Finale internationale Odysseus 2016

Mr Alexandre Costa

European Association for Astronomy Education

President of the Executive Council of the European Association for Astronomy Education (EAAE). Member of WG3-Summer Schools of EAAE. Member of WG3-NASE of Commission 3 of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). For many years has been involved in Astronomy didactics and teacher training in the areas of Physics, Chemistry and Astronomy.

Mr Daniel Hernandez

Devil-Hop

Daniel HERNANDEZ has been in CNES (French space Agency) from 1970 to 2008 then retired and created his own consultancy business. Daniel HERNANDEZ is diplomed engineer (ENSEEIHT in Toulouse) and has in addition a business management diploma from the Toulouse (France) Institut d’administration des entreprises (former IPA, now IAE). During his career in CNES (Toulouse and Paris), Daniel HERNANDEZ has occupied a number of position in various technical and management fields. Just to mention some: Head of European cooperation division (i.e. French representation at ESA + bilateral cooperation) Deputy director in charge of radio communications (i.e. Localization, navigation, telecommunications, data collection, television programmes) Deputy director in charge of satellites projects (development) Deputy director in charge of space programmes (i.e. launchers, satellites, balloons) Deputy director in charge of the preparation of the future (i.e. R&D and projects studies in phase 0, A and B for all fields) Also Daniel HERNANDEZ has an activity of teacher in several engineer or management schools and Universities (Turin, Paris, Toulouse, Grenoble, Le Mans, Salon de Provence, Saint Quentin). Through his various responsibilities, Daniel has been chairman or member of various national or international committees (Cospas-Sarsat programme, Argos programme, Onera scientific committee, GDR Ultrason, GDR propulsion) and has organized several symposium (Small satellites 4S, Disruptive technologies). Today, Daniel HERNANDEZ is consultant for development in the space sector and as such is or has been advising small, medium and large enterprises or institutions.

Dr Matthias Maurer

European Space Agency

Matthias Maurer has a background in engineering and material science and was one of the top ten candidates of the European Space Agency’s last astronaut selection in 2009. He now works for ESA’s astronaut corps in the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, scouting new technologies. After the 2009 selection process Matthias was hired for ESA as crew support engineer and obtained extensive training and experience in human spaceflight operations, giving him a first taste of the job: as spacecraft communicator Eurocom, he supported his astronaut colleagues on the ISS, he experienced weightlessness during parabolic flights while assisting in the training of his colleague Samantha Cristoforetti before her space flight, he even took part in ESA’s underground astronaut training CAVES as a crew surrogate. This summer, he will also take part in NEEMO, a NASA mission that sends groups of astronauts, engineers and scientists to live in Aquarius, the world's only undersea research station, for up to three weeks at a time. The Aquarius habitat and its surroundings provide a convincing analogue for space exploration. Matthias has a PhD in material science engineering and a strong background in physics & chemistry coupled with a strong medical knowledge corresponding to the main areas of research on the International Space Station. He holds several national and international patents, already speaks four languages and is currently becoming proficient in both Russian and Chinese. He served as a paramedic and studied materials science engineering in universities around Europe including Saarbrücken, Nancy, Barcelona and Leeds with pre- and post-graduate internships in Argentina, Spain and South Korea and loves to explore our planet. Matthias has been one of the main driving forces behind the European astronaut centre’s preparation towards lunar exploration, an increased access to the centre by European students and universities, fostering new partnerships, and further opening the centre to the public. Matthias: “space flight is fascinating and inspiring. It appeals to all generations from school children and students up to the eldest generations. Space exploration serves as catalyst for new technologies, innovation and scientific results. I am looking forward to sharing my passion, knowledge and experiences with as many Europeans as possible.”

Professeur Jean Pierre Swings

University of Liege

Jean-Pierre Swings is Honorary Professor at the University of Liege (Belgium) where he obtained his Master’s degree in space engineering and his PhD and DSc in astrophysics. Between the latter two, he spent three years of post-doctoral fellowships in JILA (Boulder, Colorado) and at the Hale Observatories (Pasadena, California). His subjects of interest are solar physics, emission-line and/or infrared excess objects, extragalactic astrophysics, space research, (very) large telescopes and their instrumentation, solar system exploration, etc. He gradually switched from observational astrophysics to “astropolitics”, as General Secretary of the International Astronomical Union, member of numerous committees of the European Space Agency; of the European Southern Observatory of which he was Council member for 17 years and involved in the advisory structure of the Very Large Telescope project and the selection of its site; and also of the European Astronomical Society of which he was one of the four founders. Jean-Pierre Swings was until recently Chairman of the European Space Sciences Committee of the European Science Foundation and member of the Space Advisory Group of the European Commission 7th Framework Program.

Ms Rosa Maria Ros

International Astronomical Union

Rosa M. Ros Ferré is Vice-president International Astronomical Union (IAU) Comm. 46 Teaching Astronomy and Development from 2006 up to the present, Vice-president European Association for Astronomy Education (EAAE) from 2001 up to the present and Director of programs “Ciencia en Acción” and “Adopta una Estrella” from 2000 up to the present. She was Chair of EAAE and ESO-EAAE Summer School from 2007 to 2008. She teaches at Escola Politècnica Superior de Castelldefels, “Fonaments Matemàtics II” for Engineering degrees on Aeronautics, Telematics and Telecommunications. She was Vice-director of International Relations de la EPSEVG de la UPC from 2000 to 2001, Member of the “Junta de Gobierno” of Royal Spanish Physical Society from 1997 to 2006, President of the “Comisión de Matemáticas en Acción” of Spanish Royal Mathematical Society from 2002 to 2008. She holds a Chair of Publications of the “Junta Directiva” of the “Asociación para la Enseñanza de la Astronomía” (ApEA) from 1995 up to the present, she is Member of Education Committee of “Universe Awareness”(UNAWE) from 2005 up to the present, a Consulting Member of the Executive Committee of EIROforum (institution which includes CERN, EMBL, ESA, ESO, ESRF, ILL), Member of the “Advisory Panel” of “Physics Education” from 2004 up to the present and Member of Editorial Committee of “La Gaceta” of RSME from 2001 to 2008. She has been the Spanish National Representative for IAU Comm. 46 since 1994, the Spanish National Representative for Physics on Stage and Science on Stage since 1999 and the Spanish National Representative for “UNAWE – Explora el Universo” since 2006. She was Coordinator of the Permanent Seminar of Astronomy of the UPC up 1993 to 2000 and she awarded “Honorable Mention” for his efforts to promote scientific culture, technological and research in the field of youth by the “General Direction of Universities” of the “Ministry of Education and Science” and the “Ministry of Labor”, at September 2007.