Reports from the MDRS
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| Name | Speciality |
| Randall Shelaga | Commander |
| Cassandra Marion | Executive Officer/Crew Geologist |
| Chris Ostafew | Chief Engineer |
| Aravind Seeni | Field Engineering Systems Engineer |
| Zahra Khan | Surface Exploration Systems Engineer |
| Heather Allaway | Crew Biologist |
| Guy de Carufel | Researcher |
| Phillip Cunio | Researcher |
 Randall Shelaga |
Randy Shelaga has over twenty years of experience in Aerospace Engineering ranging from the design of flight test installations to structures and systems installations for military aircraft, regional airliners and business jets. Currently, he is the Manager, Airworthiness for SPAR Aerospace Ltd. in Edmonton, Alberta. In his spare time, he enjoys being outdoors looking at the night sky, wondering when man will travel to Mars. As a child, he watched man first orbit the earth and step on the moon, as an adult he shared in the loss of the Challenger and Columbia crews. He is a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (Edmonton Centre). In 1998 when he read "The Case for Mars" this childhood love of astronomy and space exploration was renewed and fast became a passion. This passion has since grown; he was the Chief Engineer and Phase 2 Commander for MSC's Expedition Alpha (MDRS Crew 30) and most recently, Surface Exploration Systems Engineer for Expedition Three. In February 2008, he will Command Expedition Epsilon, the fifth MSC Training Mission. He continues to seek ways to increase his involvement with Mars Analogue Research. |
 Cassandra Marion |
Cassandra Marion grew up in small town Ontario. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Ottawa in geology, her undergraduate thesis focused on siliciclastic sedimentology: a slide and channel complex in a deep marine turbidite system in the Caribou Mountains, BC. She is currently pursuing graduate studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland, in geochemistry and planetary science. Her research focuses on the age, origin and stratigraphy of the Mistastin Lake Impact Crater, Labrador. She was the crew geologist for Expedition Gamma in January 2007 and is looking forward to sharing the MDRS experience with a new crew. In her spare time, Cassandra loves to do anything related to the outdoors: canoe, hike, ski, beach volleyball, swim etc. |
 Chris Ostafew |
Chris Ostafew is a recent graduate of McGill University in Montreal, QC where he studied in the honours electrical engineering program. He is currently employed by Azure Dynamics in Burnaby, BC aiding in the design of hybrid electric vehicles. Chris has always been fascinated by the many facets of engineering and so spent his earlier years tinkering and toying with model rockets, planes, trains, and automobiles. This fascination led to a diploma in electronic engineering technology where he discovered engineering as a profession and has since flourished in the vocation. As an undergraduate, he participated in projects involving the development of electro-optic devices, tuneable lasers, 3D magnetic levitation setups, and solar vehicles. Chris also believes in sustaining a balanced lifestyle with the goal of assembling a persuading application for a position as an astronaut. He has been a competitive athlete in soccer, fencing and rowing, most recently exploring the nature of triathlon while competing in a half-iron man triathlon. When not competing, Chris can be found touring the countryside by bicycle or car, camping often beneath the inspiring night sky above. |
 Aravind Seeni |
Aravind Seeni, aged 22, was born in India. He recently graduated from the Master of Science in Space Studies program of International Space University (ISU), France. Currently, he works at the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics of German Aerospace Center (DLR) near Munich. He is involved in design and development of rovers for space missions.
Since his childhood, he grew up with a passion for flying. During his undergraduate studies, he enjoyed developing hand-built aircrafts and flew them from the university tops. He trained in the National Cadet Corps of Indian AirForce and involved in microlite flying, parasailing and adventure sports. In the future, he hopes to pursue doctoral research work in studying the effect of altering gravity on human blood flow during and after spaceflight. He loves seeking solutions to problems by applying new thoughts. He dreams to be an astronaut, fly with his pet dog to Mars one day and build a habitat for both. |
 Zahra Khan |
Zahra Khan is a graduate student at MIT working on problems of re-entry at Mars. She previously holds a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada and her favourite nursery rhyme in kindergarten was Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. A dual citizen of Canada and Pakistan, she hopes to someday be a dual citizen of Earth and Mars. You can visit her online at: http://web.mit.edu/zeik/www |
 Heather Allaway |
Heather Allaway grew up on a grain and animal farm in between two small towns in rural Saskatchewan. Her dream for as long as she can remember has been to be an astronaut. This dream was fostered by Scouts Canada outings with her father. In the hopes of accomplishing this dream she completed her undergraduate degree at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick in biology with a minor in physics. Her undergraduate thesis focused on the silicious diatom, Tabularia fasciculata, and its inheritance pattern, morphological and epigenetic. She is currently pursuing graduate studies at the University of Saskatchewan, in reproductive endocrinology. Her research focuses on the effects of the aromatase inhibitor Letrozole on follicular and luteal phase folliculogenesis. In her spare time, Heather loves to do anything related to the outdoors, hang out with friends and family, reading, and listening to music. |
 Guy de Carufel |
Guy de Carufel is 24, and grew up in Aylmer, Quebec. He graduated with a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University in Montreal, and is now pursuing a master's degree in applied science at the Space Flight Lab at the University of Toronto Institute of Aerospace Studies. He is involved in the development of nanosatellites for space science applications. Fields of interest include: GPS systems, orbital mechanics and general spacecraft design.
His recent interest in space has spawn from attending many space related conferences in both Canada and the US. He has a particular interest to human planetary exploration, such as Mars. He has joined the UofT Astronomy and Space Exploration Society (ASX) as the project director, where he helps organize large space related events in Toronto. He has obtained glider and private piloting licences and open-water diving certificate. He is an explorer at heart and has explored most of Latin America. He also has an interest in learning different languages and its cultures. |
 Phillip Cunio |
Phillip Cunio is currently completing his second year in the graduate program of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT. He holds bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, and German from the University of Florida, from which he graduated in 2006. His research interests include manned space exploration, especially permanent colonization of Mars, and his thesis work focuses on commonality in ISRU (in-situ resource utilization) systems for the Moon and Mars and ECLS (environmental control and life support) systems.
Phillip's interest in space exploration dates to his childhood, when he grew up in the city of Titusville, Florida. Phillip's other hobbies include linguistics and foreign languages, as well as science fiction. |
The Mars Society
info@marssociety.org - +1 (303) 984-9653
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Copyright © 2008 The Mars Society.
All rights reserved.
info@marssociety.org - +1 (303) 984-9653
11111 W. 8th Ave Unit A, Lakewood, CO 80215, USA
Copyright © 2008 The Mars Society.
All rights reserved.