After completing my Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences at Wageningen University, where I focused on International Development Studies, I got a Master’s degree in Geo-Information Sciences. My interest in the use of Earth Observation data to underline, predict or monitor the real effects of human interaction with the earth led me to work at a small start-up company doing aerial observation for 3 years in South East Asia and South and Central America. I then worked at ESA in Frascati for 3 years through CGI. I have not regretted my choice to get more involved with space!

As an Earth Observation Application Developer, I am more from the tech side. However, this field requires a multidisciplinary set of skills. The field of Earth Observation deals with a wide range of everyday issues. Therefore, it is essential to have a practical view of where Earth Observation data adds value to society’s everyday issues. The knowledge of the capability of Earth Observation is connected to the skills of communicating potential solutions it can offer to non-tech people and making them view the added benefit of Earth Observation data. We are still at the beginning of using Earth Observation data in our daily lives. The need for it will only get bigger over time, considering the increased impact of climate change and all related issues coming from that, such as flooding, drought and conflicts arising from these geo-physical issues. To properly get new idea's how to create these new solutions, not only knowledge of the technologies, algorithms or coding is required. But knowledge of what is needed, how to ask the correct questions, how to present possible solutions and predict potential impact of said solutions. This requires a person to have proper soft skills to be able to communicate and digest what is happening in the world we live in, and translate it into an understandable outcome with the technologies we have from space data.

Have an open mind. Not stick with the things you learned in university, but look at other technologies which are being used and recognise how it can be applied to everyday-use. There are many problems in the world that we do not yet know that space data can have a solution for. Strenthen your skill to think out of the box to see potential new problems that space and gis data can provide new solutions to. Many of the technologies used are still in their infancy, so there is still a world of applications to explore. I know the above advice might sound cliche but many people who work in space are selling themself short by sticking to the known paths.