I did not start off as a "space nerd", but I was a full-blown biology nerd with deep respect for people in extreme conditions and on dangerous missions. As a kid, I dreamt of becoming an army doctor, but the educational system of Greece created circumstances for nutrition science to choose me. There was an initial disappointment -I cannot lie- but it was replaced very fast by so much excitement and love, that I pursued an MSc on the same subject. The element of "extreme conditions" found its way in the application of my knowledge when I was triggered by devastating wildfires ravaging my home country and by the subsequent calls for action. The pleads for nutritious and practical food items with long-shelf life made me realise that humanity needs a more concrete plan when it comes to feeding people without the capacity to produce, refrigerate, and prepare food.

Thus, astronaut nutrition emerged as a sub-category of nutrition in extreme conditions. Space is the most extreme environment, with the greatest environmental restrictions, and I strongly believe that anything food-related and applicable to these conditions can help terrestrial populations. After I engaged with Space Generation Advisory Council, and exchanged insights, I applied for an internship with the European Space Agency's Space Medicine Team. There, I had the chance to get familiar with the challenges of spaceflight, and the physiological changes that happen to the human body in space. After my contract ended, the founder and CEO of Interstellar Performance Labs recognised that, with my skillset, I am very suited to support the training and preparation of analog astronauts, and I couldn't be happier to be part of such an initiative.

Putting my expertise in the space sector is deeply satisfying because of the interdisciplinary element. The environment is not competitive, and every win is a collective win because we all have combined our skills to get results. I am extremely happy to learn things from other scientific fields, things that I did not have the chance to dive into during my studies, and I am equally happy to get the opportunity to break down my science for my colleagues and the astronauts. Since nobody actually knows much about the science of the other, there is a lot of trust among colleagues, cultivating confidence and true connection within the team, ultimately leading to even greater achievements.

As someone with a non-tech expertise in the space sector, the first challenge I came across was that I had to kind of "create my own position". Truth is, in order to overcome the complex problems that space exploration poses, we need interdisciplinary approaches. However, it is unrealistic to expect people to fully understand what each of the various disciplines has to offer. The responsibility of communicating how a specific field can assist space exploration missions lies with the people who have dived deep into said field. So, if you believe there's a connection between your field and the space sector, grab every opportunity to speak up and show us what you can do!