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
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
Hao Zhou
If you wish to contact Hao, you can email him at: hao.zhou5 [at] mail.mcgill.ca