On 23 June we commemorated Women in Engineering Day, an important date for our observatory and for science, which seeks to highlight the valuable contribution of women in this field.
In this sense, Fabiola Norambuena, our Software Engineer Trainee, has been a source of inspiration for many young women to follow the path of engineering. She was recently invited to speak at the inauguration of the “Yo Quiero Ser Ingeniera” (I Want to be an Engineer) programme at the Universidad de la Frontera, which aims to introduce junior and senior students in the Araucanía Region to engineering and science.
Fabiola is the first female Civil Engineering Physicist at the university. That is why her testimony, in which she talked about her participation in the Melton Foundation, her university experience and her interest in astronomy, which led her to ALMA, was very valuable for the young women. “What I wanted to pass on to the girls is to know how to identify opportunities and be brave enough to take them,” says Fabiola.
Her colleagues at ALMA supported her all the way: “Our team is willing and happy to participate in all those initiatives that are focused on contributing to diversity and gender balance in the area. Fabiola has proven to be an important contribution to our team and we are confident that her story has been a motivator for all those young women who are attracted to the engineering area”, complements Rubén Soto, our Software Operations Manager.
Finally, Fabiola encouraged young women to have confidence in their skills and abilities “and to always aspire to much more than you think, because you are always more capable than you think you are”, she concludes.
Read: I recommend “The Second Sex” by Simon de Beauvoir.
Watch: In terms of films, I recommend “Interestellar”, “Inception”, “Memento” and “Arrival”. And in series I recommend: “The Good Place” and “Anne with an A”.
Listening: My favourite band is Coldplay and as a podcast I recommend “Astronomía y algo más”.
Eating: My favourite dish is Baingan Mirch Salan, which is an aubergine stew with sauces and spices that you can eat at Saffron Indian Delicacies restaurant, located in Santiago.
Drinking: Berry juice. I love the mix of blueberries and raspberries.
Follow / Admire: I admire the ability of people who manage to achieve a balance in their lives. The balance of being able to achieve their own notions of success professionally, and also being able to identify the importance of emotional and personal development.
Do / Practice: I am a lifelong fan of basketball, learning languages and music.
Think / Believe: It makes sense to me that kindness and empathy are innate aspects of human beings.
Dress: I can never go without my black trousers.
Travel: I remember the trip I took to India in 2019. And I dream of visiting an Arab country, like Egypt or Palestine.
Grande Fabiola!!!!! Crack!!
Muy, muy interesante, Fabiola, ¡gracias!