Ilaria Cinelli, a 38-year-old “analogue” astronaut (that is to say one who simulates in all its aspects on Earth a future mission on another planet) is a biomedical engineer. She says that in her life she was inspired by “Rita Levi Montalcini”. And my grandmothers: they passed on values to me like the importance of sharing and hope.” But gender equality, he explains in an interview with National newspaper, should not be sought on Mars: “We can conquer it on Earth, it is a theme that all nations will arrive at, but at different speeds. There are those who are not yet ready. Studying space makes you look into the future and beyond. Understanding how crews behave on space missions gives you an idea of what the hopefully female-friendly societies of the future will be like. »
Women and aerospace
Cinelli says that “successful women in the aerospace world are rare (only 11% in the astronaut corps), I am one of them. Plus I'm European, civilized: everything that on paper would hinder a career in the sector. I have eight Mars Life Simulation Commander missions under my belt with the Mars Desert Research Station. I start from objectively penalizing conditions. This is why I consider my role important: women need other women who give them confidence in the possibility of success and who break stereotypes.” But over time, she felt discriminated against: “I I worked abroad. Imagine: a young woman of science, an immigrant. So unreliable. Trapped by taboos.
Uniforms and helmets
And he adds that “the uniforms and helmets are produced on a male model. The suits are tight. There are colleagues who have decided to “suppress” their menstrual cycle to go on a mission. But not only. In the debates I participate in around the world, we only see jackets and ties. It is not credible not to involve a female figure in a debate which concerns planet Earth. » Yet, she asserts, “women from the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics are contributing to extraordinary discoveries and yet they are still underrepresented. I have just returned from Egypt where, during a diplomatic meeting in favor of women's empowerment, I gave my testimony on this very issue. »
Discrimination
According to Cinelli “there is a lot of work to be done on integration between men and women, in science and beyond. We face various forms of discrimination, from lack of recognition of skills to lower salaries than our colleagues. It is important to encourage women as well as minorities in general. We need to change perspective. It is right to encourage girls to pursue their goals in science, but it is in the adult world that we need to make the revolution. »
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