Space4Women Mentor Reappointment
Reappointed as a Space4Women Mentor for 2023 (volunteer role). Space4Women is an initiative of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.
The Space4Women Mentorship Program matches experienced mentors in the space sector with women and girls (mentees) who would like to pursue their studies or a career in space or STEM related subjects.
Mentees are an indispensable element for the future of the space industry. In pursuit of space career, young women and girls need the motivation and support. Mentors are an important part of encouraging women and girls to pursue education and careers in the space sector. As professionals and leaders in the industry, both men and women, can be seen as role models for young women and girls to learn from and gain support.
Prospective mentees can apply until 04 January 2023. Read more here.
2022 World Space Forum
Virtual attendance at the United Nations / Austria World Space Forum “Sustainability in Space for sustainability on Earth“, 13 – 15 December 2022.
Organized jointly by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation, and Technology (BMK), and the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA).
Read more about the WSF 2022 here.
Contributing author – published article
Avalon Airshow 2023
Abstract accepted for an allocated speaking opportunity on “Space Health for Medical Students Launches in Melbourne”.
Microgravity Workshop’
Attended a three-day Microgravity Workshop (28-30 November 2022) organised by Professor Patrick Humbert from LIMS at La Trobe University and presented by Dr Jens Hauslage from DLR (the German Aerospace Agency).
DLR Human Physiology Workshop 2022
Virtual attendance at the DLR (German Aerospace Agency) Institute of Aerospace Medicine Human Physiology Workshop (held in Cologne and online on 03 December 2022).
Sharing the good news
International Humans in Space Summit 2022
Austronaut Workshop’
Austronaut Performance Fundamentals Workshop, Saturday November 5th, 12:00pm to 6:00pm, UTS Faculty of Engineering and IT (Building 11), Ultimo, Sydney.
‘Humans in Space’ Panel
Moderator for the ‘Humans in Space’ panel at the International Humans in Space Summit, Sydney, 08 November 2022.
Pictured with other members of the official welcoming party who spoke during the opening of the conference on 07 November 2022.
Provided technical support for two of the US-based panels:
German and Australian Space Connections
The German-Australian Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Global Victoria Trade Alliance and Swinburne University of Technology is hosting an evening event on “Connecting the Victorian and German Space Sectors” on 30 November 2022. Proud to be a panellist.
Contributed several items for the AsMA ‘For Students and Residents’ webpage:
Guest Editor for ‘Frontiers’
Guest Associate Editor for the Frontiers Research Topic: Space Mechanobiology and Medicine – Volume II.
Abstracts submitted
December 2022 – Poster abstract submitted for Space Science in Context (#SSiC2023), an experimental virtual conference bringing together people interested in and who study outer space and/or its social contexts for an interactive event! Learn more here. (Accepted)
October 2022 – The AsMA Education and Training committee proposed a panel for the 2023 AsMA Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans on ‘Space Medicine Education’. Rowena was invited to join the panel to talk about the new University of Melbourne course “Human Health in the Space Environment”, and an abstract was submitted. The other abstracts relate to US initiatives, including UTMB, BCM, and the University of Colorado. The panel and abstracts were accepted.
In late September 2022, abstracts were submitted for the DLR Human Physiology Workshop in December 2022, and the 2023 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop (Accepted).
Speaker invitations
Invited to speak at the United Nations/China 2nd Global Partnership Workshop on Space Exploration and Innovation, 21 – 24 November 2022, hosted by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the China National Space Administration on “Space health for medical students launches in Melbourne”.
Abstract Reviews
Ten abstracts reviewed for the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM) 2023 Congress in Ireland.
AsMA Scientific Program Committee ‘Remote reviewer’ of 58 space medicine abstracts for the 2023 AsMA Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans.
Speaker invitations
Invited to travel and speak at the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) and Arab Union for Astronomy & Space Sciences (AUASS) INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM 2022 on Space Exploration-Moon and Beyond, 2-4 November 2022 in Amman, Jordan, on the subject of ‘humans in space’. Abstracts provided as requested on “Learning how to live on the Moon and Mars” and “Commercial Spaceflight – risks and rewards“. The latter was selected, and a pre-recorded presentation was provided.
Also invited to participate as a panellist on “Space Technology and Health on Earth” for the 8th Mexican Congress of Space Medicine 2022 on 07 October 2022.
APOSA Expert Mentor
Expert Mentor at the International Moon Day ‘Lunar Design Thinking’ workshop organised by the Moon Village Association India and APOSA (Asia Pacific Oceania Space Association) on 20 July 2022.
Journal and ResearchActivities
Co-author on “The Impact of Weightlessness on Lymphatic and Endothelial Glycocalyx Function; A review of current data” by Hettrick et al, submitted to Comprehensive Physiology in August 2022.
Collaborator on a new research project re “The Integrated Surgical Model: To predict on-board surgical risks and potential emergencies during deep-space travel”.
Reviewer for npj Microgravity.
Reviewer for Acta Astronautica.
‘Space health’ tertiary education in Melbourne
Appointment as a Lecturer in Medical Education
Awards from the AsMA Associate Fellows Group, May 2022
A22 Aviation/Aerospace AustraliaAirspace Awards Finalist
Medsmos – Exploring Space Medicine
Interviewed for the Medsmos – Exploring Space Medicine podcast (developed by Aki Miyazawa, a final-year high school student in Japan):
https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/medsmos-exploring-space-medicine/id1620157093.
Interview on ‘human reproduction in space’ for Moni’s Blog
Jus Ad Astra – Space for all Humankind: Gendered Perspectives in Health
An online blog for the Jus Ad Astra website from Jane Andrews and our founder Dr Rowena Christiansen (PDF available for download):
https://www.jusadastra.org/Gendered_Perspectives_Health.html
Humanity’s growing presence in outer space underscores the imperative for global leaders to accelerate and fulfil gender equality and inclusion from a human rights-based approach. When Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon in 1969, the famous quote uttered as he first stepped onto the lunar surface marked a watershed moment for humanity – “That’s one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind”. More than fifty years later, the time is ripe to both acknowledge and expedite the role of women across human space exploration…
Singapore SPLCR – SLS
Voluntary activities
Recent appointments to the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) Ad Hoc Committee on Commercial Spaceflight and the AsMA Education and Training Committee.
In early 2022, informal support for an interstate Australian university wishing to incorporate a ‘humans in space’ element into one of its healthcare courses.
In late March 2022, interviewed by a ‘COSMOS‘ journalist about space analogs and Antarctica’s importance in this context.
Judge for the 2022 AsMA/Space Medicine Association Scholarships.
KCL Letter of Thanks
Australian Space Awards 2022 Finalist
Accepted AsMA 2022 abstract – Co-Chair
Accepted AsMA 2022 Panel abstract
Accepted AsMA 2022 abstract – Co-Author
WEBSITE CREDITS:
~ Dr Mae Jemison quote and image: https://www.facebook.com/RoyalAstroSoc/photos/on-iwd2020-were-thinking-of-this-quote-from-astronaut-mae-jemison-dont-let-anyon/10158134550064521/.
the ad astra vita project 