Piero Messina, M.S.

Piero Messina, M.S. is Senior Officer at European Space Agency HQ, coleading the Moon Village concept development and Ph.D. candidate whose research project is human spaceflight in science diplomacy from EHESS.

Piero has 12 years experience as part of the Faculty at International Space University.

Piero became the Head of Reinsurance Office at GEAS Assicurazioni (Gruppo Fondiaria) in Florence, Italy in 1988 where he stayed for 3 years. In 1991, he joined European Space Agency — European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany working in the Budget and Finance Office. After 8 years there, Piero moved to Administration in the Director’s Office for Industrial Matters and Technology Programmes at ESA Headquarters in Paris.

In 2001, he became responsible for Higher Education programmes at the ESA Education Office between Paris and Noordwijk and after 2 years he became Head of the Coordination Office and Advisor to the Director at Directorate of Human Spaceflight, where he stayed for the next 8 years.

Piero earned his Diploma in Business Administration in 1983 from ISIS ITC G.Galilei in Florence, Italy. Between 1989 and 1997, he studied Political Science in International Economic Relations at the Università degli Studi di Firenze.

During 1998 and 1999 he earned his MSS in Space Studies from International Space University where he was later also part of faculty for 12 years (2004–2016).

Piero earned his Certificate in Economics and Management of Innovations from Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in 2001, attended a course in Politics and political management at ULIBO in 2004, and did a Specialization in Strategic Problem Solving, Coaching, and Communication at Strategic Therapy Center in Arezzo, Italy (2011–2012)

Before Piero started with his Research Doctorate at École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), he did his second Master degree there in History of Science, Technology, and Society with his dissertation on the role of the US scientific community with respect to the decision to build the space station (1980–1983).

He has more than 25 years of experience in management of international and multi-stakeholders programmes with a focus in international and institutional relations, government liaison, strategy, and strategic communication.

Piero is a member of Mobile First Aid Unit for Disaster and Humanitarian Relief and a Corresponding Member of International Academy of Astronautics for Science and Technology.

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