Space Perspectives from the Next Generation: Space Generation Congress to be held at Daejeon, Korea, 8-10 October
The Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) holds its annual Space Generation Congress (SGC) in Daejeon, Korea, gathering young professionals and university students with top space professionals in order to debate key space topics on the themes of: Industry, Agency, Climate, Exploration and Peace from the perspective of the incoming space generation!
SGC brings together 80 young space leaders from all corners of the world. Together, they will share their knowledge, gain intercultural experience, learn about international cooperation in the Space Age, create solutions for the challenges of tomorrow, and gain skills to help them in their pursuit of space exploration. At the end of SGC’09, the participants’ input will be combined into five reports reflecting the youth view on key questions in these space themes.
A series of space sector leaders and subject matter experts will also be joining SGC to discuss topics from each one of the five themes as well as the international benefits of space and space applications.
Confirmed speakers include:
Ambassador Ciro Arevalo: the current Chairman of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) as well as the Advisor on space matters to the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ben Baseley-Walker: Legal and Policy Advisor for Secure World Foundation, Chair of SGAC
Ariane Cornell: Executive Director of SGAC
Agnieszka Lukaszczyk: Co-Chair of SGAC
Prof. Dr. Berndt Feuerbacher: President of the International Astronautic Federation
Dr. Robert (Bob) Richards: Founder and CEO of Odyssey Moon Limited, Director of Space Technology at Optech Incorporated of Canada
James “Jim” Zimmerman: President of International Space Services, Inc.
Ray A. Williamson: Executive Director of the Secure World Foundation
Among the themes discussed by those attending SGC’09, one of the most pertinent is Industry. Given the globalization and growth of the space industry as well as the increased reliance on space applications, SGAC is looking to work with a top industry player to gain insight into the viewpoints of the next generation of space applications users, engineers and space policymakers. In particular, this session will focus on international workforce issues in the space sector and how the space industry can attract and retain the best employees.
In the Agency session, SGAC plans to work with an international space agency to identify a topic that is crucial to the agency in times of globalization as well as to create a conduit in which current and future young space professionals can gain insight and build a career in a specific agency around the issues that excite, drive or concern them.
One of this year’s most visible topics within the international community is the one covered by the Climate session. As we experience changes in the climatic conditions on our planet, SGAC is looking to work with a top government or agency player so as to understand how space can play a central role in publicizing, understanding and potentially mitigating the situation as it stands today.
SGAC firmly believes that understanding the perspective of the future space professionals and what is important to them in terms of future exploration will make sure that space exploration is carried out over the coming decades with continued passion and dedication. Therefore, during the Exploration session, SGAC will work with an international space agency or company to identify a topic that is crucial to long-term space exploration.
Given the location of the Congress this year on the Korean Peninsula, questions of peace are central to the Space Generation’s attitudes in its 2009 Congress. In the Peace session, SGAC is looking to work with an organization or agency that is interested in thinking in new ways about space and peace and wants to develop a key question on which the contribution of students and young professionals can add value.
For more information please visit our website http://daejeon.spacegeneration.org/
Follow us on twitter during the congress @SGAC
CONTACT SGAC
Oana Sandu, Communications Director – oana.sandu@spacegeneration.org, +40 724 024 625
