Secure World Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Michael K. Simpson Scholarship, which supports young professionals and students participating in the International Astronautical Congress.
This year’s recipients will attend IAC 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye, where they will present research on issues tied to space sustainability, space security, international space law, disaster resilience, and responsible behavior in space.
The 2026 scholarship recipients are Seoyeon Kim, Paola Alejandra Zamudio Torres, Fazira Azzahra Huwaidaa, Jagriti Luitel, Katerina Fialova, and Raoul Cardellini Leipertz.
Their IAC papers cover a wide range of topics, including legal assessments of non-cooperative rendezvous and proximity operations, accountability in responsible behavior norms, future low Earth orbit population modeling, lessons from the 2015 Nepal earthquake, China’s approach to space governance, and strategic stability risks at the nuclear-space nexus.
The Michael K. Simpson Scholarship reflects SWF’s commitment to supporting the next generation of space professionals and helping emerging voices take part in international discussions on the secure, sustainable, and peaceful uses of outer space.
View more details about SWF’s participation at IAC 2026 and this year’s scholarship recipients: