Fiona Collins

It’s not really Space Camp, but I started calling it that and the name has kind of stuck. It’s actually International Space University’s (ISU) Southern Hemisphere Summer Space Program. Like a lot of people I dreamed of going to space as a kid, and however unlikely this is, I have never really given up my fascination with space. I never thought I’d get this close to a career in the Space Industry but I am now in possession of a half scholarship to attend the Summer School hosted by UniSA in Adelaide in January. It’s a five week intensive course with an amazing cross-disciplinary program which introduces anything you can think of that has to do with space – space medicine, engineering, satellite remote sensing and space law are among many other topics. The Southern Hemisphere program was designed to open up space industry learning to students in the south of the tropic of Cancer by ISU, to expand global opportunities and skills in the Space sector.

I’ve worked in different roles in IT and telecommunications, but last year, one day at work I watched the live feed from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Labs during the Curiosity landing on Mars. I found it incredibly moving. Have a look here. Then and there, I decided to go back to university studies and see if I could get myself involved somehow. I had no idea what was going to happen. I was accepted into Swinburne University’s Graduate Certificate in Science (Astronomy) which I am currently studying part time, while I work full time. Then I heard about the ISU course and applied for that, and was accepted and was granted a half scholarship for the AUD$10,900 course costs. I have some of my own money that I am putting towards the balance, but I need your help for the rest.

I don’t know exactly what this course will get me, but the main reason I want to go is because it is a step towards the dream I had as kid. Real people have real jobs in space programs, from doctors and lawyers to project managers and engineers, and I plan to be one of them.

But this isn’t just about me and my dream. This is about getting involved in something that affects all of us. Nobody owns Space. It’s not just a resource to be exploited by rich people, and it doesn’t “belong” to us – it is where we live. It really is the final frontier, but unless smaller countries from the global south get involved in these projects, half of humanity will be left behind. The potential for exploration and discovery is enormous – from astronomical discoveries to interplanetary colonisation. The stars have secrets we would like to understand, and the more people who get involved from non-super power countries, the better for the whole planet.

I plan to use the skills and knowledge I gain in this course to communicate about space and astronomy to wider audience. I’ve already lined up with a school to present to the science class about space exploration. I am open to suggestions as well, if you want to ask me about anything. I can’t wait to tell you all about my adventures in Space!

The total cost is $10,900 for the course, half of which is paid by ISU and the Australian Federal Government as a scholarship. Accommodation, breakfasts and dinners are included. I will cover travel costs to Adelaide and incidentals. I have paid $1,000 as a deposit. So, I still need to pay $4,450, but I have some money to put towards it, so I am asking for $3,000 to help defray the rest.

There is no way I am not doing this. The risk is that I will have to borrow money to pay the fees, but I would like to avoid a massive debt related to this dream, if possible. If I am lucky enough to go over the target, I will use that money to put towards further study I am planning in Space Sciences.