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Aurélie Bornot
Antenna engineer, CNES
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Find a field that thrills you.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
I work for the French space agency as an antenna engineer. I design and assess performances of antennas that might be used for space missions. Right now, I am mostly involved in the design of antennas which find their applications in space science and altimetry.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS FIELD?
I wanted to do a job that helps people. When I was younger, I attended a conference chaired by a former French astronaut who underlined the usefulness of space science here on earth and how helpful it is for a lot of people. And from this day, I dreamed of being part of the space adventure. Mathematics was my favorite topic at school, and so I thought aerospace engineering would perfectly combine my two passions.
WHAT DO YOU LOOK AT & THINK, "I WISH YOUNGER ME WOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS WAS POSSIBLE?"
I come from a family where very few people have done long studies. I really didn't know what I was getting into when I started my engineering studies and what it implied. I wish younger me would have known that one day such hard work would have pay off and that not giving up is the most important thing. You have to believe in your skills !
WHY DO YOU LOVE WORKING IN STEM?
I love to understand how things work and answer tricky problems. STEM is really fascinating, science is all around us in our everyday lives. And the most amazing : there are still so many things to discover !
BEST ADVICE FOR NEXT GENERATION?
Find a field that thrills you. It doesn't matter where you come from, it doesn't matter what your gender is, it doesn't matter if you don't fit the "profile", as long as you are passionate about something and you work hard, anything is possible. You have to see your differences as a gift, diversity is our strength.
INSPO / FUN FACT
"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."
Oscar Wilde