Information
🌐 Website | https://www.sahba.space |
📍 GitHub | |
📚 Organization | Scuola Superiore IUSS Pavia |
🔨 Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/selshawa/ |
🔗 Link to Portfolio |
Bio
I am a PhD researcher specializing in the intersections between space and sustainability. I hold a BASc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia, an MSc in Space Studies from the International Space University, and I am currently completing my PhD in Sustainable Development and Climate Change at IUSS Pavia. My interdisciplinary research focuses on the use of emerging technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to increase accessibility to space-derived knowledge for sustainability applications and policymaking.
During my studies, I collaborated with the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) on robotics research and completed an internship as a systems engineer at the European Space Agency’s Clean Space initiative, where I focused on the environmental impacts of space activities both on Earth and in space. As a Visiting Researcher at the ESA Φ-lab, I worked on EO and AI for environmental impact assessment, developing an environmental features clustering framework.
Beyond research, I am also a social entrepreneur. I founded the Jordan Space Research Initiative (JSRI), which bridges sustainability with space exploration through analog research, and the Palestine Space Institute (PSI), a think tank advocating for the ethical use of space technologies. As an analog astronaut, I have participated in space simulation missions, and my work has been recognized with multiple awards, including the International Astronautical Federation’s Emerging Space Leaders Award in 2023.
Current Role
Currently, I serve as the Founding Director of both the Palestine Space Institute (PSI) and the Jordan Space Research Initiative (JSRI). At PSI, I lead efforts to advance the ethical use of space technologies, focusing on demilitarization, decolonization, and sustainability in space policy. Through initiatives like the PSI Fellowship and the database on the military-industrial complex in space, I work to challenge dominant narratives of space militarism and colonialism while promoting an alternative vision of space for peace and sustainability.
At JSRI, I direct research and program development to bridge space exploration with sustainability, particularly through analog research and Earth-space applications. My work includes developing analog research opportunities, fostering partnerships, and advancing space R&D in Jordan, with the goal of establishing a space analog facility in Wadi Rum. Across both roles, I am dedicated to ensuring that space technologies are leveraged for sustainability, accessibility, and ethical governance, rather than reinforcing extractive and militarized systems.
Areas of Expertise
My expertise lies in several key areas at the intersection of space technologies and EO, sustainability and climate change, emerging technologies, and policy frameworks. Specifically, my work focuses on the utilization of space-derived knowledge for environmental and social justice, highlighting the ethics and epistemology of space technologies, space policy and governance, and the use of virtual reality and artificial intelligence to improve accessibility of space for sustainability applications. My research also examines the dual-use nature of space technologies, advocating for their responsible and ethical applications.
Through collaboration with ESA Φ-lab CIN, I can contribute to research on AI applications in EO for environmental monitoring, generative AI for communicating the benefits of EO for sustainability applications, and the integration of VR for space accessibility, and policy frameworks for sustainable space activities. My expertise supports efforts to bridge technical advancements in EO, AI, and space technology with governance and ethical frameworks, ensuring that innovation in space serves both environmental and societal needs.
Vision for the Future
Driven by a vision of a future where space technologies are leveraged for sustainability, peace, and ethical development, I am committed to reshaping how we approach space exploration and its applications on Earth. I envision a future where Earth Observation (EO) and emerging technologies like AI and Virtual Reality (VR) are harnessed to enhance accessibility, knowledge integration, and decision-making for environmental and societal challenges.
Through my work, I aim to disrupt the militarized and extractive paradigms that currently dominate the space industry by advocating for policies and frameworks that ensure space remains a tool for sustainability rather than exploitation. I believe in fostering inclusive and decolonial approaches to space research, ensuring that its benefits are equitably distributed and accessible to all.
By advancing research at the intersection of EO, AI, VR, and space policy, I seek to bridge technological innovation with ethical governance, ultimately shaping a future where space exploration is guided by principles of justice, sustainability, and global cooperation.