ESA-Sponsored Students attend the International Space Education Board Student Program at the IAC 2022

The sponsored students, coming from 11 ESA Member and Associate Member States, were offered the chance to present their individual research in technical sessions at the congress and to take part in the ISEB Student Program, entirely dedicated to them and organised by the International Space Education Board (ISEB). 

The ISEB Student Program is designed to supplement and enrich students’ experience at the congress, providing the opportunity to attend specialised events, presentations, panel sessions, and meetings with senior representatives, tailored to foster students' personal and professional development.  

The ISEB Student Program commenced one day before the official start of the IAC congress, with a workshop on cross-cultural awareness in an international environment. In this workshop, the sponsored students from each ISEB agency met their peers from around the world and explored networking in a multicultural context, developing cultural awareness, and practiced techniques to enhance their presentation skills. In addition to the workshop, the students attended a meet and greet session where they were introduced to the Heads of Education from each of the ISEB agencies.  

The first day of the IAC began with a congress-wide opening ceremony and the highlight event of the Student Program, the Heads of Agency Interactive Session.  The session, which took place in the ISEB’s International Student Zone (ISZ), encouraged sponsored students to interact with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) President, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) President, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) President, the European Space Agency (ESA) Director of Human and Robotic Exploration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Deputy Administrator, and the Centre National D'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) Director of Strategy. 

The second day of the congress kicked-off with a presentation from the JAXA-sponsored students, followed by lunch sessions from the ISEB students sponsored by CSA and the Mexican Space Agency (AEM). A special session in the ISZ followed, where four of the ESA-sponsored students from Imperial College London presented their work on designing a “Suborbital vehicle with Busemann biplane configuration”, which earned them the prestigious ESA Grand Prix in the Student Aerospace Challenge in June 2022.  After attending technical and plenary sessions in the afternoon, ISEB students attended a Networking Session with VIP representatives from the global space sector, including Frank De Winne (ESA astronaut and LEO Exploration Group Leader), Lucy Van der Tas (ESA Head of Talent Acquisition Section), and Kai-Uwe Schrogl (President of the International Institute of Space Law). 

On day three of the IAC, two panel sessions took place in the ISZ, the first, hosted by Women in Aerospace Europe featured executive women panelists discussing themes of inclusion and diversity, while the second, hosted by the Next Generation Plenary Committee, explored the different artistic and creative endeavours happening in the space sector. In the second lunch session of the week, select JAXA and ESA-sponsored students presented ePosters of their research and delivered a lightning talk about their work.  

Throughout the IAC’s Public Day, on Wednesday 21 September, ISEB in collaboration with ESERO France, welcomed approximately 120 children to participate in interactive STEM workshops at the conference centre. The ISEB-sponsored students assisted with facilitating the workshops, which introduced children to concepts such as solar storms, planetary motion, satellite operations, astronaut physical training, and artificial intelligence.  

The final day of the IAC was filled with the last of the technical sessions and lunch time session by the NASA, CNES, and KARI-sponsored students. The ESA-sponsored students also had the chance to have a private meeting with the ESA Director General, Josef Aschbacher, as well as a Q&A session with representatives from ESA Human Resources.  

To close-out the week, the ISEB students enjoyed a guided discovery cruise on the Seine to see Paris’s most famous monuments and a private tour of the magnificent Opéra Garnier. The students were highly appreciative of their experience in Paris. Some of their thoughts are shared below: 

Testimonials

“I was delighted to have the opportunity to attend IAC 2022 as an ESA sponsored student after being selected in 2021. The activities organised by ISEB throughout the event really enhanced my experience of the conference and helped expand my professional network globally. It was a privilege to have a discussion with ESA’s Director General Josef Aschbacher and receive valuable insight into how ESA operates at the highest level. I would strongly recommend this programme to all students with an interest in space.” - Callum Wilson, UK 

“To participate in the 73rd International Astronautical Congress in Paris was a fantastic experience as an ESA-ISEB student. The ISEB had a dedicated program tailored to us sponsorship awardees which provided arenas where I connected with fellow students passionate about space from all over the globe, sharing our ambitions and exchanging perspectives. I was also honored to meet agency heads and staff whose expert insights were impactful and thought-provoking. By attending the IAC 2022, my perception of the space field was expanded, seeing how many opportunities there are for students like me. I am very grateful to ESA Education for this unique opportunity where I established numerous new friendships, honed my networking skills and fostered my personal and professional growth.” - Shayla Viet, Norway 

“Taking part in the ISEB student program for the IAC 2022 has been a truly enriching experience. First and foremost, I feel lucky to have had the chance to connect with the heads of different space agencies and industry professionals from all around the world. Meeting them allowed me to gain valuable knowledge on the space sector and receive constructive feedbacks that fostered my professional development. In addition, sharing this experience with so many like-minded ESA-sponsored students – which I can now call friends – has been amazing and also enabled different prospects of collaboration. I really believe that joining this program is what every student in his/her early career should look for and I feel honoured to have taken part in it.” - Livio Carzana, Italy 

“Being part of the ISEB program as an ESA-sponsored student and able to attend IAC 2022 in Paris was an incredible experience. It helped me grow my professional network, learn, find internship opportunities as well as having an amazing time meeting international students from member space agencies. We had the chance of attending unique events including meeting the Heads of Agencies and networking dinners. As an undergraduate student, ESA sponsorship allowed me to discover an entirely new world of opportunities and reinforce my desire to pursue my career in the space industry.” - Paula Gutierrez, Spain 

Background

The Student Programme is an initiative of the International Space Education Board (ISEB).  Founded in 2005, the ISEB now has ten members: the European Space Agency (ESA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the French Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), Australia’s Victorian Space Science Education Centre (VSSEC), the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), the Agencia Espacial Mexicana (AEM), and the United Arab Emirates Space Agency (UAESA). 

The 74th International Astronautical Congress will take place from 2 – 6 October 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan. ESA’s student sponsorship application will be announced in the first months of 2023.