Suzie Imber

Suzie Imber is Associate Professor of Planetary Science at the University of Leicester, specialising in studying space weather; understanding the impact of the solar wind on the magnetised planets, in particular the Earth and Mercury. Suzie is a Co-Investigator on the X-ray spectrometer on board the joint ESA/JAXA BepiColombo spacecraft.

From satellites to how to deal with risk, from the future of science and research to the importance of planning, Suzie tackles a wide range of subjects with energy, insight and humour. She also reveals what various tools and instrumentation used in space say about the Earth – from the monitoring of natural hazards and glacial thinning to identifying sites of modern slavery. She discusses the potential global improvements that space research can bring, and considers how innovation can be both sustainable and beneficial to our planet. Suzie delivers inspirational talks and after-dinner speeches at a wide variety of events, annual conferences, award ceremonies and music festivals, and panel discussions all over the world.

Suzie Imber was the winner of the BBC 2 series entitled Astronauts: Do You Have What it Takes? during which twelve candidates were put through astronaut training with NASA astronaut Chris Hadfield. She endured challenges such as taking her own blood, speaking Russian while in a centrifuge at 5g and carrying out emergency procedures on the NASA undersea astronaut training facility, Aquarius. Since the competition she has been the first graduate of the Qinetiq astronaut training programme, and now works with the UK Space Agency, NASA, Qinetiq and Virgin Galactic.

Themes: NASA & Space Weather | Planetary Science | Overcoming Adversity | Mental & Physical Resilience | The Future of the Space Industry | Risk Mitigation | Climate Change & The Environment