30 Jahre deutscher ingenieurinnenbund e.V.

various technical points, and on the other hand interacting with domain experts in order to better understand their needs and requirements. Once the software is delivered by the industry, we (me as the software engineer and the domain experts) run the user acceptance to deter- mine whether the product covers the user requirements. What were your professional high- lights in 2015 and 2016? This is actually my first professional experi- ence after defending my PhD thesis so I would say that everything is a highlight to me because everything is new. It is very interesting and enriching for me to moni- tor a full development activity. In 2015, I participated at the kick-off of the main software development activity on which I am following up. In 2016, I expect to run its user acceptance which will hopefully be successful. What relevance does the launch of a satellite or especially a rocket have for you personally? I think that every launch makes me marvel at what humankind has achieved in so little time. If we look back at the Middle Ages, it is astonishing we have come such a long way. Whatappealstoyoumostaboutyourjob? The most appealing aspect of my job is being able to communicate on a daily basis with an astrophysicist. I became interested in astrophysics during the last year of my PhD (which had nothing to do with this field). In addition to this, I always considered that computer science is truly rewarding when you use it as a tool in another field (e.g., biology, chemistry, medicine) and now I have the chance to see how it is used by solar physicists. What would you personally like to influence, if it would be feasible? I would maybe change the way people and groups of people interact with each other. It sometimes feels like there are too many layers one has to go through in order to share of information or ask a question and receive an answer. What particular contribution do female engineers make to ESA? I do not think there are female and male engineers in ESA, there are only engineers, with equal responsibilities, equal rights and equal opportunities. What are the necessary cognitive and character requirements for an ESA employee? I think it is important to be able to work in a multi-cultural environment (with people from all over Europe) and to communi- cate efficiently with people with various academic backgrounds. I would say that it is important to have an analytical spirit and to be autonomous and proactive, but this is useful in any workplace. Please complete this sentence: Women looking to build a career should focus on engineering, because … … there are no boundaries (apart from the ones that we set ourselves) and because it can prove to be an exciting and reward- ing adventure. However, I would rather say that women looking to build a career should focus on what they are passionate about, without fearing that it is too dif- ficult or the field is dominated by men. << 45 30 JAHRE deutscher ingenieurinnenbund e.V.

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