The European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) is celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD) this year by championing inter-generational and inter-career mentorship amongst its staff, and members of its General Assembly and Advisory Council.
Since 2023, ESPI has been a proud supporter and member of the Women in Aerospace – Europe network, actively supporting the launch of the Women in Aerospace Europe (WIA-E) – Austria chapter and hosting events.
An important component of empowering women, especially in fields that are traditionally male dominated like the space sector, is inter-generational mentorship and advice from other women. Women who have navigated these spaces before can offer invaluable guidance, sharing strategies for overcoming challenges such as gender bias, lack of representation, and imposter syndrome. Hearing from those who have paved the way not only provides practical career insights but also fosters a sense of belonging and resilience. By connecting across generations, women can build stronger networks of support, ensuring that the next generation of leaders enters these fields with greater confidence, access to opportunities, and the knowledge that they are not alone in their journey.
As of 2024, ESPI achieved a gender balance of 52% female staff and 48% male staff.
This aligns well with ESPI’s broader education portfolio and its commitment to empowering the next generation of talent in the space sector. Much in the same way we describe and categorize states in their journeys to becoming space-faring powers – namely, nascent, emerging, and established – we asked the women of ESPI (staff, members, and advisors) who are similarly in the nascent, emerging, and established stages of their careers to share their thoughts on mentorship and supporting other women in the space sector.
To those women in the nascent stages of their careers, who are just starting out and looking to learn from the women further ahead in their careers, we asked them:
What does empowerment mean to you as you take your first steps into your professional journey?
To the women in the emerging stages of their careers, who are growing and gaining momentum, we asked them:
What is the most impactful piece of mentorship or advice that you’ve received so far, and how has it shaped your path?
Finally, to the women who are in the established stage of their career, who are experienced and thriving, we asked them:
What advice would you give to women who are just starting out or who are emerging in their careers?
We thank all of the women a part of ESPI’s family for their participation in this campaign and for their steadfast commitment to building and fostering safer, nurturing, and compassionate work environments within the space sector for everyone!
