Despite sixty years of space exploration, gender inequality has kept women from being equally represented in the space industry. At present, 656 individuals have traveled to space. Less than 12% were women. To date, there are just 12 countries that have sent female astronauts into space. Clearly, it’s time to change those stats.

Cosmic Girls Foundation is looking for six girls from all around the world to train so one of them can reach the stars 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟.

Women in Tech Netherlands is proud to have our beloved chapter member, Selen Demir, hosting an exclusive interview with Dr. Mindy Howard, Founder and CEO of Cosmic Girls Foundation, on 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟰𝘁𝗵, 𝟭𝟴:𝟯𝟬 𝗖𝗘𝗧!

The space industry’s long-term sustainability depends upon broadening the astronaut talent pool and space industry pipelines.

Cosmic Girls is driven to play a part in these developments for two reasons.

First, they want to bring as many qualified individuals into space programs as possible.

Second, as space travel becomes an industry, they want to do everything they can to equip young girls to be part of the conversation – and participation!

Until now, space travel has been shaped by the concerns of men. Cosmic Girls knows that space travel must also be informed by voices that represent women, the other half of humankind.

Join us for a COSMIC conversation!

If you clicked on this blog post, it’s probably because you are a young woman trying to find her path while starting a professional life in the middle of a pandemic.
Well, hello there! It’s very nice to meet you!

I am Rita Prota, 22 years old (almost 23!), I am Italian, but I grew up in France. I now live in The Netherlands and I just (finally) obtained my beloved master’s degree in biotechnology engineering. Passionate by life sciences communication, I aspire to work in this field, and I am starting my professional journey here in The Netherlands.

During my whole life, the main idea that my mom would try to make me understand was “Never give up, always stay determinate and at one point, you will achieve your goal”.

I know, maybe you are thinking “Well, nice to meet you too Rita, but I am seeking experienced professional advice”.

Yes, I might not be a super experienced professional, but I am writing to you because I understand you. I understand in which position you might be, I understand what you might think, what anxious thoughts might invade your mind…What is going to happen next? Am I going to succeed in what I really want to do? What about my student loan? Am I going to be able to be financially independent? Is this pandemic going to continue for long? What to do? Where to go?

We are young professionals trying to build a career, and suddenly, Mister Covid-19 arrived and canceled all our plans, all our ambitions of a promising future. I feel you!

I am writing to you because I would like to tell you to not give up. Dare to reach out to professionals, dare to be determined in what you want, even more, dare to be obstinate!

Us women – especially young women- tend to under-estimate ourselves. We don’t usually dare to put ourselves out there. We usually think we are not good enough.
What I can tell you in my -short but intense- working experience is that you have to take initiatives, that you don’t have to hesitate to reach out to someone, you have to show the world your value! Yes, YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH AND EVEN BETTER THAN “GOOD ENOUGH”!

Because, let’s be honest. If reaching out to someone doesn’t work the way you wanted, this person would lose a brilliant professional…but what would you lose? Nothing…thank you, next.

What I would like to tell you is to PERSEVERE. Hard work will always pay back.

This strange Covid-19 period might change everything and make it very difficult for us to predict our future, but let’s set up new working methods ourselves! Try things that you never dared to try before. You would like to be an entrepreneur but always thought that it was too difficult? TRY! You would like to reach out to someone on LinkedIn but don’t feel legitimate enough? TRY! Try your ideas, spread your creativity, build your path and achieve your objectives. It might take some time, but don’t loose hope.

If Covid-19 puts distance between us and our dreamed professional life, let’s destroy this distance by trying things that not even Covid-19 would have thought about!

What I can also advice you, is don’t compare yourself to others. Each individual has a different path, different ambitions, a different rhythm.

Of course, all this doesn’t mean that you can’t have down moments or sometimes be disappointed.
In this case, continue to reach out. Don’t reach out to professionals of course while you have a mental breakdown, this might not turn as good… but reach out to your friends, to your parents and even to Women in Tech if you feel like it! We will be happy to help if needed!
There will always be someone to cheer you up and to remind you to not give up.
Don’t stay alone. Let’s lift each other up!

Our generation is creative, proactive, passionate and caring about our planet. Let’s show everyone that yes, even with a pandemic, we can make things work, we can work hard to achieve our dreams. Let’s help each other to stay positive and to persevere.

How badass will we appear in front of our kids in 15 years while telling the story about how we built a perfectly splendid career during a pandemic? 😉

Women in Tech Netherlands brought together two amazing women from the region to discuss how performance, empowerment and happiness on July 16! Here below is the replay, in case you missed this interesting session!

THANK YOU!

To all participants who joined our Women in Tech Netherlands webcast last nite, for your vulnerability, for your calmness, for your unity.

To Jeroen van Velzen, for coaching us on how to sense energy in a room and create a powerful, connected journey for the audience.

To Marjolijn de Boer, for helping us to identify our specific people and results oriented characteristics that represent the things we are most grateful for, the goals we want to reach and the talents that will help us get there.

To Marinma Dorado, for connecting us to our hearts and to the hearts of everyone around us, and for leading us through a magnificent, humble meditation. Wow.

To Gaby Verwegen, our Community Leader for South Holland, for organising and hosting the entire event, and ensuring it was accessible for all participants.

To Mariska Kleiss, for running a thoughtful, well-timed and exciting campaign that attracted a full capacity audience!

To Carenza Brown for your creative talents to produce the beautiful graphics for our entire event.

In these times of physical distancing and remote working, we truly have the human ability to be closer to each other than ever before.

Join us tonight at 18.00 via Zoom and learn how to be a successful pitcher through authenticity!

Agenda
18:00-18:10 Introduction and Welcome
18:10-18:30 Jeroen van Velzen, CEO & Co-founder Roadmap™: The Roadmap pitch
18:30-18:50 Marjolijn de Boer, Founder and owner, The Human Factor: how to use deep talent mining to define your own pitch
18:50-19:10 Marinma Dorado, Transformational speaker & Passions coach: how to identify your passions and use them to help pitch authentically
19:10-19:30 Audience Q&A with the panel.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://lnkd.in/dY26qqp
Meeting ID: 781 730 067

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More than 1,000 THANK YOU’s to all our followers!

The issue of women empowerment in Tech is of major importance. We have to tackle it as a global community so as to really drive sustainable change. Women in Tech® is an international organization with a double mission: to achieve gender equality and to help women and girls embrace technology.

Purpose led and performance driven, our organization focuses on driving impact through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are a call for action in Education, Entrepreneurialism, Social Inclusion, Science & Research. The aim is to educate, equip and empower women and girls with the necessary skills and confidence to succeed in STEM career fields.

More than an organization, we are a global movement made up of members, partners and an ecosystem of networks that share our values and that have the same mission of striving for an Inclusive Tech industry.

Thank you for being part of driving this necessary change with us!
For more info, go to women-in-tech.org.

In light of the rapidly changing situation related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and our focus on putting the safety of people first enabled by technology, Women in Tech Netherlands is taking our events VIRTUAL!
Join us ONLINE on March 26, 18:00 to 19:30, and learn how to be a successful pitcher through authenticity!
Our goal for your evening:
 Learn from 3 motivational and inspirational speakers!
Discover how to craft your own story, using your passions and personality to pitch authentically!
Walk away with your own pitch!

Agenda:
18:00-18:10 Welcome, Gaby Verwegen
18:10-18:30 Jeroen van Velzen, CEO & Co-founder, Roadmap: The Roadmap pitch.
18:30-18:50 Marjolijn de Boer, Founder and owner, The Human Factor: How to use deep talent mining to define your own pitch – an interactive session!
18:50-19:10 Marinma Dorado, Transformational speaker & Passions coach: How to identify your passions and use them to help pitch authentically.
19:10-19:30 Panel Q&A
Join Zoom Meeting: https://lnkd.in/dY26qqp with meeting ID: 781 730 067
See you ONLINE!

Join the mission as part of a strong Life Sciences and Health (LSH) delegation to Texas along with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and take part in the dialogue to advance LSH and Energy Transition in the digital era.

The mission is 20-24 April 2020 with a focus on Life Sciences & Health (LSH) and energy transition, and takes place in the presence of Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Minister for Medical Care and Sport, Bruno Bruins. Arjan Van Gils, Alderman for Finance, Organisation, Haven and Large Projects, joins on behalf of the municipality of Rotterdam. The mission is part of Prime Minister Rutte’s visit to Mexico and Texas.

More info and registration: https://lnkd.in/dyQXZHc

For the special occasion of #InternationalWomensDay we will reflect on progress made in the Tech industry to build and sustain an equal, diverse and inclusive culture, and of course, celebrate acts of courage by women in the industry!

Join us 6th March at Epicenter Amsterdam to hear our special panel of industry leaders, game-changing start-ups, social entrepreneurs and innovators discuss an inclusive future and how to build momentum for innovation and technology to create extraordinary opportunities for women.

For more info and to reserve your seat, go to: https://lnkd.in/dNA5ecF

16:00h: Walk in Introduction
Speakers:
Dr. Cara Antoine, President and Chairwoman of Board, Women in Tech NL
Tom Moran, Director CenturyLink
Myrthe Hooijman, Director Policy & Gov Affairs Techleap
Harriët Wegloop, Equinix

18:00-19:00h Drinks & Celebration