Zenith Fellow Mentee, Class of 2023
McMaster University, Bachelor of Chemical Engineering
Mentor: Casia Mcleod

Hala is a student at McMaster University currently pursuing her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering. She is a driven and enthusiastic individual with a passion for engineering and space exploration.

Hala possesses comprehensive knowledge in the area of Chemical Engineering and its implementation in the space sector. She has a specific inclination towards initiatives associated with space exploration, such as creating novel rocket fuels, designing and testing rocket engines, and innovating new materials for application in space.

Hala is currently a member of the Mechanical Team of D.A.R.E. (McMaster Deep-space Analogue Research Expedition team) developing a proposal to design and build an aerial robot that can mimic an extra-planetary mapping system for enclosed environments, like lunar or Martian caves. The D.A.R.E. team has chosen Iceland as the location for their 2023 pilot expedition because it shares physical and geological similarities with the lunar and martian caves. As part of her work with D.A.R.E., Hala aims to reduce risks to astronauts during space exploration while enabling it. To achieve this, aerial cave robots with advanced maneuverability and sensory capabilities will be crucial. These robots will be remotely controlled by human operators, even in areas beyond direct visibility, to collect environmental data and help identify suitable enclosed spaces for astronauts to shelter from space debris and radiation. By prioritizing human decision-making over complete robot autonomy, this approach will foster human curiosity and ensure exploration is conducted safely.

Apart from her fascination with space, Hala is an introvert who enjoys reading high-fantasy literature. She loves The Matrix films and has recently been drawn to the Carnival Row series. During her leisure time, she is teaching herself HTML and CSS to construct web pages to showcase her work and personal projects.