Sarafina El-Badry Nance

Sarafina El-Badry Nance is an astrophysicist/analog astronaut/BRCA2+ breast cancer previvor and advocate/author. She makes her SI Swimsuit debut in 2022. As an astrophysicist and National Science Foundation graduate research fellow at Cal, Nance researches exploding stars (supernovae) and the evolution of the universe. As an analog astronaut she has recently completed a Mars astronaut simulation. Nance is a fervent women’s health advocate and regularly speaks on the importance of genetic testing, self-checks and preventative medicine. She was inspired to do this work after being diagnosed with the cancer-causing BRCA2 genetic mutation and opting for a preventive double mastectomy when she was 26. She’s a frequent on-air science expert and the author of the children’s book Little Leonardo’s Fascinating World of Astronomy. Her memoir Starstuck is due to be published next year by Penguin Random House. She shared her mission with SI Swimsuit saying, “I wanted to show that women can pursue our dreams, defy stereotypes and be anything we want to be, no matter what!”