We had the great privilege of hearing Dr Sheila Kanani MBE talk to pupils in Year 1 and Year 4 of Senior School. The aim of her talk was to inspire all our students to follow their dreams and how, regardless of gender, anything is possible when the passion is there. She spoke about how her proactivity at the age of 16 allowed her to secure a place at the Mullard Space Science Laboratory, where she later returned to study her doctorate. She talked about how her interest in astronomy has allowed her to visit many countries and have a varied career, from teaching to being a children´s author, before taking up her current post at the Royal Astronomical Society as Education, Outreach and Diversity Officer. She has received many awards throughout her life including a NASA Group Achievement Award, an Inspiring Women in Technology Award, and this year, she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire. She then went on to talk about why the solar system is so fascinating, answering a range of questions from students at the end. #InternationalWomensDay
