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University of Florida

Rachael Seidler named director of UF’s Astraeus Space Institute


Rachael Seidler, a professor of applied physiology and kinesiology who focuses on astronaut health, has been named director of the University of Florida Astraeus Space Institute.

“Dr. Seidler has proven her leadership abilities as a collaborator in her field and in the broader area of space research,” said David Norton, UF’s vice president for research. “We’re confident she will take the Astraeus Space Institute to the next level as director.”

The institute was founded in 2024 to bring together UF scholars from an extensive range of disciplines for collaborative research that supports humanity’s ability to explore the universe and creates new partnerships across various sectors essential to space exploration. Currently, over 150 faculty members are conducting more than $50 million in space-related research.

Seidler has been serving as deputy director of the institute almost since its inception, leading efforts to connect faculty with funding opportunities and to promote collaborations across disciplines as diverse as aerospace engineering and the biological sciences.

“I am delighted to represent and support the outstanding community of space researchers at the University of Florida,” Seidler said. “The Astraeus Space Institute membership covers an incredible breadth of space research, including technology and applications for unlocking the secrets of the universe, supporting human health in space, and developing sustainable in-space biomanufacturing. I look forward to building upon our existing relationships and forming new ones with academic, industry and government partners.”

Seidler is one of the nation’s leading space health researchers, with a focus on the impacts of extended time in space on the brain and body. She has published almost 200 peer-reviewed papers in journals such as Science, Lancet Neurology and PNAS, with her work cited over 20,000 times. Moreover, she has garnered close to $20 million in funding for her research. 

Seidler is currently leading a NASA-funded study to track space crews for five years after their flights. An array of brain scans, behavioral measures and eye evaluations are meant to reveal brain and eye changes and the long-term health effects of space travel.

“We are so fortunate to have Rachael leading Astraeus into the future,” said Rob Ferl, the institute’s founding director. “Her experience is at the heart of human exploration of space, and her perspectives encompass the broad reach of the multiple space science disciplines that we have on the UF campus.”

Since its founding in 2024, Astraeus has emerged as a national leader in space research, creating a structure for UF faculty from many disciplines to collaborate and serving as a gateway for government agencies and industry to tap into the university’s space expertise. Examples of current research include:

  • Geology Professor Amy Williams is helping to search for life on Mars as a member of the Perseverance rover team.
  • Astronomy Professor Sarah Ballard hypothesizes that one-third of the planets around the most common stars in the galaxy could be in a Goldilocks orbit close enough, and gentle enough, to hold onto liquid water (and possibly harbor life).  
  • Mechanical and aerospace engineers are developing precision instruments for spacecraft navigation and studying ways to prevent collisions between space debris and the International Space Station.

Through Astraeus, UF is expanding its relationships with NASA, U.S. Space Force and private space companies. In January, UF joined with the University of Central Florida and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to form the Florida University Space Research Consortium, which will facilitate the awarding of NASA research grants in partnership with the Kennedy Space Center.