Planetary Scientist and Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Leicester, Suzie Imber is best known for winning BBC Two’s TV Programme, Astronauts, Do You Have What It Takes. During her career, Suzie has programmed supercomputers, helped develop space tourist training programmes, studied the environments of the planets in our solar system and travelled to some of the most inhospitable places on the planet. A specialist in space weather; understanding the impact of the solar wind on the magnetised planets, in particular the Earth and Mercury, Suzie has developed a wide range of knowledge from throughout her career.
She is a Co-Investigator on the X-ray spectrometer onboard the joint ESA/JAXA BepiColombo spacecraft, which is aiming to arrive at Mercury for 2025.
Moreover, Suzie is also known for her adventurous nature, having climbed some of the world’s highest and most challenging mountains. Winner of the BBC’s Astronauts: Do You Have What it Takes, Suzie underwent rigorous training as a contestant on the show, in order to complete the incredibly tough astronaut selection process. Under the supervision of former NASA astronaut Chris Hadfield, Suzie took part in tests that include being spun in a centrifuge, taking her own blood, visited a NASA research facility on the ocean floor, and experienced a microgravity flight.
During her time on the programme she had to demonstrate leadership, communication, calmness under pressure, and the ability to work well in a high-performing team, which provides her with the experience to provide a highly engaging and informative speech on these subjects. An engaging speaker, with exceptional experience in a number of different areas, Suzie is continuously commended for her talks at events, conferences and functions, and has become a hugely popular choice to host, facilitate and provide incredibly insightful keynote speeches uniquely devised in accordance with the audience or event type.
