ESA marks Women and Girls in Science Day 2024
We're joining the global community this weekend in celebrating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. As part of our efforts to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and space enthusiasts, we're featuring three young professionals working with us. Here's a glimpse into the projects they're working on, and stay tuned for their videos on ESA’s Instagram for a peek into a day in their lives at ESA.
ESA celebrates the invaluable contributions made by women and girls in the fields of science and technology and this year, starting on International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February, we're launching a series of stories of three young engineers and scientists. In the first video, which will be released on the ESA’s Instagram page, you'll be able to step into a day in the life of a space exploration engineer! Stay tuned by following ESA's Instagram for the other releases published in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, read more about their backgrounds and the projects they are working on in this article.
Carla Tamai, graduate trainee in Gateway Training Analysis, Planning and Facilities Definition
Carla is a space exploration engineer based at the European Astronaut Centre, where her role extends to the heart of astronaut training. Her primary focus lies in defining the future concept of astronaut training for upcoming lunar missions. She is dedicated to the development of the mock-up and the simulator for the International Habitation Module (I-Hab), the ESPRIT Refuelling Module (ERM) and the HALO Lunar Communication System (HLCS) – which are the three biggest European contributions to the future space station orbiting the Moon, the lunar Gateway. When in the mission control room, she assists to training sessions taking place in the Columbus mock-up with astronauts coming from all over the world as they prepare for missions on the International Space Station.
"I'd like to travel to contractors and companies working on the lunar Gateway, witnessing the live construction of the station. This would give me inspirational ideas for the mock-up and a deeper understanding for the simulator," said Carla.
Before joining ESA as a YGT, Carla started her professional journey as a thermal engineer at the Netherlands Royal Aerospace Centre (NLR). Later she worked as human factors engineer intern within the Space Medicine Team at ESA. In Madrid, she supported a team of scientists in laboratory experiments at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Beyond her passion for space, she's all about diving into books, building epic LEGO constructions, travelling around the globe and cooking dishes using her grandma's timeless recipes.
Aurelie Hand, graduate trainee in Materials Environment Survivability for CubeSats and Nanosats
Aurelie is a materials engineer working in the Materials Physics and Chemistry Section. Her main responsibility is to guarantee the resilience of materials intended for space applications against the harsh conditions of outer space, including extreme temperatures, radiation and atomic oxygen erosion. To carry out these experiments, Aurelie utilises the unique facilities of the ESTEC laboratories, equipped with more than 20 dedicated experimental facilities and hundreds of instruments. Here, she can simulate the detrimental factors of the space environment, and assess how these affect materials for research projects that may fly on CubeSat missions.
Aurelie is also currently involved in an open lab testing campaign for novel and commercial-off-the-shelf CubeSat materials. This initiative allows universities and small companies across ESA Member States to assess their materials for space compatibility, bypassing costly and lengthy qualification processes. The results are publicly shared, benefiting the broader European CubeSat community.
The best part of her job? Aurelie said, “What I love most about my job is to realise experiments in ESA’s laboratories. We have very unique and complex facilities so even in my second YGT year I am learning every day! Our lab has a diverse team with people of different nationalities, ages and backgrounds, which provides a great learning experience. I feel lucky to work with actual space hardware, touching samples that have been in space or will fly one day.”
After completing her studies in material engineering in France, Aurelie stepped into the space sector through an internship at Spaceship EAC, where she focused on 3D printing of lunar regolith. “It was an amazing first experience. When I learned about the YGT position at ESTEC, I applied immediately, eager to continue my adventure at ESA.”
Alessia Garofalo, graduate trainee in artificial intelligence
Alessia is an astrophysicist based at ESRIN, where she is part of the Artificial Intelligence team in the End-User Services Division. Within this role, she has extensively researched the application of artificial intelligence tools within ESA. Currently, Alessia is actively involved in testing and refining AI tools to ensure their efficient utilisation; the goal is to enhance creativity, optimise time and work quality, and increase employee productivity through the implementation of these digital tools.
What does she love most about her job? "I love the work I am doing; it makes me feel closely connected to the future of science, data and engineering. Since my university years, where the lack of women in these fields was already noticeable, it has always been important to me to raise awareness on the topic and show that everyone, regardless of their gender, can do the same things based on their passions and expertise,” said Alessia.
With a background in physics and astrophysics, Alessia wrote her thesis on machine learning, by merging astrophysics and data science; ultimately, her diverse skills led her to apply for a job in artificial intelligence at ESA. She also plays an integral role in the Young ESA community, serving as one of the two site representatives for ESRIN and overseeing the coordination of local activities such as networking events and activities.