Prentice is optimistic about the new master program in space, starting up this autumn at the University of Oslo. Educated students in space are in high demand to the industry.
- Norway enables you to follow your passions and risk testing out new ideas, regardless of your background – and this all starts with education. I am very excited for students to have the opportunity to study space systems in the Oslo region, says the space systems engineer.
"Besides supporting a new generation of qualified professionals, the program will provide a bridge between students and the research / space industry already here"
- Students don’t need to look far to find interesting activities happening internally at the research center "Senter for romsensorer og - systemer" (CENSSS) at UiO, Kjeller, and right next door to the surrounding research institutes and the many companies in the area.
- Between the new spaceport in Andøya, the government’s continued support of participation in ESA - European Space Agency programs, climate and security measures putting new pressures on industry, and even a renewed push to get to the moon, there is good reason to expect an exciting career in space in the years to come, says Prentice.
Welcoming summer students - accomodate for master thesis
Geographically, the company Eidel is located in Eidsvoll and in the center of Lillestrøm. Ant they are looking for summer students.
- We happily accommodate for masters' theses. Formally organizing like-minded people through this program will promote new ideas and innovation. The space community in Norway is small and well-connected, and I think this program, along with other master’s programs around the country, will play an integral role in shaping the future of the industry.
Tell me about your work tasks at EIDEL..
- My day is usually a mix of writing / planning, research, and meetings. The work is very fast paced and always changing. Today I’m working on four projects: three are satellites and one is about developing internal capabilities for manufacturing satellites more efficiently. We work closely with the European Space Agency, the Norwegian Space Agency, and other Norwegian space companies and I have learned a ton in my first year here. The next step for our team is to start building the satellites that we’ve planned out and to test them at our own facilities. We are a small company so I get the opportunity to fulfill many different roles. I do research, work with simulations, do hands-on testing, and participate in business strategy and marketing. I also really enjoy outreach with universities and look forward to completing my PhD so I can help supervise industry master theses. I also travel occasionally for business / project meetings and related conferences.
PhD and work. How do you balance it all?
-Work-life balance is generally great at EIDEL. My schedule is not quite as flexible as it was in academia, but the company fully supports personal goals and outside interests. I made the decision to accept EIDEL’s offer before I completed my PhD, mostly because I was too excited about the opportunity to apply what I had learned about CubeSats from NTNU. I can’t say I recommend this route for anyone, but it has been very rewarding regardless. It’s a lot of work juggling the two and management has been working with me to find a schedule that works for both. Mostly it takes organization and self-disciple, which I am still working on. But encouragement from my boss, supervisor, and friends also has helped.
Space still male dominated
You tell me that you would like to supervise and educate students in the future. What made you decide that this is something you would like to do?
- When I was an aerospace student in my first few years of university, I remember having one female professor (and less than 5% of my class was female). Of course I was used to this and never really minded it at all. The guys were my best friends, we got through the challenges together, and I really had nothing else to compare it to. This was fine at university, but when it came to selecting a career, it was different for me than my peers. They could easily see themselves behind the desks of huge aerospace corporations, they could see themselves as professors and researchers, and the glimpses we saw of a career in aerospace made sense to them. I knew I was qualified but I doubted my ability to fill those same roles. I really struggled when deciding to start my PhD and it was actually that one female professor that gave me the courage to accept it. Looking back it was only her that could’ve given me that and I am so grateful for that decision.
"I want to work in aerospace and be involved in academia, so that future students can see themselves in me"
- Not that everyone should follow in my steps, but at least that they can see it’s possible. When we’re young we really need to see examples of who we can become, and I hope I can pass that on to students today.
What are the big differences between working for a company and working in the academia?
- A part of me always wants to keep learning. Of course you learn a ton in industry as you do in academia, but what you choose to pursue is a bit more free in academia. Your schedule is also more flexible. The pace is generally slower and you actually are given the time to think and consider new possibilities. Working for a company generally comes with more pay, teamwork, structured working hours, and you don’t have to bring your problems home. These are just generalizations though and everyone’s experience is different. I’m definitely more of an industry gal, but I equally hope to stay involved in academia through one role or another. Important innovations come from the freedom of research and also connecting through international conferences, says Prentice.
Where did it all start? Your interest for aerospace?
-I vividly remember the moment I decided to go into aerospace engineering. I was a nerdy 15-year-old and my parents thought it would be fun to give me a flight lesson for my birthday. I wasn’t really interested at the time but was always up for trying new things. The instructor took me up in a 2-seater Cessna 152, let me fly over a city l thought I knew so well, brought us back with a slip landing, and opened an entirely new world for me. I don’t know if I’ll ever lose the sparkle in my smile from that day. Although I work more closely with satellites than aircraft today, I will always cherish the memories of getting my license and appreciate those that led me to find my passion.
Future goals?
- Well, finishing my PhD is really my only goal at the moment and I’m trying my best not to get distracted by other pursuits. After that I hope to see a launch from Andøya, become fluent in Norwegian, have a hand in building another satellite, take a flight from Kjeller flyplass, and would love to apply my background in geosciences to some of the upcoming projects I’m working on. Perhaps some of these goals are more just for fun, but I see them as all related anyway.
Focus on sustainability
Why is research an engineering related to space systems important?
- Understanding our planet and its surroundings is one critical part of creating a sustainable future. If we don’t understand the systems at play here, it’s hard to make improvements. Earth observation from space can give a perspective with much greater coverage than taking measurements on land / sea. We can get global data to track trends and even respond in near real-time. The field is ever improving and space systems, or the technology needed to make these measurements, are at the core. This field is evolving very quickly so it’s even more critical to devote research and engineering to these studies now.
Facts about Elizabeth Prentice:
Age: 33
From: Traverse City, Michigan USA
Lives in: Oslo with her partner
Position: Space systems engineer
Employer: Eidsvoll Electronics (EIDEL)
Educational / research background:
2018 – current PhD in Engineering Cybernetics from NTNU in Trondheim, Norway
Research: hyperspectral imagers for ocean science
2014 – 2016 Master’s in Applied Earth Science from TU Delft in Delft, the Netherlands Research: lidar systems for geology
2007 – 2011 Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering from University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan USA Research: high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, drones)
Nice to know: EIDEL is one of several industry partners in CENSSS. It primarily contributes to the Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) of CENSSSsat-1. The company works closely with UiO, FFI, and other partners, and are in the initial feasibility study stage of planning out the satellite CENSSSsat-1.