I am the Education Manager for the Aotearoa Aerospace Academy with Aerospace New Zealand and work to build pathways into the growing aerospace industry. The aerospace training programmes I lead with the Air Force Museum focus on human factors, plus political and legal factors supporting Moon or Mars habitation, which tie my BSc in Psychology and BA in Political Science together.
With UC Engineering and Imagination Station I also design and judge robotics competitions. As Academy Director for the International Antarctic Centre, I used my ICT experience to build an online learning platform with Children’s University and Science Alive called Antarctic Adventures to support students while home learning during the pandemic, which is still used today.
With my educational leadership skills from my MEd, I also led a dedicated team at PEETO (Pasefika Education and Employment Training Organisation) who work alongside Red Cross to assist refugees and migrants from war torn countries. I understand acutely that aerospace technologies have the potential to lead to devastation in war and I want to assist those who have lost their homes and livelihoods due to the misuse of this technology.
Can you give us a bit of a highlight reel of your career so far?
I grew up holidaying in the Dark Sky Reserve of Lake Tekapo, surrounded by the mountains of the Mackenzie Country and fascinated by astronomy. I have trained in Austria as a ski instructor and coach and worked worldwide with athletes. I’ve taught physics, electronics and astronomy, and directed the first Mission to Mars programme in New Zealand.
I have visited NASA centres across the USA, trained in rocketry, undertaken two NASA SOFIA missions, joined Rocket Lab as an educator and last year appointed Academy Manager at Aotearoa Aerospace Academy. So, a lot!
Are there any moments or achievements you are particularly proud of?
I am particularly proud of our work guiding Aurora Flights over the Southern Ocean. The Tahu-nui-ā-rangi or Southern Lights were the sacred fires of the ancestors for Māori. By giving New Zealanders the opportunity to see them, we bring them closer to understanding what forces are out there in space. I’m also proud of the work we have done with Māori and Pasifika on our Mission to Space Camps, providing opportunities in the space sector for our indigenous and Pacific peoples. Astronomy was spiritually and navigationally part of their heritage, so the future roles in aerospace belong to them too.
Getting women into STEM via managing our Mission to Space Camps and Shadow Tech for girls initiatives is also something I am proud of.
When looking back at your time at UC, what experiences or memories stand out to you?
I loved being part of the Alpine Ski Team – it gave me the opportunity to travel around the country, meet other students and get out into the extreme environments with friends.
I also loved the opportunities I had through politics and international relations to be involved in diplomatic and international community events, which built my practical understanding of the ways we need to support international collaborative activities like aerospace.
What advice would you give to students or recent STEM grads, especially women, looking to make their first career steps?
One of the most important things to remember is that the job you will be doing in 20 years (plus the tools you will use) may not have been invented yet! Therefore, your most important skill is not just understanding the fundamentals of mathematics, science, and communication, but to be a collaborative, resilient and fast learner to adapt to the changing world. Be the human that a robot cannot be.
Network to meet people, volunteer on projects to build soft skills, and have compassion.
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