Project PoSSUM, Neuroscience and Search for Space Medicine | DR.SHAWNA PANDYA | EP.64

Dr. Shawna Pandya talks about project PoSSUM, neuroscience, and search for space Medicine. Dr. Shawna is a scientist-astronaut candidate with Project PoSSUM, physician, aquanaut, speaker, martial artist, advanced diver, skydiver, pilot-in-training, VP Immersive Medicine with Luxsonic Technologies, and Fellow of the Explorers’ Club. She is also Director of the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences (IIAS)/PoSSUM Space Medicine Group, Chief Instructor of the IIAS/PoSSUM Operational Space Medicine course, Chair of Strategic Directives for the PoSSUM13, a clinical lecturer at the University of Alberta, a newly appointed podcast host with the World Extreme Medicine’s WEMCast series, Primary Investigator (PI) for the Shad Canada-Blue Origin student microgravity competition, session organizer for ASCEND 2020, Life Sciences Team Lead for the Association of Spaceflight Professionals, and serves as medical advisor to several space companies, including Orbital Assembly Construction and Mission: Space Food. Dr. Pandya holds degrees in neuroscience (BSc Hons. Neuroscience, University of Alberta), space (MSc Space Studies, International Space University), and medicine (MD, University of Alberta), and certification in entrepreneurship (Graduate Studies Program, Singularity University).

She is currently completing a fellowship in Wilderness Medicine (Academy of Wilderness Medicine), and was named one of the Women’s Executive Network’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada in 2020. Her publications include book chapters on space spin-offs for medical benefit, psychological resilience in long-duration spaceflight, and reproduction and sexuality in long-duration spaceflight. She previously interned at ESA’s European Astronaut Center and NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Dr. Pandya earned her aquanaut designation during the 2019 NEPTUNE (Nautical Experiments in Physiology, Technology, and Underwater Exploration) mission. She previously served as Commander during a 2020 tour at the Mars Desert Research Station.

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