Natalie Panek
Interview Posted By: Ashley Smith
1. Can you tell us a little about your background? i.e. Where you grew up, what education do you have, a summary of your resume, did you always want to do what you are doing now, when did you start to become interested in STEM, what internships/ volunteering
I grew up in the Canadian Rockies in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Calgary and a Masters degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies. While in university I helped design and build a solar powered car and then drove the car in the North American Solar Challenge from Austin, Texas back to Calgary. I also learned to fly and earned a private pilot's license. I did a 16 month engineering internship between my 3rd and 4th years of undergrad, which gave me free evenings/weekends to learn to fly. During my masters degree I also had two NASA internships at Goddard Spaceflight Center and Ames Research Center.
I have always had a long-term goal of becoming an astronaut but the path to get there has never (and is not now) really clear. I chose engineering because I really enjoy science and technology and it was a challenging degree. Plus it is a solid foundation for many opportunities (especially going to space!). Throughout school I also volunteered at both the Calgary and Ontario Science Centers.
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
I am a Mission Systems Engineer at MDA's Robotics and Automation Division. Our division of MDA builds space robotics like the Canadarms and Dextre robot on the International Space Station. Right now I am part of a team working on a Mars rover. We are contracted by the European Space Agency to build the chassis and locomotion system for their 2018 ExoMars rover. Which means we are building the wheels, structure, and motors required for the rover to deploy, drive, and steer on the surface of Mars!
In my day to day I work on developing our test program for the rover. Before you launch any hardware into space, you have to prove through ground tests that the hardware will survive launch, the flight to Mars, entry, descent, and landing on the surface of Mars, and then still be able to perform all of the required science operations of the mission. So I develop how we are going to test and qualify all of the hardware on our program. For example, vibration testing to simulate launch loads or thermally cycling to simulate extreme changes in temperature on Mars.
3. How does STEM relate to your job?How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
Well working on space robotics involves all of the core STEM subjects. Most of the projects we work on require a very diverse team with many different educational backgrounds whether structural engineers, thermal, mechanical, systems, controls, science principal investigators etc. The most valuable takeaway from my degree was actually time management and how to work in a team. So many of our projects are complex and require building technology for extreme environments, which means our teams need to operate cohesively and efficiently to get the job done. Hands-on projects during university, like my solar car project, were excellent platforms for learning on the fly and understanding the significance of teamwork before I started working.
4. Have you faced any discrimination/ challenges being a woman in a stem field? If so, how did you deal with it? Do you have any advice for up and coming women in STEM?
Advice I would give to the next generation of women in STEM is to embrace challenge and to embrace experiences outside of your comfort zone. While they might be intimidating at first, they provide such great learning opportunities. Most importantly get involved in hands-on projects that can provide real-world work experience. While studying is important, there is only so much you can learn from a book. Sometimes you just have to get your hands dirty and experiment, invent, tinker, build etc.
5. What is the best and worst part of your job? What do you look forward to in your job on a day to day basis? What do you wish you could change?
The best part of my job is that I work on very difficult and challenging problems but have the flexibility to be create and come up with a range of solutions. We also build hardware that goes to space, which is totally cool. It will be neat to say that I was part of a team that put hardware on Mars!
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
Balancing your work and personal life is always a challenge. Because I grew up in the Rockies I spent a lot of time outdoors, hiking, camping, and backpacking. So outdoor activities are a fundamental part of who I am. To pursue a career in Aerospace engineering I had to move across Canada to a very large city, which means I really have to work hard at keeping adventure and exploration a part of my life. I put in 110% while I am at work, but also 110% in my personal life.
7. What do you define success as?
Success is happiness and feeling like you are making a difference. This is why it is so important for me to balance my work and personal life as above, but also to inspire and encourage a generation of young women to pursue (or at least consider) careers in STEM. I share my stories so that women can know what their career possibilities are. Not everyone will choose a STEM career and that is OK. But if you at least know of the opportunities in STEM, then you can make an informed decision. And choice is empowerment.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
One personality trait I think is universally important in your career is optimism. Optimism can make or break a team especially when the going gets tough. I would also say to never loose child-like wonder and curiosity. Those can lead to serious innovation, especially in STEM.
9. Who was a mentor to you throughout your career? (can be more than one!) What did they teach you? How did they impact your life?
I have had some really cool mentors throughout my career. For example my flight instructor or Maryse Carmichael who was the first female Commander and Pilot of the Canadian snowbirds. Another is my supervisor at my first NASA internship. He instilled in me the power of curiosity and surrounding yourself with people who can teach you things you do not know. The cool aspect of mentoring is that it is bi-directional where you really can learn from each other.
10. What do you think is the best advice you've ever received ? What advice would you give your younger self if you had the chance? What’s one piece of advice you can pass on to us?
Dream BIG!
I grew up in the Canadian Rockies in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Calgary and a Masters degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies. While in university I helped design and build a solar powered car and then drove the car in the North American Solar Challenge from Austin, Texas back to Calgary. I also learned to fly and earned a private pilot's license. I did a 16 month engineering internship between my 3rd and 4th years of undergrad, which gave me free evenings/weekends to learn to fly. During my masters degree I also had two NASA internships at Goddard Spaceflight Center and Ames Research Center.
I have always had a long-term goal of becoming an astronaut but the path to get there has never (and is not now) really clear. I chose engineering because I really enjoy science and technology and it was a challenging degree. Plus it is a solid foundation for many opportunities (especially going to space!). Throughout school I also volunteered at both the Calgary and Ontario Science Centers.
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
I am a Mission Systems Engineer at MDA's Robotics and Automation Division. Our division of MDA builds space robotics like the Canadarms and Dextre robot on the International Space Station. Right now I am part of a team working on a Mars rover. We are contracted by the European Space Agency to build the chassis and locomotion system for their 2018 ExoMars rover. Which means we are building the wheels, structure, and motors required for the rover to deploy, drive, and steer on the surface of Mars!
In my day to day I work on developing our test program for the rover. Before you launch any hardware into space, you have to prove through ground tests that the hardware will survive launch, the flight to Mars, entry, descent, and landing on the surface of Mars, and then still be able to perform all of the required science operations of the mission. So I develop how we are going to test and qualify all of the hardware on our program. For example, vibration testing to simulate launch loads or thermally cycling to simulate extreme changes in temperature on Mars.
3. How does STEM relate to your job?How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
Well working on space robotics involves all of the core STEM subjects. Most of the projects we work on require a very diverse team with many different educational backgrounds whether structural engineers, thermal, mechanical, systems, controls, science principal investigators etc. The most valuable takeaway from my degree was actually time management and how to work in a team. So many of our projects are complex and require building technology for extreme environments, which means our teams need to operate cohesively and efficiently to get the job done. Hands-on projects during university, like my solar car project, were excellent platforms for learning on the fly and understanding the significance of teamwork before I started working.
4. Have you faced any discrimination/ challenges being a woman in a stem field? If so, how did you deal with it? Do you have any advice for up and coming women in STEM?
Advice I would give to the next generation of women in STEM is to embrace challenge and to embrace experiences outside of your comfort zone. While they might be intimidating at first, they provide such great learning opportunities. Most importantly get involved in hands-on projects that can provide real-world work experience. While studying is important, there is only so much you can learn from a book. Sometimes you just have to get your hands dirty and experiment, invent, tinker, build etc.
5. What is the best and worst part of your job? What do you look forward to in your job on a day to day basis? What do you wish you could change?
The best part of my job is that I work on very difficult and challenging problems but have the flexibility to be create and come up with a range of solutions. We also build hardware that goes to space, which is totally cool. It will be neat to say that I was part of a team that put hardware on Mars!
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
Balancing your work and personal life is always a challenge. Because I grew up in the Rockies I spent a lot of time outdoors, hiking, camping, and backpacking. So outdoor activities are a fundamental part of who I am. To pursue a career in Aerospace engineering I had to move across Canada to a very large city, which means I really have to work hard at keeping adventure and exploration a part of my life. I put in 110% while I am at work, but also 110% in my personal life.
7. What do you define success as?
Success is happiness and feeling like you are making a difference. This is why it is so important for me to balance my work and personal life as above, but also to inspire and encourage a generation of young women to pursue (or at least consider) careers in STEM. I share my stories so that women can know what their career possibilities are. Not everyone will choose a STEM career and that is OK. But if you at least know of the opportunities in STEM, then you can make an informed decision. And choice is empowerment.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
One personality trait I think is universally important in your career is optimism. Optimism can make or break a team especially when the going gets tough. I would also say to never loose child-like wonder and curiosity. Those can lead to serious innovation, especially in STEM.
9. Who was a mentor to you throughout your career? (can be more than one!) What did they teach you? How did they impact your life?
I have had some really cool mentors throughout my career. For example my flight instructor or Maryse Carmichael who was the first female Commander and Pilot of the Canadian snowbirds. Another is my supervisor at my first NASA internship. He instilled in me the power of curiosity and surrounding yourself with people who can teach you things you do not know. The cool aspect of mentoring is that it is bi-directional where you really can learn from each other.
10. What do you think is the best advice you've ever received ? What advice would you give your younger self if you had the chance? What’s one piece of advice you can pass on to us?
Dream BIG!