Although New Zealand is a small country, we hit well above our weight against the rest of the world!

At Billie we love seeing young females doing amazing things both here at home and internationally.

Recently, University of Canterbury student, Jennifer Berry received the Brooke Owens Fellowship. The 21 year-old is the only Kiwi and the first person ever from the Southern Hemisphere to achieve this amazing feat!

Now what is the Brooke Owens Fellowship I hear you ask? Well it’s a non-profit US program recognising exceptional undergraduate women and other gender minorities with space and aviation internships, senior mentorship, and a lifelong professional network.

Jen will jet off to New York this July for an internship with Space Capital but before she does, she sat down with Billie to tell us a little more about her amazing achievement!

What are you studying at Uni?

I’m studying mechanical engineering and loving it!

Tell us a bit more about the Brooke Owens Fellowship?

The Brooke Owens Fellowship is for young women and gender minorities who aspire to explore our sky and stars, to shake up the aerospace industry, and to help their fellow people here on planet Earth. It was founded to honour the memory of D. Brooke Owens by Lori Garver, the former Deputy Administrator of NASA and now CEO of Earthrise Alliance; Cassie Lee, Advanced Programs Lead for Weather and Remote Sensing at Lockheed Martin Space; and William Pomerantz, the Vice President for Special Projects at Virgin Orbit. 

How did it come about?

I had the privilege of working with Rocket Lab last summer, one of the fellowship's partner companies, so I had heard about it but I never thought I would be good enough to actually get accepted. I ended up applying last minute and it worked out!

What does being a ‘fellow’ involve?

The Fellowship matches around forty students per year with internships at leading aerospace companies such as NASA, SpaceX and Rocket Lab, and with executive-level industry mentors. Most importantly, it’s a network of incredible women and gender minorities for life! We all officially come together for an annual summit in Washington DC, but it has been incredible meeting everyone online in the meantime. 

How does it feel to be the only Kiwi AND first person from the Southern Hemisphere to become a fellow?

Honestly, it still feels slightly surreal! I feel extremely blessed to have this opportunity and I hope there will be many more Kiwis beside me next year. 

Have you always dreamed of going into the aerospace industry?

I’ve always been excited by space exploration and innovation, but I never really thought seriously about having a career in it until university. Maybe it’s because I didn’t see many girls like me leading in the field as I was growing up, but there are incredible networks now and it’s a privilege to be part of them! 

What is it about space that you find interesting?

Curiosity and exploration are vital to the human spirit and these values definitely exist at the very core of mine! This thrilling journey also accelerates technology innovations, creates new industries and provides wider benefits to our society as we attempt to reveal our place and history in the universe. Launching rockets is epic, but there is so much more than that! 

What will you be doing at Space Capital and how does your degree fit into that?

Space Capital is an early-stage venture capital fund focused on unlocking the value of new space technology. They are at the forefront of innovation in the space economy so as an engineering student it’s definitely a dream! Specifically, I will be assisting with market research and content writing.

What do you think you will do following graduation and the fellowship?

I’m actually in the process of trying to figure that out! There are so many pathways that really excite me so it’s hard to know which one to follow, but I know that it’s a common feeling to have at this stage of my life. Specifically though, I’d love to continue to work in the start-up space or pursue post-graduate study overseas. 

What does being a female in engineering mean to you?

Being a female in engineering means I get to do what I love and challenge the stereotype of what an engineer looks like every day! It is also extremely empowering to not only be in a position to contribute to the field but also a huge privilege to have the opportunity to inspire and encourage other young women to join me.

Why is it important for there to be more female, and diverse, engineers?

Engineers are problem solvers and having diversity in a team ensures you have the best talent, varying perspectives and the maximum capacity for innovation to successfully tackle the challenge in front of you. This includes more women and gender minorities! 

What are you drawn to about engineering?

I love that I’m able to innovate and apply the academic content we’re taught in class to real problems facing our world. It’s more than just math and science, it’s making real and needed change whilst working with incredible people.

Do you think there is still an imbalance of females in the engineering field?

Definitely. Industry statistics show this clearly, but I’ve personally experienced this as a female at university and in industry. I’ve always felt a deep sense of excitement to innovate for the betterment of our world but encased in a slight feeling of loneliness. I know this is a feeling many of my peers who identify as women or who are part of a gender minority know well and why it is such a privilege to be part of this fellowship's ongoing legacy to empower historically-underrepresented genders. 

What would you say to encourage girls to pursue a career in engineering?

Engineering is a way for you to make a difference, solve real world problems and explore how things works. There are so many epic things to do through engineering- it is so exciting and extremely rewarding! 

My advice would be to find a mentor to help accelerate your journey- reach out to someone you aspire to be like. If you can’t think of anyone then there are amazing programs out there that will help pair you with someone. I owe a lot to mentors I have had throughout my journey so far, so I definitely recommend finding your own!