Kristina Tamane

Working in the space sector in Scotland, through the incredible University of Edinburgh, is the most exciting career opportunity I have ever had. I relocated to Edinburgh from England, where I enjoyed a varied career in both public and private sectors. Over the last number of years I worked in project management, continuous improvement and change management, development and training, education, recruitment – building up a host of transferrable skills along the way.

There are so many exciting opportunities arising from space and satellites as a sector. University of Edinburgh is exceptionally well placed as we have the end-to-end capability when it comes to space, across the value chain, to really deliver on the arising opportunities. Scotland has the capability to manufacture satellites, launch them using local companies, get the data and create products and services using that data – and the University has a pivotal role to play in this value chain. University of Edinburgh.

The space sector is welcoming and closely linked, working effectively through what we call the triple helix of universities, government and industry – where the common goal is to create a flourishing space economy and market in Scotland and the UK. Scotland particularly is poised to be one of the most sustainable space nations in the world, especially since the publication of the what we think is the world’s first sustainable space roadmap, that the University of Edinburgh heavily supported in creating.

The potential projects and opportunities in space are endless – as I often say, every problem has a space solution. Some of the recent projects included working with world-leading remote sensing experts to predict land slides from space, address deforestation globally, link space with finance around validation and verification of assets and emissions and develop tools to help in the climate change battle we face as humanity.

One of the value-added aspects of being in Edinburgh is that you are surrounded by history, entrepreneurship and exist in an ecosystem full of diverse people who have their unique perspectives to bring. The University has now put forward our strategy for space for the next 10+ years and we want to focus on diversity and inclusion, as well as sensor development, robotics, continued use of space data for good and towards Sustainable Development Goals and looking towards the Moon and Mars for the future of humanity.

Edinburgh is strongly on its way to become the Space Data Capital of Europe and a global space University – and I am excited to be a part of this journey.