Dr. Sheyna Gifford is an Aerospace Researcher and Rehabilitation Physician. She had the privilege of being on the Medical Operations team for the historic AstroAccess parastronaut parabolic flight of 12 disabled scientists, veterans, students, athletes, and artists. Dr. Gifford is the founder of Womxn in Aerospace Medicine, a STEM mentor and educator, professional science communicator, and simulated astronaut who has logged 380 days in service over two missions: HI-SEAS IV, the longest space analog in US history, and HERA VI, a simulated mission to Mars-crossing asteroid Geographos.

Dr. Gifford received dual-degrees in English and Neuroscience from the University of California at Berkeley, a Masters of Science in Biotechnology from the University of Rhode Island, an MD and MBA from St. George's University, and a Masters in Science Journalism from the University of Southern California. Dr. Gifford has worked as an aerospace engineer for Berkeley Space Science Laboratories on the rHESSI satellite, as a cosmologist for the DEEP2 sky survey, as a researcher in the division of molecular neurogenetics at MGH, and in the MRI division of neuroscience at Brown University. She has given two TedX talks and published more than a hundred articles spanning health, space, science, and medical education. She is a captain in the US Air Force Auxiliary and believes that space truly needs everyone. Dr. Gifford aspires to make space travel and exploration safe, affordable, and accessible to everyone who needs space.