Dr. Joan Vernikos
Joan Vernikos is the founder and President of Thirdage LLC located in Culpeper, VA, specializing in promoting the benefits and applications from space life sciences research. The former Director of NASA's Life Sciences Division in Washington DC, she is an author, speaker, consultant, entrepreneur, mentor, and coach. She is a member of the Space Studies Board of the National Research Council – National Academy of Sciences. Active in the international space policy arena, she serves as space editor for Defense & Foreign Affairs’ Strategic Policy and on the European Space Agency’s Advisory Committee for Human, Microgravity and Exploration (ACHME). Dr. Vernikos earned her Ph.D. in Pharmacology at the University of London, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine. She held academic appointments at Ohio State University, Wright State University, Stanford and London University (UK). Her earlier research focused on how the brain regulates the hormone response to stress and coping for which she received NASA’s Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement. At NASA she pioneered gravity-related research in human volunteers in ground-simulation of the effects of the microgravity of spaceflight and the development of countermeasures. She has published extensively in scientific and open literature and holds three patents on technologies important to gravity's role in good health including one for a human-powered centrifuge. For her research she received two NASA Exceptional Leadership Awards, the AIAA Jeffries Award for medical research and the Strughold as well as the Leverett Awards for her research from the Aerospace Medical Association. She was recognized with a Lifetime Award of Women in Aerospace and is a Fellow of the World Economic Forum. Her recent book, “The G-Connection: Harness Gravity and Reverse Aging” with a foreword by John Glenn, applies lessons learned from U.S. astronauts and Russian cosmonauts living in space without gravity's influence, to healthy living on Earth. The book, due to its broad international interest, is published in Greek and Japanese. A Portuguese version is due out in Brazil in the spring of 2008 while German and Italian versions are in preparation with co-authors from each country. Dr. Vernikos is a sought-after, motivational speaker on the "Gravity Revolution". She has developed and assembled simple methods to counter the consequences of our increasingly sedentary lifestyle that now also impacts the health of our children. This and the extensive therapeutic benefits of gravity and centrifugation form the basis of her next book. She also speaks on such topics as leadership, stress management and developing effective coping skills. She is a great role model for the benefits of active living and brings both passion and humor to all her endeavors.