Enlighten us about your role in the organization you are leading/associated with?
Currently, I am serving as the President of the International Space Alliance. One other heavy focus is being the Organizer, which in our structures is called a Local Lead of the NASA Space Apps Challenge Cleveland, held at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, as well as NASA Space Apps Challenge Mountain View, held at NASA Ames Research Center at Silicon Valley, California. Of course, with my background I constantly do research, but most of it is under NDA, for example, currently, I am aiding a company called Alvar.is. However, the focus always falls on the outreach programs I am a part of, and I always tend to highlight and prioritize their visibility because everyone can get involved and contribute and through that improve their community. Making change through STEM and Space Exploration is important to me, and I always ensure I spread the word. Juggling so many activities that contribute to the community, bearing a lot of responsibility, while having a job, and doing research, is exhausting. If you add outreach on top of that, giving interviews or attending conferences, it’s definitely overwhelming. Oftentimes I ask myself how I do it, and then I remind myself it’s because of the team that is constantly there to boost me forward.
Where do you find inspiration? What motivates you to work harder?
Improving our world through my initiatives that impact the community is a really big driver. I always said I have no role models. I think that’s because I never truly recognized myself in someone. That’s exactly why I overwork myself this much. To become that beacon of hope for those who are like me, but feel oppressed, dismissed, or are conditioned to narrow the scope of their shine.
Kindly mention some of the notable recognitions and accreditations received by your person.
The latest recognitions are that I became a Space Generation Advisory Council Delegate. SGC serves in support of the United Nations Programme of Space Application, as a professional network. I also became an Emerging Space Leader for the International Astronautical Annual Congress organized by the International Astronautical Federation. I am really excited to present two papers there, and the connection to the industry through these channels has been a truly incredible experience. I am glad that the world can recognize my talent, especially since I am the first one from my country to gain access to these renowned organizations. I hope that with all of my efforts, I am paving the path forward for future generations, and I am already enabling access to my space-obsessed team, helping me organize all the STEM and Space initiatives, especially in critical regions that have close to no access.
What is the one thing you wish you had known about women in your line of work before you started working?
What I wish I knew is how rough this industry can be. People are so passionate and the projects are so demanding. It can be exhausting and it needs so much devotion. If you don’t find the time to rest and recover, or balance your life out, you will have burnout, fast.
What I personally experienced in a more serious, negative connotation, is that this industry is still not ready for opinionated women that can be disruptive and vocal. Women are still so limited in how they are supposed to behave, and softness is favored whilst being direct is considered challenging. That’s funny, because the same characteristics make men honest leaders. It’s been shown repeatedly, through personal experiences, or experiences of my peers, that we collectively witnessed.
Another noticeable misfortune is that the industry does not allow differentiation of any kind, even having a different style or a different look than the industry’s preferred standard, can be offputting to many. And it’s so unnatural because this is the space sector, people should be allowed imaginative liberty and creative outputs. The unconventional should be welcomed in space, not the other way around, whether that is ideas or looks. Luckily, Gen Z is out there, being vocal and bringing the much necessary change. If we don’t change the perspective, we won’t burst that space bubble, we will just replicate it in other areas and help it grow.
Do you believe it is compulsory for a woman to manage a household alongside her work?
I come from a traditional upbringing and that same kind of society too. But no matter how shocking this might be to many, my answer is no. It should never be compulsory. We’re not slaves, objects, or property, and we should not have compulsory household pressure.
As a woman, what has been the highlight of your career? What are the changes you wish to make for the better in your professional life post-pandemic?
The highlight of my career is enabling opportunities to people that otherwise won’t have access to them, and allowing them an actual space in the Space Sector and a voice that is heard. Whether that is true education, work opportunities, initiatives, or outreach programs, I educate regions that have no access or prior knowledge.
Post-pandemic I hope western society learns why we need breaks and remote working. How enjoyable and crucial flexibility is, and that we should not be trapped or defined by our job. It should not be our primary focus, it should be an asset to our character and personality.
Brief us on the changes the pandemic brought to your sector and your market. Has the work-culture altered?
I learned this beautiful thing when you operate in the Space Sector online, and that is that zoom calls don’t discriminate. You don’t really have a barrier of entry for certain initiatives, which is usually there, just because you’re a non-US Citizen. Through that online example, which was a silver lining in the pandemic, I was able to contribute to international cooperation and change or impact certain structures to loosen up and be more open internationally. After those structures were finally exposed to the multiple benefits of international cooperation, and when they saw what that brought to the table, we were finally able to create change with a physical presence and bring more non-US Citizens on board.
What words of wisdom/ inspiration/ advice would you offer to the next generation of female leaders?
Be the underdog that never lost hope. We live in a really brutal world, and kindness is so exploited nowadays. But no matter what anyone else says, or if all odds are against you, keep at it, and wonderful things will happen if you’re persistent. Will the path be difficult? Unimaginably. Is it worth walking? Absolutely.
