From Defence and Strategic Intelligence, to STEM Education and Advocacy: An Interview with Sam Leske Artwork

SpaceBase Podcast

SpaceBase is a social enterprise who's mission is to democratize access to space through education, entrepreneurship and community building starting in New Zealand. This podcast is dedicated to creating the journey from space enthusiast to space entrepreneurs through insightful interviews with aerospace specialists, investors, and entrepreneurs sharing their experience and knowledge of the space industry, and their personal journeys.To support the podcast, please consider becoming a patron.Since its incorporation in 2017, SpaceBase has collaborated with economic development agencies, local and national governments, and advocacy groups to deliver over 100 educational presentations and workshops, national space and aerospace competitions, as well as helping birth space communities and organizations locally and globally. SpaceBase also assists in technical due diligence, consulting projects for investors, industry stakeholders, and space startups. SpaceBase created a platform for the NZ Aerospace Directory and a free course, Catalysing a Space Industry in Your Region, for anyone interested in creating a local space industry. Recently, it delivered the Space for Planet Earth Challenge competition for the Pacific region in partnership with satellite company Planet.

All Episodes

SpaceBase Podcast

From Defence and Strategic Intelligence, to STEM Education and Advocacy: An Interview with Sam Leske

March 24, 2024 • Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom • Episode 62

An interview with Sam Leske, Sam Leske, Director at Milky-Way.Kiwi, a social enterprise whose goal is to inspire people to think about our collective future and how they can actively contribute through quality science education with an added cosmic perspective. Sam has a long career in Aoteroa’s Defence Force, first as a Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot, to Head of the Operational Intelligence and Head of Strategic Intelligence at NZ Defence Force. He also worked for the Ministry of Primary Industries as Director of Intelligence Coordination and Plans and Director of Biosecurity Support Services. He was the President of New Zealand Institute for Intelligence Professionals between 2018-2022.

Sam has a bachelor’s of Science degree in Geography, and Masters degrees in Defence and Strategic Studies and Astrophysics.

Today, he works full time as a space science communicator with company Milky-Way.Kiwi, helping strengthen the STEM and Science educational programmes in New Zealand.

Resources
Spacewardbound.nz, Immersive STEM programmes in NZ
preprints.org, journal preprints
phys.org, science news
space.com, space news
Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysicist and Science communicator

Hosted by: Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom, Co-Founder and CEO, SpaceBase
Music: reCreation by airtone (c) copyright 2019 Licensed under a Creative Commons (3.0)

If you like our work, please consider donating to SpaceBase through the SpaceBase Open Collective. Or be a SpaceBase Patreon sponsor. (E.g. $3 dollars a month or $36 NZD a year will go a long way in supporting the production of the podcast.) 🚀

Support the show