FAQ

GENERAL

What does Making Apple Pie From Scratch mean?

When I first created this blog in 2012, I wanted a name that represented the work that I was doing in terms of space and science communication. Naturally, I turned to one of the world's most inspirational science communicators, astrophysicist and astronomer Carl Sagan and his quote, "If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe". The notion of reinventing something in order to create something struck a chord with me since it fits my ambitions for this blog perfectly. In order to increase public interest and change public perception of science and space, I'm trying to reinvent the way that science is communicated, or in other words I'm making apple pie from scratch.

Where do you live?

I grew up in and am primarily based in London however the space industry is a global one and has given me the opportunity to call places such as San Francisco, Florida, Strasbourg, Munich and Canada home. 

Do you have a Twitter?

Yes, @Nikita_

EDUCATION & CAREER

What did you study at university?

I studied Biological Sciences at the University of Birmingham. I chose this degree since I knew it would be a great foundation onto which to build my science communications skills and I loved studying Biology at school. Even though at the time I did not know I would enter the space industry, I did incorporate it into some of my projects. For example I wrote a proposal for a method of interstellar spaceflight using a biological phenonemen found in insects called diapause. This nifty trick is how insects survive extreme environments and they are physiologically dormant, therefore do not age during this time. If humans can be put into a similar state, generation ships like the one in the film A 2001: Space Odyssey may become a reality!

How did you join the space industry?

During a summer at university, I participated in a Space Medicine course run by the European Space Agency(ESA) in the European Astronaut Center, Cologne. It was my first taste of travelling alone abroad, working in an international team and of course of space. Whilst there, I saw some brochures for the International Space University and their Space Studies Program the following year in Florida and applied that same year.

I'm grateful for generous scholarships from the UK Space Agency and ESA in order to fund my post-graduate education. You can read all about my time in Florida in my first ever blog post here. I have to say that it was a life-changing experience and opened up many other doors into the space industry. These include my subsequent Masters  degree that I wrote about here at the International Space University and work at NASA which I described here.

I highly recommend the International Space University courses to anybody who wants to work in space (literally!). You will have a global space family as a result :)

What do you do?

I'm a science communicator and freelance writer currently in London. I write for Space Safety Magazine regularly and share my articles on this blog. You can see an online portfolio of my work here and I welcome freelance opportunities. 

What is the aim of Making Apple Pie From Scratch?

I would like to work towards making science communication more entertaining and to close the gender gap in the science industry by presenting subjects in an approachable, colloquial and down-to-earth manner. I strongly believe that awareness is key to understanding, which is one step away from caring about science. I intend to write about space and science in fun and creative ways that hopefully engages and entertains all types of people from around the world.