Meganne Christian

Meganne Louise Wyatt (née Christian; born 1987) 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]

Dr Meganne Christian
Meganne Christian at Concordia Station, Antarctica
BornDecember 1987 Edit this on Wikidata
Pembury Edit this on Wikidata
Alma mater
Occupation
Websitehttps://www.bo.imm.cnr.it/unit/users/christian Edit this on Wikidata
Academic career
FieldsGraphene, hydrogen storage, atmospheric physics, nanomaterials, Antarctic, space exploration Edit this on Wikidata
Institutions
ThesisCore-shell borohydrides for reversible hydrogen storage Edit this on Wikidata

She was previously a materials scientist at the National Research Council (CNR) in Bologna, Italy, and atmospheric physicist at Concordia Station in Antarctica.

Research

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]

Biography
Christian at the 2022 European Space Agency Astronaut Group announcement, Paris

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]

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.[28] She received Italian citizenship in 2022.

References
  1. "Meganne Christian". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  2. King, Hazel (2023-07-25). "Interview with an astronaut: Meganne Christian". FINN - The Aviation Industry Hub | FINN. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  3. "Campus Italia: Series 3, Episode 2" (in Italian). RAI. 2016-06-12. Archived from the original on 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  4. "EPISODE 10: Exploring Problem Solving and Embracing the Unknown - Meganne Christian". Inspirenorth.com. Inspire North. 2020-07-08. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  5. "Spotlight: Graphene for space, batteries and water splitting with Meganne Christian". Graphene Flagship. Archived from the original on 2022-02-01. Retrieved 2022-02-01.
  6. Flagship, Graphene. "Graphene tests set for zero-G flight". phys.org. Archived from the original on 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  7. "Graphene Week" (PDF). Graphene Flagship. 2018. p. 1, 6-7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  8. "Zero Gravity Graphene – Satellite Loop Heat Pipes - the Flight". YouTube. Graphene Flagship. 2017-12-15.
  9. Francesca Blesio (3 November 2018). "Meganne, da Bologna ai ghiacci dell'Antartide tra gli scogli della Brexit". Corriere di Bologna (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2022-01-24. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  10. "The most isolated place on Earth". The Europeans. Archived from the original on 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  11. Vitale, Enzo (2019-08-24). "Meganne Christian, fisico italo-australiano al Polo Sud: «Da qui si capisce meglio il cambiamento climatico»". Il Messaggero (in Italian).
  12. Tassi, Gabriele (2018-11-15). "l'Antartide e il mio sogno". Il Resto del Carlino (in Italian). p. 11.
  13. "Diario dall'Antartide/Terza puntata: l'ingegner Meganne Christian alle prese con la meteorologia del Polo Sud Video". Il Messaggero (in Italian). 2019-08-25. Archived from the original on 2022-02-02. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  14. Tassi, Gabriele (2021-02-17). "Il mio anno tra l'Antartide e la pandemia" (in Italian). il Resto del Carlino. Archived from the original on 2022-01-24. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  15. Cacciarini, Sara (2020-11-29). "Base Concordia la diretta dall'Antartide a cura dell'ENEA programma di ricerca Antartide". Il Terzo News (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2022-02-03. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  16. Burgess, Kaya. "British Paralympian John McFall hopes to make history as astronaut". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
  17. School (TIGS), The Illawarra Grammar. "Alumni Showcase | Meganne Christian". The Illawarra Grammar School (TIGS). Archived from the original on 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  18. "TIGS girls now world title winners". Wollongong Advertiser. 2002-07-03. p. 2.
  19. Australia, Future Problem Solving Program. "Parent Perspectives Newsletter". fpsp.org.au. Archived from the original on 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  20. "Prize Winners 2009". www.student.unsw.edu.au. Archived from the original on 2022-03-23. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  21. "Heinz Harant Award". Arc UNSW Student Life. Archived from the original on 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  22. Christian, Meganne (2013). PH.D THESIS: Core-shell borohydrides for reversible hydrogen storage. www.unsworks.unsw.edu.au (Thesis). UNSW Open Access institutional repository. doi:10.26190/unsworks/16535. hdl:1959.4/53100. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  23. "Staff & Alumni". MERlin University of Sydney EnergyH. Archived from the original on 2022-01-26. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  24. "NuoviEmiliani. Meganne, ricercatrice quasi italiana". Aria Pulita [Television broadcast]. 7 Gold - Emilia Romagna. 2018-11-19.
  25. "Meganne, da Bologna ai ghiacci dell'Antartide tra gli scogli della Brexit - cittadinanza Italiana per Meganne Christian | IMM Container". www.imm.cnr.it (in Italian). IMM Bologna. Archived from the original on 2022-02-03. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  26. Twomey, Margaret (2021-02-11). "Oggi celebriamo le #DonnenellaScienza, tra cui Meganne Christian dall'🇦🇺, laureata alla @UNSW. Meganne ha visitato due volte l'Antartide e lavora in 🇮🇹 presso @CNRsocial_@ItaliAntartide". Twitter (in Italian). Retrieved 2022-02-02.
  27. "UK Space Agency welcomes reserve astronaut Meganne Christian". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2023-08-24.
  28. "Ringing World BellBoard". bb.ringingworld.co.uk. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
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