Meet the team

Dr Heidi Thiemann

Heidi is an expert in developing regional and national skills strategies, engaging with industry partners to understand their skills needs, and coordinating cross-sector collaboration.

She has been a key part of STEM education and skills strategy development for Cornwall and has an extensive network of contacts in further and higher education, particularly in the South and West of England. She led the Cornwall Aerospace Technology Training programme at Truro and Penwith College, where she led the team developing the Level 4 Space Engineering Technician Apprenticeship.

She is an experienced project manager having led projects for DSIT and the EU, including a £1.73m programme to support local businesses to identify and fill their skills gaps through tailored training provision.

She is a member of the national Space Skills Advisory Panel and the skills working groups in the UK Telecoms Innovation Network and the Association for Geographic Information, and the steering group of the Cornwall Space and Data Cluster.

She has a degree in Physics from the University of Leicester and a PhD in Astronomy from The Open University, where she analysed astronomical data sets (and baked prize-winning astronomy cakes).

Awards

• 2023 Royal Aeronautical Society Team Achievement Award
• 2022 Sir Arthur Clarke Award for contributions to the space sector
• 2022 SSPI UK Space Personality of the Year
• 2022 Cornwall’s 30 Under 30
• 2021 British Interplanetary Society NextGen Rising Star
• 2020 everywoman Rising Star Award finalist
• 2019 Sir Arthur Clarke Award for contributions to the space sector
• 2019 University of Leicester Future Leader Award finalist
• 2016 University of Leicester Advancing Gender Equality in STEM Award

Joseph Dudley

Joseph’s background is in education, skills, and software development. He has worked in the education and social sectors, working with coalitions of businesses and charities to address educational inequality and accelerate the use of digital technology. He was previously a secondary school maths teacher, and a curriculum designer for software training programmes.

He leads on data analysis, skills taxonomies, and tooling development. He is also a senior technologist at dxw, a tech company that works with local and central government and the third sector to build digital public services.

He has written and spoken frequently about skills, training, and recruitment issues including giving evidence in Parliament to the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee.

He founded SpaceCareers.uk, the leading space careers website in the UK, and has an MEng in Aeronautical Engineering from Imperial College London.

Awards

• 2023 Royal Aeronautical Society Team Achievement Award
• 2023 Payload Pioneers 30 Under 30
• 2022 SSPI UK Space Personality of the Year
• 2017 Prime Minister’s Point of Light Award
• 2016 Sir Arthur Clarke Award for contributions to the space sector