[LUM#14] A pioneer in orbit
To contribute to the development of the space industry in Senegal, the University of Montpellier is welcoming three Senegalese students among the nine enrolled in the Space Systems Development degree program. Only one woman is part of this first class: Aïssatou Sidibe.
She is a pioneer. In 2012, the Thiès Polytechnic School in Senegal launched the first training program for aeronautical design engineers. When it came time to choose her course of study three years later, Aïssatou Sidibe decided to embark on this adventure. In doing so, she was contributing to her institution's ambitious goal of developing aeronautical research and technological innovation in her country. In 2020, the third class of aeronautical engineers trained in Senegal received their diplomas, and Aïssatou Sidibe was one of only three women in her class.
"My goal has always been to work in Senegal, but I wanted to first complete my training with design experience abroad, since there is not yet an aeronautical design center in Senegal," says the young woman.
Space adventure
So when the Senegalese Ministry of Higher Education contacted her school to present a new project, Aïssatou Sidibe didn't hesitate for long and embraced this new mission: space. Senegal wants to take advantage of space applications for the country's economic, social, and scientific development. This ambition involves nanosatellites, the small CubeSats that have revolutionized access to space and in which the Montpellier University Space Center is a recognized expert.
A new opportunity then opened up for Aïssatou Sidibe, who joined the first cohort of students enrolled in the Space Systems Development program at the University of Montpellier in the fall of 2020. It is still a predominantly male-dominated field, and she is the only woman in her class. The program includes an introduction to space systems, space project management, English for space, space law, mathematical tools for space, and space mechanics.
Future executives
In short, it's a year focused on space that trains future leaders in the field. "I'm learning a lot, even though I already had some basic knowledge from my aeronautical engineering training, " explains the young woman. Aïssatou Sidibe hopes to bring this knowledge and expertise back to Senegal after completing her training. "A company that will manufacture nanosatellites is expected to be set up there soon, and I could have a place there, " says the student.
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