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Dr Kevin Fong OBE is a medical doctor interested in space medicine and extreme environments, particularly the medical and physiological challenges of long-duration human space missions. He holds degrees in Astrophysics and Medicine from University College London, a degree in Astronautics and Space Engineering from Cranfield University, and has completed space medical training rotations at Johnson Space Center, Houston, and Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral. Kevin has worked with research groups and senior figures at ESA in the past, organizing and chairing a number of key meetings with the goal of developing a strategy to further UK involvement in human space flight. He also participated in the European Science Foundation's evaluation of the ELiPS program, ESA's life and physical sciences program aboard the International Space Station.
Kevin has worked closely with NASA's Human Adaptation and Countermeasures Office in the United States, part of their artificial gravity pilot study team. He has also worked as part of the team developing medical procedures for the X-38 Assured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV) – a spacecraft that was once set to become the world's first space ambulance. Kevin has close links with ESA and NASA's human space exploration programs – including space life scientists and astronauts past and present – and has worked alongside the British National Space Centre and the UK Space Agency in campaigning for further British involvement in human space flight. In 2000, Kevin founded the Centre for Altitude, Space and Extreme Environment Physiology (CASE) at University College London (UCL). This group focuses on the challenges of protecting life when faced with the extremes of illness, injury, and the environment. In the same year, he launched the UK's first undergraduate course in extreme environment physiology at UCL, which he organises and teaches.
As a practising NHS doctor, Kevin is a Consultant in Anaesthesia at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and a flying doctor with the Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust. Kevin is as passionate about science communication as he is about human space exploration. He was one of the inaugural Wellcome Trust Public Engagement Fellows and is currently Honorary Professor of Public Engagement for Science and Medicine at UCL. Kevin is also a science broadcaster and author. He has produced numerous BBC documentaries, including Space Shuttle: The Final Mission (2011), Mars: A Horizon Guide (2009), and Blink: A Horizon Guide to the Senses (2012). He is the author of Extreme Medicine: Life, Death, and the Limits of the Human Body (2013).
50 years ago Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin skilfully flew their lunar module to the surface of the Moon; landing for the first time in the history of our species on the surface of another world. But their 13 minutes of final descent were riddled with hazard. The mission constantly teetered on the brink of failure but ultimately they were victorious. In this talk Kevin examines how disaster was averted by unpicking their 13 minute descent. The mission of Apollo 11 – and their successful landing on the Moon – is a masterclass in organisational endeavour and real time risk management. Half a century on from that historic mission in space there are still plenty of lessons for those of us here on Earth.
Seconded to NHS England in March 2020 as part of the COVID-19 response team, Dr. Kevin Fong gained a unique perspective on the pandemic and witnessed the extraordinary efforts of NHS frontline workers in delivering the vaccine. He observed an unprecedented pace in scientific and medical advancements, with hundreds of vaccine trials conducted in mere months. In his talk, Kevin shares leadership lessons, difficult decision-making under pressure, and the hope that drove people forward during uncertain times. Attendees will learn about effective crisis management, the importance of expertise, and the balance between risk and benefit in decision-making.
Kevin has spent his life working at the sharp end with some of the world’s leading high-risk, high-performance teams. From studying elite systems with NASA to assisting the British Military Emergency Response Team in Afghanistan, and from working on frontline NHS units during COVID-19 to his role as a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) doctor – Kevin’s work hinges on making real decisions and facing real consequences. This talk explores how elite teams make decisions in the face of extreme pressure and, more importantly, how they learn from mistakes and continue to succeed. In uncertain times, and in the face of fast-moving threats, there are lessons here for all.
When the pressure is on and the chips are on the table, we are called upon to make some of our toughest choices and decisions. Our experts share valuable insight on how to make important decisions when they matter most.
