JEDDAH: Guest speaker Candace Johnson, an entrepreneur and investor in the space sector, will give a talk titled Women in Space: From Empowerment to Innovation on Saturday during the third meeting of the Saudi Space Commission’s Space Talk program.

Through the program the commission aims to encourage the exchange of expertise and ideas, provide inspiration and enhance discourse and content related to space sciences and technologies. It is designed to raise awareness of the importance of space sciences and technologies, share the expertise and experiences of influential experts in the field and highlight important discoveries and events.

Saturday’s meeting has been organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology’s Thinktech initiative.

Authorities in the Kingdom are working to enhance the nation’s leading role in space sciences and the development of space technologies. As set out in the objectives of Kingdom’s space policy, the commission aims to inspire the next generation of Saudi scientists and engineers, build a national network of space experts, encourage economic development and innovation by increasing the rate of Saudization at all levels in the sector, create economic, social and scientific opportunities, and enhance the contribution of the sector in the Kingdom.

To help achieve this the commission has launched a number of initiatives including, in August, a training camp to introduce high-school students to space sciences and technologies. The initiative is part of the commission’s efforts to encourage future astronauts and engineers, and attract talent through quality training programs.

The camp connects school math and physics curricula to the space sciences through three hours of learning each day for 10 days. Participants who successfully complete the course and an evaluation will receive a certificate.