Luis Zea

  • Professor Adjunct
  • BIOSERVE SPACE TECHNOLOGIES
Address

Office Location: AERO 315

Focus Area

Bioastronautics

Education

PhD, Aerospace Engineering Sciences – Bioastronautics, University of Colorado Boulder, 2015
MS, Aerospace Engineering – Thermofluids, University of Central Florida, 2008
BS, Mechanical Engineering, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, 2005

Professional Experience

2023 - Present, Professor Adjunct, BioServe Space Technologies, Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
2022 - Present, Senior Program Manager, Sierra Space, Boulder, CO
2018 - 2022, Assistant Research Professor, BioServe Space Technologies, Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
2015 - 2018, Research Associate, BioServe Space Technologies, Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder
2015, Visiting Scientist, Brazilian Space Agency, UFMG Belo Horizonte, Brazil
2014, Visiting Scientist, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center, Cologne, Germany
2010 - 2015, Graduate Research Assistant, BioServe Space Technologies, Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado
2008 - 2010, Heat Transfer Engineer, Siemens Energy, Inc., Orlando, FL
2006 - 2008, Graduate Research Assistant, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
2004 - 2006, Mechanical Engineer, ExxonMobil, Guatemala City, Guatemala

Awards (selected)

Thora Halstead Young Investigator Award, American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR) (2018
International Space Station (ISS) Young Professionals Plenary, ISS R&D Conference (2016)
Among the 25 most influential people in Central America (top 3 scientists), Forbes Mexico (2016)
Emerging Space Leader Award, International Astronautical Federation (2015)
Next Generation Plenary, International Astronautical Federation (2015)
MIT Technology Review Innovator of the Year, Central America Region (2015)
Student Investigator Spaceflight Award, CASIS (2014)
Research Fellowship for Doctoral Candidates and Young Scientists, German Academic Exchange Service (2014)
Orville and Wilbur Wright Graduate Award, AIAA (2013)
International Space Exploration Strategy Group, MIT / Skoltech (2013)
Illustrious Citizen Award, Grupo Universales, Guatemala (2013)
Aerospace Graduate Student Scholarship, University of Colorado, Boulder (2013)
Person of the Year - Science & Technology Category, Corporación de Noticas, Guatemala (2012)
Graduate Student Service Award, University of Colorado, Boulder (2011)

Research Interests

Space biology, gravitational microbiology, space life sciences, biological regenerative life support systems, small satellites, CubeSats, international cooperation for space exploration, STEM outreach, biomining, biology-based in-situ resource utilization (ISRU)