Space physicist, high-altitude mountaineer, elite athlete, global environmental leader, broadcaster and inspirational speaker

Suzie Imber achieved international recognition when she won the BBC2 TV series ‘Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?’. In the series, 12 candidates undertook astronaut training with astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield, facing a range of challenges including taking their own blood, speaking Russian while in a centrifuge at 5g, and carrying out emergency procedures on the NASA undersea astronaut training facility, Aquarius. Suzie received a letter of recommendation from Chris Hadfield to support her application to the European Space Agency astronaut training programme.

Her “day job” is as Professor of Planetary Science at the University of Leicester, where she specialises in studying space weather at the Earth and Mercury. She focusses on the interaction of planetary magnetic fields with the solar wind, and is a co-Investigator on BepiColombo spacecraft, due to arrive at Mercury in 2025. She is one of three authors of a Royal Society Futures publication looking at space exploration, in-orbit and off-planet manufacturing and resource exploitation, technology development, and scientific advancements due to be published in 2024.

Her Inaugural Professorial Lecture (Leicester University:13 March 2024) was entitled “Adventures in Velocity Space”.

Suzie dedicates much of her time to widening opportunities for disadvantaged young people to study science, running residential programmes and activities through the University, personally visiting hundreds of schools and tens of thousands of students, and founding a scholarship programme.

With extensive experience of speaking at live stage events, including music and science festivals, Suzie has been invited to perform at “Space Shambles” at the Royal Albert Hall, London, alongside Professor Brian Cox, Robin Ince, astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield, and Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart.
Suzie has given main-stage speeches at leading science festivals, including BlueDot, Gravity Fields, Cheltenham, Farnborough Air Show, New Scientist Live, Latitude, AstroFest, SpaceRocks and the Virgin Galactic Space Festival.

Best speaker ever. Better feedback about Suzie than when we had Hillary Clinton as our principal speaker!

Global Consulting Firm

Feedback from both your sessions has been phenomenal – really appreciate it. An absolute pleasure to meet you and hear your story!

Microsoft, USA

Thank you very much for joining us as the speaker at our flagship Annual Conference. Your talk was greatly inspiring, given the amount you have achieved. It was equally educational on space exploration and on the mindset needed to overcome challenges. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the audience, who were engaged till the end and appreciated the opportunity to ask questions.

CEO, Pensions & Life Savings Association

Suzie was absolutely brilliant. We cannot recommend her highly enough. She was so engaging, funny, interesting, and our guests loved her. We’ll definitely book her again. Thanks, Diana for recommending Suzie. Such a successful event.

Ayrshire Hospice

Hearing the delegates chatting after Suzie’s presentation was great – it was something completely different from what they have experienced before. Thank you to DBA for working with us to bring Suzie to speak.

Independent Association of Prep Schools Conference