As space becomes a more common place in the human experience the needs and expectation will be changing. Sheyna talks about the near future when the desired skill set of astronauts will seem much more common and the access more universal. Dr. Sheyna Gifford (MD, MA, MSc) is a physician at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Dr. Gifford’s previous incarnations include a stint as the scientist-in-residence at the St. Louis Science Center, where she helped design exhibits and outreach activities; a tour as the health and safety officer and crew journalist on NASA’s 1-year mission to simulate Mars; a science journalist for NASA; a career as a neuroscientist at Brown University, Harvard University, and Massachusetts General Hospital; a satellite engineering project called R-HESSI at Space Science Laboratories; and an astrophysics researcher for the DEEP2 sky survey at the University of California, Berkeley.
Dr. Gifford received a full scholarship to the University of Southern California to study science communication. She also holds advanced degrees in Medicine and Biotechnology, as well as undergraduate degrees in English and Neuroscience. She has written more than 100 articles in the fields of biology, engineering, and space science, and has contributed to a textbook in public health. She has been a guest lecturer at dozens of major universities and conferences. She is a captain in, health officer for, and proud member of the Missouri Civil Air Patrol air force auxiliary. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx