An Out of This World Presentation
Discover what it takes to live in… space! Dr Jelena Brcic, who leads a Canadian Space Agency-funded project, will talk about the interesting facts about space before moving onto the psychology and stress that astronauts might face. You’ll hear her weave together science, space exploration, and human resilience in extreme environments.
Interactive, accessible, and designed to inspire audiences, at the end of the presentation, you’ll see yourself as capable of doing “hard things”—whether in daily life or while imagining humans on the Moon, and beyond.
Speaker Bio
Dr. Jelena Brcic is an Associate Professor at the University of the Fraser Valley whose research focuses on human behaviour, resilience, leadership, and psychological well-being in extreme and isolated environments. She leads a Canadian Space Agency-funded project (C-STARS) examining astronauts’ stress, coping, and emotional health during long-duration space missions. She also works with volunteer search and rescue organizations across Canada focussing on the recruitment, training, and retention of women volunteers. Jelena is passionate about bringing science to the public, inspiring future explorers, and helping communities understand how people adapt and flourish in the most demanding environments.