George Zhu, a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering, has been inducted as a full member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) following his appointment as a corresponding member in 2020.
The IAA is an independent organization of distinguished individuals elected by their peers for their outstanding contributions to astronautics and the exploration of space. With 1,200 active members worldwide, it is the only international academy of elected members in the broad area of astronautics and space.
Zhu’s contributions to these areas include work in spacecraft dynamics and control, and space debris mitigation. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles and 163 conference papers, and has supervised more than 100 highly qualified personnel. He led the development and launch of two CubeSats funded by the Canadian Space Agency. The first was launched in November 2020 and showcased pioneering technology for space debris removal; the second was launched in July 2023 and is dedicated to observing ice in the Arctic, as well as monitoring thawing permafrost in Northern Canada for climate change research.
Through $3.6 million in funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Zhu is currently developing transformative additive manufacturing and 3D bioprinting technologies for human space exploration. This work aims to revolutionize spacecraft manufacturing and provide self-sustaining medical support for space missions.
Zhu is also a college member of the Royal Society of Canada and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the Engineering Institute of Canada, the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineering and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and an associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Learn more about the IAA at iaaspace.org.