CANADA’S FIRST SPACE FELLOWSHIP ANNOUNCES TEN ZENITH FELLOWS IN INAUGURAL CLASS

March 8, 2022

CALGARY, AB - MARCH 8th 2022 The Zenith Canada Pathways Foundation (ZCPF) — a not-for-profit dedicated to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in Canada’s space sector — announced its inaugural class of ten fellows. Each fellow will work at an innovative Canadian space organization, be mentored by a leader in the industry, undertake professional development training, and participate in community building activities throughout the year. 

Fellows underwent a rigorous selection process that saw nearly 100 applicants from 22 institutions nationwide. A multidisciplinary and multi-generational selection committee evaluated: essays, creative pieces, references, community involvement, and academic proficiency. An additional focus was placed on equity, diversity, and inclusion. From there, ZCPF leadership team and volunteers interviewed 40 shortlisted candidates to narrow down to 21 finalists invited to interview with the Host Organizations. The Zenith Fellows were selected for their outstanding community involvement, leadership skills, technical capabilities, and passion for contributing to the Canadian space sector.

The ten Zenith Fellows are matched with summer work placements at one of seven Zenith Fellowship Host Organizations. The Host Organizations align with ZCPF’s mission to sustain and retain talent in and support diversity across Canada. They are: 

The Zenith Fellows are also paired with a senior-level mentor from the space industry who will support and guide them throughout the year. This summer, the Fellows will participate in the annual Zenith Fellowship Summit where they will meet with their peers and network with professionals from across the sector. As the inaugural class, they will establish the community of Zenith Fellows for the coming years. 

For the first year of the program, to facilitate as many opportunities as possible in the Canadian space sector, ZCPF is extending the mentorship program to the remaining 11 finalists who were not selected for the Fellowship. These Zenith Mentee’s will be matched with a mentor from the Canadian space sector and be invited to the summit this summer alongside the Fellows.

ZCPF is supported by: Space Simulation Services of Canada (https://www.sssoc.ca/), Reaction Dynamics (www.reactiondynamics.space), Students for the Exploration and Development of Space Canada (SEDS-Canada) (www.seds.ca) and Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) Canada (www.spacegeneration.org). Additionally, ZCPF appreciates the support of analogous US-based Fellowships on which the Zenith Fellowship is modeled: the Brooke Owens Fellowship, the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship, the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship and the Zed Factor Fellowship. 

The 2022 Zenith Fellows are:

  • Alexander James Murphy from Williamstown, Ontario who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering Physics at Queen’s University. Murphy will intern at Sinclair Interplanetary by Rocket Lab in Toronto, Ontario. 

  • Anaïs Poirier from Vancouver, British Columbia who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Electrical and Computer Engineering with a minor in Robotics and Mechatronics at the University of Toronto. Poirer will intern at GHGSat in Montreal, Quebec.

  • Daniel Solano from Fredericton, New Brunswick who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Applied Physics with a specialization in Electrical Engineering at the University of New Brunswick. Solano will intern at Wyvern in Edmonton, Alberta.

  • Elizabeth Drew from Calgary, Alberta who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo. Drew will intern at Sinclair Interplanetary by Rocket Lab in Toronto, Ontario.

  • Jagriti Luitel from Kathmandu, Nepal who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of New Brunswick. Luitel will intern at Wyvern in Edmonton, Alberta. 

  • Makenna Kuzyk from Calgary, Alberta who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta. Kuzyk will intern at Sinclair Interplanetary by Rocket Lab in Toronto, Ontario. 

  • Manal Siddiqui from Ottawa, Ontario who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Computer Science at Carleton University. Siddiqui will intern at Skywatch in Waterloo, Ontario. 

  • Paula Bosca from Ottawa, Ontario who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Integrated Science (Honours) with a specialization in Physics at McMaster University. Bosca will intern at the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration at Western University in London, Ontario.

  • Rym Yasmine Chaid from Montreal, Quebec who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with specialization in Aerospace, Thermofluids and Propulsion from Concordia University. Chaid will intern at Stardust Technologies in Cochrane, Ontario.

  • Vanessa Van Decker from Palmer Rapids, Ontario who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in Mechatronics at Ryerson University. Van Decker will intern at Mission Control Space Services in Ottawa, Ontario.

“Canada’s space workforce is made up of brilliantly talented, diverse, and passionate individuals driven to make an impact given the right opportunities.

Congratulations to our inaugural Class of Zenith Fellows - we hope this program will kickstart your Canadian careers. We express thanks to our Zenith Family: Host Organizations, External Mentors, Strategic Partners, Advisors and Volunteers, for making our vision a reality.”

- Board of Directors, Zenith Canada Pathways Foundation

ZCPF was co-founded in 2020 by: 

  • Tahir Merali, a project manager and professional engineer at the City of Calgary, who has previously worked at multiple space agencies, companies and nonprofits and is an alumnus of the International Space University. 

  • Hira Nadeem, a graduate student at the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration at Western University and the first Canadian selected for the Brooke Owens Fellowship.

They developed the Zenith Fellowship program motivated by the shared desire for a sustainable space sector that reflected Canada’s diversity and to offer opportunities in Canada rather than have great talent leave for other countries. They welcomed the expertise of Zaid Rana and Sam Condie to the Board of Directors and built a team of volunteers from across the country who shared the same vision.