Human Performance Collaborative

Habitats in Space

This virtual workshop will be hosted on Zoom and will feature leading experts in space habitat design from both academia and industry. Each speaker will give a short presentation followed by a panel discussion, offering participants the chance to engage directly with the speakers and explore practical considerations for designing healthy, sustainable, human‑centered space habitats.
Promotional graphic for the ‘Habitats in Space’ event with Starlab and HPC logos and images of space station modules.

Meeting Details

When: January 23, 2026

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Where: Zoom

Featuring Leading Academic and Industry Partners

Designing Healthy and Sustainable Habitats in Space

This is the third session of the Exploring Bioastronautics Research at Ohio State series, presented by the Human Performance Collaborative and Starlab. Join us on Friday, January 23, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Zoom for an in‑depth exploration of how habitat design influences human health and wellbeing in space.

  • 1:00 PM – 1:10 PM: Welcome and Starlab / Human Performance Collaborative Overview
  • 1:10 PM – 1:25 PM: Michelle Schrank – Design Director, Journey
  • 1:25 PM – 1:40 PM: Dr. Karen Dannemiller – Associate Professor, Environmental Health Science, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University
  • 1:40 PM – 1:55 PM: Marta Nowak – Assistant Professor of Architecture, Knowlton School, The Ohio State University
  • 1:55 PM – 2:10 PM: Christopher Maurer – Principal Architect, Redhouse
  • 2:10 PM – 3:00 PM: Panel Discussion – Moderated by: Abigail Harrison, Starlab Research Lead, Mechanical and Space Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University

The session will highlight how architectural and engineering decisions shape airflow, lighting, materials, acoustics, immune regulation, respiratory exposure, sleep, and daily functioning in orbital environments. We will also examine approaches for translating human‑centered design principles from Earth to space, integrating microbiome monitoring and contamination mitigation systems into next‑generation stations, and planning mixed‑use habitats where research, living, and shared spaces must be optimized within constrained volume.

Panel Discussion: Come Prepared!

A significant portion of the meeting will be dedicated to a interactive panel discussion. We encourage all participants to bring questions and topics of interest related to habitats in space. This is your opportunity to engage directly with experts, share ideas, and explore emerging challenges and opportunities in the field.