Fellowship 2021

KARMAN FELLOWS 2021

• Pierre Bertrand - Director of R&D Center, Loft Orbital (France)
• Jingqi Cai - EVP, Beijing Interstellar Glory Space Technology Co Ltd (China)
• Vanessa Clark - CEO, Atomos Space (USA/Australia
• Davis Cook - CEO, Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability & Non-Executive Director, ZASpace (South Africa)
• Priyanka D. Rajkakati - Artist & Aerospace Engineer (Ph.D.) (India/France)
• Alessandro Golkar - Associate Professor & Technology Development Director, Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skoltech (Italy)
• Jonathan Hofeller - Vice President of Starlink Commercial Sales, SpaceX (USA)
• Clarisse Iribagiza - CEO, Hehe (Rwanda)
• Joe Laurienti - Founder & CEO, Ursa Major (USA)
• Jessica Meir - NASA Astronaut, Marine Biologist & Physiologist (USA/Sweden)
• Thomas Oehl - Founder & Managing Partner, VSquared Ventures (Germany)
• Yuanyuan Peng - Co-Founder & President, Commsat (China)
• Nahum Romero - Artist & Founding Director, KOSMICA Institute (Mexico)
• Neha Satak - Co-Founder & CEO, Astrome (India/USA)
• Dr. Soyeon Yi - Astronaut (Korea)

SELECTION CRITERIA

• Exceptional professional achievement and impact in space or a space-related field.
• Track record of successful cooperations or projects (ideally cross-border or cross-disciplinary).
• Demonstrated strategic thinking in relation to critical global issues that space can contribute to solving and/or challenges that exist within the space sector.
• Motivation to join the Karman Fellowship Programme and the Karman Community (including potential future contribution).
• Complementary potential in relation to other Fellowship candidates (e.g. diverse representation of nationalities, sectors and disciplines among Fellowship cohort).

SELECTION DAY

April 10th, 2021

The 2021 Selection Board convened virtually and was tasked with selecting the 15 Karman Fellows from a pool of high-calibre shortlisted candidates. The Board was chaired by Jean-Jacques Dordain, former Director General of the European Space Agency and was curated to consist of 40 highly respected and accomplished professionals, who likewise represent a fine intersection of disciplines, industries and cultures.