Team Members
SYNERGY MOON is unique in that its members personify an eccentric, electrifying merge of the arts and sciences. Our spirit is one of social entrepreneur meets extreme adventurer, approaching the world with the creative drive of an artist and the problem solving skills of an engineer.
Team Leads
Team Aerospace Advisor Mike Vucelich
Mike Vucelich, who led the Apollo XIII rescue mission,is a Serbian engineer born in Croatia. His Space experience includes work at North American, Rockwell and NASA. He retired after the last successful Apollo/Soyuz mission. He worked with Wernher von Braun, Kurt Debus, and other NASA greats, and now is a successful and honored businessman.
Team Management
Miroslav Ambruš-Kiš
Synergy Moon Team Leader
Teaching all grades, journalist, reporter, newspapers editor, graphic design, personal computing pioneer, computing magazines pioneer, PostScript pioneer, art director, adventure traveller, high mountin climber (Himalaya, Andes...), interested in all kind of natural and social sciences, technic, art, portrait and nature photographer, travel and war zones correspondent, future astronaut.
Miroslav Ambruš-Kiš's Specialties:
Integration of different skills to unique products and various genres of presentation, wizzard in using creative software of different kinds (Adobe Suite, 3D software, communication tools, photo and video editing, graphic design)
Croatia
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Kevin Myrick
People first went to the moon during my first year in high school (1968), and the last man left the moon during my first year in college (1972). I want to be involved in getting back to the moon, to stay! I am the founder and CEO of InterPlanetary Ventures.
Our Mission and Motto is Getting People Into Space! The Google Lunar X PRIZE provides an excellent opportunity to get people interested and involved once again in space exploration and development.
I am both an artist and a technologist. I have worked as a theatrical technical director, lighting and multimedia designer, and videographer. I also work in Information Technology, experienced in both hardware and software systems. I have a B.Sc. in Computer Science, a Bachelors in Information Technology, working as a Technology Manager, Computer Systems Analyst, Systems and Operations Manager, Applications and Systems Programmer, and Software Development Manager. I am currently taking courses in Space Studies. I have over 30 years experience as both Artist and Technologist, I am an alumni member of the US National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE).
United States of America show bio
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Azur Dervišagić
Born 03.26.1978 in Tuzla, ex-Yugoslavia. During his early life he lived in Bosnia & Herzegovina and Croatia, where he also received his early education. In 1997 after the Balkan wars he moved to United States of America. Azur Dervisagic is a Brand Identity Designer, Interpreter, Event Organizer, Adventurer, Tour Operator and an Entrepreneur.
From 1997 to 2007 he worked as an interpreter and a tour operator. During this time he continued on his higher education and worked as a event organizer, where he had an opportunity to work with numerous artists and other event organizers form around the world.
In 2007 he co-founded Human Synergy Project, an international organization of artists, scientist and filmmakers who try to bridge the gap between our societies by spreading ecological and sociological awareness through merging of art, science and global community.
In 2008 Azur co-founded Synergy Moon, an international team of scientists and artists who are competing in the Google Lunar X Prize, a $30 million international competition to safely land a robot on the surface of the Moon, travel 500 meters over the lunar surface, and send images and data back to the Earth.
Azur encourages international, interdisciplinary collaborations and innovations as he brings together fusion of space, art, and humanity, coalescing for on the ground beneficial changes for the whole human family. A space enthusiast since early childhood Azur also participated in NASA'a Phoenix Mission to Mars as a part of Messages from Earth Program. Experience that later led to the creation of Lunar Art Capsule.
In 2010 he started the Lunar Art Capsule project. In conjunction with Synergy Moon, the Art Capsule will deliver a payload of digital art and messages to our only natural satellite. It's an open global call for submissions to anyone who wishes to be immortalized on the lunar surface. A DVD containing all sorts of digital media will be installed on the Team Synergy Moon rover. The Art Capsule is also a very powerful educational tool. Primary and secondary school students find ample motivation to produce work when they know there’s a chance it could be displayed on the moon.
Azur is currently working on multiple global projects where he is constantly collaborating and networking with other free thinkers around the world. One of these projects is The 2012 Gathering. Set in mysterious Guatemala, and hosted by Human Synergy Productions. The 2012 Gathering will take place in the last two weeks of December, 2012. The legend behind 12-21-12 will set the scene for a festival of events memorializing ancient knowledge and mankind’s bond with the heavens.
Azur Dervisagic believes that the challenges facing humanity in today’s world can only be overcome by working together through awareness projects and widespread education on a global level. We are in the midst of a new culture developing, one of unprecedented dedication and responsibility to each other and our planet.
For more information please visit:
http://www.humansynergyproject.net/
http://www.synergymoon.com/
United States of America show bio
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Nebojša Stanojević
Born 13.08.1969. in Sarajevo, ex-Yugoslavia, lived in Tuzla till '92. He emigrated to South Africa in '92. because of the war in ex - Yugoslavia. Nebojša Stanojević is an Adventurer, Documentary Filmmaker, Editor, Producer, and a devoted Explorer. Since 1992 until now, he worked as an Producer, Director and Editor on numerous Video Productions for many worldwide events including: Miss World 1993, HH Dalai Lama, Elton John, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, Bryan Adams, Natalie Cole, Gipsy Kings, David Copperfield, Africa Aids Concert, President Nelson Mandela's Inauguration Ceremony, etc...
He produced more than 40 Commercials, Music Videos, TV series around the world. From 1997 until 2005 he worked as an Assistant Editor and Editor on several Feature Films. He is supporting non-profit activities regarding Art, Children and Education, as well.
In 2004 he started a project to produce TV Series called Around The World - First Bosnian Expedition. original title: Put Oko Svijeta - Prva BiH Ekpedicija. For that project he sailed from Croatia to Thailand, then Costa Rica, crossing Red Sea and Indian ocean on a 30ft (~9m) sailing Boat. During that period Nebojša produced 24 Episodes which were screened on BHT1 (Bosnian state TV, PBS ). Because of nature of travel and production, often the episodes was aired with a just a few days delay after filming, sort of "Reality Show", which required great deal of coordination and working under time pressure and stress.
Nebojša Stanojević :
"After the war People, especially the youth in my country suffers from the restriction of the freedom to travel, they have hardly opportunities to learn and to understand foreign cultures. Also ethnic groups in my country live very much separated. The aim of this program was to bridge different cultures closer, in my own country and as well to world audience. After filming one episode in a School in Sudan, I got following E-Mail from one little Sudanese boy.
" Thank you so much for the video! I am Sudanese and I immensely appreciate education and how it can uplift you from poverty...
Thank you as you have given me another reason to get up in the morning, Thank you.... "
...To me this is the biggest reward I received so far and he encouraged me with my idea for my new projects."
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Business Development
Maria Catalina
Maria Catalina is developing international business partnerships and relationships for Synergy Moon. Maria is one of the founders of the Moon Mars Atacama Research Stations project currently active in Chile, which will include Astrobiology research facilities and high fidelity lunar and martian habitat simulations.
Maria is the founder of Global Unified Earth Systems Studies (GUESS), the parent organization with two active divisions: Astronaut Teacher Alliance (ATA), involved in professional development for teachers, and Space Port Academy which provides Education for the Space Generation. She is an Astrobiology researcher, a NASA Solar System Ambassador, and also the team's educational outreach advisor.
United States of America show bio
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Boris Petrovic
Boris Petrovic is a relative and a fan of Nikola Tesla. He is also an Artist and Technologist, with additional education and experience in business entrepreneurship and finance. He worked in a number of tech start-ups focused on embedded and automation systems as a software engineer and architect.
Most recently he had an experience as a project manager in implementation of commercial building automation systems as well as strategic planning in local economic development for USAID in Belgrade, Serbia. He is also an accomplished digital artist, working with electronic music, video and digital imaging. Boris is an associate of the "Nikola Tesla" Society in Serbia.
Serbia show bio
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Launch Provider Interorbital Systems
Randa Milliron
Interorbital Systems' co-founder, is also the corporation's Chief Executive Officer. Confident in positions of leadership, her professional experience spans the television and film industries, and academia. She has served as a Television News Director and Producer at the US Military Station, AFN Berlin.
For over a decade, Ms. Milliron has taught television production and communication courses at colleges in Europe and America, and is currently on faculty with the University of Phoenix. Randa holds a BA in Psychology and an MA in Linguistics from Duquesne University. An award-winning television director/producer, Randa is in charge of all promotion, marketing and public relations. She is also involved in the aerospace engineering assembly and design, specializing in high temperature composite materials.
United States of America show bio
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Roderick Milliron
Roderick Milliron is Interorbital Systems Chief Propulsion Engineer and Rocket Systems Designer and President. He is primarily responsible for propulsion system design, overall rocket systems design, and software design. He has more than 23 years of experience in the aerospace industry, primarily in the areas of software development and rocket engine hardware development.
Prior to co-founding Interorbital Systems Corporation, Mr. Milliron co-founded Cyberplex Systems, an engineering application software development company. From 1979-1984, Mr. Milliron was a Radar Systems Engineer at Grumman Aerospace Corporation, Bethpage, New York. At Grumman, he was involved in Airborne Early Warning (AEW) tracking algorithm and software development. He also worked on passive detection system (PDS) algorithm and software development as well as an interactive Battlefield Simulator. Between 1984-1987, he was a Software Systems Engineer at General Dynamics Corporation in Pomona, California. At General Dynamics, he was involved in software development for various terrestrial and space surveillance projects. His extensive software engineering experience is currently being applied to the development of a novel low-cost inertial measurement unit (IMU), guidance system software, and various rocket control system software. Roderick has also been independently designing, building and testing liquid rocket engines and space launch vehicles for the past 20 years. He has also taught Chemistry at California State University, Los Angeles, and at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Roderick is a frequent guest speaker at national and international space conferences.
United States of America show bio
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Telecommunications
Marc Posen
Mark Posen is the Managing Director and Principal Consultant of RPC Telecommunications Ltd. in the UK and Director and Principal Consultant of RPC Telecommunications Asia Pacific Pty. Ltd. in Australia. He has substantial professional experience in the satellite telecommunications industry since 1983.
Prior to going into the private consulting business, Mark was an engineering manager with British Telecommunications PLC where he held a number of posts including Head of Satellite Systems Consulting Group and Satellites and Lines Development Advisor.
He is very experienced in the interference management, international and national regulation and frequency coordination of satellite telecommunications networks. He is an expert on the Radio Regulations and associated procedures of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and, on behalf of a number of national telecommunications administrations, has been responsible for making and coordinating ITU satellite filings and providing representation at an international level. Mark Posen is a Chartered Engineer, listed on the professional register of the UK Engineering Council and is a Corporate Member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers.
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Gerard Auvray
Gerard Auvray is a French electronics engineer and for my hobby I build amateur satellites. This last 2 years he was president of AMSAT-F. In 1993 he was responsible of the payload of the satellite ARSENE launched by Ariane. In 1997, 1998 and 1999 he built the 3 small replicas of Spoutnik launched during EVA from MIR.
IN 2002 , they launch 2 payloads from the third stage of an Ariane Rocket. Today, he is building a solar sail named Libellule (Dragonfly). Gerard also supports 2 french project of student picosatellites.
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Vilko Klein
Information Systems Department Manager, Master in Aeronautical Engineering, PPL pilot (300 hours since 1994)
My graduate work is "Options and guidelines for the development of wireless digital aeronautical telecommunication links".
I have idea how to resolve "last fly mile problem" at least over continental regions. Idea is to use existing technologies modified in way of using different licensed frequencies, more RF ERIP and adding of new routing protocol which I've called 4D TCP/IP protocol. Such protocol could accelerate propagation of data packets trough dynamical environment. Part of my ideas I've presented at ESAVS conference in Berlin 2010. Idea started in year 2003, as employee of Rudjer Boskovic Institute, my colleagues and me have connected Cessna 172 over Zagreb over area of 10x10 km with WLAN Cisco equipment (Airenot 350 WLAN bridge 50 mW). We've put real-time video streaming through it, and everything worked. Here is a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwFpHbBV1no
Few years later, my colleague Ph.D. Doris Novak, http://tkojetko.irb.hr/en/znanstvenikDetalji.php?sifznan=16221
and me have made new test with scanning steerable directed antennae. With similar technology (802.11b, 50 mW) we achieved even better results. Distance of 17 km have been achieved. Here is video from Croatian public TV:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGSjZbVkDtg&feature=player_embedded
We are trying to continue our R&D. Current work is finalizing of article for The Journal of Navigation (Cambridge University Press) with Mr. Novak and Mr Tomo Radišić.
Croatia show bio
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Team Autonomous Exploration Technology Consultant Martin Peniak
I'm PhD candidate at the University of Plymouth doing research in artificial intelligence. In my second year I took a distant astronomy course at the University of Manchester, which farther boosted my interest in astronomy, (which has become my main hobby, particularly astrophotography). This led to my final project being all about Mars and autonomous rovers that can navigate over unknown terrains. The main deliverable of this project was only a 3d physical model of a Mars rover, however, things were going better than expected so we started additional work to make the rover autonomous. We have also researched different ways to tackle obstacle avoidance, which can be found in Adaptive Sensing and Active Vision subsections. After completing my undergraduate degree I was awarded a Revell Research Systems prize for being a top final year student on the BSc(Hons) Computing programme. I was also awarded a 3-years PhD studentship on iTalk project, doing research in artificial intelligence, using massively paralleel processing with NVIDIA Tesla 20-series GPGPU processors.
Bipin Agravat, Technical Manager, Tesla Prospector Prototype Development
Bipin is an innovator, mentor, and educator by nature, technocrat and entrepreneur by profession (information, communication, space technology), and an engineer and manager by educational qualification. He uses observation, imagination, and visionary skills to predict the future project, technology, and startup market (web, mobile, wireless). Above all he is a human being; Productive, Contributive, Creative. His specialties include: innovative product development, team building, plan development, and fundraising for startups, strategic business development, mergers acquisition and expansion, and mentoring and teaching in business management.
He is founder of Willager which engages in technology development in software applications for the web and mobile multimedia. He is founder of SpacecampingIn which engages in space related hands on activity, workshops, competition, and seminars. He is founder of Ability which engages in next generation smart interactive applications that combine text, voice, and interactions to deliver educational communication and content effectively and productively.
Bipin is active in innovative product development: Mobile, Web, and Software. He provides special service to startup companies, incubators, and angel investors for their software needs. He is a winner of 4 multinational awards for his innovation in mobile applications, desktop applications for communication, mobile educational projects for the general public, and innovative uses of voice and text for content deployments.
Capt. Stjepan Bedic, Project Manager
Born in 1980 in Croatia. An aviation and aerospace enthusiast since early ages. Member of many aeroclubs even as a kid, later continued his dream and became an bacc. ing. aeronaut. and an airline transport pilot. As a top student, he was invited to work on a full time basis in flight preparation department in Croatia Airlines (2 years, during study), he was invited to work on a mathematic modelling of aircraft performace in Eurocontrol Experimental Centre in Paris, and later he became the youngest Captain on a large airliner in the region,
aged 27. Completed many courses in Quality Management, Safety, Security etc. , worked as a deputy Quality Manager in Dubrovnik Airline, part of a national board for development of flight and duty time regulations
for the crews, navigation procedures etc. Co owner of an aviation consulting company and a Mensa member.
Experienced in creating complex airpalne models, and was involved in design and test flight of one ultralight aircraft. Will give his heart and mind to follow the dream, to participate in a project advancing humanity into space.
Lunar Exploration Technology
Zeljko Mogoros
Tesla Prospector Rover Designer
Ing. Zeljko Mogoros is the leader of the Moon rover team from AU Vidulini group. I was born 1947 in small industrial town Belišće in Croatian inlands, in after-WWII Yugoslavia. When I was 12 years old on the attic of our house I have found parts of "detector", a simple radio instrument that was used by my brother and uncle during WW II to listen to BBC Radio during the Nazi occupation. In a short time I have put parts quickly together - and it was working! This piece of electronics carved my future.
I became a member "Nikola Tesla" Radio Club in Valpovo. From the old American military trasmitters we took parts and made our own short-wave radio stations.
Sometimes around 1962 I have started working on my mid-wave tramsmitter which helped me to occasionally broadcast rock and roll music for my fellow citizens.
After that I have built electric guitars and amplifiers for my future band.
Here I'd love to mention my cousins Josip and Ivo, most probably pioneers of radio technology and amplified guitars in neighbourhood of my born town. At the end of 40s in their house they were playing their own built radio and Hawaian guitars the they have built by themselves.
The highchool for mechanic works I have graduated in 1966 and after that 1st degree of electronics in Osijek.
In the year 1969 I have moved to Germany where I worked for ITT Schaub Lorenz -- today under the hood of Alcatel corporation -- in R&D lab for navigation and remote directed links. Among others I have colaborated in developing of exit stage of transmitter for Apollo Program.
In the year 1980 I have exibited in Rijeka on the Rast Yu Innovation Exhibition my wireless selective call-system of transmitter-pager. The biggest electronic company in Croatia of that time RIZ (today humble Elkom elektronika from Zagreb) has bought my whole developing project. With the money earned I have bought expensive professional HiFreq measuring gear for my own lab.
Under the brand Microset telekomunikacije we produced the whole palette of telecom devices in small series.
In the year 1986 the company Patent from Osijek purchased my whole production, and I worked there as a chief of developing team for all products, including telecommunications. In the year 1991 all the company moves from continental Croatia to Istria peninsula to continue with production, but not for the long time. War has broken in former Yugoslavia, and the market for out products was closed.
In the meantime I have developed amplifier for 900 MHz which was built to wireless telephone sets.
The year 2002 gave me a job in Novigrad, tiny ild town on western Istria Adriatic seashore. Here Solaris company manufactures photovoltaic modules. There I have developed my own robotic blow torch machine for soldering of solar cells.
In the year 2004 back to continent again.
The agriculture and food corporation PPK Valpovo established R&D lab. I was the leader of that department up to year 2008 and retirement, whe I have decided to come back and permanently settle in Istria.
At last, in year 2006 my grandson and I had on the innovations show our first small remote controlled, partly autonomous solar robot. It had navigation camera and robotic hand. At that time this piece of work nobody noticed, but we knew it's real value, and we still have enthusiasm to push such systems to greater sofistication.
Croatia show bio
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Marino Tumpic
Tesla Prospector Rover Development
Morino is a Project Leader at Astronomical Association Vidulini. Our mission is to design, build, use and use of various technical creation, conducting research and educational activities in order to create the space program and the Croatian Agency for space exploration. Our objectives are: education and popularization of space technology, design, fabrication, (launch) and maintenance of models, models, technology demonstrators and prototypes of functional and operational technical creation of various types of underwater, water, surface water, atmospheric and spacecraft.
Croatia
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Zorislav Sojat
Zorislav Sojat finished high education as a Professor of General Linguistics and Socio-Humanistic Informatics on the Faculty of Philosophy of Zagreb University, Croatia. His main field of interest is Cybernetics, and he applies Cybernetic principles in scientific research in the area of computer science and intelligence stimulation.
He is a co-founder of the World Association for Cybernecits, Informatics and System Sciences (TAKIS), and was for a long period member of the TAKIS Presidency. He was and is active on many international workshops, symposia and congresses, giving lectures for different auditoriums, and is a member of several Croatian and international scientific and expert associations. He tightly connects cybernetics with work on modern data processors. He started with computer programming in late 1974, and designs and develops hardware and software from 1975 (1976 - a first micro-computer controlled e-classroom; 1980ies. From 1989 till 1991 he lived in London, and, in connection with the Imperial College of London, worked on robotics and numerical control of machine tools. Some of his work in robotics was awarded. During the London period he was the President of the Sub-committee for Robot Languages of the British Standard Institute (BSI), representing Great Britain in ISO committees on Robotics and Machine Tools. From 1991 till 2000 he was Assistant Professor for APL, Lisp and Robot Languages on the Department of Information Science of the Zagreb University Faculty of Philosophy. He speaks Croatian, German, English, Esperanto Italian, Dutch and French.
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Rameesha De Silva
Tesla Surveyor Rover Research
Rameesha De Silva has a B.Sc. in Engineering (hons), and an Mphil, and is currently a research engineer at the Arthur C Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies. His research includes design and development of Mobile Manipulators and embedded controllers. He previously worked as a visiting lecturer, University of Moratuwa.
He has participated in several international robotics competitions like Techfest and Robocon, and won best design award. He is a consultant in Vishwa Consultants and Services (Pvt) Ltd where he is designs Mechantronics and automation solutions to industrial problems.
Srilanka show bio
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David Galea
David Galea is a Science Teacher at Baden Powell College in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He is working with our lander development group as a lead researcher and computer systems designer.
Australia
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Christopher Heistand
Christopher Heistand, a senior computer science major at the University of Maryland is leading a team to develop the Tesla Prospector Rover. After his undergrad he is going to be a Operations Analyst in the United States Air Force.
United States of America
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Lunar Science and Exploration
Sayandeep Khan
Sayandeep Khan was born on July 22, 1989, in India, in the city Kalyani, province West Bengal. He was raised in a town called Ranaghat, in West Bengal, India. Presently he is an undergraduate college student at Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany.
His interests mostly lie in Particle Dynamics: Classical and Mechanical, Matter Dynamics, Nature and Properties of Energy and Work, Planetary Geoscience, Space Science and finally Cosmology as a whole. He intensively studies all areas of engineering, ornithology, entomology, and exploratory biology.
India show bio
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Brian White Shiro
Principle Investigator for Lunar Science for Team SYNERGY MOON. Brian is a geophysicist currently working for NOAA in the US. He has a bachelor's degree in geology, physics, and integrated science and a master's degree in earth & planetary sciences, and is working on another master's degree in space studies.
Brian has previously attended the International Space University summer session. Most of his work experience is in geophysics research (basic and applied) including seismology, InSAR, GPS, and exploration geophysics. Brian has extensive field experience installing seismic stations and is very interested in helping set up a new lunar seismic network. "I'm excited about all things related to space exploration and willing to learn new skills to help advance humanity's exploration of its nearest neighbor."
United States of America
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Technology Development and Mission Operations Systems
Dr. Edin Omerdić, BEng., MEng., PhD.
Simulation and Operations Systems Design.
Edin was born in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1968. Edin has received the Dipl. Eng. and M.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, in 1997 and 2001 respectively, and Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Wales, Newport, South Wales, United Kingdom in 2004.
He is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Mobile & Marine Robotics Research Group, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland. His research interests include nonlinear ship motion, design of intelligent autopilot for ship control, implementation of neural networks and fuzzy logic in intelligent systems, development and design of fault diagnosis and accommodation system for over-actuated open-frame underwater vehicles, and development and design of guidance, navigation and control system for AUVs.
Edin has just completed his latest project, the MPPT Ring. MPPT Ring is a multipurpose platform product, which enables easy system integration, planning, simulation, training, fault tolerant control, enhanced operator interface, auto enhanced survey execution and offline analysis of subsea operations.
Bosnia & Herzegovina show bio
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Anthony Bradley
Born in Wiesbaden Germany, Anthony Bradley grew up overseas and did not reach the USA until my early teens. He entered the Navy where he served as a navigator, rescue swimmer, and sharp shooter. After the military, he moved to Richmond Virginia and became a father. He then began my second phase of public service by joining a local volunteer rescue squad.
His time and training there set the foundation for a career in public safety, beginning with the police department as a communications specialist. After four years of in the local police department, Brian landed his dream job with the fire department where he worked as a Medic/Firefighter/Rescue diver and eventually began to teach in the fire academy. In 2001, after suffering severe and debilitating electrocution injuries while battling a fire, his life changed forever. To try to overcome the pain, he turned to my artwork. To use the phrase that artistic expression "opened the flood gates" is a true understatement. The artwork produced by Gravity Well is inspired by the collective experiences He had over the past 43 years on planet Earth.
United States of America show bio
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Sheelagh Sacks
Sheelagh Sacks works with Team SYNERGY MOON as a Systems Analyst.
United States of America
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Sultan S. Al-Sharif
Team SYNERGY MOON Computer Systems Analyst
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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Abdullah Algahtani
Team SYNERGY MOON Computer Systems Analyst
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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Andreas Hornig
Science-Application, Astrogation, Distributed Computing with BOINC
I have always been fascinated by the genre of science-fiction since I
was a kid. This somehow influenced me and made me enthusiastic about
space-exploration. But the spark for my decision to study aerospace
engineering was ignited during the time of the Mars Pathfinder Mission
in 1997 and after reading "The Case for Mars" by Robert Zubrin & Richard
Wagner when I was in a German gymnasium.
I finally studied aerospace engineering at the University of Applied
Sciences in Bremen (Germany) and did my diploma-thesis in developing a
method for ascend trajectory optimization in 2009.
As a space and planet Mars enthusiast and positive thinking pragmatist I
want to participate in creating a good and liveable future in the best
traditions of Gene Roddenberry and other Sci-Fi authors for our and
following generations and exploring our Moon and the space beyond is one
part of creating solutions of possible problems the human kind will
encounter.
Germany
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Tater Schuld
With a deep interest in aerospace technology, Tater Schuld has held the office of president at the local model rocket club. He has experience in supersonic rocket flights, research and testing of rocket designs, use of composites, electronics payloads, biological payloads, terrestrial rovers and scale prototypes.
United States of America
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Virtual Reality Developers
Benjamin Swem
Ben is working as the Team SYNERGY MOON vehicle simulations programmer and conceptual designer. He manages our Second Life virtual world headquarters.
United States of America
Angele Lubin
Second Life Architect and technology resource for our SL Headquarters.
Angele's company offers beautiful homes with layers upon layers of rich realistic textures to give each article they make the look and feel of authenticity. They design and build... anything from home decor, furniture, amazing homes, stores, buildings of all styles. They provide content for online grids. They also design and build websites and offer other alternatives to Second Life. All things pertaining to Grids, they are highly experienced and proficient in attaining client goals. They provide scenes that can be purchased for one particular event or photograph, offering a large variety. AARISS is found on Maryport Region, in Second Life. Come see the most detailed precise building in Second Life!
United States
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Buffy Bye
Virtual World Architect.
I joined Second Life in August 2006 after reading about it in a Popular Science magazine and it spurred me enough to dare try an online "game". It's not a game, and I've never looked back.
Second Life is a virtual world which mirrors the real world, and I'm there for the serious side of virtual reality. I believe virtual worlds will play a major part in expanding education and creating global communities of like-minded people, but I have a lot of fun flying around as 'Buffy Beale', a green fairy-martian with dainty wings in a tie-dyed jumpsuit and cool runners.
An advocate for nonprofits in Second Life, I'm on the Management, Mentor, and Design teams for the 'Nonprofit Commons' - free virtual office space for nonprofits from around the world provided by 'TechSoup'; I manage the 'Bridges for Women' virtual office where I volunteer in real life as Technology Advisor for this small but gutsy nonprofit based in Victoria BC Canada, servicing women who have suffered from abuse; and, I love that we can fly in Second Life, and am a proud member of the performing arts troupe 'ZeroG Skydancers', under the direction of DanCoyote Antonelli as Training Director and Ace Flyer, new show season opening soon.
I have meet many people in Second Life from around the world and I love my friends, they are my virtual family. Virtual yes, but these are heart-to-heart, and mind-to-mind connections; I'm a believer in the immersive experience and I know that virtual reality has the potential to play a major role in shaping global communities of the future.
One of my many connections in Second Life resulted in an invitation that made my mouth drop open with astonishment. A friend, Angele Lubin, a virtual world expert, is heading up the virtual team for Synergy Moon, a team competing for the Google Lunar X Prize, and Angele invited me to join her. Exciting! My little avatar is going to the moon and beyond, I had no idea Second Life would take me so far. Though Angele, I met Commander Maria Catelina, founder of 'Astronaut Teacher Alliance' (ATA) and co-founder of 'Moon Mars Atacama Research Stations' (MMARS) who invited me to join her as well. I don't know where these projects will lead me but I know it will be an amazing adventure.
As an aside, I played another game called Urgent Evoke and came out BuffyB, MegaHero Social Innovator, ACTIVATED; this has inspired me to start my personal campaign JoinMe JoinUs which is to inspire ordinary people to make a difference, however small for the good life in all.
My story is different, because I'm not a gamer and these games, and contacts I've met in them, have changed my life. The future is virtual with much change in research, education and outreach to isolated people. If possible, I'd like to have my avatar as the guest speaker, coming live to you from Second Life. This way I wouldn't have to travel and I could invite a few friends to join me in the virtual audience.
Buffy, retired early 1n 2009 from a lifelong career in computer technology, with the Ontario and British Columbia provincial governments with positions ranging from User and Network Support, Programmer, Software Instructor, to her final position as Service Integration Engineer managing large-scale high profile implementations for IT services.
Buffy Bye is a futurist who, since 2006 when she joined Second Life, has believed that virtual reality will change how we interact with the world in education, research and connecting global communities. Flying around as a martian fairy in a tie-dyed jumpsuit, she is an advocate for non-profits, assisting TechSoup at the Nonprofit Commons in Second Life on the Management, Mentor and Development teams since it opened in 2007. The Nonprofit Commons hosts over 100 free office space for non-profits from around the world and continues to expand. She manages the Bridges for Women virtual office there, as a long-time volunteer in real life for this gusty non-profit on the Board of Director's as their Technology Advisor. She is theTraining Director and Ace Flyer for the ZeroG Skydancers, a Second Life performing arts troupe often compared to Cirque Du Soleil.
It is her belief that one day all non-profits will join together to be one voice of many causes for the goodness in life for all.
Little did she know that playing a game would end up taking her to the moon and beyond and she is very excited to be part of this team.
Canada
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Multimedia Artist
Helena Bulaja
Helena Bulaja was born in Split, Croatia in 1971, and was educated in History of Art and Comparative Literature at Zagreb University.
She worked as an art director, designer and illustrator for various computer magazines, and started her career as a digital artist in 1995.
In 1996 on Salon of the Young Artists in Zagreb, together with Petar Grimani and Zvonimir Bulaja, she exhibited the first interactive Internet installation in Croatia entitled "...lOok ... wwwsculpture ... Freedom in the City or Just an Illusion". Web pages of the project were recommended at Geocities.com, Hotwired.com etc.
In 1997 the project continued on the Salon of Architecture in Zagreb, where she made an Installation ..."lOok"...WWWSCULPTURE ... introducing real space to cyberspace and vice versa - METAPHORS", experimenting with telepresence and urban space improvement through the use of the new technologies. Web pages of the project were presented at Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria, in Net Art selection.
In 1999 with her husband Zvonimir she founded a publishing company 'Alt F4 - Bulaja naklada', which became the leading Croatian multimedia and CD-ROM publishing house. The company had its first success with the edition "Classics of Croatian Literature", a collection of Croatian literature classics in e-book form. The CDs are still national bestsellers.
In 2000 she started the most successful Croatian interactive project: a collection of animated and interactive stories "Croatian Tales of Long Ago", based on a fairytale book with the same title written in 1916 by Ivana Brlić Mazuranic, "the Slavic Tolkien", one of the most famous Croatian literature classics. The project won about 30 international awards and recognitions, at the animation and new media festivals worldwide, including the most important ones (San Francisco, Rio de Janeiro, Montreux, Toronto, Austin, Zagreb, Annecy, Hamburg, Ottawa, Seoul...). Helena gathered together creative teams from Australia, USA, Canada, Germany, France, Russia, England, Denmark and Croatia, and each team transferred one of eight fairy tales from this famous book into the digital world, with complete creative freedom. There were more than hundred people involved in this project: animators, illustrators, musicians, programmers etc. The project was a unique step towards exploring the relation between digital media and traditional, classic literature. It was also done in the unique way, with 8 independent teams of collaborators from all around the world, whose work was coordinated on the Internet. CD-ROMs "Croatian Tales of Long Ago" (Part One and Part Two) were claimed to be the most important project in Croatian animation and cinematography of the decade, of the 21st century etc, by the leading Croatian media.
For this project Helena authored, directed and animated the cartoon "Regoch", awarded at International Family Film Festival 2007 in Hollywood (best foreign short animation), and selected and screened at Euroshorts 2006, Warsaw, Reel Women Film Festival 2007, Los Angeles, AFIA 2007 in Aarhus, Denmark, and Interfilm 2007 in Berlin. At Imagining Ourselves Online Film Festival 2007 in San Francisco "Regoch" was voted second best European short film by the Internet audience.
From 2007 "Bulaja naklada" started a new series of publications based on the project: each tale is to be published as a special "deluxe" edition that includes a book, DVD, CD and other surprises and activities. Helena's design of the first book/package from the series, "Stribor's Forest" based on the cartoon by the Scottish animator Alistair Keddie, is the only book that won two "Kiklop" awards, which is the most prestigeous Croatian book award given at Pula Book Fair: best children book and best design. At the end of 2008 the second pack from the series was released: "Neva" based on the cartoon by Canadian Edgar Beals, with even more innovative concept and design.
Helena's new project - started in 2005 - experimental interactive film "Mechanical Figures - twentythousandcycles.NET" is inspired by Nikola Tesla. The main focus of the project is exploration of the process of creativity. Helena again gathered an impressive team if international authors. The project moves the boundaries of the digital media, in the space between the Internet, film and performance. Being very multidimensional, the project questions and reinvestigates the film as a form of art which is today more and more consumed through handheld and mobile devices, as well as the Internet. Tesla is the main subject of the film not only because of his interesting and intriguing persona, but also because he was an inspiration to many well known artists. So the starting point of the stories are the interviews with artists and creative individuals like Terry Gilliam, Andy Serkis, Laurie Anderson, Marina Abramovic, Christopher Priest, Douglas Rushkoff and many others, and their thoughts will be the origin for creation of a peculiar and distinctive story about the creativity and technology.
From 2005 Helena Bulaja is a member of Zagreb City Council's expert advisory board for new media, urban and alternative culture.
Helena, with her husband Zvonimir, organized and directed very successful festival of "digital creativity" DECro in Zagreb, Croatia, in 2003 and 2005, focused on the creative use of new technologies and digital tools. The festival gathered famous panelists and lectures from the fields of new media, animation and Flash, including one of the most famous Web designers today Joshua Davis.
She is a member of the jury of the Flash animation storytelling festival "The Greatest Story Never Told" in San Francisco from 2003 on.
She was a program director of "Cartoon Night", a special animation program at the fairytale festival Fiabesque in Peccioli, Italy, in January 2007.
As a guest speaker or a panelist she was invited to numerous conferences and universities, among others Brookes University's "Dust or Magic" Conference in Oxford, Bologna Book Fair, Dresden Film Festival's "Exchange Forum", Edit Festival in Frankfurt, and New Media School in Auckland, New Zealand.
Helena lives in Zagreb and is a mother of 4 children.
Croatia
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Anna Hill
Anna Hill, Artist, Founder and owner of Space Synapse Ltd. studied Fine Art at St Martins School of Art in London followed by the Royal College of Art, London (MA Fine Art, Sculpture) She received critical acclaim over the last ten years working in the interface between science and art, developing conceptual and sensory artworks.
She moved to Dublin in 2000 to take up a residency at the Irish Museum of Modern Art followed by the Fire Station Artists studios in Dublin, Ireland who provided her with the support to initiate the Space Synapse project. In 2003 she founded Space Synapse Ltd as an Enterprise Ireland High Potential Start Up Company at the Digital Hub and embarked on her first SSL European Space Agency contract "A preliminary analysis for an interactive artwork for the Columbus Module of the International Space Station" (ESTEC contract No.17515/03/NL/MV) with a team of interdisciplinary experts.
In 2004 she visited Finnish Lapland (with the support of the Irish and Lapland Art Councils) to work on the R & D for an interactive exhibit "Auroral Synapse", nominated for an Interactive BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Award) in the category of best interactive Artwork.
Space Synapse Ltd relocated to the European Space Incubator at ESTEC in the Netherlands in May 2006 where Anna Hill has been building the company infra structure in preparation for the next phases of technology development of the SSL products: the Remote Suit, the Symbiotic Sphere and the Space Synapse System that she originally conceptualized and copyrighted in 2001.
Anna Hill has published widely, made public presentations and been recipient of many awards in the area of art and innovation. She has participated in a number of ESA stakeholder Strategy meetings including the cornerstone workshop "Sharing the Space Adventures and Benefits - The Future of European Space Exploration *Towards a European Long term Strategy" held in Brussels in 2005 and the International Space Station IBC workshop on future commercialization scenarios for the ISS, held in Berlin in November 2006.
United Kingdom show bio
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Gordana Gredicak Sojat
Gordana and Zorislav Sojat (Shoyat), a married couple from Zagreb, Croatia, started their activity in the areas of light art, light scenography and creative lighting in 2003 in Pula (Croatia), when for the first time they decided to present the results of their years long exploration of light as a artistic medium to the public. In these artistic areas they had a series of solo and collective exhibitions and installations.
Some of Their best collaborations have been with other artists (e.g. Djurdjica Horvat, Dijana Nazor, Ivo Kuzmanic, Toni Horvatic, Kristina Bjelopavlovic, Boris Ljubicic, Matej Mestrovic, Jadranka Hlupic-Dujmusic, Neva Lukic...). They have had an especially fruitful cooperation throughout many years with Mislav Katalinić. They are also authors/co-authors of several artistic-scientific and artistic-spiritual short films. They devote special attention to the interrelation of sciences and arts (art in science and science in art), to multidisciplinarity in sciences and arts and to synaesthesia.
They had more than 50 public exhibitions of their work: on the Split Saloon and in the Diocletian's Cellars in Split, on the Knin Fortress, the Vukovar Promenade, Krk Walls; on the Strossmayer Walkway and the Tower Lotrščak, in the Glyptotheka of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, in the Great Hall of Vatroslav Lisinski, the Klovicevi dvori gallery, on the Rudjer Boskovic Institute... in Zagreb, as well as in Pula, Sibenik, Ljubljana, Zemun, Puttaparthi... Their film and science promotion work was co-financed and presented through several European and Croatian scientific projects. The animated film "Tesla Continuum" was awarded on the "Marie Curie Workshop" in 2006. The spiritual-artistic film “Ganesha” was presented in several places in Andra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala (India).
During their work with the light as a medium they also invented several light art devices: the homelight projector, the lightbrush and the lightwell.
Croatia show bio
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Stas Rutkowski
A long-term Internet pioneer and innovator Stas has been instrumental in multiple successful "ahead-of-their time" Internet startups. These have included pre E-Bay Internet auctions, pre Netflix film resource and video rental services and his personally conceived and industry recognized contribution, The Gallery for the Digital Arts which set a goal in 1995 to usher digital art recognition as an important new form of fine art.
Stas also participated in the initial teams with multiple internet technology companies and online businesses with focuses including internet speed optimization, pre google industry web search, multiple online fine arts galleries, wedding gift registries. Stas also has supported members of his spiritually and socially conscious communities with his assistance in the formation and launch of organizations and businesses including new energy and socioeconomic focused non-profits, multiple first year music festivals and global conferences, Costa Rican based Yogic and permaculture communities and a leading collective of permaculture teachers and their global event promotions. Healing, consciousness studies and healing centers have also been a focus of Stas and his clients and he was recognized by The Institute of Noetic Sciences as a Visionary Community Leader. During a 3 year sabbatical from running his design firm, Three Hundred and Sixty Degrees, Stas was Creative Director of the world's fifth largest ad agency for which he created a cutting-edge Internet division. During his 15 years in design, he has garnered clients among leading fortune 500 brands. Among his honors was a global Echo Award for the Direct Marketing launch campaign for Adobe's InDesign 2.0. ALthough technology has played a pivotal role in Stas' career he first and foremost is an artist and focuses on usability and cutting edge design that is both effective and alluring. Stas also has worked as a Video-J artist and contributed live projected VJ arts at Alex Grey's Chapel of Sacred Mirrors and multiple festivals and music events across California and Oregon. Stas currently resides in Oregon and maintains involvement with many of the organizations he was instrumental in the startup phases with and remains on the Board of Advisors of the New Energy Movement a Portland Oregon based Non-Profit promoting advanced, clean and renewable energy technologies.
United States of America show bio
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Awareness and Outreach
Csongor Farkas
Csongor Farkas is an accomplished musician and multimedia artist. Introduced to music at age of five when he started playing cello, which paved the way to mastering of many other instruments and later on in his life to composing music for movies, TV commercials, and other musicians.
In addition of being a musical child prodigy Csongor is also an accomplished Web Designer and Flash Developer with many years of experience in programing and the advertising industry. Exhilaration for life, adventuring spirit, love and synergy are at the core of his soul. These same attributes made Csongor an excellent Creative Director for Human Synergy Project which he helped co-found.
"...I waited for such a long time to find people who do not attack with politics and religion. People who are whole as beings, without judging others. When I first got introduced to "Synergy", it was through Human Synergy Project, by it's founder Nebojsa Stanojevic. I realized very soon that I would like to participate in any way in an organization that promotes synergy."
I hope that all people from this planet will be influenced with this true "religion" and it is also my wish. :)
So thank you Nebojsa, and thank you all from Synergy Project and Synergy Moon Team and to Synergy itself that connects all the people.
"Being part of this Synergy, creates this feeling of wholeness in me,
for which I am most grateful:)"
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Đurđica Terzić
Đurđica Terzić studied human behavior, emotions and the unconscious mind since her early days. First exploring it only through intuition, getting involved in work-shops and later theatres which contained the elements of experimenting, meditation and art in its universal meaning. She also participated in a Butoh dance theatre.
With more sharpened senses Djurdjica starts taking singing lessons and after a short period of time she started lending her voice to many music groups such as DjuChong (www.myspace.com/djuchong)
She is an achieved 3D designer who managed to impress audiences with ahead of the time video-installations combining different techniques long before she graduated and became Master Architected. Afterwards she worked as an Executive Director in an Architecture studio called Plan TZ. At the same time Djurdjica become a Creative Director for Human Synergy Project which she helped co-found. Djurdjica is also Awareness Outreach Specialist for Team Synergy Moon which is another worldwide known project inspired by the concept of Synergy. Djurdjica is also a teacher of Hatha Yoga at the Peace Flame House, giving lectures to more than 60 people. (www.kpm.ba)
Her main interests have not changed only grew, concerning the Human rights regardless of social status, and expansion of human consciousness.
"I've heard it said
there's a window that opens
from one mind to another
but if there's no wall,
there's no need for fitting
the window, or the latch"
(Rumi)
Bosnia & Herzegovina show bio
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Belma Berberović
Team SYNERGY MOON Press Relations.
Born in Doboj, Bosnia & Herzegovina. Took her first steps in becoming a journalist at the age of fifteen trough a local television network. Belma graduated Journalism in 2008 at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Sarajevo. She proceeded with her education at the Faculty of Political Science on post-graduate studies of Communication and Public Relations. During her studies she was a member of many editorial boards in Sarajevo which led to her professional engagement to EFM Radio, Sarajevo.
Bosnia & Herzegovina
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Kevin Jefferson
Freelance photographer and writer/reporter for San Francisco Bay Area newspaper
United States of America
Bryan Versteeg
Team SYNERGY MOON Concept Graphic Designer
Canada
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Education
Test Pilots/Astronauts in Training
Nebojša Stanojević
Born 13.08.1969. in Sarajevo, ex-Yugoslavia, lived in Tuzla till '92. He emigrated to South Africa in '92. because of the war in ex - Yugoslavia. Nebojša Stanojević is an Adventurer, Documentary Filmmaker, Editor, Producer, and a devoted Explorer. Since 1992 until now, he worked as an Producer, Director and Editor on numerous Video Productions for many worldwide events including: Miss World 1993, HH Dalai Lama, Elton John, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, Bryan Adams, Natalie Cole, Gipsy Kings, David Copperfield, Africa Aids Concert, President Nelson Mandela's Inauguration Ceremony, etc...
He produced more than 40 Commercials, Music Videos, TV series around the world. From 1997 until 2005 he worked as an Assistant Editor and Editor on several Feature Films. He is supporting non-profit activities regarding Art, Children and Education, as well.
In 2004 he started a project to produce TV Series called Around The World - First Bosnian Expedition. original title: Put Oko Svijeta - Prva BiH Ekpedicija. For that project he sailed from Croatia to Thailand, then Costa Rica, crossing Red Sea and Indian ocean on a 30ft (~9m) sailing Boat. During that period Nebojša produced 24 Episodes which were screened on BHT1 (Bosnian state TV, PBS ). Because of nature of travel and production, often the episodes was aired with a just a few days delay after filming, sort of "Reality Show", which required great deal of coordination and working under time pressure and stress.
Nebojša Stanojević :
"After the war People, especially the youth in my country suffers from the restriction of the freedom to travel, they have hardly opportunities to learn and to understand foreign cultures. Also ethnic groups in my country live very much separated. The aim of this program was to bridge different cultures closer, in my own country and as well to world audience. After filming one episode in a School in Sudan, I got following E-Mail from one little Sudanese boy.
" Thank you so much for the video! I am Sudanese and I immensely appreciate education and how it can uplift you from poverty...
Thank you as you have given me another reason to get up in the morning, Thank you.... "
...To me this is the biggest reward I received so far and he encouraged me with my idea for my new projects."
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Miroslav Ambruš-Kiš
Does this with Team SYNERGY MOON.
Teaching all grades, journalist, reporter, newspapers editor, graphic design, personal computing pioneer, computing magazines pioneer, PostScript pioneer, art director, adventure traveller, high mountin climber (Himalaya, Andes...), interested in all kind of natural and social sciences, technic, art, portrait and nature photographer, travel and war zones correspondent, future astronaut.
Miroslav Ambruš-Kiš's Specialties:
Integration of different skills to unique products and various genres of presentation, wizzard in using creative software of different kinds (Adobe Suite, 3D software, communication tools, photo and video editing, graphic design)
Croatia
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Brian White Shiro
Principle Investigator for Lunar Science for Team SYNERGY MOON. Brian is a geophysicist currently working for NOAA in the US. He has a bachelor's degree in geology, physics, and integrated science and a master's degree in earth & planetary sciences, and is working on another master's degree in space studies.
Brian has previously attended the International Space University summer session. Most of his work experience is in geophysics research (basic and applied) including seismology, InSAR, GPS, and exploration geophysics. Brian has extensive field experience installing seismic stations and is very interested in helping set up a new lunar seismic network. "I'm excited about all things related to space exploration and willing to learn new skills to help advance humanity's exploration of its nearest neighbor."
United States of America
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Olav Zipser
FreeFly the Black Sky!
The Freeflying concept since its introduction has created an opportunity for skydivers to fly in new ways. FreeFlyers are Skydivers who do not fall, but fly through the sky. They manipulate the airflow around their body in such way, that incredible pure human - non powered - flight performances and maneuvers are possible. What Freeflyers can do in the sky nowadays, only 15 years ago was practically unimaginable and purely descirbed as a "dream".
FreeFly is human Flight. Freefly, the art of Human Flight, started to develop in 1989 with the "father of FreeFly", the German Olav Zipser and found its recognition in the official world of Sports in 1996. (1st official competition: X-Games Pro Tour).
The first official FAI nationals were hosted in the year 2000. At the year 2005 FreeFly was 1st times introduced to the Olympic World Games Comittee. With 'Freefly' you will learn to fly your own body freely in every possible direction, orientation and rotation while remaining in control of your flight and trajectory (Olav 1989)
Now Olav Zipser is researching requirements and technologies that will soon make him the first Free Flyer to freefly from Space, FreeFly the Black Sky!
Germany
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Honorary Members
Addtional Thanks to...
FM Jam
Recording Studio
Cody Gavin
Web Programming
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Adnan Gulamović, aka Gula
Muscian
Zlatko Redžepagić-Avdagić
Humanitarian
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Jasmin Dervišević, aka HZA
Muscian
Tino Dervišagić
Graphic Design
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