1. Do not judge a book by its cover

Curiosity and open-mindedness in exploring new paths contributed to the decision of choosing space governance as a career path. When I was the delegate of my nation for a Harvard conference, I did not see the connection between my track and one of the seminars. My track was in governance and geopolitics, which seemed much different than the Race in Space topic. I was afraid I would not understand it because I did not have advanced knowledge on the subject or any technical background. The seminar showed me how the topic correlates with my track. Contrary to my belief, it did not focus on the technical side nor on what astronauts do in space or what changes their bodies suffer. Instead, it brought up the most pressing governance issues that have to be managed well to not negatively impact the future of humanity in space and on Earth. Specifically, it emphasized the unpredictable implications of potential space war and other space activities that might affect life on Earth. The speakers from NASA, SpaceX, Harvard, and Pardee RAND Graduate School pointed out the urgent need for new international law to prevent serious consequences.

2. Embrace new opportunities of interest no matter what

Not only did I understand the relevance of the seminar to my track, but I was also fascinated by it and inspired to redirect my career path by focusing on space governance. I understood the most pressing issues and why there is a need for leaders worldwide to unite to come up with policies that harmonize the acceleration of space activities with the peaceful use of outer space. I realized that space governance is the field through which I can impact the wellbeing of the current and next generation. It would allow me to give back to all of the countries where I studied and achieved my career goals. However, I did not receive support from my mother in choosing space as a new career path. This made it harder to reach my goal.

3. Show commitment to the new career path

By doing my best, showing commitment, and spreading my passion, I succeeded in demonstrating to my parents that I have chosen the right career path. Since I attended that seminar at Harvard in February 2019, I have taken many significant steps toward pursuing a space governance career. In May 2019, I attended Astrofest in Bucharest, where I had the chance to meet our Romanian astronaut Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu and other Romanian space professionals. Once I moved to Texas in August 2019, I visited NASA and became a member of the Space Generation Advisory Council. I wrote many graduate research papers about space matters, specifically about space policy, law, and diplomacy. My commitment to pursuing a career in space governance included the following: publishing my first article about space, joining the Space Governance Research Group of my university, and working as a research assistant during the summer with the final goal to help establish a space center in 2021. During the internship, I led the project to write a collective article on the milestone in space exploration brought by NASA and SpaceX launch. I also became a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and I initiated the idea of developing the first class on space governance at Texas A&M. My supervisor, Dr. Justin Bullock, and I succeeded to organize this class for the fall semester. In the class, we discuss the most pressing governance issues with experts from NASA, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Blue Origin, Space Generation Advisory Council, Delalune Space, Pardee Rand Graduate School, and Harvard Law School. One of our confirmed future guest speakers is the moderator of the seminar that changed my life. Also, the same speaker invited my supervisor and me to be the point of contact of the Space Consortium at Harvard and MIT.

Helping plan the future of humanity in space