Michelle is a passionate researcher and teacher with a love of science and engineering. Her background in Biomedical and Materials Engineering have combined her interests in both biology and materials science to give her a unique insight into how nature and technology can learn from each other for future scientific developments. Currently you can find her as a senior lecturer in Engineering at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Michelle has always followed her dreams and never let traditional stereotypes scare her and she strongly believes that everyone should have access to learning about science and how things work, regardless of what your education level is.

Winner of the Prime Ministers Science Media Communication Prize and the New Zealand Association of Scientists Science Communicators Award for 2014, Michelle strongly believes that science should be open, transparent and a topic of conversation over the dinner table, not just the lab bench.

Dr Avinash Rao recently received his doctorate in model-based adaptive attitude control systems for rockets. In his role as a Guidance, Navigation and Control Engineer, Avinash is responsible for vehicle sizing, trajectory design, vehicle simulation, attitude control, guidance and flight software development.

From Avinash: I am privileged to be involved in this competition and am looking forward to seeing the team’s solutions to the interesting challenges posed by SpaceApps 2015. 

Emily Armitage is the Branch Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Auckland, New Zealand where she leads cultural and academic exchange programs as well as media outreach. Prior to serving in New Zealand, she held diplomatic assignments in London, UK and Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She served as a Peace Corps Volunteer managing community development initiatives in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. She holds a B.A. in Government from the College of William and Mary.

Mark Mackay co-founded Orcon in his younger days, and following the sale - pursued his passion for space.

He founded KiwiSpace Foundation - a non-profit organisation that seeks to grow NZ's participation in the global space arena; is a board member for the World Space Week Assn., a regular staff member at International Space University programmes; and father of a beautiful young daughter -- a potential future astronaut :)

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Julie is currently acting as the Digital Strategy Director with Richards Partners, whilst concurrently driving product development for a weather intelligence start up she recently co-founded with two others.

Previously, Julie has led the successful growth and development of technology / digital businesses Propellerhead and Touchcast.

Tim is the Youth Programs Specialist with the U.S. Embassy in New Zealand. For the past two years he had worked to elevate the role of young kiwis in the diplomatic process. Originally from Auckland, Tim has lived and worked around the world and spent time working in politics and new business development before joining the Embassy. He has law and business degrees from the University of Otago.