1. Scientists
Stephen Hawking CH, CBE, DSC(hon), FRS was born
in Oxford in 1942, exactly 300 years after the death of
Galileo. He studied physics at Oxford University and
went on to pursue his graduate studies at Cambridge.
In his early twenties he was diagnosed as having
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, known in the UK as
Motor Neurone Disease. He held Newton’s chair as
Lucasian Professor of Mathematics from 1979-2009.
He is the recipient of countless awards including the
Copley Medal (2006), and the Presidential Medal of
Freedom (2009). He is the author of many books, and
a prolific contributor to all areas of gravitational
physics, in particular the origin and evolution of the
Prof Stephen Hawking universe. Best known for his work on Black Holes and
for his popular best-sellers, ‘A Brief History of Time’
Director of Research, Centre for Theoretical (1988), ‘The Universe in a Nutshell (2001) and most
Cosmology, University of Cambridge recently ‘The Grand Design’ (2010). His first venture
into writing children’s books, with his daughter Lucy
Hawking, has resulted in the hugely popular ‘George’
trilogy (2007, 2009 and 2011). He is currently Director
of Research for the Centre of Theoretical Cosmology
at Cambridge University, Great Britain
Eric is the Head of the Mission Science Office in the
Directorate of Human Spaceflight and Operations since
2005. With an extensive academic background which
includes 2 masters degrees and a PhD in fluid physics, Eric
has the crucial task to ensure all selected experimental
payloads are current, scientifically relevant and importantly
yield successful results.
Eric Istasse
ESA Astronaut

2. Neil Turok has led the scientific and strategic growth of
Perimeter Institute since October 2008. Like his colleague
and collaborator Stephen Hawking, Neil’s field of research
is theoretical cosmology: understanding the universe and
its origins. He predicted two key features of the cosmic
background radiation, subsequently observed, which
confirmed the presence of dark energy and helped fix the
character of the density variations which gave rise to
galaxies. Neil pioneered two of today's leading
cosmological theories: open inflation and the cyclic
universe, and efforts to understand the big bang singularity.
He has contributed to many fields of physics, from models
of the origin of matter now being tested at the Large
Dr Neil Turok Hadron Collider to the topological defects observed in
liquid crystals. Prior to joining Perimeter, Neil was
Director, Perimeter Institute for Professor of Theoretical Physics at Princeton and then held
Theoretical Physics the Chair of Mathematical Physics at Cambridge. Born in
South Africa, he founded the African Institute for
Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), a growing network of
centres which is helping to unlock and nurture scientific
talent across the African continent and now a centerpiece
of Perimeter's
Global Outreach efforts.
Planetary scientist at the Open University in the UK. He is
probably best known as the principal investigator for the
Beagle 2 Mars lander project, the attempt to land a British
built spacecraft on Mars on Christmas day 2003, to search
for evidence of life on the Red planet, and has done much
work studying a group of Martian meteorites. Colin has
been involved in space exploration for nearly 40 years
since he joined the NASA Apollo programme in 1968.
Throughout that time he has tried to share his experiences
with the public through lectures, exhibitions, newspaper
articles, books, radio and tv interviews.
Prof Colin Pillinger
Professor of Planetary Science, Open
University

3. Kim is the Head of the Future Studies section in the Human
Spaceflight and Operations Directorate in the European
Space Agency (ESA). Kim's main focus is to define
concepts for the operations of space missions, with or
without humans in flight, that are being planned at ESA. He
obtained his Cand.Scient. Degree in Cybernetics at the
University of Oslo. Kim is also the Ground Segment and
Operations Manager for METERON, a project defined to
carry out robotic experiments on the ISS in preparation of
future human missions to other heavenly bodies
Kim Nergaard
ESA Astronaut
Martin is responsible for the European research
programme (ELIPS) in life and physical sciences. With his
team he coordinates a suite of ground-based preparatory
human research for exploration and a broad utilisation
portfolio in ESA's Columbus laboratory and ISS. He is
actively fostering international collaboration among the ISS
partners in order to maximize the research yield.
Martin Zell
ESA Astronaut

4. Ehud is an X-ray
astrophysicist, who
researches active
stars and black
hole sources from
way back in the
early universe to
our contemporary
cosmic
neighborhood. As
head of the
Technion's Asher
Space Research
Institute (ASRI) he
leads projects
in space science
and engineering,
including collaborat
ions with the
industry, and is
involved in
educational
activities that bring
young students
closer to science
and to future
technologies
through the
numerous
Prof Ehud Behar opportunities
enabled by space.
Head of Asher Space Research Institute at the Technion ((Israel Institute of
Technology)

5. Imagineers
An accordionist, stilt-walker and fire-eater, Guy founded
Quebec's first internationally-renowned circus, Cirque du
Soleil with the support of a small group of accomplices.
Since 1984, he has guided the creative team through the
creation of every show and contributed to elevating the
circus arts to the level of the great artistic disciplines. With
21 unique productions, Cirque du Soleil has become an
international organization touching over 100 million
spectators on five continents.
In October 2007, Guy entered into a second lifetime
Guy Laliberté commitment by creating One Drop to fight poverty around
the world by providing sustainable access to safe water. In
September 2009, he became the first Canadian private
Founder, space explorer. His mission, the first Poetic Social Mission
Cirque du Soleil & One Drop in space, was dedicated to raising awareness on water
issues facing humankind on planet earth.
Marshall Brain is best known as the founder of
HowStuffWorks.com. The site was purchased for $250
million by Discovery Communications in 2007. As a well-
known public speaker, Marshall frequently appears on
radio and TV programs nationwide. He has appeared on
everything from The Oprah Winfrey Show to CNN. He is
the host of National Geographic's "Factory Floor With
Marshall Brain". Marshall has written more than a dozen
books and a number of widely known web publications
including "How to Make a Million Dollars", "Robotic Nation",
and "Manna". Today Marshall resides in Cary, NC with his
wife and family.
Marshall David Brain
Founder, HowStuffWorks
An international leader in the commercial space arena,
Founder of Zero Gravity Corporation, the only FAA
approved provider of commercial weightless flights for the
general public. He is the Chairman & Co-Founder of the
Rocket Racing League as well as the Co-Founder and
Director of Space Adventures.
Dr Peter Diamandis
Chairman and CEO,
The X PRIZE Foundation

6. Mariette DiChristina oversees Scientific American,
ScientificAmerican.com, Scientific American MIND and all
newsstand special editions. She is the eighth person and
first female to assume the top post in Scientific American’s
166-year history. Scientific American won the 2011
National Magazine Award for General Excellence.
DiChristina is the former president (in 2009 and 2010) of
the 2,500-member National Association of Science Writers.
Previously, she spent nearly 14 years at Popular Science
in positions culminating as executive editor. She is former
chair of Science Writers in New York (2001 to 2004) and a
member of the American Society of Magazine Editors and
the Society of Environmental Journalists
Mariette DiChristina
Editor-in-chief, Scientific American
Lucy Hawking is a British author and journalist, best known
for her trilogy of adventure novels for young readers about
the wonders of the universe. The third and final of these
books – George and the Big Bang - describes the early
universe for a school-age audience. It is the first book
about cosmology for this age group, written as an
adventure story. The ‘George’ series is published in 37
languages and features contributions from some of the
world’s leading scientists, making their work accessible to a
young readers for the first time.
Last year, Oxford graduate Lucy Hawking was inaugural
writer in residence at the Origins Project and Visiting
International Scholar at the Institute for Humanities
Lucy Hawking Research at ASU. As part of Lucy’s role at the Origins
Project, she conceived and ran the Dear Aliens
Physicist and Science Journalist competition, which asked school students to describe
humanity and Planet Earth to an intelligent alien life form.
Lucy Hawking has written for many major British
newspapers as well as making TV and radio appearances.
She has toured the world as a speaker on physics and
astronomy for young people, including a lecture as part of
NASA’s 50th Birthday series. She is the recipient of the
Sapio Prize 2008 for Popularizing Science
Bertrand Piccard is a psychiatrist, aeronaut, internationally
renowned lecturer, president of the humanitarian
foundation "Winds of Hope" and goodwill ambassador for
the United Nations. His success as pilot in command of the
first non-stop round the world balloon flight in 1999 pushed
him to the fore as a “savanturier” (scientist-adventurer).
Piccard created the Solar Impulse project in 2003 to take
on a new challenge: flying round the world in an airplane
propelled uniquely by solar energy, without fuel or
pollution, in order to promote the immense potential of
renewable energies and their new technologies. Piccard
has been decorated with the Legion of Honour, the
Olympic Order and the highest distinctions of the
International Aeronautical Federation, the National
Bertrand Piccard Geographic Society and the Explorer's Club. He is an
honorary professor, an honorary doctor in science and

7. Co-founder and Chairman, Solar letters, and has also received the Grand Prix of l’Académie
Impulse des Sciences Morales et Politiques
Explorers
Akihiko Hoshide is a JAXA astronaut. In June 2008, he flew
to the ISS on the STS-124 mission to install Pressurized
Module on the ISS. He is assigned as one of the crew
members for Expedition 32/33 and going back to the ISS in
June 2012.
Akihiko Hoshide
JAXA Astronaut
Samantha is an ESA astronaut and a Captain in
the Italian Air Force. She graduated from the
Technische Universität Munich, Germany, with a
master’s degree in aerospace engineering and
completed a bachelor degree in aeronautical
science at the Air Force Academy. She was
trained as a military pilot and has logged more
than 500 hours flying time on six types of military
aircraft, including SF-260, T-37, T-38, MB-339A,
MB-339CD, AM-X. Samantha was selected as
ESA astronaut in May 2009 and has completed
Samantha Cristoforetti
her basic training in November 2010. She is now
training mainly in Cologne, Houston and Moscow
ESA Astronaut
for a future assignment as crew member of the
International Space Station

8. After an extensive and distinguished career in the Belgian
air force logging 2300 flight hours, Frank was selected as
an ESA astronaut in 2000 and has flown twice to space.
From 30 October to 10 November 2002, De Winne
participated in the Odissea mission, a support flight to the
ISS. He served as flight engineer on the updated Soyuz
TMA spacecraft during ascent, and on Soyuz TM during
reentry. From 27 May to 1 December 2009 De Winne
performed the OasISS mission, a long-duration spaceflight
to the International Space Station. During this flight De
Winne became the first European and the first non-
American and non-Russian Commander of the ISS
Frank de Winne (expedition 21).
ESA Astronaut
Chris Hadfield joined the Canadian Space Agency in
1992. In November 1995, he flew on space shuttle
Atlantis for mission STS-74 and became the first and
only Canadian to visit the Russian Space Station Mir.
His second space mission, STS-100, occurred in April
2001 aboard space shuttle Endeavour. During this
mission to the International Space Station, he marked
Canadian history once again as he became the first
Canadian to perform a spacewalk when he installed
Canada’s contribution to the Space Station,
Canadarm2. In 2009, he served as the backup for
Canadian astronaut Dr. Robert Thirsk for Expedition
21/21, a long-duration spaceflight. He is scheduled to
launch aboard a Russian Soyuz Rocket as part of
Chris Hadfield Expedition 34/35 in November 2012. During the
second part of his six months stay in orbit, he will be
CSA Astronaut the first Canadian Commander of the International
Space Station.
ESA Astronaut. Peake graduated from the Royal Military
Academy Sandhurst as an officer in the Army Air Corps.
He served as a Platoon Commander in Northern Ireland,
prior to commencing flying training. He served four years
as a reconnaissance pilot and flight commander in
Germany, the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, Northern
Ireland, Kenya and Canada. After an exchange posting
with the US Army flying Apache helicopters, he was
employed as an Apache helicopter instructor on his return
to the UK, during which time he was instrumental in
introducing the Apache into service with the British Army.
Peake was the senior Apache test pilot, in addition to test
pilot for Special Forces aircraft projects.
Major Tim Peake
ESA Astronaut

9. Soyeon Yi was born in 1978 in the Republic of Korea.
In December 2006, she was selected as one of two
final Korean astronaut candidates, and started working
at the Korean Astronaut Project Division, KARI as a
researcher. From March 2007 until April 2008 she
undertook general space training to be a Space Flight
Participant at the Y. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training
Center. On 8 April 2008, she was launched into space
on board Soyuz TMA-12, with two Russian
cosmonauts, Sergei Volkov and Oleg Kononenko.
Soyeon returned to Earth along with ISS crew
members Peggy Whitson and Yuri Malenchenko
aboard Soyuz TMA-11 on April 19, 2008. Since her
SoYeon Yi (PH.D.) flight, she has been a senior researcher at KARI as well
as Korea's S&T ambassador. Soyeon holds bachelor’s
Astronaut and Senior Researcher, Korea and master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering and a
Aerospace Research Institute Ph.D. in Bio and Brain Engineering.
Leaders
Leland Melvin is responsible for NASA’s education
programs that strengthen both student involvement and
public awareness about NASA’s scientific goals and
missions. Melvin also serves on the White House National
Science and Technology Council's Committee on Science,
Technology, Engineering and Math Education and as the
U.S. representative and chair of the International Space
Education Board. Melvin began his NASA career in 1989
as an aerospace research engineer and entered NASA’s
astronaut corps in 1998 where he served as a mission
specialist operating the robotic arm on two space shuttle
missions to the International Space Station. Melvin
Leland Melvin
received a BS degree in chemistry from the University of
Richmond, a MS degree in materials science engineering
Associate Administrator for Education, from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and holds
NASA honorary doctorates from Centre College, St Paul's
College and Campbellsville University

10. Garriott is a British-American award-winning computer
game developer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. On
October 12, 2008, Garriott launched aboard Soyuz TMA-13
to the International Space Station as a self-funded tourist,
returning 12 days later.
Watch Richard's video.
*
Richard Garriott
Vice Chairman, Space Adventures
William Gerstenmaier directs NASA's human exploration
of space and oversees the international space station,
space shuttle, space communications and space launch
vehicles. Gerstenmaier began his NASA career in 1977
and most recently served as the program manager of the
International Space Station Office at NASA's Johnson
Space Center where he was responsible for the overall
management, development, integration, and operation of
the International Space Station. Gerstenmaier has been
awarded three NASA Certificates of Commendation, two
NASA Exceptional Service Medals, a Senior NASA
Outstanding Leadership Medal, and the Presidential Rank
Award for Meritorious Executives. He received a BS
William H Gerstenmaier degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue
University and a MS degree in mechanical engineering
Associate Administrator for Space from the University of Toledo.
Operations, NASA
Dr David Williams is the Chief Executive of the UK Space
Agency, which manages all UK civil space activities. David
is also Chairman of the European Space Agency.
Previously David spent 10 years as Head of Strategy and
International Relations with Eumetsat, an organisation
managing the European Weather Satellites. His earlier
experience includes previous work in the UK with the
BNSC, the Natural Environment Research Council,
industry and academia.
Dr David Williams
Chief Executive, UK Space Agency

11. Dr. Stamatios Krimigis received his B. Physics from the
University of Minnesota (1961), his M.S (1963) and Ph.D.
(1965) in Physics from the University of Iowa, and served
on the faculty there. In 1968 he moved to the Applied
Physics laboratory of Johns Hopkins University, became
Space Department Head in 1991, and Emeritus Head in
2004. He is Principal Investigator on several NASA
spacecraft, including Voyagers 1 and 2 to the Outer
Planets and the Voyager Interstellar Mission, and the
Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn and Titan. He has
designed and built instruments that have flown to all eight
planets, and also the New Horizons mission currently
headed to Pluto. He has published more than 500 papers
Dr Stamatios (Tom) in journals and books on the physics of the sun,
Krimigis interplanetary medium, planetary magnetospheres, and the
heliosphere. He is recipient of NASA’s Exceptional
Head Emeritus Space Department, Scientific Achievement Medal twice, is a Fellow of the
Johns Hopkins University American Physical Society, American Geophysical Union,
American Association for the Advancement of Science, and
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics,
recipient of COSPAR’s Space Science Award in 2002, a
recipient of the Basic Sciences Award of the International
Academy of Astronautics where he chairs the Board of
Trustees for Basic Sciences, an Academician at the
Academy of Athens since 2005 occupying the Chair of
“Science of Space”, and chairman of Greece’s National
Council of Research and Technology.
Bruno is the Senior Advisor to the ESA’s Director of Human
Spaceflight and Operations at ESTEC in the Netherlands.
He has more than 35 years experience in space mission
design, both in industry and at the Agency, and has been
project Manager of some of ESA’s major projects
(ENVISAT, Rosetta). In 2011 he was part of the core team
which defined the Aurora programme, responsible for the
definition of the Moon and Mars Exploration Programme
including ExoMars, Mars Sample Return preparatory
activities and technology development. He is now involved
in the Lunar Lander and Human Exploration programmes.
Bruno Gardini
ESA Astronaut

12. Prince Sultan was born in Riyadh on the 27th of June,
1956, married with 3 children. Masters Degree in Social
and Political Science, the Maxwell School of Citizenship
and Public Affairs – Syracuse University, USA 1999.
He is an avid pilot with more than 7000 flight hours since
1976, and holds an Airline transport pilot certificate from
the USA/Saud Arabia & France, with qualifications to fly
several types of Jets and Helicopters and gliders, as well
as being qualified as desert and mountain pilot. He is the
President & Chairman of the Board of the Saudi
Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) since
2008. The Commission was established in 2000, Prince
* Sultan was the Secretary General until 2008. In June 17th
1985, Prince Sultan was chosen to represent Arab Sat-
HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman the Arab world’s satellite agency, to be among the crew of
the Space Shuttle Discovery as Payload Specialist on its
bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud Mission STS 51G. Shortly afterwards, he joined the Royal
Saudi Air Force as a fighter pilot, from which he retired in
Chairman of the Board of Directors, 1996 with the rank of Colonel. Prince Sultan was elected
Prince Salman Center Foundation and Chairman of the Board of the Disabled Children's
Center for Disability Research (PSCDR) Association (DCA) since 1988, and Chairman of the
Executive Committee since 1999. In 1996 he founded Al-
Turath (Heritage) a non-profit since foundation, and
serves as its president.
Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Aviation
Club (SAC) since 2001. Member of the Board of Directors
and Executive Committee of the Presidency of Civil
Aviation in Saudi Arabia since 2005. Chairman of the
Board of Directors, Prince Salman Center Foundation and
Center for Disability Research (PSCDR) since 2008.
Educators
After a physics degree and research at the University of
Chicago I taught in a variety of schools and was a Senior
Lecturer in physics at the University of Kent. I have been
involved in a number of initiatives to develop physics
education, for example introducing particle physics into A
level courses. I was a Special Adviser to the House of
Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology. I
am now Head of Physics at Simon Langton Grammar
School for Boys, Canterbury, and Director of the Langton
Star Centre at the school. The Langton Star Centre allows
school students to work alongside research scientists
giving them opportunities to be involved in authentic
research. The impact this is having in our school is
Becky Parker significant with 200 students doing A level physics this
year. We have many exciting projects in development
Head of Physics, Simon Langton including putting a new style cosmic ray detector LUCID
Grammar School for Boys, Canterbury (Langton Ultimate Cosmic ray Intensity Detector) on the
Techdemosat satellite which flies in 2012. Associated with
this we have set up a network of school based detectors
called CERN@school where students take data and
collaborate to analyse it. We work with Queen Mary and
GridPP to develop ways to extend access to this data more
widely. This will then link all schools to data from the

13. satellite and from Earth. We also use the Faulkes
Telescopes and run a major Plasma Project with Imperial
College. I was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday
Honours 2008 and co presented a recent BBC2 Horizon
programme on Quantum Theory.
Watch Becky's video.
Gerry's main focus is near-field cosmology. This is the use
of precision studies of kinematics, dynamics, stellar
populations, chemical abundances; for the oldest systems
in the local universe to deduce the fundamental properties
of structure formation and the nature of dark matter in the
early Universe. Gerry obtained his PhD in New Zealand,
and spent five years at the Royal Observatory in
Edinburgh.
Prof Gerry Gillmore
Professor of Experimental Philosophy,
Institute of Astronomy, University of
Cambridge
Professor of Psychological and Brain Science. The
Alberts Lab has three times participated in space flight
experiments. “Pregnant rats in space” has been it's
payload moniker. The lab brings the approaches of
developmental psychobiology to the space program,
which previously has not included behavior as an
important topic.
Star Enterprises, Inc. is a small business that was
launched to pursue science-based, animal-guided
hardware development for spaceflight research. The
company was a leader in equipping the planned
laboratory for the U.S. Centrifuge Facility on the
International Space Station, until the science module
Dr Jeffrey Alberts was abandoned. Star Enterprises continues to function
in the field of space biology, and is also venturing into
Professor of Psychological and Brain allied pursuits in biotechnological research.
Science, Indiana University

14. Tshilidzi Marwala is a Dean of Engineering at the
University of Johannesburg. He was a Full Professor of
Electrical Engineering at the University of the
Witwatersrand. He is a recipient of the Order of
Mapungubwe and holds a BSc in Mechanical Engineering
from Case Western Reserve University, an MSc from the
University of Pretoria, PhD from University of Cambridge
and a Post-doctorate from Imperial College. His research
interests include applications of artificial intelligence to
engineering, social science and medicine. He has
successfully supervised 45 masters and doctoral students,
published over 210 refereed papers, registered 3 patents,
and published 4 books.
Prof Tshilidzi Marwala
Watch Professor Tshilidzi Marwala's video.
Dean of Engineering, University of
Johannesburg
Nigel is the Head of Education unit in the Human
Spaceflight and Operations Directorate at the European
Space Agency (ESA). The goal of the Education Unit is to
utilise the ISS and astronauts to encourage school children
and university students to become much more involved in
STEM subjects. Nigel is a Cell Biologist, has a PhD in
immunology with over 15 years experience in science and
is a firm believer in nurturing the younger generations’
minds.
Nigel Savage
ESA Astronaut
Studied at Edinburgh and Oxford universities. He has
taught physics at various British schools and has been at
St Paul’s school in London for the last 22 years.
Peter Sammut
Physics Teacher