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Stéphanie Lizy - Destrez
Associate Professor in Space Systems Engineering at ISAE-SUPAERo
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Do not hesitate ... believe in yourself.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
I am the head of a research group, named SacLaB. It stands for Space Advanced Concepts Laboratory. I am mainly conducting researches about astrodynamics (optimization of interplanetary trajectories) and space system design in the context of human spaceflights to the Moon, Mars, and even further (like Asteroids). I am also teaching space mechanics, space systems design.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS FIELD?
I have mostly always wanted to work for the space domain and conduct researches. I realized it when I was a very young girl (7 years old), reading Marie Curie's life and looking at the stars in the summer skies. So I got very motivated and worked hard to study Maths, Physics, and Aerospace engineering from Bachelor to the Ph.D. Before being a professor, I was an engineer in the space industry. I had the opportunity to work on a lot of different space missions. I took part in the operations of the first ATV (European cargo to the ISS)
WHAT DO YOU LOOK AT & THINK, "I WISH YOUNGER ME WOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS WAS POSSIBLE?"
There are two professional achievements that I am very proud: first, being part of the team that was piloting remotely from the ground the first ATV and twice, being the head of a research team focusing on future human space missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
WHY DO YOU LOVE WORKING IN STEM?
I love having to face scientific problems and trying to solve them. I like to try to model them with mathematical tools and thus understand the physical phenomena. But most of all, I like to keep learning and satisfy my curiosity.
BEST ADVICE FOR NEXT GENERATION?
Do not hesitate ... believe in yourself ... listen to your intuition and follow your dreams
INSPO / FUN FACT
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars”