Agata Kołodziejczyk
Director of Scientific Projects
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Bio
Agata is a neuroscientist, astrobiologist, and innovator. Both her M.Sc. thesis at Jagiellonian University in Cracow and PhD thesis at Stockholm University focused on the influence of light on signal transformation in neurochemical circuits of nervous systems in various animal species. She discovered an internal eyelid in the insect’s compound eye and presented this discovery in the Concurrent Design Facility at the European Space Agency, aiming to revolutionize the construction of future modular space telescopes.
After completing her PhD, she worked as a postdoc on the neurobiological mechanisms of aggression at Jagiellonian University, and later secured a position in biomimetics at the European Space Agency in the Advanced Concepts Team. There, she developed a prototype lighting system to synchronize biological clocks and provide non-invasive treatment for jet lags. While abroad, she started various projects in Poland. These include organizing international "Meet the Space" conferences, founding Europe's first Analog Space Research Station named Lunares, and conducting lunar and Martian analog simulations with specific scientific projects on board.
Her particular interest lies in time architecture, especially time illusions in isolated areas. Additionally, Agata works on photosynthetic biomaterials and aquaponic systems to initiate reliable and sustainable terraforming processes in isolated spaces.
Recently, together with collaborators, she developed a new method for in-situ clothes production in space. Agata is a multiple award winner, including the best scientific experiment in the Global Space Balloon Challenge for detecting stress in biological organisms in the stratosphere, the scientific Rojszczak Award, a Golden medal for the initiative of creating the first habitat in Poland, and even public recognition as "One of the most powerful women in Poland." She was a co-founder of
Space Garden Company and Chairman of Lunares Scientific Council.
Agata is a Board Member of the World Research Centre and Director of Advanced Concepts at the private space agency The Valles Marineris.
Currently, she is focused on accelerating human spaceflight research worldwide.
Medals and Awards
