The Annual Aerospace Medicine Symposium

Wg Cdr Sentiru Baladurai has held a post as Consultant in Nephrology and Acute Medicine in The University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire since 2015. She has been a member of the Armed Forces since 1997, and joined the RAF in 2000, during university. She has experiences in aeromedical evacuation, clinical aviation medicine and has been involved in teaching clinical aviation medicine both within the RAF and also on the Diploma of Aviation Medicine and on the EASA courses.

Dr. Camille Bilger is a senior systems engineer at Martin-Baker Aircraft Company Ltd. She grew up in Strasbourg, France, before receiving a master’s degree in Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics from the University of St Andrews, investigating biochemistry and the formation of organic compounds in extraterrestrial atmospheres. She then joined the University of Cambridge to conduct a master’s degree and PhD in aerospace combustion engineering, in partnership with Rolls-Royce plc. Her research focused on the optimisation of fuel injection for liquid-propellant engines from a theoretical physics standpoint and computationally. A RAeS Careers in Aerospace & Aviation LIVE fair led her to her current research role at Martin-Baker.

She is a Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellow and the Editor-in-Chief for the SAFE Association journal.

Rae Chang was born in Singapore and educated in Adelaide. Aviation medicine has been a gateway to working internationally; firstly during a student elective with the Aeromedical Services (Northern Territory), the Royal Australian Air Force, Emirates then NATS. Rae started as a General Practitioner, then trained in Occupational Medicine via the Australasian and UK Faculties. Her current role is Chief Medical Officer and Head of Aeromedical Centre at NATS.

Lauren is a fourth year medical student at King’s College London, who recently completed a Masters in space physiology and health. Lauren has a long standing interest in aerospace medicine and aerospace physiology, working with other students to increase awareness of the field and is one of the founding group for the Next Generation of Aerospace medicine at RAeS, with the aim of providing a central resource for learning and opportunity within aerospace medicine.

Working at DSTL since 2019 as part of Team Tempest in the Cockpit Group to specify and oversee the design of crew protection, escape and life support systems for the next generation fast jets. Graduated from the University of Southampton in 2015 with a Masters Degree in Spacecraft Systems Engineering. Spent the next 4 years at BAE Systems working in both Naval Ships and Combat Air businesses.

Dr Cat Davison is a GP and Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force. She spent 8-month in a peacekeeping role in South Sudan as the Deputy Force Medical Officer for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) working in the Headquarters in Juba responsible for all medical evacuations within the UN mission.   Before that, she led as Officer Commanding, RAF Tactical Medical Wing (TMW), responding to humanitarian crises and defence needs around the world through evacuation and medical care including Critical Care Air Support Team (CCAST).  RAF TMW were a key part of the British Overseas Territories relief effort after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. 

Cat has worked as a doctor in Afghanistan, East Africa, North Africa, the Middle East and more, and recently managed all medical support to UK military operations in Africa.  She is trained to survive in the jungle, has been the doctor for military desert and jungle survival training, taken twenty-five people up Mount Kilimanjaro, and ran the 2016 Marathon Des Sables. She enjoys the entrepreneurial side of life, with an interest in supporting medical-technology start-ups.  

Newly appointed onto the executive committee of the CanDID Network UK Armed Forces network that seeks to provide support to Serving personnel whose lives and careers are affected by chronic illness or disability. She aims to use her medical skills to support others. We have one life, no limits. 

Dr Sally Evans MBE

MBBS, DCH, DRCOG, FRCP, FRCP (Edin), FFOM, DAvMed, FRAeS

After completing general practitioner training, Dr Evans worked for British Airways before moving to the UK CAA. She was the CAA’s Chief Medical Officer between 2005 and 2019 and now works as a CAA Consultant Advisor. 

She chaired the group that drafted the European Union aviation medical requirements and was the founder and Chair of the European Aviation Medical Assessors’ Council. In 2015 she was a member of the EASA Task Force on Measures Following the Accident of Germanwings Flight 9525. She has been a member of the ICAO Medical Provisions Study Group, Deputy Chief Examiner for the Diploma in Aviation Medicine, Vice-Chair of the UK Specialty Advisory Committee in Aviation and Space Medicine and a member of the Air Transport Advisory Board of the UK Aviation Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme. She is an Honorary Civilian Consultant Adviser in Aviation Medicine to the Royal Navy, Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association and Deputy Secretary General of the International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine.

Professor Kevin Fong is a consultant anaesthetist at University College London Hospital in London, England. He holds degrees in Astrophysics and Medicine as well as a masters degree in Astronautics and Space Engineering. He has worked closely with NASA’s Human Adaptation and Countermeasures Office at Johnson Space Center in Houston as a visiting researcher.

At University College London Kevin is Professor of Public Engagement for Science Technology and Medicine within the department of Science, Technology, Education and Public Policy. He also runs an undergraduate course in space medicine and extreme environment physiology. Kevin was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s 2019 Birthday Honours for services to medicine and healthcare. He is currently seconded to NHS England as National Clinical Advisor in Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response for the COVID-19 incident.

Libby Jackson is one of Britain’s leading experts in human spaceflight, having spent over a decade working at the forefront of the field in mission control and management roles.  Libby joined the UK Space Agency in 2014 and currently manages the Human Exploration Programme at the UK Space Agency.  Previously Libby managed the hugely successful education programme for Tim Peake’s mission to the ISS, as well as acting as a spokesperson throughout the mission.   

Libby has had a life-long interest in human spaceflight.  After graduating with a BSc in Physics from Imperial College and a Master’s degree in Astronautics and Space Engineering from Cranfield University, Libby worked for Airbus Defence and Space in satellite operations.  Prior to her time at the UK Space Agency, Libby worked in Mission Control as a flight controller and then Flight Director for the Columbus module, Europe’s laboratory on the ISS.  

Libby is a regular spokesperson for the UK Space Agency on matters relating to human spaceflight and exploration.  She has been a guest on various television and radio programmes, including Stargazing Live, Astronauts: Do you Have What it Takes?, Blue Peter and many national and local news programmes. 

Dr Varsha Jain completed an Intercalated BSc focusing on extreme environments medicine in 2006 from University College London. She graduated medical school from Imperial College London in 2008 and obtained an MSc in Space Physiology and Health from King’s College London in 2012. She has since been awarded an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellowship (2012- 2016) and is currently a Wellbeing of Women Clinical Research Training Fellow. Varsha is actively researching the endometrial phenotype in women with Abnormal Uterine Bleeding at the University of Edinburgh. Alongside her academic pursuits, she is a clinical doctor training in obstetrics and gynaecology. Over the past 13 years, Varsha has paved a research path for herself in women’s health in space. This has involved placements at NASA Johnson Space Center where she worked alongside leading researchers in the field of space medicine to establish an academic approach to women’s health in this niche field.

Current work:
ESA Flight Surgeon
Emergency Physician /PhD candidate
Founder of Outdoor Medicine (non-profit/training /edication wilderness medicien)

Past work/research:
Chief medical officer XCOR (commercial suborbital flight company)
Royal Dutch Airforce, civilian contractor
TNO - project on vestibular adaptation in relation to G forces

Training:
Aerospace medicine (AME, UTMB, ESA/NASA/Roscomos)
Emergency medicine
Fellow Academy of Wilderness Medicine 

Kerryn McGowran is the Director of Nursing – Assistance- EMEA at International SOS.  Since joining International SOS 15 years ago, Kerryn has held progressively more senior roles in medical assistance, with experience working on both corporate and government contracts. She has extensive practical experience as a flight nurse transferring patients on commercial airlines, and implementing the safety standards for medical transportations.  In her current role, she is responsible for the professional leadership of a large team of nursing staff who provide remote medical support and coordination of medical transportations for International SOS clients across EMEA.  

Originally from Western Australia, Kerryn has a Bachelor of Science - Nursing from Curtin University, and a strong background in emergency medicine. She has a Diploma in Tropical Nursing from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and holds a voluntary role as elected Chair for the Royal College of Nursing Critical Care and Flight Nurse forum, supporting 9000 nurses nationally.

David McLoughlin joined the Royal Air Force in 1988 as a medical cadet. After qualifying in medicine from Queens University, Belfast in 1990 he trained as a General Practitioner at RAF Gatow, HQ AFCENT, RAF Marham, and Hinchingbrooke NHS Hospital trust. This was followed by postings to RAF Ascension Island, to RAF Aldergrove and to RAF Henlow. Between 2001 and 2005 he completed higher professional training in Occupational Medicine at the RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine and in the NHS at University Hospital Birmingham. Subsequent appointments included Officer Commanding Aviation Medicine Training Wing and SO1 Medical Operations at HQ Air Command. He completed the Advanced Command and Staff Course with distinction in 2008. Group Captain appointments included President of the RAF Medical Board, the tri-service lead for Aviation Medicine, and AH Medical Commitments in MOD Main Building. He took up the post of Inspector General for the Defence Medical Services on promotion to Air Commodore on 27 Mar 17. During this tour he reviewed primary healthcare performance, investigated suicides in service personnel and created the Defence Medical Services Regulator.  McLoughlin took up his current post of AO Medical Operations on 4 Dec 18 and was also appointed as Head of the RAF Medical Services in Feb 2020.

McLoughlin is a Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners, a Fellow of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. He won the Stewart Memorial prize in 1999, the Royal Society of Medicine United Services section research prize in 2000 and the John Ernsting prize of the US based Aerospace Medicine Association in 2017. His operational experience includes Northern Ireland (a home tour), the Falkland Islands, OP TELIC and OP HERRICK (3 tours). He was awarded the Order of St John in 2005 and the Order of the British Empire in 2014. He has been the RAF Taylor Professor of Occupational Medicine, the Director of Assessment for the national Faculty of Occupational Medicine and President of the Society of Occupational Medicine. He was appointed a Queen’s Honorary Surgeon in 2017.

David is married to Anna, a consultant physician at Cambridge University, and has 2 daughters. His interests include mountain walking, skiing and gardening. He is a chair and trustee of several charities.

Dr Mitchell trained in medicine at the Royal Free Hospital, London gaining a BSc in Clinical Sciences from Imperial College in 1989 and graduating in1990.During this time he was an active member of the London University Air Squadron and gained his PPL in 1992. After general professional training posts, mostly in internal medicine he joined the aircrew systems research team at RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine and DRA Centre for Human sciences in 1994, subsequently initiating his specialist
training in Occupational Medicine which he completed in the NHS at Southampton University Hospitals and the Medical Research Council Environmental Epidemiology Unit.

After joining the CAA Medical Department in 2000, he gained the Diploma in Aviation Medicine and the Certificate inUnderwater Medicine from Aberdeen University. In 2002 he was recruited to become the Lead Occupational Physician for the London Fire Brigade, Greater London Council and London Development Agency, with particular responsibility for the medical aspects of the London Resilience Project. Following this, two years spent with Capita Health Solutions as Southern Client Services Director gave him responsibility for service provision for government departments including the Foreign Office and Home Office, financial and legal institutions in the City of London, and the nuclear industry.

Returning to the CAA in 2006, he has held the positions of Head of the Aeromedical Centre and Occupational Health, Head of Aeromedical Section, Head of Aeromedical Safety Systems and Emerging Technologies, and is presently Head of Medical Policy with a broad remit of activities ranging from EU Exit preparations to medical regulations for human spaceflight in the UK.

Squadron Leader Bonnie Posselt is a medical officer in the Royal Air Force (UK), specialising in Aviation and Space Medicine. Currently undertaking a PhD in human performance using Helmet Mounted Displays in the aviation environment, Bonnie lives in Ohio, working at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

As a member of the medical team for the Austrian Space Forum, Bonnie acted as their doctor in the field for a 5 week Mars simulation mission held in Oman. Subsequently she continues to advocate for improved safety across all analog space missions.  

Bonnie is a graduate of the International Space University Space Studies Programme and is an associate fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association and the Royal Aeronautical Society.

Wing Commander Elaine Rutland MRAeS RAF

Elaine Rutland joined the RAF on a Medical Cadetship prior to a BSc in Aerospace Physiology from King’s College London. Rutland has deployed to the Falkland Islands, Op TELIC and Op HERRICK. 

In 2014 Rutland took up the post of SMO MOD St Athan. Upon completion of the DAvMed in 2016, she was posted to RAF Coningsby as SMO. 

In 2019 Rutland completed the Advanced Command and Staff Course 22 and was awarded both a Master's degree with distinction in Defence Studies and the Cormorant Fellowship Award. 

Rutland teaches on the King’s College London Diploma in Aerospace Medicine on Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Aviators and operational considerations for female aircrew.

In July, Rutland was delighted to fulfil a career-long aspiration by assignment to the Command Flight Medical Officer at RAF CAM.