NATALIE PANEK

Mechanical and aerospace engineer currently working on the European Space Agency’s 2018 Exomars rover program.

I was lucky enough to be mentored for a year by Maryse Carmichael, the first woman to fly with and command the Snowbirds Aerobatic Team. She taught me to embrace challenges and pursue opportunities beyond my main field of study, because you never know where they might lead you. I spend as much time as possible outdoors, exploring places that are remote and challenging. Exploration on Earth is similar to exploration in space — it’s all about pushing our capabilities and the search for the unknown.