Dr. Tanya Harrison is a planetary scientist, future-focused science strategist, author, and one of the world’s go-to voices on Mars and space exploration. Dr. Tanya Harrison started out her career as a “Professional Martian,” working in science and mission operations on multiple NASA missions to Mars, including the Opportunity, Curiosity, and Perseverance rovers, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. She then moved closer to home to become the Director of Strategic Science Initiatives at Planet, and Senior Science Advisor at GHGSat. Tanya holds a Ph.D. in Geology with a Specialization in Planetary Science and Exploration from the University of Western Ontario, a Masters in Earth and Enviromental Sciences from Wesleyan University, and a B.Sc. in Astronomy and Physics (dual major) from the University of Washington. Her honours include two NASA Group Achievement Awards, the Amelia Earhart Fellowship for women in aerospace and the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, Canada’s most prestigious doctoral award. She was also named a Future Space Leader in 2019. In 2023, she was inducted into The Explorers Club as part of EC50, an annual selection of 50 “extraordinary people who are doing remarkable work to promote science and exploration.” 

Passionate about increasing inclusion and accessibility in the space sector based on her own experiences as a queer person with Crohn’s Disease and Ankylosing Spondylitis, Tanya co-founded the Zed Factor Fellowship to connect students from historically excluded backgrounds with paid internships in aerospace. She has also been an active mentor for students through groups such as the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, the Zenith Canada Pathways Fellowship, and the Brooke Owens Fellowship. She currently resides in Ottawa, Canada, but can often be found on a train somewhere.