Bio

Emma M. Louden is a founder, astrophysicist, and space entrepreneur who is committed to helping everyone find their place in space. As a coping mechanism throughout her childhood, Emma found her place in space at a young age. She fell in love with the NASA rovers Spirit and Opportunity and the journey they were on to learn about other planets. As she got older, her love for space exploration manifested itself as a passion for astrophysics. As an astrophysics Ph.D. student at Yale University, Emma studies the geometry of exoplanetary systems. Emma uses the kind of thinking spurred by this inquiry to help humanity develop a consciousness that puts the Solar System in context—Earth’s precarious position in the universe becomes clearer. As a side project in 2018, Emma started exploring the NewSpace industry and the opportunities within it for high-achieving students who are committed to creating a better world. As Emma delved deeper into the industry, she found an unexpected opportunities to engage with the new companies starting exploration in Low-Earth-Orbit. This impact led Emma to build Space To Sparkle, a consultancy that connects ambitious undergraduate girls who are committed to creating a better world to new career paths in the space industry through empowerment workshops, an online community curated for women in STEM, and in-person experiences. She was recently named one of the STEM Reinventors of the Year for 2021. As a sought-after speaker, Emma travels around the world as a steward of the story of the next phase of space exploration and empowering the next generation of women in STEM.