UKSEDS is headed by an Executive Committee elected for one-year terms at our Annual General Meeting, and a Board of External Trustees appointed for three-year terms. The current committee was elected at the 37th conference in March 2025.
The Executive Committee (2025/26)
Anna Kalapurakkal
Chair
Anna is continuing on the Executive Committee as the Chair, bringing valuable experience and dedication into her fourth year with UKSEDS. She is a Physics and Astronomy Graduate from the University of Glasgow, currently working as an Internal Audit Analyst at Barclays. Additionally, she has served as a Trustee for the charity Make a Smile for over three years. Recently, Anna led the organisation of the National Student Space Conference 2025, demonstrating her passion for the space sector and commitment to inspire, upskill and enable students and early professionals.
Samhita Manukonda
Vice-Chair
Samhita is the Vice-Chair on the Executive Committee. She is currently a postgraduate student at UCL, studying Space Science and Engineering, and holds a BSc in Physics from King’s College London. Going into her fourth year with UKSEDS, Samhita brings a wealth of experience, having previously led the Marketing Team and supported the promotion and strategy for major UKSEDS events like the National Student Space Conference. She also brings experience from her time as President of the KCL Space Society. Samhita is passionate about making space accessible to all and sees marketing and science communication as key tools in achieving this, with UKSEDS as an ideal platform.
Anjali santhakumar
Treasurer
Anjali is the treasurer on the Executive Committee. She is an Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Bath, currently doing her placement year as a Mechanical Design Engineer at a startup in London. She is really passionate about sustainability and diversity, and is hoping to work in the space sustainability industry in the future. She excited to take on this role at UKSEDS and contribute to the team’s work this year.
Neha Susan Biju
Secretary
Neha serves as Secretary on the Executive Committee. She is a penultimate-year Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Bristol with a keen interest in space outreach. Prior to this role, she was a part of our Diversity and Advocacy Team, supporting various initiatives across UKSEDS. Neha recently completed a placement year at Dyson, and previously served as Secretary of the Bristol RAG Society.
Divyam Aneja
At-Large
Divyam has joined the Executive Committee as an At-Large member. He is currently pursuing a degree in Astrophysics at the University of Edinburgh. Prior to this role, he led our Careers Team, helping to connect students with opportunities in the space sector, and played a key role in delivering our first Entrepreneurship Programme. Divyam is particularly interested in bridging the gap between academia and industry to drive innovation and collaboration.
Suliman Saifullah
At-Large
Suliman has joined the Executive Committee as our second At-Large Member. He is an MEng Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Bristol. Prior to this role, he served as the Regional Coordinator for London and the South of England on our Membership Team, where he led the organisation of the 2025 Regional Events. Suliman also played a key role as Speaker Lead at the National Student Space Conference 2025.
The External Trustees (2025/26)
- Matjaz Viadmar, Lecturer in Engineering Management, University of Edinburgh
- Nick Shave, Managing Director, Astroscale UK & Europe
- Jacob Geer, Managing Director, Orbit Fab
- Katherine Courtney, Chair, Global Network on Sustainability in Space (GNOSIS)
- Derek Harris, Head of Business development, Skyrora
- Libby Jackson, Head of Space, The Science Museum Group
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