| Leonardo/ISASTwith Arizona State University

Irene Schlacht

at Technische Universität Berlin

Irene Lia Schlacht is an Italian designer born in Milan on 1st August, 1979. Currently she is studying for her PhD at the Technische Universität Berlin, (Prof. M. Rötting): Habitability in Extreme Environment: visual design for outer space.
She graduated in 2006 at the Politecnico di Milano with a thesis on the "Color Requirement in Outer Space habitats" (Prof. D. Riccò). She also has been "Outer Space Human Factor Researcher" at Universitä di Torino (Prof. M.Masali). After a report on Space Design (Thales Alenia Space), she directed an experiment on color perception in microgravity, taking parabolic flights with the ESA in September 2006. She is hoping to increase the working condition of astronauts with art design and ergonomics. Like many, astronauts she recognizes Earth's fragility, and is interested in its environmental problems. With more than sixteen publications, she can be considered as a candidate expert in the field of Outer Space Design. Today, with experts in various fields, including the space artist Ayako Ono, and the space anthropologist Prof. Melchiorre Masali, she is creating a space research group called www.Extreme-Design.eu.