ABIGAIL HARRISON
Matthew Isakowitz Fellow, Class of 2024
Queen's University, Master of Science in Geography
Wellesley College, Bachelors of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Host Company: Voyager Space
Abby Harrison is a graduate student at Queen’s University studying Arctic region geochemistry as a member of the Facility for Biogeochemical Research on Environmental Change and the Cryosphere (FaBRECC) lab. Previously she has conducted immunology research at Harvard Medical School, astrobiology research at the Space Life Sciences Labs, machine learning research at Wellesley College, and limnology research at Lake Baikal, Siberia. Abby holds a bachelor's degree in biology from Wellesley College. Abby has had a passion for space exploration her entire life and is working towards becoming a NASA astronaut. At 15 years old, Abby served as the Earth Liaison for European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano. She then went on to found and lead The Mars Generation non-profit for 8 years. In 2019, Abby was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for her innovative work with The Mars Generation. Abby is the author of Dream Big: How to Reach for Your Stars, a book that guides young people in developing the skills necessary to achieve their dreams. Recently Abby was a member of the teaching team and Step 1 Review Board for the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program, where she mentored undergraduate students in designing research proposals for the International Space Station. Her students' research will fly aboard Mission 19 in the spring of 2024. Abby is a prolific public speaker and staunch advocate for the future of space exploration and STEM education. She has delivered hundreds of presentations on these subjects, ranging from grade school audiences to the US House of Representatives.
Abby has trained as a pilot, rescue SCUBA diver, and Emergency Medical Technician and is always searching for her next adventure. Abby has studied Mandarin Chinese, Russian, and Spanish and is passionate about all types of collaboration in the space industry, including international and private/public sectors. In her free time she creates educational videos and content on social media to excite more people about space and science. You can join Abby on her journey to become an astronaut by following her at @astronautabbyofficial.