Bodies in Space | Katherine Bennell-Pegg and Xin Liu

Katherine Bennell-Pegg is the Director of Space Technology at the Australian Space Agency. In this role, she is unlocking more pathways for Australians to be involved with human spaceflight, including through extensive public outreach encouraging women and girls to pursue STEM education and careers. This will be one of Bennell-Pegg’s first appearances since completing her training as an astronaut with the European Space Agency, making her the first Australian woman to qualify as an astronaut.

Xin Liu is an engineer and artist. Xin is an artist-in-residence at SETI Institute, an advisor for LACMA Art+Tech Lab, a researcher at Antikythera, Berggren Institute and the founding Arts Curator in the Space Exploration Initiative at MIT Media Lab. Liu’s work explores her interests in the verticality of space, extraterrestrial exploration and cosmic metabolism. She has performed in zero gravity and sent her wisdom tooth into outer space in work that connected her cultural and family traditions.

Professor Janna Levin is the Claire Tow Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Columbia University. She is also the Founding Director of the Science Studios at New York cultural centre Pioneer Works. As a Guggenheim Fellow, Janna has contributed to an understanding of black holes, the cosmology of extra dimensions and gravitational waves in the shape of spacetime.