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Psychiatrist, Analog Astronaut, Chair of S.T.E.A.M. for Humanity, Speaker, Author
Dr Maria Harney is a scientist and entrepreneur with a diverse career that spans psychiatry, neurology, and space medicine. She obtained her medical degree from the First Pavlov State Medical University in Saint-Petersburg, Russia, and commenced her professional journey at Psycho Neurologic Hospital #6. Following her move to the United States, she utilized her knowledge to offer her expertise in emergency and space medicine.
Dr. Harney became a part of MMAARS INC., the Commercial Astronautics Training Center, in 2016, where she participated in five Analog Astronaut missions and was involved in the Advisory Board and Remote Medical team activities. She has worked on over 10 research projects in space medicine at MMAARS INC., concentrating on teleanesthesia, telesurgery, human factors, and the mental health of astronauts. She played a role in creating emergency response and rescue procedures and training teams while incorporating innovative tools, like virtual reality/augmented reality (VR / AR), 3-dimensional printing (3D printing) drones, robotics, and synthetic biology to tackle mental and behavioral issues in austere isolated, confined environments.
In the year 2023 Dr. Harney teamed up with her fellow analog astronaut Dr. Pack to create Synthetico INC., a company that combines artificial intelligence blockchain technology, and synthetic biology, to tackle the challenges associated with synthetic biology and create a novel tool for preservation of biodiversity.
Dr. Harney's commitment to research and service shines through her involvement in numerous esteemed conferences across the globe where she has shared insights on human behavior aspects such as psychology and space medicine as well as the use of cutting edge technologies in promoting mental well being. Some of the events she has contributed to include the UK Mars Society Convention and the CHASM Conference held at Cambridge University along with participation in prominent gatherings, like the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) International Development Conference (ISDC) AIAA SciTech Forum (upcoming / confirmed / January 2025) and NASA App Hackathon. She has collaborated on publications that have made a considerable impact, on the academic and scientific fields.
Dr. Harney serves as a member of the Board of Governors and Secretary of the Life Sciences and Biomedical Engineering Branch (LSBEB) within the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA). Her contributions involve encouraging innovation through fostering collaboration between scientific and engineering fields to apply cutting-edge technology in addressing healthcare challenges and enhancing safety and operational efficiency in aerospace and similar high-demand environments.
In 2020, Dr. Harney established the STEAM for Humanity Foundation, a nonprofit committed to offering STEM education to marginalized communities. The foundation has impacted than 2,000 students sparking enthusiasm for STEM fields and promoting diversity and inclusivity in the STEM sector. In 2025, Dr. Harney was honored with the title of Dame by Prince David Bagrationi Mukhrani, Grand Master of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia, in recognition of her dedicated charity work and community service.
She is deeply engaged in work through her non-profit organization by supporting initiatives like the Hunger Prevention Initiative to help local communities with aid and donations. Dr. Harney's passion for storytelling and filmmaking motivates her to encourage creativity by offering grants and guidance in collaboration with groups such as Women in Film, Habitat, for Humanity, and Young Storytellers. Dr Harney took part in the 2021 United Nations Association (USA) competition on Development Goals (SDGs) where she presented a mobile application that links young people under 18 with mentors worldwide to improve educational access for everyone.
She shows her commitment to serving others by serving in the Air National Guard at the 146th Airlift Wing in Channel Island, California. Her unit has been involved in missions such as aiding in COVID-19 response efforts and disaster relief operations. Their role also includes providing aerial firefight support to the U.S. Forest Service during wildfires.
List of the selected talks
UPCOMING TALKS
Space Renaissance Conference, virtual webinar/presentation, 7th of June 2025
Position: Speaker
Subject: Human Health in Space: Comparing Astronautic Exploration Missions and Civilian Space Settlements
MMAARS Virtual Academy Analog Astronautics Program, educational session 23d of March 2025
Position: Speaker
Subject: Engineering Life for Space: Mutation, Metabolomics & Morality
Space.com forum 2025, Orlando, Florida
Position: Author
Subject: Human Health in Space: Comparing Astronautic Exploration Missions and Civilian Space Settlements
AIAA SciTech Forum, 6th of January 2025, Orlando, Florida
Position: Speaker
Subject: Navigating the Future of Space travel: Cultural, Leadership, and Social Synergies and Differences Between European (Russian) and Western (U.S.) Astronautic Exploration Missions and Civilian Space Settlements
The 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), Italy, 2024
Position: Co-author
Subject: SpaceGuardianGPT: Psychological health during long durations space flights.
ISDC 2024 (International space development conference): 42nd Annual, CA
Position: Speaker
Subject: Fueling the Journey: Mitochondria, Insulin Resistance, Diets and Our Path to Martian Health
ISDC 2023: A new space age, Dallas-Frisco, TX
Position: Co-author
Subject: Astro-psychiatry, space medicine, and exponential technologies
49th Space congress Space. com Expo, Orlando, FL
Position: Speaker / Panelist
Subject: Astro-psychiatry, space medicine, and exponential technologies
11/2022
International Humans in Space Summit 2022, University of Technology Sydney (UTS) - Online
Position: Speaker
Subject: Astro-psychiatry: novel solutions for mental health for long duration space exploration
07/22-09/22
International space university (ISU), Space Studies Program 2022 - Portugal, Online
Position: Mentor / Speaker
Subject: human factors, astro-psychiatry, exponential technologies, ethics, future challenges in long duration space flight, more.
07/2022
Space Renaissance Art & Science festival - Berlin, Online / Live
Position: Speaker
Subject: Analog Astronauts Training
04/2022
UK Mars Society convention, “CHASM” conference, Cambridge University, UK
Position: Speaker
Subject: Human Factor (actions, cognition, and emotions) in Long Duration Space flight (profiling and crew compositions).
08/2021
55-Year Mission tour: Star Trek, Las Vegas, NV
Position: Speaker
Developing psychological and neurobehavioral countermeasures for analog astronauts living in austere, isolated, and confined environments
10/2020
International Astronautical Congress IAC, online, CA
Position: Speaker / Presenter
Space medicine and biotechnology in analog astronaut settings (austere, isolated, confined environments): training analog astronauts Mars Medic teams in high-fidelity analog missions in Nepal, Himalayas - a case study for future planetary surface expeditions. (International Astronautical Congress 10/2020)
09/2020
United Nation Association - USA - Sustainable Development Goals Service Project Pitch - online
Position: Speaker / Presenter
New application for mobile devices to make the education more accessible around the world by matching youth under 18 with the mentors
12/2019
National space society conference, USC, CA
Position: Speaker
Developing psychological and neurobehavioral countermeasures for analog astronauts living in austere, isolated, and confined environments
06/2019
International Space Development Conference, ISDC, Washington, D.C.
Position: Speaker
Subject: Space Medicine and Exponential Technologies
05/2019
Digital Hollywood, Santa-Monica, CA
Position: Panelist / Speaker
Subject: Integration of exponential technologies (AR/VR, Machine learning, Bioengineering) in developing new paradigm of space medicine and disaster medical challenge
03/2019
City of STEM, Downey, CA
Position: Panelist / Speaker
Subject: LA Innovations conference / panel
12/2018
NASA App challenge competition, Pasadena, CA
Position: Judge / Presenter
Subject: NASA Hackathon
10.2018
International Astronautical Congress (IAC18)
Position: co-author
Artronauts, Astronauts and Alchemnauts: Highlighting the importance of art and human interactions in space missions.
08/2018
Mars Society convention, CA
Position: Speaker
Subject: Life Support and Biomedical Factors / Human Factors and Crew Composition
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