Shini Somara: With all your studies in aerospace engineering, did you ever want to be an astronaut?
Jenna Tiwana: I’ve always been curious about it, but I’m also pulled by the desire to have a family. And this is one subject that is not talked about enough – namely, especially for women, that if you do want to become an astronaut, what are the potential trade-offs you need to think about?
I’ve always thought about being an astronaut, although engineering and pushing the space industry forward from Earth has always been at the forefront for me. But even now, I’m just not clear on what that means, in terms of what I can and cannot do that are important to me in my life. I’m 27 years old and I’ve thought about it for most of my life and it’s still not clear how I tackle this.
SS: What has it been like as a minority within aerospace engineering?
JT: I still get a lot of raised eyebrows when I say I’m coming from an engineering background and I must be honest...