidency of NIFRO, the advocacy group for the Norwegian space industry.

Mr. Hauglie-Hanssen holds a BSc degree in physics from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and a Master of Science degree in physics from the University of South Florida.

Claudia is an entrepreneur and visionary. She founded Astronautin GmbH in April 2017 to ensure the female future of (traditionally “manned”) astronautical space travel.

With Astronautin GmbH, Claudia is one of the few female founders in the high-tech industry to create a space start-up that makes engaging in space activities accessible to everyone, from space events to astronaut training and analogue missions. Astronautin GmbH is the only space start-up in Europe that has proven skills in the selection and training of astronauts.

Being one of the few female executives in space, Claudia is constantly working to ensure more participation, because women attract women! She promotes the international careers of female specialists and managers in the Women in Aerospace Europe (WIA-E) network. In addition, she is one of the few women to be a member of the International Aeronautical Academy (IAA).

Uli is one of the founders and CEO of Triangle Venture Capital Group, one of Europe’s leading investors in hightech start-up companies. She is also the CEO of FunderNation, Germany’s only digital investing platform that is run by a team of investment professionals.

Uli served as Chairwoman of Invest Europe (formerly the European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association – EVCA) in 2010-2011.
She was also named the most powerful person in private equity for 2010 by REAL DEALS and has been recognised by Dow Jones as one of the 100 most influential women in Europe’s finance industry.

Throughout her career, Uli served on numerous boards of companies and has been a longstanding board member of the Invest Europe. She currently serves on the board of iPharro, semafora and SemEO. Uli is member of the Space-Tech Advisory Council, the aws Seed Financing Board in Vienna, the Kuratorium of Fraunhofer IMW in Leipzig and the EBAN Space Executive Committee.

Uli was one of the pioneers in the early internet days, programming BTX (the German internet predecessor) back in ’88. She graduated at the age of 21 from the University of Applied Sciences, Worms with an MBA. Before co-founding Triangle Venture Capital Group in 1996, Uli has been CEO and founder of a number of start-up companies which she later sold successfully.

Uli is an unflinching optimist and an entrepreneur to the core – so it’s best not tell her something “does not work”. In her leisure time Uli enjoys mountainbiking, snowboarding, ballroom dancing and cooking.

Before to join to Nanoracks she was Strategy and Business Development officer at RHEA and appointed at the European Space Agency (ESA) – ESTEC as Business Innovation Expert of the Commercial Partnerships’ initiative for space exploration in the Directorate of Human Space Flight and Robotic Exploration. Previously worked for the ESA – Technology Transfer Programme Office, Department of International Relations of the Italian Space Agency (ASI). Even before worked at the European Space Policy Institute in Vienna, at the International Space University in Strasbourg, Telespazio SpA in Rome, Wave Energy Centre in Lisbon and as researcher at different universities in Europe and in the USA. She has been a climate-KIC coach since 2012. Veronica holds a master’s degree in system engineering from Electronic Engineering Department, a Master Degree in Space Policy, and a full Graduation in Law. She also pursued PhD Studies in Economics.
In 2017 she has been awarded as Leader by the Italian Branch of the Business Professional Women Network.

In 2021 she has been received the Masaniello 2021 Award as a talent over the Globe.
In 2022 she has been elected board member of the Association of Italian companies for Applications, Technologies and ITC for Space purposes (ASAS Spazio).

Vittorio Loreto is a Full Professor of Physics of Complex Systems at Sapienza University of Rome and Faculty of the Complexity Science Hub Vienna. He is presently leading the SONY Computer Science Labs in Paris, where he also leads the “Innovation, Creativity and Artificial Intelligence” team.

Loreto has published over 180 papers in internationally refereed journals and conference proceedings and chaired several workshops and conferences. He is a member of the executive committee of the Complex Systems Society.

Loreto recently opened a new site of CSL laboratories in Rome, devoted to tackling UN sustainable development goals. His scientific activity is mainly focused on the statistical physics of complex systems and their interdisciplinary applications. He coordinated several projects at the EU and Italian levels. More recently, he coordinated the Templeton-funded KREYON project devoted to unfolding the dynamics of innovation and creativity.

Giuseppe Macino, Professor Emeritus in Cell Biology at Sapienza Rome, degree in Chemistry, Postdoctor at Columbia University, involved in pioniering research on Mitochondrial genomes, on light induced transcriptional response, on circadian rhythm, and on post-transcriptional gene silencing.

Involved in studies on the micro RNA function in leukemia and several types of cancer. Epigenetics studies on human healty and patological cells.

Franco Malerba is the first Italian astronaut.
He was the scientific astronaut on the first mission of the Tethered satellite aboard the space shuttle Atlantis (1992).

Graduated in Electronic Engineering and Physics at the University of Genoa (Italy), he has a long international experience gained working with international research Institutions (CNR, ESA, NASA, ASI) and with important hi-tech industries (Digital Equipment, Alenia Spazio).

He was an elected Member of the European Parliament (94-99) engaged in policies for science and technological innovation and later was the Scientific Attaché at the Italian Diplomatic Representation in Paris (05-13) working with the OECD, ESA, and IEA-NEA.
In 2001 received the honors of Commendatore della Repubblica Italiana.

Presently:
Member of the Order of the Italian journalists since 2001, free-lance columnist of scientific topics for the GEDI newspapers (La Stampa, Il Secolo XIX).
Lecturer at the University of Genoa and at the University of Leicester (UK),
Recital voice of the theatrical spectacle musical Journey in Space
Organizer and architect of the Busalla Space Festival since 2017.
Founding partner of two spin-off of the University of Genoa – DBSpace and SpaceV – both enterprises are innovative startups in the space sector.

Angelo Minotti’s activities are primarily in Space Propulsion, Combustion, Fluid dynamics, in Dual Use Goods and Arms Control.

He has two Master Degrees (Mechanical Engineering and Astronautics Engineering), a Master of Science (Space Transportation Systems) a PhD (Theoretical and Applied Mechanics) and a Postdoc (Aerospace Propulsion).
Following the above, he was appointed as Assistant Professor in Space Propulsion, earlier, and Space Systems, later, at the Sapienza University of Rome, which he has left in November 2017.
During his academic career, he has been involved in, and has managed, dozens of national and international scientific research projects (NATO, ESA, EU, etc.) and has authored or co-authored dozens of manuscripts and 4 international patents.

He has had the privilege to support and collaborate with private Companies and Industries, International Research Centers and Institutions, International Law Firms, the Italian Government and the UN on issues related to Space Propulsion and Security.

Laurence Monnoyer-Smith is head of Sustainable Development at CNES. She is piloting the Space Climate Observatory program, a One Planet Summit initiative that brings together 36 space agencies and international organizations. She is also in charge of the CSR policy of CNES, for which she has developed the strategy.

Holder of a PhD in Media Studies and a Habilitation to supervise Research, Laurence Monnoyer-Smith was head of the Social Sciences laboratory at the University of Technology of Compiègne where she was Professor. In 2013, she became Vice-President of the National Commission for Public Debate Debate and actively contributed to developing tools for representative and participatory democracy.

Laurence Monnoyer-Smith was appointed in 2015 by decree of the Council of Ministers as Interministerial Delegate and General Commissioner for Sustainable Development within the Ministry of the Environment, Energy and the Sea.
Laurence Monnoyer-Smith is knight of the Legion of Honor.

Geraldine Naja is Director of Commercialisation, Industry and Procurement at the European Space Agency (ESA). A French national, Geraldine holds over 30 years of experience, expertise and knowledge within the European space sector, in programmatic, managerial and strategy development positions.
She is responsible for elaborating and implementing ESA’s industrial and procurement policies, conducting negotiations with industry, and managing procurement for all the Agency’s activities and programmes. Furthermore, Geraldine is responsible for enabling and boosting European space commercialisation ambitions through innovative tools and partnerships.

Geraldine holds an MSc in Engineering and Propulsion and an MSc in Political Sciences, from the French École Polytechnique and the École Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées (ENSTA), and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) respectively. Within various universities and institutes, Geraldine carries out teaching assignments about space policy, with the aim of inspiring future generations.

Eric Morel de Westgaver took up duty as Director European, Legal and International Matters (D/ELI) on 20 May 2021. He was appointed Head of HQ Paris on 1 October 2016. Before his current appointment, he had been Director of Procurement, Financial Operations and Legal Affairs (D/PFL) in April 2011 and Director of Industry, Procurement and Legal Services (D/IPL) in 2013.

Eric Morel de Westgaver graduated in Economics from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. He joined ESA in 1987 as Industrial Policy Officer in the Directorate of Administration.
In 2001 he took the responsibility of the Industrial Policy and Cost Analysis Department in the Directorate of Industrial Matters and Technology Programmes.

In 2004, he became Head of the newly created Procurement Department. In this function, he profoundly modernised the procurement policy and regulations of ESA, such in close cooperation with Member States and industrial stakeholders. In addition to this responsibility, he was nominated Associate Director for Industrial Matters by the Director General in February 2010.

Emmanuel PAJOT, male, PhD in Sciences (hons), Master in Business (hons), with over 17 years ofexperience combining sciences, technologies, and economy to deliver space-based Earth Observation(EO) services, Emmanuel experienced the challenges of developing and selling EO services.

After 13years in the Energy market, he joined EARSC in 2017 as a Project Manager and was appointed as the EARSC Secretary-General in July 2020. With his team, Emmanuel supports European companies in developing awareness of EO capabilities and the dialogue with stakeholders and communities of users.

Luigi Pasquali has been the Coordinator of Leonardo Space Activities and Telespazio Chief Executive Officer since February 2013.
Graduated in Electronic Engineering, Luigi attended courses in Finance and Business Management. He also served the Italian Army as Officer in the Technical Corps, in charge of Telecommunications.

He begins his career in Selenia as System Engineer being involved in several international projects. Then he moves to Stet/Telecom dealing with Development and International Strategies. After a period spent as Director of Business Development in Atlanet, Telefonica group, he is appointed Director of Telecommunications in Alenia Spazio (now Thales Alenia Space) with prominence and increasing responsibilities. Luigi joins Telespazio as Chief Operating Officer and, after a while, he returns to run Thales Alenia Space Italia as Chairman and CEO as well as Deputy CEO of Thales Alenia Space Group.

Luigi is currently member of the Board of Directors of Thales Alenia Space and AVIO, Chairman of Thales Alenia Space Italy as well as member of the Board of AIAD (Federation of Italian Industries for Aerospace, Defence and Security) and Member of the Council of Eurospace and ESOA.
He is registered in the Roll of Engineers of the Province of Rome, Italy.

Dr. Antonella Peresan is senior seismologist at the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics – OGS. Graduated in Physics in 1996, she got her Ph.D. in Geophysics and Geodynamics in 2001 at Trieste University. She holds the National Scientific Habilitation as full professor in Physics of Planets since 2018. She carried out advanced teaching (master and PhD level) and research activities at The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP, Trieste), Roma Tre and Trieste Universities, since 1997.

Author of more than 100 publications, including more than 80 peer-reviewed papers and proceedings, she has long-term international experience in the statistical and physical characterization of complex spatio-temporal features of seismicity, including: earthquake clustering analysis; time-dependent scenario-based seismic hazard assessment; integration of seismicity information with satellite Earth Observations (e.g. GPS) and other observables.

Nominated Honorary Member of the Indian Society on Earthquake Science in 2021 and former (2015-2020) Science Officer for “Earthquake Hazards” sub-division of the European Geosciences Union, she has been involved in a number of international with different countries (e.g., from India to Egypt, from Algeria to Vietnam). Dr. Peresan devotes special attention to the operational impact of scientific research, promoting technology transfer initiatives towards end-users community, and to students from developing countries. Currently she coordinates capacity building activities within a project funded by the World Bank, aimed at multi-risk assessment in Central Asia.

Ettore Perozzi is a senior scientist with a long-standing experience in celestial mechanics, spaceflight dynamcs, education and public outreach. He has worked in research institutions, space agencies, in the aerospace industry and he is presently at ASI – the Italian Space Agency.

He has been involved since the very beginning in the European Space Situational Awareness (SSA) programmes and, specifically, in monitoring the near-Earth asteroid and the space debris population. As former Head of the ASI SSA/SST Office he has contributed to the development of a European space surveillance system, as well as to the worldwide planetary defence coordination. He is presently at the ASI Science and Research Directorate.

Davide has currently been appointed as Executive Director of the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC). Davide holds a M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Padova (Italy).

His professional experience brought him to London (UK) as a Business Manager for Alten Ltd and previously in Milano (Italy) as a Business Analyst for Accenture, global management consulting company that provides strategy, consulting, technology and operations services. Previously, he was the Team Leader of FELDs Experiment selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) for the Drop Your Thesis! 2014 programme. FELDs tested a tethered electromagnetic soft docking technology in microgravity conditions at the Drop Tower of the Centre of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) in Bremen, Germany. In 2015, he won the IAF “Hans Von Muldau Team Award” for the best team project that took place in Jerusalem at the 66th International Astronautical Congress (IAC). Moreover, since October 2021, Davide has been elected as Vice President for Education and Workforce Development of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).

Dr. Piccolo received his PhD from the University of Padua, Italy, where he is currently Professor of Molecular Biology at the School of Medicine. Dr. Piccolo unveiled new mechanisms by which cells sense their environment and use this information to build and maintain tissues with specific form, size and function. He is interested in how disruption of these homeostatic mechanisms leads to tumor formation, progression and metastasis.

Current main research topics are on mechanotransduction and communication pathways in cellular ecosystems during homeostasis, ageing, regeneration and cancer.

Mauro Piermaria is Head of Innovation and New Space Economy at Italian Space Agency managing commercialization, start-ups, equities investments, technology transfer, economy and finance applied to the Space Economy.

From 2014 to 2020 he was Head of Equities & Governance Affairs at Italian Space Agency and Secretary of the ASI Board of Directors. In the same period, member of the Board of Directors of ALTEC Spa, E. Amaldi Foundation and ELV Spa. He’s author of several Space Economy initiatives such as the M&A operation of ELV Spa with AVIO Spa, the Primo Space Venture Capital Fund initiative, the creation of the E. Amaldi Foundation and the growth of space incubators and accelerators programs for start-up in Italy.

Prior to this Mauro started his career in the aeronautic sector at Alenia Aeronautica working on the Eurofighter prototypes and after he spent three years at NASA Kennedy Space Center working on the ISS Shuttle missions. From 2005 he led at Italian Space Agency several important International space programs such Lisa Pathfinder and STS-120 Esperia Mission.
He is also currently member of the Italian delegation to ESA’s Industrial Policy Committee, member of the Advisory board of the Space Economy Observatory of the Polytechnic of Milan, and national coordinator in the OECD Space Forum.

Mauro Piermaria holds a Master Degree in Aerospace Engineering from University La Sapienza in Rome and received his Master of Business Administration from MIB School of Management in Trieste.

Luciano Pietronero studied physics in Rome, then Research Scientist at Xerox Research in Webster USA (1974) and Brown Boveri Research Center (CH) 1975-1983. Full Professor of Condensed Matter Theory at the Univ. of Groningen (NL; 1983-87). Since 1987 Professor of Physics at the Sapienza University of Rome. Founder and director of the Institute for Complex Systems of CNR (2004-2014).

Since 2019 President of the Fermi Center (www.cref.it). Broad international experience in academic and industrial enviroments. Leader of a generation of young scientists protagonists of the complexity scene internationally. In 2008 he received the Fermi Prize (highest award of the Italian Physical Society). Recent activity in Economic Complexity applied extensively by the World Bank (for which LP is a Senior Advisor) and by the EU Commission for the evaluation of the Recovery Fund Projects (PNRR).

www.lucianopietronero.it

Ms Poldrugo is Deputy Head of Unit the European Commission – Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DEFIS), responsible for EU Space Policy.  Objective of the unit is to design and ensure a coherent and overarching EU Space policy, including regulatory aspects and to foster an innovative and globally competitive EU Space ecosystem.

Isabella Poldrugo joined the Commission in 2019, where she worked as policy officer in the Unit dealing with space policy in the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS).

Before, she spent ten years in the European Parliament as policy advisor to Members of the European Parliament, dealing with dossiers on energy, industry and trade. She served also as policy advisor to the Italian Minister of Defence and to the Undersecretary of State for Defence.

In May 2022, she was appointed as an expert member of the Technical and Scientific Committee of the Observatory for the integration of gender equality policies of the Italian Ministry for Equal Opportunities and Family.
Ersilia Vaudo Scarpetta has participated as a speaker in various TEDx Talks around Europe and has written extensively for the general public on topics concerning science and space, being convinced of the inspiring power that science has on the younger generations.

Ruth Pritchard-Kelly is an expert on satellite regulatory policy with over 30 years of experience. She is currently the Senior Advisor for Regulatory & Space Policy at OneWeb where she advises a global team of legal & technical policy analysts. Pritchard-Kelly has also worked at O3b (now SES Networks) and American Mobile Satellite Corporation.

She has a Master’s Degree in space and telecommunications policy from George Washington University and a J.D. from the University of Maryland. Ms. Pritchard-Kelly is on the board of the US Telecommunications Training Institute and is a member of the Advisory Committee for the Secure World Foundation.

He has a longstanding experience and skill in (re)insurance, with several responsibility roles in his career (the Aviation Italian Pool, Specialty Lines Underwriting, Budgeting, Technical Accounting and Claims). He began his career in the finance dept of a chemical firm and then in the Marketing area of an insurance company and then professionally grew in the reinsurance context joining “Unione Italiana di Riassicurazione”, acquired in 1997 by Swiss Re.

In 2012 he took up the position of Head of P&C Claims in Italy and in 2019 enlarged his range of action becoming Head of P&C Business Management Italy, implying the supervision of all the reinsurance post sales end-to-end activities for the Italian market and support to the business origination.

Currently Raffaele represents Swiss Re in various local Market’ bodies (*) and is member of the Swiss Re Claims P&C EMEA Leadership team.
Since December 2019, he is the co-chair of Ruschlikon Italy Group Implementation project (RIGI). In Italy, Raffaele is leading the introduction of digital reinsurance technical accounting exchanges among Insurers, Brokers and Reinsurers. It is the first worldwide initiative awarded by ACORD where a Market is interconnected via hub platform.

Raffaele’s motivation is to shape a work environment based on curiosity, continuous learning and passion able to stimulate each person to give the best of themselves and developing their own talents.

(*)
– Member of CINEAS Board of Administration and Assembly and CINEAS teacher in the Master Expert Claims Management for the education of loss adjusters/Insurers claims manager
– Member of the Italian Marine Insurers Committee (Genoa/Trieste)

Nicola Zaccheo was born in Acquaviva delle Fonti (BA) on 1967. After graduating in Physics from the University of Bari he completed his education with advanced training courses in Italy and abroad, among which International Business, Business Management and Management Control.

On October 19th 2020 he was appointed President of the Transport Regulation Authority.
On 24th January 2019 he was appointed President of the Italian Civil Aviation Authority. As President of ENAC, he chaired the inter-ministerial Committee for the safety of air transport and of airports (CISA).
Previously he was Chief Executive Officer of several private companies within the aerospace industry, including SITAEL SpA, ALTA SpA, Aurelia Microelettronica Spa and Caen Aurelia Space srl.
He held the position of Member of the Executive Board of DTA – Technological Aerospace District in Apulia (Italy) and was Member of the Executive Board of the Italian Association of Space Industries (AIPAS).
He was Deputy President of the International Astronautical Federation Satellite Commercial Applications Committee and Member of the Policy Committee of the European Space Industries Association (Eurospace).
In addition, he was Associated Researcher at the National Institute for Nuclear Physics in Italy and Physics Technicians at California Institute of Technology in Los Angeles (USA).

International Awards:
• 100 Eccellenze Italiane 2019 categoria Management
• 2b AHEAD Innovation Award 2018
• NASA Group Achievement Award 2013
• Honorary Member of the European RULEBREAKER Society
• Honorary Member of the Italian Aeronautical and Astronautical Association (AIDAA)

Professor Rosaria Rinaldi is currently Full Professor of Condensed Matter Physics at the Department of Mathematics and Physics “E. De Giorgi” of University of Salento, and she is a member of the Academic University Senate. Since 2019 she is Member of the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) Evaluation Committee for Flag Projects and Interest Projects to be implemented by public research institutions. Prof. Rinaldi is currently in charge of the research center in “Nanomedicine, Nanobioelectronics and Nanobiotechnology”, at University of Salento.

In 2005 R.R. was awarded the medal of “Le Scienze” and the medal of the President of the Republic (Carlo Azeglio Ciampi) for research carried out in the field of Nanobiotechnology.

Since 2010, she was head of the Natural Sciences Area of and vice-director of University excellence school ISUFI till 2020. In 2015 she was visiting professor, winning an international selection for the “Eleonore Trefftz” chair, at the Technical University of Dresden in Germany. She was the coordinator of the doctoral school in Interdisciplinary Sciences and Technologies and Nanoscience at S.S. ISUFI and the coordinator of the doctoral school in Physics and Nanoscience, till 2020.

She won the “ITWIIN-High Education” award (2016) and was one of the finalists for the 2017 EuWIIN “European Women Inventors and Innovators Network” contest prize.

R.R. has coordinated or been a partner in more than 30 scientific projects at regional, national and EU level, in the last 15 years. R.R. is author and co-author of about 310 papers published in international scientific journals,13 monographs and book chapters, and 12 patents (H-index:40).

Luca is a visionary entrepreneur, seeking a profitable and sustainable expansion of the humankind in space. In 1998 Luca quits his Airborne Officer career and got a Master’s in Aerospace Engineering in Italy (2003). After a year working in a US research lab on nanotechnologies applied to space propellant, he came back to Europe, where, in 2005, he successfully concluded a Master’s in Strategic Leadership Towards Sustainability.

During his Ph.D. studies in Advanced Space Propulsion – concluded in 2008 with honors – Luca founded IRTA (startup providing advanced vision and slow-motion tracking techniques). In 2006 he co-founded The Natural Step Italia (The Natural Step is an international NGO that helps corporations and communities to pursue their objectives within a strategic sustainability framework), where the idea of applying strategic sustainability concepts to the space sector originated. In 2008 he applied for the European Astronauts Corp among 10,000 candidates. He went through the whole selection and positioned among the first two hundred.

Nevertheless, his motivation pushed Luca to find another access to space. In 2009 Luca won a Fulbright scholarship and in 2010 obtained a Certificate in Technology Entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley, California. After an internship position at NASA Ames Research Center, Luca Rossettini went back to Italy and founded D-Orbit, developing a solution for Space Logistics & Transportation.

Luca loves parachute jumping, scuba diving and eats science fiction books.

Giorgio Saccoccia, current President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) since April 2019, has over thirty years of experience in the aerospace sector, mainly gained in the international arena.
Graduated with honors in Aeronautical Engineering with specialization in space at the University of Pisa on March 1988, he completed his studies with a Master in Business Administration at the European Headquarters in Leiden (NL) of the Webster University of St. Louis (USA) in 1995.

After three years of work in Italy, he joined the European Space Agency (ESA) in 1990 at the European Space Technology and Research Center (ESTEC) in the Netherlands, covering various positions over the years. From 2003 to March 2019 he was Head of the Propulsion and Aerothermodynamics Division, responsible for European Research and Development and for supporting projects in the propulsion sector for satellites and launchers, aerothermodynamics and, more in general, for the design of new vehicles for space transportation.

Under his presidency at ASI, the Italian space budget has more than tripled, allowing Italy to strongly strengthen its international positioning in the sector. Through a careful reorganization of the Agency, there has been an increase in ASI staff of about 30 percent.

Giorgio Saccoccia is an Associate Fellow of the AIAA (American Association for Aeronautics and Astronautics), full Member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and Emeritus Member of French Aeronautics and Astronautics Association.

Dr. Lorenzo Scatena is Secretary General of Fondazione E. Amaldi. Previously he served as Managing Director of Fondazione E. Amaldi responsible of two business lines, under mandate of the Board of Directors: Finance for Innovation and Business Applications.

He conceived the first Italian Venture Capital Fund for the Space sector and since 2017 is the Italian Ambassador of the European Space Agency for the Space Solutions Network, managing the Business Applications and Incubed+ Programmes. Mentor and founder of tech-accelerators and start-ups, He also served as Director General of Research Consortium Hypatia deepening his background in technology transfer, with a focus on the energy and new materials sectors.

Aeronautical Engineer graduated from La Sapienza University of Rome. He has over thirty years of professional experience in the space sector.
He is Scientific Advisor and columnist of LIMES, the geopolitics magazine founded by Prof Lucio Caracciolo.

He is advisor for venture capital private funds for aerospace investments.
He has worked in Italy, France, The Netherlands and French Guiana, in private companies as well as in government space agencies with various managerial roles.

He has been president of the new Marscenter srl of Naples (first founded in the ‘80s, the closed in 2010 and newly recreated in 2019) specialized in scientific experiments onboard the ISS Space Station.
He is co-author of over thirty scientific articles presented at international conferences.
Graduated in 2005 at the 56th IASD course of the Centro Alti Studi Difesa. He has been member of the board of directors of national and international companies in the aerospace sector.
He is professor at the Masters in “Space Systems” at the “La Sapienza” University of Rome and at the Masters in “Aerospace Systems Engineering” at the University of Cagliari / Sassari.

He is the author of the popular book “Lo Spazio oltre la Terra” published by Giunti, and of the academic textbook “Elements of Management of Space Programs” published by Springer-Verlag also translated into English and Chinese.
In 2019 he published the book “Geopolitics of Space Exploration” published in Italian by Rubbettino Editore, and published in English by Springer-Verlag in 2021.
He is a member of the Academie Francaise de l’Aeronautique et de l ‘Espace in Toulouse, and of the American Association of Aeronautics & Astronautics.
He is columnist for the monthly Airpress magazine for aerospace and defense policies, and for the political and economic information website www.formiche.net.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Planetek Italia. He is also Vice Chairman of EARSC (European Association of Remote Sensing Companies), and Board member at SME4SPACE (the European Space SMEs Association) and AIPAS (the Italian Space Industries Association).

Degree in Physics. He has produced several publications in the field of analysis of signals and images and of space systems. Since 1984, he cooperated in several Earth Observation projects with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and with NASA. He was a director of the ASI Center of Space Geodesy facility. He has been also an Italian Delegate at the European Space Agency’s Earth Observation Program Board and Professor at IUAV – University of Venice, Italy.

After a career of 27 years in politics marked by an active involvement in the Space sector through chairing the ‘Senate Space Group’ and leading the European Interparliamentary Space Conference (EISC), Dominique Tilmans launched YouSpace/ Switch to Space in 2014 in order to link STEM Students to Belgian Space experts. She is currently the Chair of Eurisy, Board Member of Telespazio Belgium, Member of the Advisory Board of ESPI, member of the Advisory Bord of Europlanet2021 RI and Vice-President of IAF. In 2017, she received the “BeSpace personality of the year” award.

www.dominiquetilmans.be

Nicola Zaccheo was born in Acquaviva delle Fonti (BA) on 1967. After graduating in Physics from the University of Bari he completed his education with advanced training courses in Italy and abroad, among which International Business, Business Management and Management Control.

On October 19th 2020 he was appointed President of the Transport Regulation Authority.
On 24th January 2019 he was appointed President of the Italian Civil Aviation Authority. As President of ENAC, he chaired the inter-ministerial Committee for the safety of air transport and of airports (CISA).
Previously he was Chief Executive Officer of several private companies within the aerospace industry, including SITAEL SpA, ALTA SpA, Aurelia Microelettronica Spa and Caen Aurelia Space srl.
He held the position of Member of the Executive Board of DTA – Technological Aerospace District in Apulia (Italy) and was Member of the Executive Board of the Italian Association of Space Industries (AIPAS).
He was Deputy President of the International Astronautical Federation Satellite Commercial Applications Committee and Member of the Policy Committee of the European Space Industries Association (Eurospace).
In addition, he was Associated Researcher at the National Institute for Nuclear Physics in Italy and Physics Technicians at California Institute of Technology in Los Angeles (USA).

International Awards:
• 100 Eccellenze Italiane 2019 categoria Management
• 2b AHEAD Innovation Award 2018
• NASA Group Achievement Award 2013
• Honorary Member of the European RULEBREAKER Society
• Honorary Member of the Italian Aeronautical and Astronautical Association (AIDAA)

Dr. Amela Wilson serves as CEO of Nanoracks where she is focused on expanding ì growth of Nanoracks’ space systems and payload services while scaling the organization for prime commercial, civil, and defense programs. She oversees the development of key Nanoracks in-space programs, including crewed space stations and autonomous platforms. Specifically, she is overseeing the developing of Starlab, the first free-flying, continuously crewed commercial space station.

Prior to joining the Nanoracks team in October 2021, Amela served as the Senior Vice President and General Manager at Mercury Systems, where she was hired to lead and rapidly grow one of three P&Ls. She led organizational transformation for growth, re-energized international product insertion into US solutions, and won numerous U.S. Government prime contracts. Amela conducted diligence on several mergers and acquisitions, successfully acquiring businesses to expand Mercury Systems’ global avionics and mission systems portfolio.

Previously, Amela has served in several senior executive positions including Vice President and General Manager at FLIR Systems and Elbit Systems of America, Sector Vice President for Program Management, Platform, Logistics at L-3 Aerospace Systems, and more.

Amela received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Sarajevo, and a Master of Science and PhD from Texas A&M University, all in electrical engineering. She has completed the Wharton School Executive Program at the University of Pennsylvania.

Amela is a multidimensional senior executive and strategist who brings passion, perseverance, and integrity to drive growth within system integration, technology, manufacturing, and services. She drives change in organizations by building an open and collaborative culture that fosters trust and innovation.