space prize judge

shawna pandya

Dr. Shawna Pandya is a physician, speaker, martial artist, citizen-scientist astronaut candidate with Projects PoSSUM & PHEnOM, and prime crew aquanaut with Project Poseidon. Through her involvement with Project PoSSUM, Dr. Pandya was part of the first crew to test a commercial spacesuit in micro-gravity. She has also completed centrifuge studies, emergency spacecraft egress and sea survival training, and wilderness medicine training. She also currently serves at the Life Sciences Team Lead for Association of Spaceflight Professionals and the Life Sciences Chair for the Canadian Space Society. Dr. Pandya holds degrees in Honors Neuroscience (BSc. Hons, University of Alberta), Space Studies (MSc., International Space University) and medicine (MD, University of Alberta). She is licensed as a general practitioner. Dr. Pandya is a passionate STEM advocate, and a frequent speaker at schools, universities, scientific conferences and science centers. Dr. Pandya also holds certifications in solo sky-diving, advance, open water, Nitrox and rescue diving, and is working towards her private pilot’s license. Dr. Pandya is fluent in English, French, Gujarati, and speaks introductory Spanish and Russian. She also sings, plays the piano and holds a black belt in Taekwondo and has trained annually at Muay Thai fight camps in Thailand since 2015, entering and winning her first amateur fight in 2017.