USA (Commonwealth Union)_ Indian-American scientist Swati Mohan, who moved to the US in her early years, stressed the significance of enhancing the presence of women in space research. Addressing a gathering at the Birla Industrial & Technological Museum as part of National Science Day festivities, Mohan underscored the changing landscape of opportunities for women in the realm of space exploration. Citing her own professional journey, Mohan noted the scarcity of women in space research when she embarked on her career in the field. However, she expressed hopes about the shifting dynamics and urged more women globally to take up professions in space research.
Also read: INDIANS SHAPING AMERICA
While refraining from providing precise statistics regarding the representation of women in space research, Mohan expressed her aspiration for a greater involvement of women in the domain. Emphasizing the necessity for enhanced female representation, Mohan remarked, “The number should be higher.” Renowned for her leadership in NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover’s guidance, navigation, and control operations, Mohan shared her journey of choosing physics over biology, which eventually took her to an internship at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She commenced her tenure at NASA as a missions operations systems engineer in 2004. Her fervor for exploring the solar system propelled her to specialize in guidance, navigation, and control systems.
Also read: TEXAS TOP ACADEMIC HONORED
Discussing collaboration between NASA and ISRO, Mohan highlighted the NISAR (NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite project, set for launch in 2024, aimed at monitoring natural processes and environmental changes on Earth, thereby providing important data on climate change. Expressing eagerness for increased cooperation in space research between India and the US, Mohan lauded ISRO’s great accomplishments in recent years. In response to queries about augmenting funding for space exploration, Mohan suggested that countries like India and the US should allocate more resources to bolster scientific endeavors.
Drawing inspiration from her childhood fascination with the show Star Trek, Mohan underscored the vast mysteries of the universe and her ongoing endeavors to explore and comprehend them. As part of the National Science Day observance, BITM arranged several popular science lectures, including an interactive session on biodiversity conservation, a discussion on the discovery of the Raman effect, and a segment spotlighting Dr. Swati Mohan’s professional journey as a NASA scientist, in collaboration with the US Consulate.
