Dr. Philip Ferguson | University of Manitoba

Dr. Ferguson holds the NSERC / Canadian Space Agency / Magellan Aerospace Industrial Research Chair in Satellite Engineering at the University of Manitoba. His research focuses on new spacecraft guidance, navigation and control technologies that can improve satellite reliability while simultaneously reducing the cost and design cycle times, thereby improving the accessibility of space.

Phil Ferguson is an Associate Member of the Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS) at the University of Manitoba, where he collaborates to explore how space and drone technologies can support Indigenous and Inuit communities in Canada’s Arctic. 

Dr. Jeremy Wang | Ribbit

Dr. Jeremy Wang is an aerospace engineer and entrepreneur with over 10 years of experience in uncrewed and autonomous systems for advanced air mobility. Jeremy currently serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of Ribbit, which he co-founded in 2020. Ribbit builds and operates dual-use self-flying airplanes with a focus on connecting remote and contested regions. Ribbit is a contractor of record to multiple public safety, defence, research, and transportation agencies, and has additionally partnered with wholesalers, Indigenous communities, and humanitarian groups who spend $73M annually on air freight. In 2023, Ribbit performed Canada’s first automated gate-to-gate flight—now a routine occurrence at select airports.

 Hamidreza Yazdani, NRC Aerospace