Dr Phylis Makurunje is a forward-looking and impact-driven researcher on advanced nuclear fuel development and energy solutions at Bangor University in Wales. She is currently part of the Uranics Innovation Centre for the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL)’s emerging fuel technologies drive. Prior, she participated on the Advanced Fuel Cycle Program for pioneering sustainable technologies to secure the United Kingdom’s clean energy future. Her contribution to outer space programs has focused on the development of propulsion systems and surface power microreactors. Makurunje was on the UK’s 2023 Future Leaders of the Foundation for Science and Technology where she met and discussed science and technology policies with senior figures from government, parliament, industry and research institutions. From 2019 to 2022 she was an Executive Secretary of the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), an international youth organisation for supporting United Nations space programs. She currently serves on the International Committee of the American Ceramic Society Engineering division and the Space Traffic Management Committee of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).