Dr Stefania Soldini BEng MEng PhD

Personal Statement

Dr Stefania Soldini is Lecturer (Asst. Prof.) in Space Engineering in the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering since September 2019. She is member of the Hayabusa2 Joint Science Team (HJST) as astrodynamics Co-I. Dr Soldini was PI of the "Hayabusa 2" superior solar conjunction mission phase in late 2018. She worked at the JAXA’s Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) from 2016 until 2019 after completing a one year JSPS Postdoc Research Fellowship at the same institution. Dr Soldini received her Ph.D. in October 2016 from the Astronautical Research Group of the University of Southampton, UK after she graduated for both her MSc and BEng degrees in Space and Aerospace Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, Italy. Her research interests are in Astrodynamics, Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) algorithms for proximity operations around small celestial bodies, ejecta particles dynamics, planetary science, space robotics, solar sail technology and AI.

Prizes or Honours

• CD9 Workshop’s Travel Grant (CD9 Committee, 2018)
• European Control Institute’s Financial Support (European Control Institute, 2014)
• JAXA’s External Funding Acquisition Incentive (JAXA, 2017)
• Hayabusa 2 Honor Award (JAXA, 2021)
• Pegasus Award (European certificate, 2012)
• Learning, teaching and Student Experience Award (University of Liverpool, 2022)
• Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JAXA, 2015)
• European Space Agency (ESA)’s Conference Sponsor (European Space Agency, 2013)
• Institution of Engineering and Technology’s Travel Grant (Institution of Engineering and Technology, 2014)
• Aurora Women in Leadership Programme Sponsorship (The academy, 2022)