SPILKIN
Projects
Social Impact & STEM
Assistant Project Manager for the Canadian Analog Research Expedition (CAN-ARX) with SEDS Canada
Throughout 2023 into 2024, I served as the assistant project manager for CAN-ARX (Canadian Analog Research Expedition), an initiative by SEDS Canada. This campaign brought together 16 young researchers from Ontario and Alberta to the Parc National des Grands-Jardins in Charlevoix for a unique simulation of space mission activities. Taking place from August 12 to 16, 2024, the mission tested innovative technologies in an environment resembling extra-terrestrial conditions. This location, formed by a meteorite impact, offers ideal conditions for planetary science experiments.
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Two primary teams participated in this initiative were StellarScope and Mission SpaceWalker.​ StellarScope Team (McMaster University): Developed a portable, modular radio telescope capable of observing molecular hydrogen, critical for understanding star formation. Their innovative design prioritizes portability and usability. Mission SpaceWalker (University of Alberta): Focused on sustainable technology and biomedical applications, they tested a foldable wind turbine for energy generation and devices for monitoring physiological stress and environmental parameters. Their solutions aim to benefit both space missions and isolated Earth communities.
The mission also highlighted community engagement and career development opportunities. Participants presented their projects to the public during a "Demo Day" at Baie-Saint-Paul, fostering local interest in space exploration. The collaboration between SEDS Canada and Charlevoix's Living Lab underlined the expedition's broader goals of advancing science, technology, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
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Read more about CAN-ARX 2024 in le Charlevoisien
Une mission spatiale dans Charlevoix
Sustainable Martian Technology Hackathon
As a co-organizer representing the Mars Society of Canada, I am collaborating with PolyOrbite and Astrolith, an interdisciplinary research unit specializing in space resources and infrastructure engineering, to present the 2025 Sustainable Martian Technology Hackathon (SMTH2025). The SMTH2025 will be held at Polytechnique Montréal in Spring 2025, and is Canada’s first hackathon dedicated to sustainable Martian technologies. The event is designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as well as recent graduates (within 12 months of finishing at a Canadian university), aiming to build entrepreneurial skills by developing innovative technological solutions for future space missions.