Women in Dark Skies - Women in Dark Skies - Next speaker Yana Yakushina

Yana Yakushina is a lawyer, researcher, and dark sky protection educator. Currently, Yana is working on her Ph.D. thesis at the University of Ghent (Belgium). The main objective of the thesis is the identification of the legal framework for the recognition of light pollution as an environmental problem. Yana is actively involved in dark sky protection awareness activities by attending international conferences, podcasts, and workshops and providing consulting services.

Yana also specializes in space law. She is a Deputy Director of Legal Research and Special Projects at the Space Court Foundation Inc., who develops and manages projects related to regulating space activities across different jurisdictions, e.g. Big Book of Space Law.

Yana has successfully participated in international legal research projects in the field of dark sky protection and space law and collaborated with organizations and government bodies worldwide, inter alia, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Ghent University, the EU Commission, International Dark-Sky Association, Starlight Foundation, International Astronomical Union, UNOOSA, etc. In addition, Yana is a member and an advisor of several NGOs, including the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), Starlight Foundation, and the Rule of Law Association. This year Yana has become a board member and one of the co-founders of the Belgian dark sky protection organization - Living Night.

Yana's talk will focus on general awareness of light pollution and in that context the current status of regulation and policy documents in Europe, together with insights on her work in Belgium to escalate awareness of the issue via the Belgian Dark Sky Protection NGO.