Building on the successful workshops of the last few years, the two-day Austronaut Human Performance in Space Workshop will cover a range of topics related to astronaut candidate preparation, inspired by the interdisciplinary requirements placed on astronauts during selection and on missions.

The content of this workshop is inspired by astronauts as high performers who are physically, psychologically and technically prepared for operating in a challenging and isolated environment. 

Throughout this workshop, instructors will teach participants about what astronauts do to prepare and perform for spaceflight as well as about the elements that support on-going success, through the lens of becoming an astronaut.

What you will learn

To be selected as an astronaut, individuals must achieve a high level of success across multiple disciplines such as academics, physical fitness, operational and technical skills, in addition to strong interpersonal skills such as leadership, teamwork and communication. This requirement makes their journey a powerful model for personal development.

This workshop aims to provide participants with fundamental knowledge and skills that are aligned with astronaut candidate preparation whilst exploring how these skills can improve both professional and everyday performance.

Instructors for this workshop have experience in fields of human performance such as psychology, neuroscience, exercise physiology, nutrition, ethics, flight, yoga, and of course, space. Participants will engage in lessons taught by them that support a holistic approach to mental and physical performance, from both a practical and theoretical perspective.

Key topics:

• The Hazards of Human Spaceflight
• Physical Countermeasures for Human Spaceflight
• Optimal Nutrition for Human Spaceflight
• The Neuroscience of Performance
• Protocols for Cognitive Performance
• Tool for Psychological Resilience
• Intuitive Decision Making
• Teamwork & Leadership
• The Ethics of Human Spaceflight.

About your instructors

Special instructors:

• Nicola Winter (German ESA Reserve Astronaut)
• Dr Jemma King (Director, BioPsychAnalytics)

Core instructors:

• Dr Rowena Christiansen (Physician, Lecturer and Subject Coordinator, The University of Melbourne)
• Dr Harry Banyard (Lecturer, Exercise and Sport Science, Swinburne University of Technology)
• Dr Evie Kendal (Senior Lecturer, Health Promotion, Swinburne University of Technology)
• Jennifer Sharp (Psychologist and PhD candidate, Charles Sturt University)
• Dr Flávia Fayet-Moore (CEO, FOODiQ Global)
• Jacinda Cottee (Program Advisor, Austronaut)

Find out more about the workshop instructors at the Austronaut website.