Mission Team #7

Chile​

Mission Patch

Mission Team #7, Chile

“Houston, incoming Mission Team onboarding!” Introducing Mission Team #7, Chile! Announced at ‘s Space Summit, the contest to select this crew ran nationwide and resulted in over 50 submissions. These four STEAM stars outshined the rest in their ability to articulate, think critical, and problem solve. Thank you to the for helping us promote the program along with the Chilean , and thank you to the Chilean College of Engineers for helping send this dynamite team to ! Introducing Fabiola, Maria, Sophia, Matilde, and Daniela!

Scholarship Recipients

DANIELA CORTES

My name is Daniela Cortés Guerra, I was born in Viña del Mar, Chile but I consider myself as Illapelina. My mom is paramedic and my Dad is taxi driver, I am very grateful with my parents because thanks to their sacrifice I am who I am today. Every day I am trying to be better than yesterday because one of my goals in this life is to see that all the sacrifices my parents have made for me was not in vain, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t do things for myself.  Most of the time I want something I get it on my own, no matter the risks, nor the hours without sleep, nor the hours of work or study, for that reason I could say that I am focused. Since I was a child I was always very interested in the subject of aliens, the life on other planets and in the remote possibility of one day being able to travel to a habitable planet and rebuild a new society, clean, conscious and happy; when I entered to first year of high school, I got involved in physics and discovered that I have a genuine love for thermodynamics and nuclear physics. The idea of extracting energy and transforming it as we want, are the reason why I love the STEAM concept so much and I hope one day to be able enough to give the world effective and sustainable solutions to get out of it in search of a better one.

MATILDE GAETE

My name is Matilde Gaete, I’m from Santiago, Chile and since I can remember, I have been madly attracted to STEAM and space exploration. I’ve always believed that the understanding of the universe and space leads to an understanding of ourselves and vice versa; that’s why I’ve always been learning from different areas such as quantum physics, computing, astrophysics, robotics, etc. I firmly believe that the betterment of the world and solutions for many crises that we face nowadays comes from the combination between society, liberal arts and STEAM. I’m an advocate for socio-environmental action and STEAM empowerment, and also co-founder of Octa Aerospace where we are currently developing nanosatellites. That’s why being part of this mission is a huge step on my way to reach what I want to be the day of tomorrow and more importantly, what I want to be now. I see myself always acquiring knowledge and putting it into doing something that transcends despite our ephemeral nature as humans. I really hope to create or do something that helps others through STEAM and space exploration.

SOPHIA TAPIA

Hi, my name is Sophia Tapia and I’m from Chile. Currently I am studying my last school year at Carampangue High School. I’ve been always liked to know how the things works; I am interested in pursuing a career in aerospace engineering. In the future I see myself as a pioneer, independent in engineer careers, inspiring women to study and live the STEAM way. I am passionate about topics such as climate change, technological development, artificial intelligent, the importance of women in life and space. Looking forward myself I wonder to be a source of inspiration and expand the consciousness education and scientific /engineer’s skills so the technology can contribute to the development mankind.

MARIA IGNACIA

Maria Ignacia is a student at the Pedro de Valdivia de las Condes School in Santiago de Chile and in her youth she developed a deep taste for science and mathematics, areas in which over time she managed not only to acquire great knowledge but also managed to put it into practice in different activities like as in “I’m an isp scientist”.  She is excited to have new changes, friendships and experiences in her life, hoping that in the future she manages to be part of a multidisciplinary team, like a spaceship crew. Her love for space began with the movie Interstellar, which she has seen at least 7 times. She still continues to pursue her goals and dreams and hopes to do so alongside science.

I firmly believe that the betterment of the world and solutions for many crises that we face nowadays comes from the combination between society, liberal arts and STEAM.

- Matilde, Mission Team #7

Educator

FABIOLA SALINAS DÍAZ

Fabiola Salinas Díaz was born and raised in Santiago. After finishing school she studied astronomy and at the end of her career she realized that she always liked to teach, so she started studying again to become a physics teacher. She loves science but she always cared about helping their friends to understand it and to allow them to feel science as fun and interesting as it was for her. That’s why she started to prepare herself to become an astronomy teacher for students and for other teachers also. She had work in public schools, university and projects related to astronomy teaching. Nowadays she is studying a physics’s master and teaching in Universidad de La Frontera.

She believes that teachers are more than people that teach what they know about. She believes teachers can make a bond with their students and help them in every aspect of their lives. They could become a parent for the students, a friend who advises or even a role model (for what to do and what not to do). That’s why it is very important for her to learn about every experience in life that can give her a new lesson to transmit to more students. In other aspects of her life, she likes to make friends and in her free time she likes to exercise, go out dancing, singing and book reading. She loves chocolate and all types of pastries and bakeries but she is not very good at cooking.