Haifa, 26 July 2016, by Sanja Scepanovic - As teaching associates (TAs) at SSP16, we are given several roles during the program, in addition to the academic role in our particular Department or Team Project (TP). One of those additional roles this year is to meet and greet particular VIPs, including guest chairs, lecturers, panelists and other visitors to our program.

Week5 007

Andrea and Sanja, SSP16 TAs, with Buzz

Together with another TA, I was lucky to be assigned this time to meet Edwin Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the Moon. Knowing how busy he is, my expectation was that I might just be there to hand him or his assistant the welcome bag (a present with spacey and Israeli goodies given to all the participants and staff). However, we turned out to be additionally lucky. Upon his arrival to the Bay View hotel in Haifa and after a long transAtlantic flight from the US, Buzz was surprisingly energetic and motivated to talk with John, the SSP director, and us. Moreover, while his personal assistant and son, Andrew, went to have a dinner, Buzz skipped it and kept on talking to us for another 2 hours about his ideas for going to Mars and building a base on the Moon to support this plan. His energy, enthusiasm and zeal were impressive, even for our age, and not 86.

Week5 008

Remco, SSP16 co-chair and social media manager, with Buzz

ISU is great since such extraordinary experiences are given to all of us – both the participants and staff. Many were lucky to talk to and get their picture taken with Buzz, and we all listened to his big plans and ideas on how to ‘Get Your Ass to Mars’ during the Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Lecture he gave on July 26.

Week5 009

SSP16 participants and staff with Buzz

  1. Management
  2. Chairs
  3. Academics
  4. TAs
  5. Logistics
  6. Public Relations
  7. IT
  8. SEAC & TP Editors
  9. Participant Liaison & Library
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SSP16 Host Institution

Technion Logo Eng Ver White

Technion City, Haifa, Israel

The Technion – Israel Institute of Technology was founded in 1912 in Haifa and is the oldest university in Israel and the Middle East. The university offers degrees in science and engineering, and related fields such as architecture, medicine, industrial management and education.

The Technion is a science and technology research university, among the world’s top universities, dedicated to the creation of knowledge and the development of human capital and leadership, for the advancement of the State of Israel and all humanity.

The Technion is noted as a global pioneer in multidisciplinary research into fields including energynanotechnology, and life science.

The Technion has 4 Nobel Laureates, a graduate and 3 faculty members.

More about the SSP16 host institution:
Welcome to Technion
Technion Map in English (PDF)
SSP16 Campus map

 

Sponsors

The SSP16 is supported at different levels. ISU would like to thank the following organizations for their generous support:

Eng Ver Blue ASRI logo

Host Institution

 

Local Sponsors

ISA

MoSTS Logo

Ilan Ramon Foundation

Haifa Municipality Israel ADELIS logo 10ans
IAI BEDEK white Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Logo
logoelbit ENG ELAL

 

Major Sponsors

ADELIS logo 10ans Axiom SPACE
Haifa Municipality Israel IAI BEDEK white
1280px Lockheed Martin.svg Aerospace

 

Program Supported By

CNES CASC
China Space Foundation   ESA

MoSTS Logo

Ilan Ramon Foundation

ISRO 
ISA NASA
Boeing logo UK Space Agency

For more information about sponsorship application and promotional opportunities, please contact us.