Learn. Contribute. Collaborate.

OSMED brings together members from across medicine, engineering, design, research, human performance, operations and other disciplines to work on real challenges related to human spaceflight.

Our ongoing projects give members opportunities to learn by doing, contribute their expertise, build new skills and collaborate across disciplines. Opportunities range from recurring educational programs and working groups to research initiatives, mentorship, resource development and project-based activities.

Select a project below to learn more.

  • OSMED is developing a centralized resource connecting students and early-career professionals with internships, research programs, scholarships, fellowships and other opportunities related to human spaceflight.

    The database is designed to make credible opportunities easier to discover while supporting OSMED's broader mentorship, education and career-development programs.

    As the resource grows, members may be able to contribute by identifying opportunities, reviewing resources and helping maintain an accessible collection for the OSMED community.

    Status: In development

  • The OSMED Book Club creates an informal environment for members to explore books related to human spaceflight, extreme environments, medicine, engineering, psychology, leadership, exploration and scientific innovation.

    Guided discussions encourage members from different disciplines and career stages to exchange perspectives while building connections outside formal committee and research activities.

    Recurring program: Ongoing

  • OSMED Journal Club

    OSMED Journal Club is a recurring interdisciplinary forum for exploring emerging research relevant to human spaceflight.

    Participants discuss scientific literature spanning space medicine, human performance, engineering and related disciplines while developing skills in scientific literacy, critical appraisal and interdisciplinary communication.

    The program also provides opportunities for presenters, including early-career members, to develop experience communicating scientific research to a multidisciplinary audience.

    Recurring program: Ongoing

  • The OSMED Orbital Hospital Project is a learn-by-doing initiative exploring what a future medical facility in orbit could look like.

    The project brings medicine, engineering and design together to examine the needs, capabilities, concepts of operations, functional requirements and human-centered considerations involved in developing an orbital hospital.

    Rather than approaching the concept from a single discipline, participants can explore how real-world design workflows and available medical and engineering evidence interact when developing systems for future human spaceflight.

    The project is intended to create educational opportunities for members across the OSMED community, including those who want to contribute expertise and those who want to learn from other disciplines.

  • The OSMED Mentorship Program connects students, early-career professionals, career-transitioning members and experienced professionals across the human spaceflight community.

    Mentorship opportunities may include office hours, career talks, speed-mentorship events and structured mentor-mentee relationships over defined periods of time.

    The goal is to help members navigate career development, strengthen professional connections and discover pathways into OSMED projects and the broader spaceflight community.

  • The OSMED Knowledge Repository is being developed as a curated information resource for the space medicine, engineering and design community.

    Current efforts include resources such as a curated Zotero library and astronaut demographics and mortality data, with the potential for additional research resources and datasets to be incorporated over time.

    The long-term goal is to transform separate collections of information into an accessible knowledge system that helps members find, understand and connect useful data and research.

  • The OSMED Research Committee brings together members interested in advancing interdisciplinary research related to human spaceflight medicine, engineering, design, human performance and operations.

    The committee supports the development of research initiatives, collaborative analyses, scientific resources and organizational responses to external research opportunities. Current activities include NASA Requests for Information, the Space Epidemiology Analysis Working Group, the Open Science Data Repository Analysis Working Group, development of the OSMED Knowledge Repository and support for research publications and technical review.

    Members may contribute through literature review, research question development, data analysis, subject-matter expertise, scientific writing, peer review and interdisciplinary collaboration. Opportunities range from recurring working groups to project-based research efforts.

    Participation: Ongoing and project-based

  • The OSMED Space Ethics & Law Interest Group brings together professionals and students interested in the ethical, legal and regulatory questions surrounding human spaceflight.

    Discussions may explore topics including medical decision-making in extreme environments, commercial spaceflight risk, astronaut health governance and the development of legal frameworks for exploration beyond Earth.

    The group gives members from medicine, engineering, policy, research and other disciplines an opportunity to examine complex questions through interdisciplinary discussion.

    Recurring program: Monthly

  • The Space Epidemiology Analysis Working Group brings together members interested in applying epidemiologic methods to astronaut health, commercial spaceflight and human performance data.

    Participants may help develop research questions, review scientific literature, discuss research methods and data limitations, identify collaborations and contribute to analyses or written outputs.

    The working group also provides members with practical exposure to space-health research while encouraging collaboration across disciplines.

    Recurring program: Ongoing working group

  • The Open Science Data Repository Analysis Working Group supports collaborative analysis of NASA's Open Science Data Repository and related biomedical datasets.

    Members may participate in developing research questions, evaluating available datasets, reviewing analysis plans, providing domain expertise, interpreting results and supporting abstracts, presentations or manuscripts.

    Participation can range from literature review and discussion to hands-on data analysis depending on experience, interests and individual project needs.

    Recurring program: Ongoing working group

  • The OSMED Outreach Committee works to expand access to the human spaceflight community by building relationships with organizations, institutions and student groups, with an emphasis on reaching communities that have historically been underrepresented in STEM and aerospace.

    The committee is developing partnerships with organizations that serve students and trainees, creating outreach materials and identifying OSMED members who can serve as ongoing points of contact with partner organizations.

    Current initiatives include developing a short OSMED outreach presentation, planning outreach programming in Puerto Rico, exploring the development of an OSMED Puerto Rico chapter and creating a roadmap for future outreach activities.

    Members may contribute by helping identify potential partner organizations, supporting outreach events, developing presentation and educational materials, building relationships with student groups and connecting OSMED with organizations where they already have established relationships.

    Participation: Ongoing and project-based

  • OSMED is supporting the development of a publication resulting from the Southern California Chapter Radiography Hackathon.

    Independent reviewers with familiarity with imaging in spaceflight may contribute by evaluating the paper for technical clarity, accuracy and completeness before publication.

    Because independent review is required, reviewers cannot have participated in the original hackathon or helped author the paper.

    Participation: Limited project-based opportunity

Want to Get Involved?

OSMED projects are built around collaboration. Some opportunities require specific technical experience, while others are designed to help members learn, build new skills and gain experience working across disciplines.

Project availability, eligibility and time commitments vary.

Interested in participating?

Explore current opportunities through the OSMED member community or contact us to learn where your interests and experience may be a good fit.

Not an OSMED member yet?
Join OSMED to connect with projects, educational programming, mentorship and an interdisciplinary community working to advance human spaceflight.

https://www.osmed.org/membership