Meet The Team

Founder & Lead Writer & Lead Editor

Cyrine Badji

Cyrine Badji is the founder, lead writer, and lead editor of Beyond Our World. She created the blog to further explore her interest in astronomy and space science, with the goal of making these topics easier to understand for students and general readers. As a student, she is especially interested in science communication and in finding ways to present complex ideas in a clear, simple and engaging way. She is passionate about astronomy and uses this blog as a way to stay connected to that interest by continuing to learn about space and sharing that knowledge with others. Through Beyond Our World, she hopes to inspire more students to become curious about the universe and to see science as something interesting, accessible, and worth exploring.

Writer

Krishna Shankar Mathur

Krishna Shankar Mathur is a writer for Beyond Our World with a long-standing passion for astrophysics and space. Growing up in India, his fascination with the stars developed from a childhood curiosity into a deeper interest in understanding the universe and its many complexities. He continues to explore that interest through reading, writing, and observing the night sky, always looking for new ways to learn more about the cosmos. Beyond his enthusiasm for space, he also enjoys gaming and discovering new stories and ideas. Through this project, he is able to combine his passion for astrophysics with his interest in writing while contributing to an educational platform that makes cosmic topics more engaging and accessible for readers, regardless of their prior scientific knowledge.

Writer

Mohammed Ayaan Khan

Mohammed Ayaan is a writer for Beyond Our World and has been passionate about medicine since his childhood. Being able to help those in need is something he aspires to achieve in the future. Having the support of both his parents and watching them treat different people, it fascinated him and was the driving force for his interest in the field. He enjoys spending his free time socializing with friends and staying active through sports. Whether it’s playing a quick game or just being around others, he values connection and the balance it brings to his life. Growing up in a city with significant light pollution, he rarely saw the night sky clearly. This limitation sparked a deeper curiosity about what lies beyond, leading him to wonder about the vastness of space and everything hidden just out of sight.

Writer

Talaykwan Rees

Talaykwan Rees is a writer for Beyond Our World who joined the project to challenge and further develop her writing skills. Originally from the UK, she is a dedicated athlete with a strong commitment to fitness, health, and competitive volleyball. She also has a love for reading and writing, and is passionate about exploring deeper ideas and pursuing meaningful goals for the future. Through this project, she combines her interest in writing with the opportunity to contribute to an educational platform and take on new creative challenges.

Writer

Soundus Al Khodary

Soundus Al Khodary is a writer for Beyond Our World who joined the project to refine and strengthen her scientific writing skills. She is very active in Model United Nations and is an avid debater, with a strong interest in discussing and advocating for subjects she is deeply passionate about. She plans to pursue medicine as a future career, and through this project, she combines her interest in science with her enthusiasm for writing and scientific communication. In her free time, she enjoys sports and fitness, prioritizing her health and well-being.

Writer

Marc-Aurèle Paul Gestin

Marc-Aurèle Paul Gestin is a writer for Beyond Our World who joined the project because of his strong personal interest in space and astronomy. He has a deep passion for the subject, which has long been one of his main hobbies and interests. Through this project, he is able to explore that passion further while contributing to an educational platform that makes space science more engaging and accessible for readers, as well as learning how to work as part of a team and grow through the challenges that come with collaboration.

Writer

Natalie Kvapil

Natalie Kvapil is a writer for Beyond Our World who joined this project because she has always had an interest of learning about the universe since a young age. She took this opportunity of being able to practice discussing topics she is profoundly passionate about, while using scientific, academic language with the intention to pursue a career in the pharmaceutical industry in the future. Being part of a team, collaborating on topics she is interested in, is something she truly enjoys, while also being able to build experience in scientific topics that often include complex concepts and topics. She enjoys learning about space, history, symbolism and chemistry. In her free time she enjoys reading, playing video games, listening to music, and skateboarding.

Writer & Outreach Director

Aliyana Al Mirza

Aliyana Al Mirza is a writer for Beyond Our World with five years of experience, specialising in short stories and creative writing. She finds herself to be fascinated by space and stargazing has always remained a constant way to explore that curiosity. Telescopes are a tool she has been using for a decade, analysing positions and shapes of stars and planets. She’s especially passionate about learning about constellations and the stories, science and history behind them. Through this project, She is excited to bring together two of her passions: writing and the cosmos. Hoping to use storytelling to make astronomy more engaging and accessible while sharing fascinating knowledge about the universe with fellow curious minds.

Writer & Outreach Coordinator

Ellemieke Westra

Ellemieke Westra is a writer for Beyond Our World, bringing a unique perspective to space coverage through the lens of space anthropology. The interest originally started with anthropology, but when she discovered space anthropology, she was immediately enthralled and invested. So, rather than focusing solely on rockets and the purely scientific side of space, she decided to explore how space exploration shapes human culture, identity, and society. From the rituals of mission control to the ways astronauts adapt to life off Earth, she aims to share her passion with a wider audience. When not writing, Ellemieke can be found reading, or pondering what future generations will make of our first steps beyond the planet & what that may end up looking like.