KEYNOTE

Dr. Shawna Pandya is passionate about the two ‘extremes’ of humanity – surviving and thriving. She’s interested in furthering technological innovation and human knowledge, and tackling humanity’s grandest challenges to affect positive social change. 

After leaving her career in neurosurgery she went from repeatedly telling herself “I am an absolute disgrace,” to gaining a new sense of being.  She’s now become an aquanaut and future commercial astronaut! 

In her talks, Dr. Pandya talks passionately about resilience and the lifelong learning she came to embrace from her time with sociopaths, Navy SEALs, martial artists, medicine, astronauts, and from her father.

In 2024, Shawna Pandya became Canada’s next named astronaut & the first named Canadian female commercial astronaut! She’ll be flying with Virgin Galactic to further space-based biomedical and physiological research. 

She successfully completed Scientist‐Astronaut Candidate training with Project PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere) and was part of the first crew to test a commercial spacesuit in zero‐gravity. 

Dr. Pandya was named as prime crew for Project Poseidon, which aims to further ocean and space exploration. 

Her extreme medicine work has taken her to Poland and Ukraine to work with refugees and internally displaced persons. 

Shawna served as Commander during a 2020 tour at the Mars Desert Research Station. She was also part of the first crew to test a commercial spacesuit in zero-gravity, and she has flown 12 parabolic flight campaigns.  

Her corporate experience includes that as VP Immersive Medicine with Luxsonic Technologies. 

After completing her undergraduate degree, and before she began her studies to become a doctor, Pandya moved to France to earn her master’s in space sciences from the International Space University.

Preparing for space requires more than just knowledge — it involves an incredible amount of mental and physical agility. Outside of her work, Dr. Pandya continues to further develop these skills through martial arts. She holds a black belt in taekwondo, a sport she’s been practicing for over 15 years and she’s travelled to Thailand regularly for more than 10 years to train in muay thai.  Dr. Pandya is fluent in English, French, Gujarati, and speaks introductory Spanish and Russian.

She’s earned a number of accolades including the Global Women of Vision award and Women’s Executive Network’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada. 

Shawna is a true pioneer in pushing human limits—whether in space, medicine, or extreme environments. 

Drawing from these experiences and with Silicon Valley startups, Dr. Pandya helps audiences rethink what’s possible in times of change and challenge.