Amelie Schoenenwald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amelie Schoenenwald
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Schoenenwald in 2022
|
|
| Born | 1989 (age 35–36) Landau an der Isar, West Germany
|
| Education |
|
| Occupation | Scientist |
| Scientific career | |
| Thesis | Engineering specific antibodies for Usutu virus (2020) |
| Space career | |
| ESA reserve astronaut | |
| Selection | 2022 ESA Group |
Amelie Karin Josephine Schoenenwald (born 1989) is a scientist from Germany who is also a reserve astronaut. This means she is part of a special team of astronauts who are ready to go to space if needed. She was chosen for the European Astronaut Corps in 2022. Amelie studied at the Technical University of Munich and later earned her PhD in structural biology from the Medical University of Vienna. Before becoming an astronaut, she worked in different science-related jobs.
Amelie's Early Life and Dreams
Amelie Karin Josephine Schoenenwald was born in 1989 in Landau an der Isar, a town in Bavaria, Germany. When she was a child, Amelie dreamed of becoming an astronaut. She loved reading every space book she could find at her local library.
As she grew older, she felt her dream might be hard to reach. So, she decided to study what interested her most. She went to the Technical University of Munich. From 2009 to 2015, she earned three different degrees there. These included a bachelor's degree in molecular biotechnology and two master's degrees.
Her Journey in Science
Amelie continued her studies at the Medical University of Vienna. There, she worked on her PhD in integrative structural biology. This field looks at the tiny structures of living things. She was part of a research team at the Max Perutz Labs. She even became a leader for a science project there.
In 2016, Amelie was one of 120 people chosen for a special program. This program, called Die Astronautin, aimed to send the first German woman to the International Space Station. During her PhD studies in 2017, she got funding to attend a course in New York. She finished her PhD in 2020. Her research was about creating special antibodies to fight the Usutu virus.
After her PhD, Amelie worked as a scientist at a new biotechnology company. She also advised a private university. From 2020 to 2021, she worked for a healthcare company in Germany. She helped with business development and managing projects. In 2021, she earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA). This degree helps people understand how to run a business. From 2021 to 2022, she worked as a freelance consultant for various new companies in Germany.
Becoming an Astronaut
In November 2022, Amelie Schoenenwald was chosen as a reserve astronaut. She joined the European Astronaut Corps. This group included 16 other new astronauts. Five of them were chosen as career astronauts, meaning they will train to go to space. Amelie was selected from over 22,500 people who applied! At that time, she was working as a medical expert manager.
