What do you love most about your profession? Why did you choose this career?
I am the Chief Science Communications Officer for the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes for the European Space Agency. I work completely remotely and there are various opportunities for travel and networking. I live and work from my hometown of St. John's in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. I've been very fortunate to have travelled to many different places to attend conferences since diving into the space career. Soon I'll be nearing 50 countries visited and I feel extremely grateful to have friends in the astronomy communications and greater aerospace industry all around the world to learn from and engage with. I chose science communication as my career because it allows me to stay up to date with the latest developments in the industry, while also facilitating a role in which I can engage directly with the public to help bring "rocket science" to a public level and to share my love of space with broader audiences.
Why do we need more women in STEM and Skilled Trades?
It's essential to have diversity in the STEM and skilled trade fields of the space industry. Some of the most innovative engineering feats, the most profound scientific discoveries, and the biggest achievements in international collaboration have all come from our desire to explore and study space. In order to accomplish our biggest goals in space science and exploration, we must be able to bring people together from all backgrounds to work together. This includes improving the representation of women in these roles, as the aerospace industry has been historically dominated by men. While this is improving, we still have work to do!
What was the best advice you have been given?
"No" is a full sentence! It's important to learn how to stand up for yourself, especially when it comes to saying no to taking on extra work or to expressing when you are not comfortable with something. It's easy to become overworked, stressed, and burned out in some of today's work environments, so it's essential that we can feel comfortable saying no (and to not feel bad about doing so!). This is easier said and done, but I feel it is an important part of individual self-care and will facilitate a strong work/life balance.
What does your typical workday involve? Can you work remotely? (indoors/outdoors, office/plant, travel time, teamwork/solo work)?
I work remotely, so I can take my work just about anywhere. My role is to oversee the content on the ESA/Hubble and ESA/Webb websites, and all matters pertaining to science outreach for these missions by coordinating the talented members of the international ESA/Hubble/Webb outreach team. This work is managed by the European Space Agency (ESA) Office at the Space Telescope Institute. In a typical day, I can explore new stories based on discoveries presented in scientific papers that may be of interest to broader audiences. I spend most of my time coordinating our team to develop press science and photo releases, engagements with the astronomers, writing texts and scripts, developing visuals, directing video shorts, proofreading, science reviews, and dissemination of content. I also oversee the popular ESA/Hubble Picture of the Week series, which publishes a new Hubble image every Monday. We also take care of answering questions from the media and the general public, and I work closely with the Space Telescope Science Institute, NASA, and ESA. Sometimes I also travel for work meetings and conferences, which can take me anywhere in the world!
English 