Postdoctoral Researcher
Dr Arnold Agaba
Dr Arnold Agaba is a Ugandan-born lawyer and academic specialising in air and space law, with a focus on advancing the field in Africa. He holds a PhD and Master of Laws in Air and Space Law from McGill University, a Master of Laws in US Legal System and International Law from the University of Cincinnati, a Bachelor of Laws from Uganda Christian University, and a Diploma in Legal Practice from Uganda’s Law Development Centre.
Dr Agaba lectures at McGill University and several other universities on the African continent. He is a member of the Uganda Law Society and the East African Law Society, where he chairs the Air and Space Law Committee, and he serves as Chair of the Research Group on Air and Space Law of Africa. He is dedicated to legal education and capacity building, leading training and research programs for African professionals in aviation and space governance. His research explores how African states develop legal and institutional frameworks for the sustainable and responsible use of outer space. Dr Agaba focuses on the challenges and opportunities African countries face in space governance, including policy development, legal harmonisation, and integrating African perspectives into international air and space law.
He is a strong advocate for African participation in the global space sector and emphasises the importance of international cooperation, urging African countries to contribute to the development of international norms governing space activities. His work highlights the need for inclusive dialogue, capacity building, and sharing best practices to ensure Africa’s interests are represented in space governance.
If you wish to contact Arnold, you can email him at: arnold.agaba [at] mcgill.ca
DCL, Doctor of Civil Law in Air and Space Law
Nigah Awj
Nigah Awj is a doctoral candidate at McGill University's Institute of Air and Space Law. She completed her LL.M. in Air and Space Law at McGill after earning her B.C.L./J.D. from the University's Faculty of Law. She is a member of the Barreau du Québec since 2020.
After practicing at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP (BLG), where she advised clients in transportation, aviation, maritime, insurance, and litigation, Nigah founded Asha Legal Solutions, a boutique law firm providing strategic legal counsel to businesses, transportation companies, airlines, travel agencies, non-profit organizations, and private and commercial clients. Through her practice, she also acts as external General Counsel to a medium size mining company. She completed an internship with Airbus in Toulouse, France, working alongside engineers and certification specialists on emerging technologies, sustainability, and aircraft certification. Beyond her legal practice, Nigah is the Founder and CEO of the Afghan Youth Association of Montreal (AYAAM) and serves as Chair of the Admiralty and Maritime Transportation Committee of the Transportation Lawyers Association and as Membership Liaison Officer of the International Foundation for Aviation and Development (IFFAAD).
If you wish to contact Nigah, you can email her at: nigah.awj [at] mail.mcgill.ca
Andrea Buitrago Carranza
She holds a B.A. Honours in Political Studies from Bishop’s University, a Master in Public Administration from Queen’s University, a BCL/JD from McGill University and an LLM from the McGill IASL. Her current PhD research explores the protection of human rights for the first humans present on the Moon, focused on the concept of extra-territorial application of IHRL.
Within the OJAG, Ms. Buitrago Carranza spent most of her time as part of the Directorate of Strategic and Operational Law, which is the directorate within the Operational Law division that provides strategic legal advice to the Chief of Defence Staff and the Minister of National Defence. In this role she was the lead advisor for Air Space Incidents (AIS), NORAD, use of force in international operations, national authorities to deploy, and also provided advice and legal support on Space Law matters.
Ms. Buitrago Carranza joined the OJAG after having worked at the legal offices of three Specialized Agencies of the United Nations between 2016 and 2018: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Rome, and the International Civil Aviation Organization of the United Nations (ICAO) in Montreal. As part of McGill Law International Clerkship Program, Ms. Buitrago Carranza was also a legal clerk at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, assisting the president of the Court.
Haoyue (Luna) Deng
Haoyue (Luna) Deng is a Doctor of Civil Law (D.C.L.) candidate at the Institute of Air and Space Law.
Her research examines the legal regulation of cross-border aircraft transactions. She is interested in the power structures and potential imbalances embedded within these regulatory frameworks. Adopting comparative, quantitative, and empirical approaches, Haoyue explores four interconnected areas of cross-border aircraft transactions: contracts, property rights, aviation safety regulations, and import and export controls. Her research project is supervised by Professor Vincent Correia.
Prior to joining McGill in 2024, Haoyue completed an Advanced LL.M. in Air and Space Law at Leiden University and an LL.M. in Private International Law at the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL). She received her Bachelor of Laws from CUPL in 2021.
Haoyue was a Research Fellow of the Aviation Working Group (AWG) project on the enforcement of interests under the Cape Town Convention in China, and worked as an intern at the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
If you wish to contact Luna, you can email her at: haoyue.deng [at] mail.mcgill.ca
Mirette Elgawahry
Building on this foundation, her doctoral research examines the legal and regulatory frameworks governing space activities in the Arab world, including the interaction between international law and Islamic legal traditions.
She held the Erin & John Collins Arsenault Fellowship in 2024–2025 and serves as a Research Assistant at the Institute, where she is a member of its Africa Research Group, contributing to regional and international space law initiatives across Africa and the Arab world.
Her research interests span public international law, specifically space law, satellite communications, remote sensing, and African and Arab regional space frameworks. She works in Arabic and English.
If you wish to contact Mirette, you can email her at: mirette.elgawahry [at] mail.mcgill.ca
Martina Elia Vitoloni
Her doctoral research addresses lunar governance, with a focus on damage liability in the context of lunar activities. Specifically, she examines the legal gaps in the Liability Convention as applied to lunar damage scenarios, and explores how recourse to reparations under general international law may serve to ensure adequate compensation for victims. Employing conceptual analysis, her work is deeply grounded in public international law theory, particularly the law of State responsibility and its application to space law.
Beyond her doctoral work, Martina is Co-Editor of the McGill-led project on the Multilingual Interpretation of the Outer Space Treaty, and chairs the Research Group on Latin American Air and Space Law. She is also a member of the SGAC Working Group on Lunar Governance and of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL). At the IASL, she serves as a Research Assistant and Grants Specialist.
If you wish to contact Martina, you can email her at: martina.eliavitoloni [at] mail.mcgill.ca
Judith S. Jahnke
Beyond her core research, Judith is actively engaged in planetary defence, serving as the point of contact on the local organising committee for the 2027 Planetary Defence Conference. Her work further extends to regulating the aerospace industry in the Arctic, reflecting her interest in governance challenges in extreme and strategically significant environments.
If you wish to contact Judith, you can email her at: judith.jahnke [at] mail.mcgill.ca
Michael Nas
Prior to commencing the DCL, Michael completed the LLM (Air & Space Law) at McGill in 2025/2026, with his thesis examining the legal challenges posed by artificial intelligence in the certification of advanced air mobility aircraft. He also holds a Master of Laws (By Research) from Murdoch University (2015), where his thesis examined emerging regulations for drones across multiple jurisdictions.
Michael’s involvement in the aviation-sector involvement as a practitioner includes being a finalist in Aviation/Aerospace Australia’s 2020 Distinguished Leadership Award and serving on the Board of the Aviation Law Association of Australia and New Zealand. His doctoral studies focus on autonomous and emerging aviation technologies, including through the recently announced McGill Initiative on AI, Mobility and Innovation (MIAMI).
If you wish to contact Michael, you can email him at: michael.nas [at] mcgill.ca
Hao Zhou
In 2022, Hao graduated from the Adv LLM programme of international air and space law of Leiden University, The Netherlands (with cum laude). It was then followed by an internship in 2023 with the East China Experimental Zone of Unmanned Aircraft Systems located in Shanghai, China. With seven years of competing, and later coaching for the Leiden-Sarin International Air Law Moot Court, Hao possesses a long-lasting passion and comprehensive understanding of the interpretation and application of the Chicago Convention, and the technical rule-making functionalities of the ICAO.
He is currently conducting his own DCL research project on the rule-making functionalities of ICAO here at McGill, which is an attempt to examine the effectiveness of existing ICAO rule-making framework in the face of growing regulatory challenges in new domains.
Thank you so much for your time and attention!
If you wish to contact Hao, you can email him at: hao.zhou5 [at] mail.mcgill.ca