Dr. Zolana João
Dr. Zolana João is the first General Manager of Angola’s National Space Program Management Office (GGPEN), where he lead engineering and research initiatives for communication and earth observation satellite launches in collaboration with international partners.
He played a key role in developing Angola's Space Strategy for 2016-2025, propelling the country from a non-space-faring nation to an emerging space-faring one in just 11 years. Dr. João successfully launched two Angolan satellites, ANGOSAT 1 and 2, and led the implementation of the Angolan Earth Observation Program, which supports socio-economic development in sectors like agriculture, oil and gas, mining, and construction.
Dr. João holds two master’s degrees: one in Telecommunications Technologies from Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa, and another in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering from École Supérieure d’Ingénieurs en Électrotechnique et Électronique (ESIEE) in Paris, France. He earned his Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng.) degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., focusing on managing complex large-scale projects.
He is a research affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has co-authored several published articles. He is also an executive consultant and Strategist at the Arusha Space.
Dr. João has received numerous accolades, including an invitation to speak at the White House during the United States–Africa Leaders Summit 2022, the "Space without Borders" medal from ROSCOSMOS, and recognition for his projects by the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI), UNESCO, in 2022.
