I am um uh I live in Italy in uh in Lombardy. And uh I am uh an international pr and uh space tech transfer commercialization advisor.And um but not only because I, I really love, you know, um a hackathon and uh everything uh started my career in space, started with a hackathon. And this hackathon is uh thank you Kate. And this hackathon is a NSA spaceup challenge and I hope you have uh heard about NSA Spaceup challenge and, but if you didn't, it's, it's uh you know, the most uh uh enormous hackathon of the world because it's uh it uh it, it happens all over the world simultaneously. Um And this year we will have it in October. And this hackathon is about space data and using space data to uh solve uh global um problems uh about Earth and also space problems. And uh many, many of the challenges that uh um hackers or participants uh has to uh solve are, are also about SD GS goals. You, you have heard about the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Um And that there are 17 and uh among these, my favorite one for example, is uh um N A space A challenge. The ACA is NSA Spaceup challenge. I will write it for you. So you can um you can see, OK.

And, and uh um as I was saying, so you, you use the space data to uh solve those problems that are really, really linked to SDGS like uh uh and uh poverty fight hunger, uh equal uh um uh education and um uh gender equality, for example. So it's crazy because you would say, oh goodness, how does space uh really can solve those problems? And I was really curious about that when I saw this post on Facebook. Yes, because, you know, uh technology is really changing our lives for the better, even even if we are really scared about that. And so I, I was using Facebook because um yeah, we all use Facebook, I guess. And uh um by that time I was a single mother of two and I was looking for something new for uh you know, I wanted to get a, a stable job, et cetera. So um my father said to me, Kiara, you have to look um out for something new. You have to look uh you know, there are many dead markets and you have to leave those dead markets behind and, and look for the future for something that will happen and you will be in the middle of it when it will happen.

So I thought about uh uh joining on Facebook, uh you know, pages about the future about technology. And also NSA. And, and so one day I saw this uh this post about uh NSA Space up challenge in a city next to mine. And this post was uh saying uh uh doesn't matter if you are not an engineer. Uh you can be a space lover, a crazy scientist, you can be an architect, an artist, you can join and, and, and solve those big problems uh with us for the benefit of the world because it's an open source competition. So I, I was really, really excited. And uh then I, I also saw this uh um this um kickoff speech of the director of NSA Europe. And uh in this speech, uh Mr Tony um said that any one of us has the resources to, to help save the world. And this really inspired me so much because I said uh nobody is so poor, poor, that hasn't got something to give, you know. So I decided to participate. I participated and uh I made a very, very nice uh project about the introduction of hemp and as a sustainable culture to help um uh the economy and uh and fight hunger in the Sub Saharan Africa. I didn't win.

But I was so, you know, I fell in love with this. I fell in love with uh the, the free platforms of uh of NSA data and uh NSA Earth for example. And so I, I really decided that I wanted to take this competition to my city and then I started working on it and I worked so hard on it. And uh uh I remember that uh uh people didn't believe me. They thought, oh my Godness, Nessa, what about you? You are not an engineer. Uh So you are an astronaut. Um And I said uh no, it's just a competition about space data and nobody knew what, what could you do with space data? So I encountered many difficulties. My boyfriend laughed at me saying that I had to keep my feet on the ground and I would have never done this, you know, that uh you know, very, very bad things. And also um uh also happened that I had this um this location for free. And uh and then uh two weeks before the competition, um people owning this uh this structure say that they didn't want to make it anymore. So I was very, I panicked because I, I was so happy to do it and I, I didn't have money to do it, but I didn't care.

And uh um you know, uh people from the space apps uh say, don't worry, Ciara, if you don't have money, you just need the, the location and wifi we support you go on. And so I, I went on and I, I asked and uh the v of my town uh entering the game game and uh and also the head of the counselors. And uh and uh yeah, so II I try, I found another location way better than the, than the one I had before. And, and it was a success. My friends helped me and we built a little community and that was such a great success for me. Uh Even if it was so little and uh and we had no money and um so starting from this point, uh I started to get interested and uh studying and uh going to conferences. Uh Hey, hey, hey, from Albania and uh India. Yeah, thank you. Uh And so, yeah, uh I started to, you know, have also linkedin and, and saying that I was the leading organizer of NASA Spaceup Challenge in Russia. And I built myself from that and, and start ups become, became to, to contact me from, from linkedin or from Facebook and, and they wanted me to connect them with, with people of the space sector.

And so I started, I started to do it and I started also to connect companies to the space sector, non, non space companies or borderline, you know, to the space sector. And so, and so, yeah, and so I, I became a space tech Transport Criminalization advisor. And um and then I, I saw this uh uh this opportunity and uh I uh I, I subscribed myself to, to be selected as a, a mentor and um to a mentor and ambassador and a role model for, for uh Space for Women, which is a program by U Osa. Osa is the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs and, and they selected me and, and here I am. And so can you believe it that everything started from Facebook and the post? So you see that technology is, is a very, you know, it's, it's such a powerful tool that uh that is changing our lives. And so now I will show you something about the, the program of uh space for women. Uh So, so you can uh be aware about it and, and if you will want, I, I can be your mentor. And uh there are also many other mentors from all over the world and just I will show you very quickly so that uh we will have time for questions, answers and questions. So let me see. Uh OK, this should be this one. OK. And here we are.

So as you can see, um we have here, we have uh all the um sdgs that I was talking about before and uh when I participated into a space of challenge, it was zero hunger, hunger. Uh But the space for women um expressively uh address quality education and gender equality. And we will see that those too are really linked to good health and well being and also to uh reduced inequalities and, and to industry innovation and infrastructures and poverty and zero hunger because you know, when a woman uh works uh then all the family benefits from it and also all the, all the community where this woman lives uh as you see, mm unfortunately, women in stem are, are uh are not really a present and, and uh are, are, are not on the rise.

So I am really happy that there is this uh this uh woman in tech uh network because uh it highlights that uh women in tech has uh a higher um opportunity to, to get involved with uh um with well paid jobs. I, I guess so women, as you see, represent only 35% of uh stem related higher education. And we can see that uh these numbers are not really OK. And so also in the space sector, um you know, when I was a, a teenage, I never thought I never imagined that there was something else and not only being an astronaut, if you, I thought about space, I thought about that horrible video on uh on MTV, that was pump up the volume, you know, and uh there was this guy on, on this such a cage and he was flipping backwards.

And I said to myself, I will never be an astronaut, but I, I couldn't imagine that uh that um only, only, only men were involved by then, but it's not true also women. Uh but they are a minority and they are minority also today. But today, we also have, you know, we have other other professionals that can join the space sector, we can have women engineers, we can have a women uh expert in uh telecommunication. But also we can have, you know, lawyers, we can have space doctors, we can have experts in marketing and and the the new space economy really needs you really, really also women. So I was saying these are the uh this is the importance of empowering women and girls. You know, so if you are better educated, also your health will uh will benefit from it. And um uh women's rights and knowing about women's rights, reduce violence and discrimination and, and power abuse. And so, um you know, if you study stem and if you're really good at ST E, uh it's really, really important for you to uh get the chance to um to enter space careers because uh they offer a space of high earning jobs. And uh and so having financial freedom will really help you and really help uh your uh community. So uh as I was telling you, nobody came to my school saying that uh oh you're a woman. Uh uh No worries, you can uh also not be a housewife.

You can also be a scientist. You can also be a space pr you can be a space doctor. Nobody came and said that to me. So I, I only saw some astronaut women and uh as I didn't want to do uh the astronaut um it wasn't really helpful. So being a role model and uh and uh as you can see if you see me and other and other women in the space sector, then you can, you can think that you too, you too can, can join. And so mm here uh I will make you see here if you, if you want to get to know more. This is the, this is the website that you have to visit and you will find the space for women network mentors and all the mentors are available for you uh are available for you. And so I hope that uh you enjoy this and now I have to get back to you uh like this. I did it. So, yeah. OK. So let's open uh answers and questions. Uh I am an aerospace engineer myself spending time in school to show girls that it's not just for boys. I'll never forget the little four year old asking me if girls can become an astronaut. Yeah, Sarah, thank you so much. Yeah, I know that.

Um Yeah, little boys and girls has to be inspired. Yeah. Can you share those slides for our future references? OK. Yeah, sure. Um Just connect with me on linkedin. It's Kiara Ka, like uh you see written here, you will, you will see I'm like this uh talking with uh so connect and I will send you the slides. Oh, thank you. Sabrina. Thank you. Thank you, Sonia. Uh If you have any questions I'm here. And also um remember that uh you can ask for, for mentors, how can we get into space for women and what opportunities are available? So um just go to the website and you will see everything. If you want to get be a mentor, you have to be uh a space professional or a space industry leader. And um uh to becoming a mentor is uh they will, they will uh you know, um you can apply and then you will see. Uh but uh for 2020 they are closed now, but in 2021 they will open again. And how do you connect economics and data science with space jobs opportunity? Oh my goodness. And so, you know, when you use space data, um you can really um build a start up, I mean, you can build a start up that uses space data to, to, to move uh drones over uh your uh over your field of uh uh crop.

You know, for example, there are so so many, many uh interest uses of space data to open a company. So, yeah, I I really, I really think that uh data science is helpful because you can code and then you can see you can also use the uh data science for um elaborate further the space data that you will see. So that's it. Uh So I go OK, thank you really inspired. Thank you. Thank you so much. We have, uh, three minutes and if anyone has other questions, I'm here. I am. An MS is still looking for s together but, uh, most companies have put iron on hold to do the pandemic. Do you have any tips for the job hunt? Yeah. Uh, go to spacex and look for careers. It might be incredible. But I've, I've seen a lot of nice jobs and also, uh, you can go to, uh, careers in space and the space individuals. Um, I think that, uh, being a woman in tech will help you a lot. My yi what you take feedback from failures. Well, failures are the stepping stone of success. You know, when, uh, when they, they take away the, when they took away the, the location from me and I was scared, I wouldn't have done this in three minutes. I decided that I had to do it.

I, I wanted to make it so bad and, uh, um, it really sharpened my mind and I found out help. So, um, if, when you fail, you learn from failing and the next time you do it better. So don't worry very big because it means that you are trying hard. Yeah, sure. You can get a mentor, of course, or even boys can get a mentor, uh, you just have to look through the old mentors and, and see, uh, you know, maybe the one that inspires you more. Yeah. The links again. Spec, uh, uh, oh, my goodness. I have one minute. I, I hope that I can make it. Um, anyway, is a space for women. Do it? Wait, wait, wait, wait. So, uh, let me see. My link in. I'm coming here. Oh, my goodness. Anyway, it's Kaza. You can find it there. And, uh, I lost you. I lost, uh, I, I think it's over. Anyway, it's a space for women to org. You could try an online course on culture. Yeah, I did it. I try, I, I had one course on Coursera. How do you keep up with the energy? My source of motivations are uh ancient uh uh aphorism about victory, ancient aphorisms about victory. And also broadcast. Can you ask, can we ask? Sure. Sure, sure you ask. I, I will uh I will respond. I, I think it's, it's over.

I don't know because I, I see that uh OK, maybe the session is over. Ok. So thank you so much for joining. It was, it was very nice to have you. Thank you so much. Bye.