Mr Samba Zihong ZHOU, PhD student of the PolyU Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering, was selected for the International Astronautical Federation Young Professional Leadership Development Programme 2026, organised by the IAF International Project/Programme Management Committee (IPMC). He was the sole participant from the Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong.
Over ten months of close collaboration, he co-authored a research paper alongside young professionals from the world's leading space agencies and industry, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), European Space Agency (ESA), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The paper, presented at the 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2026) in Antalya, Türkiye, examines how governance design shapes the relationship between partner asymmetry and long-term stability in multinational space programmes, drawing on case studies that include the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). Through the YPLDP professional mentoring sessions and the Young Professionals Forum, he also worked closely with senior leaders from the international space community on leadership, negotiation and cross-cultural teamwork, before his work was recognised at the YPLDP award ceremony.
The programme has positioned AAE's aerospace research within an international network of young professionals, and the collaborations formed through it have laid the groundwork for future partnerships that strengthen the international engagement of the Department, PolyU and Hong Kong in the space community.
| Research Units | Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering |
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