Success story: how did a Belarusian get to work at NASA

Jan King. Photos from the Instagram account of the girl

Minsk woman Yana Korol, already a former scientific secretary of the Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences, at the beginning of the year set a goal for herself - to go to work at NASA and move to live in sunny California. Six months later, the girl’s dream came true. “Desire is enough,” she asserts.

The success story of Yana told the Internet portal TUT.BY.

California is the Ames Research Center (NASA Ames Research Center). In it, scientists are engaged in astrobiology (the study of the origin, evolution and spread of life in the universe) and research in the fields of operation, capabilities and safety of airplanes. The center is located on the territory of Moffett Federal Airfield Airport, not far from Mountain View in Silicon Valley.

“I don't remember what I was doing. Probably jumping and screaming "

Yana Korol moved to Minsk from Volozhin after entering the Lyceum of Belarus State University. She graduated from the graduate school of Lille University of Science and Technology (France) and the Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

He has a PhD (PhD) and a Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.

She worked as a junior researcher at the Academy of Sciences, and then as scientific secretary at the Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences. She was engaged in remote sensing of the Earth’s atmosphere.

“At the end of February, I took certain steps towards the West. For me, that day became the starting point of my, one might say, new life, - the girl writes. “I contacted the NASA Ames Research Center and began preparing documents for submitting to the NASA Postdoctoral Program competition. Why waste your money on trifles? If we are to go, then to the best place. ”

Yana wrote an application to the NASA proposal, where she described all her experience and knowledge, and told what she can do in the context of their research - the 15 pages of a scientific text.

“Applications are considered first by the head of the group where the vacancy is open, and then by the 3 independent expert. I was, in principle, almost sure of victory, because I’m really very good at it - starting from the topic of my thesis and ending with managerial experience, ”said a former employee of the Academy of Sciences.

And on September 22, Jana received such a letter:

At the beginning of the letter, the girl is congratulated with participation in the program, and also stipulated her salary in the first and subsequent years. Yana does not disclose how much she will receive at NASA, but she says that the amount of 10 is more than her current earnings at the Academy of Sciences.

“I don't remember what I was doing. Probably jumping and screaming. There seem to be no footprints on the ceiling. Then I called my mother. Then a friend. And in the afternoon she told the director. And already in mid-October, she received an American J-1 visa (issued to participants in Work & Travel programs. - Ed. Note), ”the girl said.

Jana wrote in her Learnthat it was ridiculous for her to hear a question from the future head about why she needed it, because she has such a cool current position (academic secretary. - Ed.):

“What is the probability that you will agree to work with us if you choose?” So he asked. Well, for them, the Scientific Secretary is a person who lives in a villa on the ocean, probably. I answered honestly about money, and about the fact that I missed science, and about the fact that working with them would give me invaluable experience that would be useful in any country in the world. ”

“Many congratulated, some envied”

In NASA, the Belarusian will be engaged in atmospheric research using an onboard 4STAR spectrometer (studying the composition of airborne particles).

The girl says that the work is very different from Minsk, but it is similar to the one she did while studying at the Lille University Graduate School: “Only here everything is more serious: the device is more solid, more advanced, and it is permanently built into the Nazov aircraft nuts, and then fly. It may be possible to participate in the measurement campaign in Namibia. ”

Jana while working in France. Photos from LJ girls

“Friends and relatives are proud, but they are sad too much. When I left for France, they didn’t ache like they did now. Colleagues reacted differently. Many congratulated, and some began to talk rather dryly, apparently envious. I would also be jealous, ”laughs Yana.

“Desire is enough”

The girl claims that so radically change life was not so difficult.

“It is enough only desires, and then just do what is needed for this. The eyes are afraid, and the hands are doing something like that. I think that I had everything for this: the degree, the experience, and the idea of ​​what can be done further in this direction. ”

The financial side of the move was assumed by the new employer. About this Yana wrote in her LJ:

“I considered the budget for the move, which amounted to a five-digit amount. Moreover, he is more than I earn at my institute for the year. The budget includes airfare, hotel on 12 nights, car rental on 14 days, daily allowance, transportation of baggage and something else on the little things.

Departure from Minsk to the USA. Photo from Instagram Yana

I decided to fly for 10 days in order to recover from the difference in 10 hours and 20 degrees, to have time to find a permanent apartment, open a bank account, and so on. ”

“Although I love the institute and my work, I still have to move on,” the girl wrote.

"Feeling like I'm on the edge of the world"

So far, the girl in California is only two days, but has already managed to make first impressions:

“Now the most difficult thing is not to sleep when you feel like it, and sleep when you don't feel like it,” she laughs. - It feels like I'm on the edge of the world: there are almost no people on the streets, only cars. There is no understanding that I am in the heart of civilization.

I hear Spanish more often than English, and it is still unclear whether it is autumn, or spring - everything is blooming, and at the same time the trees are golden and scarlet. ”

Autumn in California. Photo from Instagram girl

Yana is happy that now she lives in a place where there is no winter: “This is very, very important for me! Indeed, in Minsk I slept under a thick blanket all year round. ”

With dreams of Spain

The Belarusian will remain at NASA for at least a year (the agreement provides for the annual extension of the contract), and it is too early to talk about future plans:

“Although I can say one thing: I do not want to go home yet. When I left for France, I immediately wanted to return. I was told that I would change my mind and stay, but every day I wanted to come back more and more. And now I left without this desire. I do not know, maybe it will appear.

In general, the country of my dreams - Spain. I really hope that with experience in NASA I can find a position for myself there. But now there is a crisis, and it is very difficult. ”

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