MD, PhD, Chair Scholarship Committee

Francisco Rios Tejada, has 40 years of experience in Aerospace Medicine. He is specialist in Respiratory Medicine and Hyperbaric Medicine.

He is currently consultant in Aerospace Medicine for the Spanish Civil Aviation Authority (AESA), and retired Chief Medical Assessor of AESA.

He got retired fron the Spanish Military Medical Corp as Col. Med. Director of the Spanish Air Force Aeromedical Center, where he spent most of his military career. Former Associate Professor at Complutense and San Pablo CEU University of Madrid.

He is Past President of the Spanish Society of Aviation Medicine and Iberoamerican Association of Aerospace Medicine. Currently 1st Vice-President of ESAM, Fellow of AsMA 1997 and IAASM Academician from 1996.

Dr. James Vanderploeg is Immediate Past-President of the International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine, a Past President of the Aerospace Medical Association, and is Board Certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine in both Aerospace Medicine and Occupational Medicine. He has numerous publications, including medical results from research using centrifuge exposure to simulate the G forces of a suborbital space flight.

Dr. Vanderploeg has over 40 years of experience in aerospace medicine with a career spanning medical support for the NASA Space Shuttle program, serving as Chief Medical Officer and now Senior Medical Advisor for Virgin Galactic, and the clinical practice of civilian aviation medicine. He is Adjunct Professor of Aerospace Medicine in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas.

His previous work included Executive Director and Principal Investigator on multiple research projects of the FAA Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation; evaluation of airline pilots seeking special issuance authorization for medical certification following recovery from medical or psychological problems; and training physicians in the specialty of aerospace medicine. As Virgin Galactic’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Vanderploeg was responsible for developing and implementing the medical programs for spaceflight participants, Virgin Galactic pilots, and other employees. Most recently he has advised Virgin Galactic in the response to COVID-19 including the use of virus and antibody testing to help return employees safely to the work site.

Dr Evans worked for the NHS and British Airways prior to moving to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in 1993. She was the CAA’s Chief Medical Officer between 2005 and 2019, subsequently working as a CAA Consultant Advisor. She chaired the group that drafted the European Union aviation medical requirements and was the founder and Chair of the European Aviation Medical Assessors’ Council.

In 2015 she was a member of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Task Force on Measures Following the Accident of Germanwings Flight 9525. She was awarded the MBE in 2018 for services to aviation medicine.

Dr Evans is the Secretary General of the International Academy of Aviation and Space Medicine.

Dr Chong Chun Hon is the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Medical Board of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). He is also a Visiting Consultant to the Singapore Armed Forces for Aviation Medicine. He has over 30 years of experience as a specialist in Aviation Medicine.

Prior to joining the CAAS in 2009, Dr Chong completed 21 years of military service in the Singapore Armed Forces where he had held the appointments of the Chief Air Force Medical Officer of the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Assistant Chief of Medical Corps of the Singapore Armed Forces.

Dr Chong has been a member of the Academy since 2007. He was responsible for developing the IAASM-SAA Aviation Medicine Course for Medical Examiners and Assessors which is offered annually at the Singapore Aviation Academy. The course is recognised by ICAO as a Standardised Training Package under its TRAINAIR PLUS Programme.

Anthony Wagstaff has 35 years of experience working in Aerospace medicine and Occupation medicine. He is currently Principal Advisor in Aerospace Medicine, Norwegian Armed Forces, and works at the Institute of Aviation medicine in Oslo Norway where he has also been Director for 14 years. He is Specialist in Occupational Medicine and adjunct professor of the Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo.

He is a military and civilian AME, researcher and lecturer, and also supervises Master and PhD students.

He is a Past president, European Society of Aerospace Medicine (ESAM) 2016-2020, Fellow of AsMA 2012, member of the IAASM since 2001 where he has previously served as Selector and Director.

Dr Joe "Bugs" Ortega has over 35 years experience in Aerospace Medicine.  His career started in the US Air Force as a Flight Surgeon with tours in fighters, special operations, aeromedical evacuation, cargo airlift, and a tour at NASA's Johnson Space Center.  He trained in Aerospace Medicine at the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine and is Board Certified.  

Dr Ortega also served on the American Board of Preventive Medicine, the certification body for US physicians practicing Preventive Medicine specialties and subspecialties, rising to Chair the Board for 2 years.  "Bugs" retired from the USAF in 2016 after a 30 year career as a military flight surgeon.  He has worked the past decade in military medical standards as well as certification of all initial flying and special duty applicants to the US Air Force.  After several years on various committees of AsMA, he was AsMA President from 2019-2020.  He also serves as AsMA Delegate to the American Medical Association.  

Currently, Dr Ortega is the Chief Physician for the USAF's Accession Medical Waiver Division.  He has been a member of the IAASM Scientific Program committee and now serving as a Council member.  

Dr René GERMA is one of the four directors of the Academy. He is fellow of aerospace medical association, member of the board and deputy chief editor of the Francophone aerospace medical society journal. He is senior AME FAA and transport Canada. He is Private Pilot.

Dr GERMA has over 30 years of experience in aerospace medicine. He began in Air ambulance companies as Mondial Assistance, Europe assistance and more others.

In 1991 he began his course as Secretary General of French Civil Aviation Board and was nominated in 2013 Chief of medical Aircrew office French Civil Aviation and medical assessor. He is in constant link with his European and EASA colleagues; He provides expertise in aerospace medicine in other countries outside Europe.

Dr David Powell is the Medical Advisor to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).  IATA is the global body representing the world’s major airlines, headquartered in Geneva and Montreal.

Dr Powell is a specialist in occupational medicine whose professional background is mostly in aviation, including as an Air Force flight surgeon, leading medical services for airlines, academic roles and also consulting for a variety of aviation organisations including ICAO (the International Civil Aviation Organisation).

He has around 20 publications mostly in aerospace medicine.  Although his role is based in Geneva he is normally resident in New Zealand. 

Dr. Sanchez is Medical Doctor, Otolaryngology Specialist, University Teaching Specialist, and Ph.D. in Public Health. Medical Officer of the Colombian Air Force (COLAF) for thirty years (1988-2018), where she served as flight surgeon, aviation safety officer, medical specialist, professor, researcher, Director of the Aerospace Medical Center, and Surgeon General. She has been AME and advisor of the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority since 1993, and former adjunct professor of the Nueva Granada Military University, COLAF Postgraduate School and National University of Colombia.

Her expertise includes aerospace medicine, flight physiology, human factors, aeromedical evacuation, operational safety and health management. Her work with military and civilian institutions has been recognized as an important contribution to develop the aerospace medicine in Colombia and other countries at the region. She is Fellow of AsMA, Member of ACORL and AsHFA, Past President of the Colombian Aerospace Medical Association and Iberoamerican Association of Aerospace Medicine.

Currently, she continues working in academic and research activities and advising military and civilian institutions.