Lieutenant Nataly Buitrago, Officer of course No.89 of the Colombian Air Force, is the first woman in the country to receive the Amelia Earhart scholarship, this support is awarded annually to up to 35 women pursuing doctoral studies in aerospace engineering and space sciences in the world.
Her determination and desire to conquer space led her to receive the Amelia Earhart scholarship, a program that was established in 1938, in honor and named after the American pilot famous for her flight marks and for attempting the first air trip around the world, over the equator. This is an economic support for 10 thousand dollars, to be used in any university or college that provides accredited post graduate courses and studies in these fields.
In the last days of the month of May, Lieutenant Buitrago received the official notification about the award of this scholarship, as well as 29 other young women, from countries such as the United States, Italy, Germany, Russia, India, Iran, Nigeria, among others.
Currently, Buitrago is in Spain in a Doctorate in Aerospace Science and Technology of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, her first scholarship awarded by Colfuturo, Minciencias and supported by the Colombian Air Force, carrying out research on satellite repair in orbit.
An award for constancy
Lieutenant Nataly Buitrago, born in Bogotá, graduated as an Aeronautical Administrator at the Marco Fidel Suárez Military Aviation School of the Colombian Air Force in 2016, she completed her first Master's Degree in Aeronautical Logistics at the Postgraduate School of the Institution and the second one in Evaluation and Quality of Education at the Externado de Colombia University; graduating in these two studies with meritorious degree works.
Since childhood she has always had special attention to issues related to space, which is why she decided to join the Institution, her first assignment as an Officer was the Graduate School of the Colombian Air Force being a member of the Administration and Logistics Research Group- GILOGA, in which she had the opportunity to work on the project on the control and behavior of a satellite in space, in the planning of equipment acquisition.
While on this project, she learned about a nationwide call that COLFUTURO opened with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to support Colombians to study abroad and so she decided to apply. For her, it was an opportunity as an Officer of the Colombian Air Force to have academic support in research projects, not only at training, but in the same way to implement and generate processes of development and new knowledge.
To access this scholarship, Lieutenant Buitrago, with the support of the Aeronautical and Space Education Headquarters, began an extensive process in which she had to report her academic scores, publications, research, projection of studies, return and impact towards the country; all this in order to be eligible.
Finally, the answers for admission to the University of Catalonia and approval of the Scholarship arrived in the same week, to then start the case study process within the Air Force that involved several areas, receiving the full support of the Institution taking into account the projection 2042 in which the space field is strengthened.
Amelia Earhart Scholarship
The selection process of the winners of the Amelia Earhart Scholarship took six months. From Spain, Lieutenant Nataly Buitrago, expressed that women in the space field represent 20 percent of the total number of people who study and work in this area, which is why it is a pride for her to represent the women of Colombia in the area of knowledge in space sciences.
She thinks the award of this scholarship is the result of the training and the resources that members of the Colombian Air Force receive.
The Experience
Buitrago has already completed 5 months studying her doctorate (taught in English). It has been an impressive experience to share her knowledge with young people from all countries and implement impact projects, which was the opening of a 360-degree panorama.
She has had the opportunity to participate in projects of the European Space Agency, which have led her to interact with the development of satellites in their testing phase and the combination of different payloads that have never been tested on other satellites before. In the same way, she has had teachers who have been crew members, which has been an enriching experience.
Colombia and space
The space field is not only saying “I'm going to the Moon and Mars” it's much more than that, we use it daily and it's so tangible, but many times unnoticed, Buitrago said.
She defines it as a strategic ability, a special domain, where gaining certain advantages leads to be a reference and have an ability for the future. Space is the science of the future, covering aspects such as security, information and communications.
“Colombia is in a unique geostrategic capacity, which we must take advantage of, we are already taking the steps and so we must have the skills, trained personnel, knowledge transfer, the union of the university, business and the State, in order to create policies aligned to the growth of this sector.
I am very proud to belong to the Colombian Air Force, I am honored to be part of and support the ongoing projects. Giving back to my Institution and the country all this knowledge and experience that I am acquiring here; it will be highly significant potential for everything we want to carry out, always aiming at innovation.
Colombia has a very great horizon in the space field and we are already preparing to be that great reference, either at the Latin American level, gaining this strategic capacity”. Expressed Lieutenant Nataly Buitrago.
Source: Press - Colombian Air Force
