The sky has proven to not be the limit for the ʹڲƱ Engineering alumna, who is poised to become the first Australian woman in space.
How does a young girl from Wollongong studying Industrial Chemistry at ʹڲƱ Sydney go on to be selected as an astronaut with the European Space Agency (ESA)?
In the case of Dr Meganne Christian, the journey has meant throwing herself into as many things as possible, grabbing every opportunity with both hands and not being afraid of new and exciting experiences.
From her first year as an undergraduate in 2005, to completing a PhD from the School of Chemical Engineering nine years later, the path has since led to Italy, plus a 12-month spell in isolation in Antarctica, to now being chosen as a member of the ESA astronaut class of 2022.
“I guess it’s a cliché to say just follow your dreams,” says Dr Christian, who now lives in Bologna, working as a researcher for the National Research Council of Italy.
“But to add to that – sometimes you don’t know what your dreams are. So look out for opportunities and take them when you can. Don’t let them go, because some really interesting things can come from them.”
It certainly does not get much more interesting than being chosen to become an astronaut – with Dr Christian potentially becoming the first-ever Australian woman in space if she is selected to go on a mission.
From O-Week to Zero-G
Her role would be to conduct scientific experiments and research, while also being highly trained in the operations of the spacecraft.
It promises to be a high-pressure, intensive experience, but one Dr Christian believes she is well prepared for after life at ʹڲƱ!
“I think being at ʹڲƱ definitely shaped me. One of the things I remember is that I really took every opportunity that came up,” she says.
“At one stage I was in a revue and I think I had seven exams that same week. I was on the Relay for Life committee, I was involved with the Yellow Shirts and became an O-Week coordinator, so I was determined to make the most out of everything and I think it made me a well-rounded sort of person.
“It also helped teach me how to organise my time and to instil discipline.”
Perhaps surprisingly, Dr Christian believes her experience as an O-Week coordinator in 2011 actually did play a role in her successful application ahead of 22,500 other candidates to bec