The European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) is pleased to welcome the first Roy Gibson Fellow, Lea Thome. This year’s fellowship is under the theme “Space for diplomacy and diplomacy for space” and is dedicated to examining Europe–China relations in space. The fellowship is implemented in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the UK Space Agency.
Named in honour of Roy Gibson, the first Director General of ESA, the Fellowship pays tribute to his legacy in shaping European space. It recognises the critical importance of space policy and diplomacy in times of unprecedented geopolitical and geoeconomic shifts, which also affect space. Its purpose is to harness excellence in research and policy analysis that will contribute to ESPI’s overall vision of building a strong Europe as a trusted partner to the world.
The Roy Gibson Fellowship 2026 will examine:
- how space stakeholders at national, European, and international levels approach China,
- the opportunities and risks China’s space diplomacy and international cooperation may present for Europe,
- the rationales underpinning different European policy, programmatic, and industrial approaches towards China,
ESPI is delighted to welcome Lea Thome as the first Roy Gibson Fellow. Lea brings extensive international experience, including immersive academic and professional engagement in China, Taiwan, and the United States.
''Over the past few years, I have worked on understanding China between the United States and Asia. In particular, I have always been fascinated by China's large-scale investments in infrastructure and technology. As the Roy Gibson Fellow, I look forward to not only applying my China knowledge to the area of space policy and research, but also engaging with European stakeholders to address an emerging area of thought."
ESPI warmly thanks its partners at ESA and the UK Space Agency for their support in making this Fellowship possible and expresses its deep gratitude to Roy Gibson for his enduring inspiration.
