🎙️ Episode Description

In this week’s episode, Khristian Jones shares what building industry and creating space for others really looks like - beyond the buzzwords.

She gets honest about how emotional intelligence - especially empathy - is at the heart of creating spaces and policies that make people feel seen, supported, and valued. Creating sustainable environments is not about checking boxes - it’s about making sure people feel like they actually belong, because they do!

🔗 Universal Inclusion Links

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/universal_inclusion/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/universal-inclusion-ui/

👤 Guest Bio

Khristian Jones is an Interiors Engineer at United Airlines, where she manages the Boeing 737 fleet. She holds a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Wichita State University and began her career in the space industry through the Brooke Owens Fellowship, completing an internship at The Spaceship Company before going on to work as a Material Test Engineer at Virgin Galactic.

Throughout her journey, Khristian has committed to inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals. During her time at Wichita State, she worked with the SEEDS (Science Engineering Educational Development for Students) program, where she found her passion for diversity advocacy in STEM. Khristian continues to champion justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion across the aerospace industry. As a co-founder and executive member of the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship, she works to provide meaningful career pathways in aerospace for students from historically excluded backgrounds.

Her work ensures that young people—especially those who rarely see themselves represented in STEM—know that space is for them, too.

🔗 Guest Links

• LinkedIn: Khristian Jones
• PGS Fellowship: https://www.pgsfellowship.org/

🎙️ Episode Description

In this episode, Aisha sits down with physician, aquanaut, scientist-astronaut candidate, and trailblazer Dr. Shawna Pandya to talk about what it means to build your own path into space.

From flying on parabolic flights to conducting space medicine research, Shawna opens up about her journey, the power of storytelling, and why saying yes (even before you feel ready) is everything. They dive into imposter syndrome, mentorship, and what it’s like to be a South Asian woman reshaping the future of space science.

🔗 Universal Inclusion Links

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/universal_inclusion/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/universal-inclusion-ui/

Time Stamps / Chapters

00:00 – From Stargazing to Spaceflight

Meet Dr. Shawna Pandya, future Virgin Galactic astronaut and pioneer in space medicine.

02:57 – Building a Career in Microgravity

Shawna shares how she got into the IIAS, ran 10+ parabolic flights, and launched her own research path.

06:47 – Breaking Barriers with Space Medicine

From glucose monitors in space to Canadian “firsts,” her work is opening new doors for access and inclusion.

12:14 – Sharing the Journey

Why Shawna uses social media to document her story—and how authentic representation inspires others.

17:12 – Forge Your Own Path

Advice for anyone who doesn’t see themselves in space: conferences, student groups, and saying yes.

28:42 – Mentorship, Mindset & Music

On giving back, overcoming obstacles, playing piano, and raising a rescue parrot named Jules.

👤 Guest Bio

Dr. Shawna Pandya is a physician, aquanaut, analog astronaut, scientist-astronaut candidate with Project PoSSUM, and Director of the IIAS Space Medicine Group. She has flown over 10 parabolic flights, conducted research in microgravity, and is part of Virgin Galactic’s astronaut cohort. A strong advocate for diversity in STEM, Shawna blends science, storytelling, and social media to bring space to life for new audiences.

🔗 Guest Links

• Instagram: @shawnapandya
• Website: shawnapandya.com
• LinkedIn: Shawna Pandya
• IIAS: https://instituteforaerospace.org

Episode Description

Space is getting louder - but who’s being heard?

Artist and founder of KOSMICA Institute, Nahum joins Aisha for a no-fluff conversation about why the space industry needs a reality check. From rooftop beginnings in Mexico City to pushing back against billionaires and brand-driven space culture, Nahum brings perspective, humor, and unapologetic honesty.

From Western romanticism of the overview effect and performative DEI, to the Blue Origin backlash and how commercial space is copying Earth’s worst habits, this episode is for the creatives, the skeptics, and anyone who has felt unsure about the rapid progress of the new space age.

Time Stamps / Chapters

00:00 – Rooftop Beginnings in Mexico

How Nahum’s childhood shaped a lifelong fascination with the sky and imagination.

04:49 – From Underground Theatre to Orbit

The origin of Nahum’s career in art and space, and how KOSMICA Institute was born.

09:20 – Space Art: Then vs Now

How artist access to space is evolving and the rise of corporate gatekeeping.

16:35 – When Profit Meets the Cosmos

Nahum unpacks the ethical tension between critical art and commercial space ventures.

22:36 – Is the Overview Effect Overhyped?

Reframing the space experience from orbit… and Earth.

30:57 – Where Did the Humanities Go?

On ISU’s changing curriculum, disappearing diversity, and the future of space education.

37:47 – Inclusion or Illusion?

What DEI in space really demands and why meaningful change must go beyond websites and mission statements.

47:16 – The Blue Origin Backlash

Why critiques of the all-female flight are misdirected and where the real accountability belongs.

57:09 – How to Join the Space Art Community

Where to begin if you’re creative, curious, and want in on the cosmos.

Guest Bio

Nahum is an artist and musician. His work frequently incorporates space technologies, illusionism, and hypnosis to transport audiences on otherworldly journeys that spark critical dialogues about existence. He is the Founder of KOSMICA Institute, a space organisation with a mission to create a platform for critical, cultural, and poetic discourse about our relationship to the Universe, space activities, and their impact on Earth.

As a leading voice in the space-art world, Nahum has drawn global attention to the intersection of space and culture, advocating for deeper inclusion of the arts in space exploration.

🔗 Guest Links

• Instagram: @nahumartist
• Website: KOSMICA Institute