Our 3 portraits for the week of April 13th - #InternationalDayOfWomenRigths

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Lisa Bakkali: published on April 21st

Cecily Sunday: published on April 19th

Maud Samson: published on April 17th

Lisa Bakkali

What position do you hold and what was the decisive factor for you in your career path?

I am a financial management assistant at the Department of Mechanics of Structures and Materials (DMSM) and the Department of Aerodynamics and Propulsion (DAEP). My mission consists of financial and budget oversight for these two research departments.
Beyond my studies in economics and management, which provided me with solid foundations for my profession, the most decisive factor in my professional career was the trust I got from the people who recruited me.

What do you feel is important for the future?

In a context where major challenges such as environmental protection affect the whole world, more than ever we need to stop focusing on our own problems, quite the opposite we need to take an interest in what is happening elsewhere and to be open to others.

Who are the women who have inspired you, who have been role models for you?

I admire certain famous women, but they don’t have a direct influence on my life. The ones who inspire me are the women around me on a daily basis, whether in my family, at my workplace or among my friends. Superwomen aren’t only found in sports or politics, they are right next door.

What would you say are the levers we need to pull to improve the place and share of women in society, the workforce, and the technological sciences?

The best lever is in women’s hands. If all women keep in mind that nothing is impossible, that there are no limits to their personal and professional projects, their role in society will be that much more important. This self-confidence starts at the earliest ages and education is obviously a key factor.

Cecily Sunday

What do you do at ISAE-SUPAERO and what has been decisive in your career?

I am a PhD student studying the surface mechanics of asteroids and small moons. Our group is trying to understand how regolith behaves in micro-gravity, so that we can help inform future small-body exploration missions. I have always been interested in space studies, and have been working my way down this career path since my first internship

What do you think is important for the future ?

I think that moving forward, it is important to continue our passionate exploration of Earth and space. Above all, we need to motivate one another to understand and take care of our own planet.

Is there a woman who inspires you, who serves as a model or otherwise anything else inspiring?

I have always been impressed by women who take risks and face challenges with an upbeat and confident attitude. I’ve watched my sister build her dream job and life in such a way, and am inspired by her every time I go home.

What do you think are the levers to improve the place and the share of women in society, the world of work, and increase the share of women in technological sciences?

To improve the standing of woman in technical fields, I think that parents need to encourage their children to continuously try new things, regardless of the gender roles associated with different activities. Stepping outside of our comfort zone helps us become resilient and confident. Kids should grow up seeing that they can choose their own paths - not that society is going to choose for them.

Maud Samson

What position do you hold and what was the decisive factor for you in your career path?

I’m an Inspector of Studies at the Department of Masters and Advanced Master® programs. I’m in charge of implementing and organizing teaching for several courses. I also provide everyday oversight of students throughout their studies. I studied Art History, but after my first job in higher education I knew I wanted to continue to work in contact with students.

What do you feel is important for the future?

We cannot ignore climate change anymore. Today, individual and collective awareness is needed. We must change our habits and our way of thinking.

Who are the women who have inspired you, who have been role models for you?

Isabelle Autissier has always inspired me to dream as a navigator and adventurer. She was able to make a name for herself in a world that had previously been reserved to men, offshore racing. Today she is committed to nature preservation as President of the Word Wildlife Fund (WWF) France.

What would you say are the levers we need to pull to improve the place and share of women in society, the workforce, and the technological sciences?

We should share good practices to create an environment in which women can flourish in the working world. This entails enhancing typically female careers to encourage wage equality and therefore transparency on salaries for comparable jobs.