The Karman Project has announced the 15 global space leaders selected for the 2024 edition of its Karman Fellowship program.
The Karman Fellowship is a one-year leadership program designed to foster trust, independent dialogue and cooperation between 15 selected Karman Fellows who are below the age of 45 and have achieved outstanding accomplishments in space.
The 2024 fellows represent 13 nationalities and five continents, and join a growing network of influential Karman alumni, including 60 fellows and over 150 top-shortlisted ‘Karman Pioneers’ from previous promotions, coming from the startup, cultural, venture capital, research, space agency and industry sectors.
The 2024 fellows include UNESCO fellow and co-founder of the Sustainable Development Network, Abeer S. Al-Saud; Turkish Space Agency astronaut Tuva Atasaver; founder and managing director of Si Space Consulting, Salah Eddine Bentata; co-founder and CEO of Space Dots Inc., Bianca Cefalo; and Landscape Technology’s Tao Chen.
Also named as fellows were founder and president of Unity Charity Foundation, Alena Kuzmenko; co-founder of Beyond Earth, Richelle Ellis; Chief Scientific Officer at the Nigerian Space Agency, Olayinka Fagbemiro; the Asia Pacific Space Cooperation Organisation’s Aisha Jaginari; and Melody Korman, executive director of the Israeli Space Agency.
Rounding out the list were Kavya K, Manyapu from NASA’s Flight Operations Directorate; head of space ventures at AeroVironment, Will Pomerantz; Marie Curie Fellow at the Universite Clermont Auvergie, Lucie Poulet; Orbit Fan Chief Strategy Officer Manny Shar; and Rolls Royce Head of Innovation Jake Thompson.
“This year’s program will have a strong focus upon peace-building efforts globally, acknowledging two things,” said Karman Project Managing Director Hannah Ashford. “Firstly, the responsibility that the space sector holds as it navigates issues of sustainability, safety and security, and secondly, the role that well intentioned individuals can play in the face of significant global challenges.”
The selected Karman Fellows will participate in a program that is designed around three key pillars; leadership, dialogue and action. They will be invited to meet with global leaders, strengthen their relationships with one another and engage in strategic discussions regarding the future of space.
Over the course of the program, fellows strengthen personal relations, meet with global leaders in technology, science, business, politics and the arts, and take personal commitments to further advance space-related agendas for the betterment of humanity.
