Dr. Ekaterina Kostioukhina is a medical doctor with postgraduate studies at Harvard University, where she earned a Master of Liberal Arts in the field of Psychology. She pursued this further education at Harvard Extension School after earning her medical degree from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, completing her residency in Internal Medicine, specializing in Obesity Medicine, and gaining years of clinical experience. She saw this as an excellent opportunity to deepen her understanding of psychology and its connection to medicine and human performance through a rigorous program designed for professionals balancing careers and responsibilities, integrating modern technology with evidence-based learning strategies.
In one of these classes, taught by Dr. Ivkovic (Brain and Behavior in the Extremes), she discovered the field of Space Medicine, which shaped her career path by integrating her diverse academic background. Since then, she has focused on human adaptation to extreme environments, particularly metabolic states like torpor and hibernation. She collaborates with experts across disciplines to explore their implications for space travel and critical care medicine.
She has served as a guest lecturer at MIT, teaching Space Medicine and Crisis and Disaster Management. She has also provided training to military and intelligence agencies on global security issues. She is a member of the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Forum, an organization in Washington, DC, focused on advising legislators on pressing global threats such as human trafficking. Her expertise has been featured in Forbes, Crisis Response Journal, and military publications, as well as on television and radio.
Now based in New Zealand, she continues advancing research in remote environments, applying her expertise in medicine and psychology to real-world challenges. As an educator, researcher, mentor, and mother, she is dedicated to shaping the future of human spaceflight, extreme medicine, and psychological resilience in high-stress environments.
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