An astrobiologist, analog astronaut, creator and speaker, Dr. Michaela Musilova shares her expertise as a lady on the forefront of area exploration and from her quest for scientific and private excellence
After we speak about area adventures, our minds are more likely to wander to famed astronauts. Nevertheless, we frequently neglect that there’s a lot extra to area exploration than “simply” area shuttles and the crews of individuals clad in particular area fits and bouncing round in zero gravity.
Certainly, area analysis and exploration are more and more important for all times on Earth. Naturally, then, they depend on a few of the world’s brightest minds in numerous fields whose analysis not solely pushes the frontiers of our information, however in the end helps us overcome a few of the most acute challenges right here on our planet and brings large and sensible advantages to humanity.
Their ranks embody Dr. Michaela Musilova, an astrobiologist who research the boundaries of life on Earth and, maybe much more importantly, searches for all times in outer area.
In the present day is International Women’s Day and March is Women’s History Month, a global annual celebration of ladies, pioneers and trailblazers, and we reached out to Dr. Musilova, to speak not nearly ladies making historical past, but additionally use it as a possibility to look forward and see what we will accomplish with the assistance and brilliance of (ladies) scientists.
Moreover, she has been working with NASA, ESA and worldwide observatories, such because the College of London and Canada-France-Hawaii telescopes.
Michaela was the Director of HI-SEAS and Commander of over 40 simulated missions to the Moon and Mars, in collaboration with NASA, ESA and lots of worldwide organizations.
She is at present a visiting Professor on the Slovak College of Expertise, International College on the Worldwide House College and Head of Analysis of the area know-how firm NEEDRONIX.
She was additionally voted one of many ESET Heroes of Progress in 2022.
Are you able to briefly describe your life story and what you do?
I’m an astrobiologist – which means I seek for extraterrestrial life, however I additionally attempt to perceive the boundaries and origins of life on Earth. I’m additionally a so-called analog astronaut and have been the commander of over 40 simulated area missions. On high of that, I really like to show, write, carry out outreach and academic initiatives, and I’m at present main my very own Astro Seven Summits mission. The objective of the mission is for my crew and I to do analysis, academic and outreach actions whereas climbing up the tallest mountain on every continent.
In a nutshell, I studied by means of quite a few scholarships at numerous universities all over the world, together with Caltech (USA), Chiba College (Japan) and UCL (UK). I first labored at NASA once I was 21 years outdated and I’ve collaborated with NASA on a number of initiatives since then. My analysis has led me on expeditions in several excessive environments all over the world, equivalent to Arctic areas, deserts, tall mountains and volcanoes. I’ve labored on plenty of space-related initiatives with area organizations and establishments worldwide, together with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope.
Since I’m from Slovakia, it was necessary for me to come back again to Slovakia and assist transfer the area sector ahead there as properly. I spent a few years in Slovakia because the Chair of the Slovak Organization for Space Activities, which is after we launched the primary Slovak satellite tv for pc skCUBE, began an area engineering diploma program on the College FEI STU in Bratislava (the place I’m a visiting professor) and we helped make progress in direction of Slovakia changing into an Affiliate Member of the European House Company. Now, I’m focusing primarily on the actions I discussed above, after retiring from being the Director of the HI-SEAS area analysis station in Hawaii, the place I ran over 40 simulated area missions to the Moon and Mars.
If you want to know extra, I not too long ago co-wrote a guide about my life caled Žena z Marsu (A Lady from Mars).
What made you wish to grow to be an astrobiologist? And what steps did you must take to get to the place you at the moment are?
After I was eight years outdated, I first grew to become captivated with area and I began questioning whether or not there may very well be aliens on the market. That shortly developed right into a passion, by means of which I mixed my totally different passions: area, writing, drawing and style design. I might write novels about aliens, draw them and design garments for them, after which I shared my tales with my classmates in elementary faculty. I used to be later in a position to meet the primary (and to this point solely) Slovak astronaut, Ivan Bella. He made me notice how cool an astronaut’s job was and the way it will be excellent for me – I might seek for aliens whereas happening missions in area!
Nevertheless, by the point I used to be 15 years outdated, I noticed that it’s nearly inconceivable for me, a Slovak lady, to grow to be an astronaut. In the intervening time, Slovakians can solely grow to be astronauts if our nation will contribute important quantities of cash to ESA, and that’s solely legitimate because the finish of 2022. Earlier than then, there was no risk in any respect for Slovakians to grow to be ESA astronauts (and our possibilities nonetheless stay very slim). I hesitated whether or not to embark on this practically inconceivable journey, however I made a decision to present it a attempt anyway.
I began saving cash by means of quite a few part-time jobs throughout highschool and college. I additionally studied very exhausting to get the absolute best grades and thus extra scholarships to totally self-fund all of my research. Even charities helped me out and since then, I’ve been serving to charities in any method that I can. It wasn’t a simple journey, as I used to be homeless and uncovered to all kind of tough conditions at instances (discrimination, harassment, individuals in excessive up positions making an attempt to blackmail me, and so forth.). However, I stored making an attempt my greatest and each success motivated me to maintain going after my goals.
What’s the most fun side of your job? And what, then again, might you reside with out?
Probably the most thrilling a part of my job is to have the ability to go on expeditions to totally different excessive and distant environments all over the world, in addition to to simulated different planets throughout my analog lunar and martian missions. I actually love that about my analysis initiatives and I joke that in a method it’s an superior “workplace with a view” 😉.
I really like doing outreach and I feel it’s an important a part of my work. I consider scientists ought to attempt interacting with the general public extra if attainable, and assist others perceive what the importance of their analysis is. Nevertheless, I want there was a method to carry out outreach and academic actions with out social media. These days, social media platforms dictate what to submit, the right way to submit it and when to submit it, on high of different issues. The algorithms are inclined to favor sure forms of posts and influencers, so organizations that simply wish to share, for instance, academic content material are inclined to get marginalized, particularly if they’ll’t afford to pay for advertising help.
What’s your largest ardour outdoors of labor and what retains you motivated in your journey?
My largest non-work associated ardour is dancing. I’ve been dancing since I used to be three and I vastly get pleasure from it. It’s one thing that brings me a whole lot of pleasure and it’s nice train too. I’ve tried a wide range of dance kinds: hip hop, ballet, lyrical, flamenco, breakdancing, acrobatic dancing, stomach dancing, ballroom dancing and lots of others. I at present dance West Coast Swing with my accomplice, and I hope to get again into lyrical and avenue dancing within the close to future.
Did you may have a function mannequin rising up? And do you suppose younger individuals are being inspired and motivated to enter sciences sufficient these days?
No, I didn’t have a job mannequin rising up. I admired astronauts as an example, however not often might I relate to them due to my background and circumstances. As a substitute, I drew inspiration from folks that I knew or met, whose tales motivated me to purpose excessive and pursue my goals. These individuals included social activists, lecturers, individuals who persevered regardless of adversity and my dad and mom.
I feel scientists and the sciences are hopefully changing into extra approachable as of late due to numerous outreach actions. Previously, scientific topics was introduced as one thing masculine that solely sure forms of individuals have been regarded as excited about. Girls and other people of various minorities have been typically subconsciously and someday consciously dissuaded from going into STEM topics. The extra ladies and minorities are in a position to entry training in sciences, after which share their tales, the extra ladies and minorities can be impressed to pursue a lot of these careers. Additionally, displaying the enjoyable and artistic facet of STEM topics by means of outreach and academic actions may help younger individuals be extra motivated to pursue these areas. There’s nonetheless a whole lot of progress to be made, however at the very least issues are a bit higher than they was once I began my profession 15 years in the past.
How does it really feel being that function mannequin for younger ladies from Slovakia and elsewhere considering of pursuing sciences? Should you might give them one piece of recommendation what would it not be?
I’m very honored that some individuals take into account me a job mannequin and I don’t take that flippantly. It’s a large accountability and I wish to do it justice. Which means I share each the nice and the dangerous sides of my private story, so that individuals can perceive the hardships and disadvantages of pursuing a profession like mine. I additionally attempt to share data that may be helpful to others. When it comes to recommendation, if I can simply share one factor, then I’d say: follow your instinct and intestine feeling. In the event that they’re telling you one thing is unsuitable, take heed to them and vice versa. My instinct has by no means let me down and it has saved my life a couple of instances, actually. That implies that for those who really feel strongly about pursuing a sure ardour or in case you have a nasty feeling a few sure job supply or particular person, take heed to that “voice” in your head. It may be a life-saver or it may merely assist you to pursue one thing that can carry you happiness in life.
What are the following steps in your profession?
At the moment, my essential focus is on my Astro Seven Summits project. My crew and I’ve climbed Kilimanjaro final yr and we’re now on the brink of climb the following mountain, Aconcagua. The primary expedition went very properly and we’re wanting ahead to the following one, with academic and outreach actions that we’ll be conducting. In the intervening time, we’re on the lookout for sponsors and companions of the mission. If all goes properly, then we’ll be climbing Mount Everest in 2025 and I could grow to be the primary Slovak girl to summit Everest, in addition to the primary Slovak girl to finish the Seven Summits.
I’m additionally persevering with with space-related analysis, educating and presenting worldwide, in addition to writing extra brief tales and novels. I haven’t given up on my dream to do analysis in area and I hope that my Astro Seven Summits mission will really assist me with my astronaut prospects. However, if it doesn’t work out in the long run and I’m not in a position to grow to be an astronaut, I hope that my work will at the very least assist others obtain this objective.
Should you might inform ladies and ladies one factor, this Worldwide Girls´s day, what would it not be?
Maintain pursuing your passions and rise up for what you consider in. It’s not all the time simple or attainable to do this after all, and generally it takes time and the appropriate circumstances. I simply consider that it’s necessary to not neglect about your individual goals and issues that make you content, regardless of obstacles in the way in which. There are nonetheless many points with gender inequality on this planet, for instance with unfair pay gaps, discrimination and sexual harassment. Sadly, these issues gained’t change for the higher except individuals of all genders work collectively to cease these injustices from occurring and set honest requirements in each skilled and personal points of their lives. I stay hopeful that issues will proceed to vary for the higher, so I’m making an attempt my greatest to do my half and I hope others will be part of me 😊.
Thanks on your time.
Pleased Girls’s Historical past Month!