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Irene Shivaei is an Iranian astronomer working at the Centro de Astrobiología (CAB) in Madrid, Spain. Born and raised in Tehran, she graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Physics from the University of Tehran in 2011, and later earned her Ph.D. in Physics from the University of California at Riverside in 2017.

Shivaei's research focuses on star formation, gas, and dust properties of distant galaxies, 3 to 5 billion years after the Big Bang. She has worked with major space and ground-based telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Keck, LBT, VLT, and ALMA. During her tenure as a NASA Hubble fellow from 2018 to 2021 at the University of Arizona, she was recognized with the Outstanding Postdoctoral Scholar Award.

In addition to her research, Shivaei has actively engaged in educational outreach, founding the Staryab educational astronomy website in Persian and the MESCIT math tutoring and mentorship program. Her love for travel and cultural exploration has taken her to various parts of the world, including Antarctica.

Shivaei's career represents a blend of scientific excellence and a passion for education, and her contributions to astronomy and outreach continue to inspire those in the field. Her life story reflects a devotion to exploration, both of the cosmos and the wonders of our planet.