Meganne Christian | |
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Born | December 1987
Pembury |
Alma mater | |
Occupation | |
Awards | |
Academic career | |
Fields | Graphene, hydrogen storage, atmospheric physics, nanomaterials, Antarctic, space exploration |
Institutions |
|
Thesis | Core-shell borohydrides for reversible hydrogen storage |
Meganne Louise Wyatt ( née Christian; born 1987) FRAeS is an member of the 2022 European Space Agency Astronaut Group, [1] and Reserve Astronaut and Exploration Commercialisation Lead at the UK Space Agency. [2]
She was previously a materials scientist at the National Research Council (CNR) in Bologna, Italy, and atmospheric physicist at Concordia Station in Antarctica.
At the Italian National Research Agency ( CNR) in Bologna, she worked on the production and microscopical characterisation of graphene-based nanocomposites, [3] [4] in particular 3D graphene structures such as graphene foams, as part of the EU's Graphene Flagship. [5] This included zero-gravity research in 2018, studying the application of loop heat pipes for the heat management of satellites. [6] [7] [8] She held the role of atmospheric physicist and meteorologist at the Franco-Italian Antarctic research base at Concordia Station during the 2019 "DC15" Winter-over campaign [9] [5] [10] [11] [12] [13] and the 2020-21 Summer season. [14] [15]
Born in Kent, England to New Zealand parents, at five she moved with her family to Wollongong, Australia. [16] [9] She attended The Illawarra Grammar School [17] and was part of the school's 2002 international championship team of Future Problem Solving Program International. [18] [19] Studying at the University of New South Wales, in 2009 Christian received a Bachelor of Engineering and the university medal in industrial chemistry. [20] Continuing at UNSW, she received the 2011 Heinz Harant award [21] and her doctorate in 2014 for research into hydrogen storage with borohydrides, [22] [23] after which she moved in Bologna and worked at the Institute of Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM) at the National Research Council of Italy. [24] [9] [25] The ambassador of Australia to Italy featured Christian as part of International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2021. [26] In June 2023, she was appointed Reserve Astronaut and Exploration Commercialisation Lead at the UK Space Agency. [2] [27] In 2023, she received the Australia Day award “ Wollongong to the world” from the city. [28] [29] In March 2024, she was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. [30] [31]
She holds four citizenships, British and New Zealand by birth, and Australian and Italian by naturalisation. [2] She was married on Australia Day 2014 at St James' Church, Sydney to Liam Wyatt. [32] She received Italian citizenship in 2022.
A barbershop singer, with Canberra-based choir ‘’Brindabella chorus’' Christian has twice won the Sweet Adelines International competition’s “harmony classic” division – in 2017 [33] and 2023. [34] Her other hobbies also include via ferrata, knitting and sewing, whitewater rafting, and holds a blackbelt in Hapkido. [35] [33]
Meganne Christian | |
---|---|
Born | December 1987
Pembury |
Alma mater | |
Occupation | |
Awards | |
Academic career | |
Fields | Graphene, hydrogen storage, atmospheric physics, nanomaterials, Antarctic, space exploration |
Institutions |
|
Thesis | Core-shell borohydrides for reversible hydrogen storage |
Meganne Louise Wyatt ( née Christian; born 1987) FRAeS is an member of the 2022 European Space Agency Astronaut Group, [1] and Reserve Astronaut and Exploration Commercialisation Lead at the UK Space Agency. [2]
She was previously a materials scientist at the National Research Council (CNR) in Bologna, Italy, and atmospheric physicist at Concordia Station in Antarctica.
At the Italian National Research Agency ( CNR) in Bologna, she worked on the production and microscopical characterisation of graphene-based nanocomposites, [3] [4] in particular 3D graphene structures such as graphene foams, as part of the EU's Graphene Flagship. [5] This included zero-gravity research in 2018, studying the application of loop heat pipes for the heat management of satellites. [6] [7] [8] She held the role of atmospheric physicist and meteorologist at the Franco-Italian Antarctic research base at Concordia Station during the 2019 "DC15" Winter-over campaign [9] [5] [10] [11] [12] [13] and the 2020-21 Summer season. [14] [15]
Born in Kent, England to New Zealand parents, at five she moved with her family to Wollongong, Australia. [16] [9] She attended The Illawarra Grammar School [17] and was part of the school's 2002 international championship team of Future Problem Solving Program International. [18] [19] Studying at the University of New South Wales, in 2009 Christian received a Bachelor of Engineering and the university medal in industrial chemistry. [20] Continuing at UNSW, she received the 2011 Heinz Harant award [21] and her doctorate in 2014 for research into hydrogen storage with borohydrides, [22] [23] after which she moved in Bologna and worked at the Institute of Microelectronics and Microsystems (IMM) at the National Research Council of Italy. [24] [9] [25] The ambassador of Australia to Italy featured Christian as part of International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2021. [26] In June 2023, she was appointed Reserve Astronaut and Exploration Commercialisation Lead at the UK Space Agency. [2] [27] In 2023, she received the Australia Day award “ Wollongong to the world” from the city. [28] [29] In March 2024, she was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. [30] [31]
She holds four citizenships, British and New Zealand by birth, and Australian and Italian by naturalisation. [2] She was married on Australia Day 2014 at St James' Church, Sydney to Liam Wyatt. [32] She received Italian citizenship in 2022.
A barbershop singer, with Canberra-based choir ‘’Brindabella chorus’' Christian has twice won the Sweet Adelines International competition’s “harmony classic” division – in 2017 [33] and 2023. [34] Her other hobbies also include via ferrata, knitting and sewing, whitewater rafting, and holds a blackbelt in Hapkido. [35] [33]