Space Needs Women. Space Needs You.
Inspiring the Next Generation of Women
Hosted by Meagan Crawford, the Mission Eve podcast is dedicated to the inspiration and empowerment of the women who will lead our species to settle new worlds. From a terrestrial perspective, achieving gender parity may be helpful, beneficial, or even profitable, but the space industry has an entirely different problem when it comes to permanent human settlements in space. Settlements (true, sustaining, long-term settlements) will need a minimum of 51% women for biological reasons, among many others.
Currently, women only represent 25% of all Aerospace employees. And to date, only 11% of the people who have explored space have been women. At Mission Eve, we believe that the most important contribution we can make to increasing the number of women working, and eventually living in space, is through sharing the journeys of the women who are already doing it. By sharing these stories, we hope that the next generation of women – those who will actually settle new worlds – will find the role models, mentors, and inspiration they need today so that they can be the founders of new human settlements of tomorrow.
Episodes
Episode 0114: Alana Bartolini
Alana Bartolini is the STEM Didactic Expert Scientist at the European Space Agency. In this final episode of Mission Eve, Season 1, learn how growing up amongst the diversity of Canada, her teachers, dance, the unique experience she had at University (and so much more) led to her career in Space with the perfect balance of inspiring students and science.
Episode 0113: Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar
Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar is the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration president & CEO. Supportive parents & being part of the Apollo generation fostered her love for space. But it wasn’t until later in her career that she believed she could have a professional impact on the industry. Fast forward to today and she’s one of the most renowned strategic thinkers in Space & a highly regarded technical expert with a boldness you’ll respect, admire & love. Discover how she did it & how she continues to pay it forward.
Episode 0112: Harriet Brettle
Harriet Brettle is a business analyst at Astroscale, a commercial space company dedicated to cleaning up orbital debris. Her journey into the Space industry began when, as a young girl, her dad let her down easy: being a witch was not a viable career option. But she could get excited about the planets, sciences and math, which is just what she did. Discover how Harriet went from graduating from university with a degree in mathematics, to a career in finance, to Outreach Coordinator of the Planetary Society, to that fateful day when she landed a major role as part of the Astroscale team. Harriet’s story will make you laugh, feel inspired, and most importantly, remember to never doubt yourself. Space needs Harriet. And space needs you.
Episode 0111: Dr. Tanya Harrison
Dr. Tanya Harrison (aka “Tanya of Mars”) is a manager of science programs at Planet. Her undergraduate degree is in Astronomy; her Masters and Ph.D. are in Geology with a specialty in Mars. She’s a photographer of both Earth and Mars, a Trekkie, and the youngest member of the National Space Society’s Board of Government. She makes space swag, works with “150 other satellites that are adorable”, is an advocate for science communications, the disabled, and an all-around awesome role model for women who want to trail-blaze the industry. Follow her journey @TanyaOfMars on Twitter.
Episode 0110: Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides
Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides is the author of “The New Right Stuff: Using Space to Bring Out the Best in You” which shares career hacks to guide tomorrow’s Space leaders. She’s also the co-creator of the international celebration “Yuri’s Night”, and a Virgin Galactic astronaut. From her impressive career starting as a NASA astronaut office intern, to conducting safety reviews on the ISS, to her field work in the Arctic (and so much more) there’s nothing Loretta can’t do, and there’s nothing you can’t either.
Episode 0109: Sarah Cruddas
Sarah Cruddas is a space journalist, broadcaster, author of the children’s book “The Space Race,” and host of the Discovery Channel show “CONTACT.” She joins us on “Mission Eve” to discuss how space camp inspired her to join the industry, the power of storytelling, and how her career evolved from a reporter at the BBC to her career in space (plus the incredible risk and failure it took to get there). Ladies, as Sarah reminds us, we are all extraordinary. And more than ever, the time is now to take a seat at the table.
Episode 0108: Negar Feher
Negar Feher of MOMENTUS Space will make you feel like we can do anything. Growing up in Iran, to returning as a Junior in high school, to graduating from Cal Poly (and Stanford!), to her burgeoning career, Negar teaches us what real hard work is, and how young women can lead the movement we find ourselves on the precipice: the industrialization of space.
Also shared in this candid interview: challenges faced as a woman in Engineering and Space, culture shock, and why we need to help each other rise in our careers… if you haven’t listened to every episode yet of Mission Eve, this episode will get you hooked.
Episode 0107: Stephanie Gowell
In this candid interview, Stephanie Gowell shares how the inclusivity of the industry led her to fall in love with Space. Relatable, endearing, inspirational—Stephanie keeps things real as she shares her experience finding work after school, her path to becoming the ATLAS Space Operations Director of Commercial Sales, her biggest challenge in the industry, her vision for the future, the mentors that helped shape her way, and so much more. You’ve been warned. Prepare to be inspired.
Episode 0106: Rebekah Rounds
Have you ever daydreamed about space? Wondered if humans will go more frequently to the stars? Questioned whether a burgeoning career in such a field exists? Enter Rebekah Rounds who proves that not only is all of this possible, but that much of it is in-the-works and, as far as careers go, is very much available today. Discover in this 6th episode of Mission Eve Rebekah’s journey into space law, what inspires her about the future, advice for young women in the industry (or thinking of entering), and what we need to change in order to realize a balanced universe that’s both innovative yet supportive of national security and civil initiatives in space.
Enter inspiration. Enter a new generation. Enter brave and bold new ideas that will forever change our future in space.
Episode 0105: Rachel Lyons
It all began with “Cosmos” by Neil deGrasse Tyson—the documentary that literally changed everything for Rachel Lyons. Since then, she’s become the Executive Director of Space for Humanity—a non-profit organization with a mission to send as many people as possible to space to change their perspective and realize a world that actually works. Become inspired by her vision of cosmos, and her challenge to the false perceived dichotomy that says we must chose between Earth and space.
Help Us Reach More Women
You can help by becoming a Patron. As a patron, you’ll receive access to cool perks like ringtones, celebratory social media graphics, invites to exclusive Mission Eve events, branded t-shirts, and more! Also, this podcast is a program of the Center for Space Commerce & Finance which is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, so all contributions are tax-deductible.