My favourite thing about working for NASA

Nottingham Girls’ High School Alumna Susie Allen-Sierpinski chatted with headteacher Julie Keller for the April 2023 instalment of our In Conversation With series. Susie is a Mission Integration Engineer for NASA. She is currently working on the lunar mission program “Artemis” named after the twin sister of Apollo. This program aims to put the next man and the first woman on the moon. Susie took some time out of her busy schedule to share her memories of her time at NGHS and her path to working as an engineer in the space industry.

Susie’s love for space and desire to work in the field started at a very young age and her passion and tenacity ensured that she found out exactly what she needed to do to succeed. When asked about the support offered by NGHS to set her on this path she said ‘Nottingham Girls’ taught me to believe in myself. Nobody ever said ‘no you can’t do that’’

“Look Inside yourself and find what makes you happy”

Susie listed her role models as Jim Lovell (astronaut), Lewis Hamilton (if she didn’t work in the space industry she’d be an Formula 1 Engineer) and her grandfather who was in the RAF. 

Nearly 100 students, alumnae, staff and teachers tuned in to find out about Susie’s experience of working as a woman in a male dominated industry, the most challenging aspects of her job and her favourite things about working for NASA.

Susie’s final thoughts were to encourage students to stay in touch with the friends they met in school. She treasures the picture of her group of close friends which they gave her when she left Nottingham.

The GDST In Conversation With… Series

The In Conversation With… series sees us talk to different GDST alumna, and other brilliant women succeeding in their various fields, about a range of interesting topics. Learn more about our next In Conversation With event with Environmental Psychologist and Portsmouth High School alumna Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh (MBE).