SOCIETIES, AWARDS AND HONOURS
Academies and Societies Membership
Academies
- European Space Agency - ESA Academy (Member 2015)
- International Academy of Astronautics - IAA:
- IAA Academy Officers and Trustees Nominating Committee (Member elected 2025)
- IAA Engineering Sciences Section (Corresponding Member elected 1995)
- IAA Life Sciences Section (Member elected 2002)
- IAA Space Life Sciences Commission II (Member elected 2003)
- IAA Commission 1 on Space Physical Sciences (invited Member 2023-2025)
- IAA Commission 4 on Space System Operation & Utilisation (invited Member 2023-2025)
- IAA Commission 6 on Space and Society, Culture and Education (invited Member 2023-2025)
- IAA Committee EVA Protocols & Operations (Member elected 1997, Secretary elected 1999-2003)
- IAA Committee Search Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence - SETI (Member elected 1997)
- IAA Sub-Committee SETI Relations with Media & Outreach (Member 1997-2002)
- IAA Sub-Committee Lunar SETI Studies (Member 1997-2002)
- IAA Study Group 1.3 on SETI
- New York Academy of Sciences - NYAS (past Member)
Scientific Societies
- Committee on Space Research - COSPAR (Associate Member, 2010):
- COSPAR Scientific Commission B ‘Space Studies of the Earth-Moon System, Planets, and Small Bodies of the Solar System’
- COSPAR Scientific Commission G ‘Materials Sciences in Space’
- COSPAR Scientific Commission F ‘Life Sciences as Related to Space’
- International Astronautical Federation - IAF (Member):
- IAF International Program Committee (Member 1998)
- IAF Space Processing and Microgravity Applications Committee (Member elected 1994)
- European Low Gravity Research Association - ELGRA (Associate Member)
- European Physical Society - EPS (Individual Ordinary Member, 1992)
- Innovaspace (Member of Advisory Board, 2017)
- Suborbital Research Association - SRA (Founding Member 2013-2018, General Secretary, Administrator)
- Space Working Group of the Belgian Senate (Member)
- Belgian Physical Society - BPS (Member)
- Royal Belgian Society of Astronomy, Meteorology and Geophysics - SRBA (Member)
- Belgian National Committee of Space Research (Member), and its Material Sciences Committee (Member elected 1993)
- The British Interplanetary Society - BIS (Fellow 1995, Member 1990)
- The Planetary Society (Member) and its New Millennium Committee (past Member, 1998)
- The Mars Society (Member 2001)
- Association of Mars Explorers - AME (Member of Board of Directors)
- Mars Society Belgium (Founding Member, Administrator)
- Eurospace Society (Member)
- Belgian Society for Natural & Cultural History of Planet Mars (past Member, 1993)
- American Mathematical Society - AMS (Member)
- Belgian Mathematical Society - BMS (Member)
- French Federation of Mathematical Games - FFJM (Member)
- Brussels Scientific Counsel (Member, 2008)
Technical Societies
- Titans Space Industries Advisory Board (Member, 2025)
- International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety - IAASS (Member, 2024)
- Blue Abyss Director Board (Member, 2017)
- European Space Beijing Co. Ltd (Founding Member, 2016-2018)
- YouSpace (Founding Member, Member of the Director Board, 2016)
- SwitchToSpace (Administrator, 2018)
- Bruspace (Founding Member)
- European Society of Engineers and Industrialists - SEII (Member)
- Belgian Federation of Engineer Societies - FABI (Member)
- Association of Civil Engineers graduated from Catholic University of Louvain - AILv (Member)
- Association of Graduates in Mathematics and Physics of Louvain - MAPHYL (Member)
- Alumni Catholic University of Louvain (Member)
- Association of Friends of Cercle Industriel (ASCI, Member 1980, Vice-President elected 1997-2000)
- Cercle Industriel - CI (Student Engineer Union, Member 1974-80; Vice-President elected 1978-79)
- Belgian Royal Union of Russians Graduated from High Studies (Member 1979)
- The Society of Interplanetary Free Floaters (Honorary Member 1986)
- European Interplanetary Free Floaters (Member 2011)
Advisory Boards
- Titans Space Industries (2025)
- NovaCorp Aerospace, USA (2023)
- PULSE Project, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands (2023)
- Space11, USA (2021-2023)
- ScotSpace, United Kingdom (2021)
- Innovaspace, United Kingdom (2018)
Sport
- British Sub-Aqua Club (Member since 1988)
- ESTEC Swimming & Sub-Aqua Diving Club (Member 1988-2016, Chairman elected 1991-93)
- ESTEC Squash Club (Member 1988-2008)
- ESTEC Triathlon Club (Member 1987-2016)
- Judo-Club St-Josse (Member 1967-1990)
- Boitsfort Rugby Club (Member 1974-1984)
Awards
- Certificate of Acknowledgement, International Conference on Applications of Space Science and Technology ICAST25, Islamabad, Pakistan (2025)
- Ensyntropy 4th Naoussa Educational Symposium Award (2025)
- ESA Academy Certificates for contribution to ESA/ELGRA Gravity-Related Summer Schools (8x, 2018-25)
- International Academy of Astronautics 2023 Life Sciences Book Award (2023)
- Certificate of Appreciation for valuable contribution to the Belgian Space Week 2022 (2022)
- MDPI Review Confirmation Certificate (5x, 2020-2022)
- IntechOpen Certificate of Achievement for Contribution to IntechOpen's 5000th Open Access publication (2020)
- AdvancingX Certificate of Acceptance for Selection to Participate in Career Astronaut Competition (2020)
- MDPI Certificate of Service as Topic Editor of Life, Basel, Switzerland (2020)
- Elsevier's Acta Astronautica Certificate of Reviewing (2020)
- International Academy of Astronautics and Chinese Society of Astronautics Keynote Speech Award (2019)
- Scientific PG Certificate of Editorial Board Membership of International Journal of Astrophysics and Space Science (2017)
- International Academy of Astronautics 2017 Engineering Sciences Book Award as co-Author (2017)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Certificate of Achievement and Visiting Fellowship Award (2016)
- Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing for Acta Astronautica (2015)
- ESA Director General award for thirty years’ service at ESA (2015)
- Guinness World Record for “Most aircraft flown in parabolas by an individual” (2010)
- Gold Medal for 3000 parabolas flown in parabolic flights on Airbus A300 ZERO-G (2010)
- ESA certificate of recognition for contribution to Foton M3 successful flight (2008)
- ESA Director General medal and award for twenty years' service at ESA (2005)
- Silver Medal for 1500 parabolas flown in parabolic flights on Airbus A300 ZERO-G (2003)
- ESA Inventor Award for a filed patent (2000)
- ESA Professional Award (2000)
- NASA certificate of recognition for contribution to Spacelab LMS mission successful flight (1996)
- ESA Team Achievement Award for the Euromir-94 mission (1995)
- ESA certificate of recognition for the development and successful operation of AFPM on Spacelab D2 (1993)
- Deutsche Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR) certificate of recognition for contribution to Spacelab D2 mission successful flight (1993)
- Co-recipient of the Best Player Award of the South African Rugby Union during Belgium's Rugby National Team tour (1977)
Honours
- Invited Master of Ceremony, Master Class "Becoming an Astronaut: Training, Challenges and the Road to Space", International Conference on Applications of Space Science and Technology ICAST25, Institute of Space Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan (2025)
- Invited Panellist, Global Space Law Center & Global Business Law Review Symposium: The Legal and Operational Challenges of Human Space Flight, CSU Law, Cleveland State University, Ohio, USA (2025)
- Invited Panellist, Plenary Session New Opportunities Benefit Human Space Flight on Earth, in Space and Beyond, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Technology Centre for Space Utilization, 75th IAF Congress, Milan, Italy (2024)
- Invited President of Jury of the ESA CanSat competition, Bologna, Italy (2022)
- Invited Panellist, Space Exploration conference, with Prof. D. Queloz, 2019 Nobel Physics Prize Winner, Brussels, Belgium (2022)
- Invited Guest of Honour, 15th Space Encounter and Medal of Honour of the City of Auriol, France (2019)
- Ambassador of the Ishango-Milele Foundation, The Week of Sciences and Technologies, Kinshasa, R.D. Congo (2018)
- Guest of Honour and Presentation of the Galaxy Award for Best Writer of Chinese Short Stories, First Chinese Science-Fiction Festival, University of Beihang, Beijing, China (2016)
- Mention of Honour of European Low Gravity Association ELGRA, Corfu, Greece (2015)
- Nominated among the 57 Engineers from Catholic University of Louvain who had an impact on the world, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium (2013)
- Nominated among the 200 celebrities who make Brussels move by La Tribune de Bruxelles (2006)
- Author of 8th article in Top 25 Hottest Engineering Articles, ScienceDirect (2004)
- Invited Moderator, Conference "Opening European Research to the World", European Union's Research Council during Belgian Presidency, European Union Parliament, Brussels (2001)
- Appointed Science Ambassador by the Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region for the Programme of Science and Technology Awareness in Secondary Schools (2000)
- Honour Guest of Belgian Rugby Federation, Kick-off of the World Cup Qualifier international game Belgium-Slovenia, Heyzel Stadion, Brussels, Belgium (2000)
- First prize Car skid and slalom course, 'Slotemakers Anti-slip School', Zandvoort Racing Track, The Netherlands (2000)
- Belgium national finalist (2x, 1998, 1999) and semi-finalist (7x, 1992, 1997-2004) of Mathematical Puzzles and Games Championship of the French Federation of Mathematical Games (FFJM)
- International Rugby player for Belgium, 60 selections (1975-1982) and Captain of Belgium Team (1981-1982)
- Club Captain of Boitsfort Rugby Club, First National Division Belgian Championship (1980-1982)
- Captain of the Louvain University Rugby Team, three times University Champion of Belgium (1977-1980)
- Youngest European to become Black Belt 1st Dan of Judo (at age 15, 1971)
Invited keynote speaker
- Medical and Gliding Congress of the French Association of Velivole Health Professionals (APSV), Saint-Auban, France, 2025
- Global Space Law Center & Global Business Law Review Symposium: The Legal and Operational Challenges of Human Space Flight, CSU Law, Cleveland State University, Ohio, USA, 2025
- Plenary Session 7 "New Opportunities Benefit Human Space Flight on Earth, in Space and Beyond", 75th International Astronautical Federation IAF Congress, Milan, Italy, 2024
- 2nd International Congress Aerospace Medicine ICAM 2024, 70th International Congress of Aviation and Space Medicine ICASM 2024, 8th European Congress of Aerospace Medicine, ECASM 2024, 7th Scientific Meeting of the Portuguese Society of Aerospace Medicine, 10th Aerospace Medicine Conference of the Portuguese Air Force, 3rd Joint Portuguese/Brazil Aerospace Medicine Societies Conference, University of Lisbon, Portugal, 2024.
- Session “Medical Challenges to Human in Cis-Lunar, on the Moon, and Beyond”, Science Summit at United Nations General Assembly 79 (SSUNGA79), 2024
- International Training Workshop on Space Sciences and Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Technology Center for Space Utilization, Beijing, 2024
- Analog Astronaut Conference, Biosphere, University of Arizona, Oracle, Arizona, USA, 2023
- Symposium on China-Belgium Space Science and Technology Cooperation, Chinese Society of Astronautics, 2021
- 8th IAA-CSA Congress Advances in Space Technology, Shanghai, China, 2019
- Technical Exchange Meeting, Shanghai Institute of Space Equipment, Shanghai, China, 2019
- 16th European School Science Symposium Opening Ceremony, European School, Mol, Belgium, 2019
- Graduation Ceremony, Metropolitan College, Thessaloniki, Greece, 2019
- Honoris Causa Doctorate Ceremony of Dr C. Haignere, Catholic University of Louvain, 2019
- The 5th Week of Sciences and Technologies, Institut La Gombe, Kinshasa, R.D. Congo, 2018
- Shandong Aerospace Electro-Technology Institute, China Academy of Space Technology, Yantai, China, 2017
- Engineer Graduation Ceremony, Polytechnic School Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 2016
- Vilnius Innovation Forum "Innovation Drift" 2015, Vilnius, Lithuania, 2015
- Technology and Engineering Centre for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, 2015
- Inauguration of the new Engineering High School ECAM on the campus of the Catholic University of Louvain, Woluwe, Brussels, Belgium, 2013
- 16th Biennial Congress of the Flemish Mathematics Teachers Association, Blankenberge, Belgium, 2012
- 8th European Mars Convention EMC8, University of Antwerp, Belgium, 2008
- Prize Award ceremony ‘Crystal Growth competition 2008’, Belgian National Committee of Crystallography, Royal Academy of Sciences, Brussels, Belgium, 2008
- Laureate Announcement of Ishango Novel Contest, Atomium, Brussels, Belgium, 2007
- Congress ‘Experiments in Space and Beyond’, Free University of Brussels, Belgium, 2007
- Aerospace Medicine Conference ‘Pushing the Boundaries’, Royal Aeronautical Society, London, United Kingdom, 2007.
- Belgian National Committee of Geophysics and Geodesy, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium, 2007.
- Symposium “Ishango, 22000 and 50 years later”, Royal Academy of Sciences, Brussels, Belgium, 2007
- Symposium Belgian Aerospace Medicine Association AMABEL, UCB, Brussels, Belgium, 2006
- Laureates of National Belgian Parabolic Flight Contest for Secondary Schools, Euro Space Society, Brussels, Belgium, 2005
- Symposium Space Science Research, University Faculties of Namur, Belgium, 2005
- Symposium Limits, Technical Eindhoven University, The Netherlands, 2004
- 2nd International Meeting of the Greek Aerospace Medical Association and Space Research, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, 2004
- Meeting of the Working Group on Space of the Belgian Senate, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium, 2004
- Symposium Parabolic Flight User Days - PFUD, ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 2003
- Laureates of the Parabolic Flight contest for Secondary Schools of the Brussels-Capital Region, Euro Space Foundation, Brussels, Belgium, 2003
- 11th International Microgravity Physical Sciences Group Meeting, ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 2001
- Symposium Influence of Geophysics, Time and Space Reference Frames on Earth Rotation Studies, Conference on Space-Time Reference Systems, Brussels, Belgium, 2001
- European Education and Employment Fair, Heysel, Brussels, Belgium, 2000
- First Balkan Conference 'Glass Science and Technology', University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece, 2000
- 8th International Conference on Crystallization of Biological Macromolecules ICCBM-8, Sandestin, Florida, USA, 2000
- Microgravity Physical Sciences Meeting, Belgian Science Policy Office, Royal Academy of Sciences, Brussels, Belgium, 2000
- Space Days, Royal Belgian Society of Engineers and Industrialists, Brussels, Belgium, 2000
- 11th Congress Flemish Society of Mathematics Professors, Oostende, Belgium, 1999
- Joint Meeting of National Space Research Centre Sub-Committee of Life Sciences and Contact Group of Aerospace Biology and Medicine, Royal Academy of Sciences, Brussels, Belgium, 1997
- Contact Group of Aviation and Space Biology and Medicine, Belgian University Foundation, Brussels, Belgium, 1994
- Belgian National Committee Space Research Meeting, Royal Academy of Sciences, Brussels, Belgium, 1993
- Workshop Flemish Aerospace Group, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium, 1993
- Science Workshop 'Microgravity Information Day', Belgium Science Policy Office, Brussels, Belgium, 1993
- International Conference 'Aerospace Industries in Europe - JETAI 93', Catholic University of Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 1993
Media Reports
- "Les demi-finales des Jeux mathématiques et logiques" (in French, "The semi-finals of the Mathematical and Logical Games"), Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir, 6 March 1992.