The value of a UWA degree

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Who is Sakshi Sharma?

SakshiSakshi is currently working with Space Hero as one of their operations and strategy officers, within the COO team. Space Hero, is one of its kind Space media company that is introducing a global reality TV show, with the biggest prize ever given - a 55 million USD ticket for a 10 day trip to the International Space Station - supported by NASA and many more Space agencies and organizations globally, including the Australian Space Agency. 

Sakshi has previously been part of a Space Foundation in India known as Space Development Nexus as their COO, and also served as business development head for a rooted Space Edtech startup. She is also a member of the Space Generation Advisory Council.

She has future plans to introduce STEM outreach projects and following her entrepreneurial and her science communication spirit, "her own digital science magazine in India", which will connect the culture of India to science, to increase scientific literacy in the country.

She also values the importance of preserving and protecting Earth from Climate Change and how science education can help us; thus she also volunteers as a Global Shaper (a World Economic Forum initiative) with Jaipur Hub, where she is their upcoming Vice Curator. She is also a trained Climate Reality Leader, an organization that prepares leaders to communicate the reality of the climate crises we face today to the community, trained by Al Gore himself.

It's an exciting time for the human species!

The integral part of being a human is our responsibility to push the limits further and explore the unknown. Working in the space/aerospace industry I pursue this passion every day, how do I make space accessible and available to everyone? How do I use my knowledge in STEM and science communication and break down the scientific complexity for the non-scientific audience? It's an exciting time for the human species!

I also follow the motto of preserving Earth and thus do volunteering activities with organisations associated with the World Economic Forum (Global Shapers).

The New Space Age

The most interesting aspect of my career is the timing. I entered the space industry during "The New Space Age". Every day I come across new startups and novel technological innovations. Next week we have our first ever all civilian space mission by SpaceX.

At a very young age, my career got off to a good start and there are some very exciting projects which I look forward to in the industry. What about a media company that will take you to space? I am also working on an idea of my own - a science magazine.

UWA played a vital role in my development

My Professors were supportive during my time at university. I was proactive with the Guild and its activities and also represented international postgraduate students for a year with the Postgraduate Students' Association; I worked on having an alumni event with the International Students' Department so that the international students could get some support after they graduated in terms of their career.

I was also involved with IQ Academy, Joondalup Innovation Challenge, and Grand Challenge Hackathon by the Student Innovation Centre. All these activities developed me into who I am today and I am grateful.

UWA helped me to be my best version

Working with Space Hero as one of their operations and strategy officers, while also working on a space EdTech startup, supporting business development, outreach and communication activities. I firmly believe that a degree always enhances the skills you already have and in this case, a degree from UWA helped me to be my best version. Being a science communicator is one of the best jobs out there, using the skills that I gained from the degree, I manage a team of my own, all the outreach activities and PR related and business-related tasks.

What advice would you give to someone just starting their studies at UWA?

Be open-minded and grab every opportunity.