SPACE HEALTH

Industry Sponsor: Thales Australia 
 

Like the internet, the space domain underpins many essential services to everyday life and is a critical part of the international infrastructure. The A/AA & Swinburne Space Industry Virtual Conference Series aims to develop the conversation with a wider audience beyond the traditional space and defence sector, and build knowledge across the government/industry enterprise. 

The rise of space exploration, travel and tourism are prompting new studies of the health effects of space. Studies are focused not only on the impacts on humans in space, but also space-based biomedical research, giving new perspectives on diseases that affect people on our planet. The sixth of A/AA & Swinburne Space Industry Virtual Conference Series will focus on space health.
                                                                                               
Swinburne University of Technology is at the forefront of collaboration with Australian companies embarking on the space race. Swinburne is recognised for its capabilities in space-related disciplines including astrophysics, data analytics and visualisation, AI, advanced materials, advanced manufacturing and human factors.

Webinar Moderator
 / Professor Virginia Kilborn | Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) and Chief Scientist at Swinburne University of Technology

Professor Virginia Kilborn is Dean of Science at Swinburne University of Technology.  Her research focuses on understanding galaxy evolution through studying the neutral hydrogen gas in galaxies using next generation radio telescopes.  Virginia has 15 years of experience teaching astronomy - both online via the Swinburne Astronomy online program, and on campus as part of the Bachelor of Science. She is currently developing new education and research opportunities in the area of Space technology at Swinburne. Virginia champions multiple gender equity initiatives, co-leads the Swinburne Women’s Academic Network (SWAN), and is a founder of the WATTLE women in leadership program. 

Industry Speakers
/ Dr Jason Armstrong | Senior Manager, Boeing Brisbane Technology Centre at Boeing Research & Technology Australia 

Jason received a doctorate in Aerospace Immunology the US from a NASA Centre of Research & Training in collaboration with Kansas State University. This early 1990s work, and follow-on work, involved biomedical payloads on three space shuttle missions and included himself personally flying on numerous NASA KC-135 zero gravity aircraft missions for equipment prototyping and experimental design. Today, in addition to his management roles, Jason continues to act as a PI with an international space station payload placed in orbit in December 2020.

In the mid-1990s Jason Armstrong worked in R&D in California at the world’s largest biotechnology company, AMGEN, specializing in automated high throughput screening (which initiated further Space Shuttle payloads in conjunction with NASA). From the late 1990s to 2011 he worked in venture capital, had CEO and board roles in R&D start-ups, and in 2005 as CEO he took a clinical diagnostic based polymer tech company through an IPO on the ASX. 

Currently, Jason is the Senior Manager of the Boeing Brisbane Technology Centre, which is part of the larger Boeing Research & Technology organization. The role oversees the R&D technology portfolio, strategy & operations, including business development and funding. The Brisbane technology & research portfolio extends across several space research fields, including antimicrobials and astronaut health, human factors, disease transmission, novel materials/manufacturing tech, simulation software & autonomy. 

/ Dr Gail Iles | Senior Lecturer in Physics at RMIT University & Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics

Dr Gail Iles is a Senior Lecturer in Physics and Founder of the new BSc Space Science at RMIT University.  After gaining a PhD in experimental physics from Leicester University in England, Gail began her scientific career with the European Space Agency in France where she researched the properties of materials on board the ‘vomit comet’ - a position which saw her complete over 500 parabolas in the A300 “Zero-G” Airbus. From there she became an astronaut instructor at the European Astronaut Centre in Germany, training ISS Expedition crew members how to operate equipment in the Columbus laboratory. In 2014 Gail moved to Australia to work at the Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation, transferring to RMIT in 2017. Gail is a member of the NASA Human Research Program as a Radiation expert, a member of the Life Sciences Technical Advisory Group to the Australian Space Agency, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics and the Science Correspondent on the 3AW Neil Mitchell radio show. In her spare time, Gail enjoys flying Cessna aircraft; receiving her wings in 2021.

/ Professor Bruce Thompson | Dean, School of Health Sciences at Swinburne University of Technology

Professor Bruce Thompson is the current Dean, Health Science at Swinburne University.  Prior to this, he worked as an academic clinical scientist in a number of major teaching hospitals in Melbourne, including Head, Physiology Service within The Department of Respiratory Medicine at Alfred Health. Professor Thompson developed an international reputation in gas exchange physiology early in his career whilst doing his PhD in conjunction with the NASA physiology laboratory at the University of California San Diego. For the first 27 years of his career he worked in clinical respiratory and sleep laboratories in major teaching hospital’s. Throughout this time, he has developed and focussed his research on the physiology of small airway function. The work is being approached on a number of fronts; physiological measurement, imaging, and mathematical modelling. Since that time Professor Thompson is now regarded as an international expert on clinical respiratory measurement and served on numerous ATS/ERS taskforces relating to pulmonary function measurement and GLI, and is currently one of the co-chairs writing the pulmonary function interpretation document.

He has just stepped down as President of the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand – the first non-medical president in the history of the society, and is a Fellow of Australian and New Zealand Society of Respiratory Science, Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand and finally Asia Pacific Society of Respirology. In his role as President of the TSANZ, Prof Thompson has had a significant role in the SARS-COV2 pandemic, especially as many within the Respiratory Medicine profession have been working on the front line.

Professor Thompson’s strengths are his rare combination of experience in computational and experimental clinical respiratory physiology, combined with clinical laboratory management and testing, allowing the translation of basic science into routine clinical testing.  

Who is invited?
In the spirit of keeping everyone connected, A/AA would like to extend complimentary attendance to all, not limited to our members. So if you’re in the industry or keen to be a part of it, join our WA/AA Virtual Panel Discussion.

How to join the WA/AA Virtual Panel Discussion
This event will be accessed via Zoom link that will be emailed upon registration. If you need further information please contact us at [email protected]. 

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