Meganne Christian facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Meganne Christian
FRAeS
|
|
|---|---|
Christian at European Astronaut Centre, 2025
|
|
| Born | December 1987  |
| Alma mater |
|
| Occupation | |
| Awards |
|
| Academic career | |
| Fields | Graphene, hydrogen storage, atmospheric physics, nanomaterials, Antarctic, space exploration |
| Institutions |
|
| Thesis | Core-shell borohydrides for reversible hydrogen storage |
| Space career | |
| ESA astronaut | |
| Selection | 2022 ESA Group |
Meganne Christian is an amazing scientist and astronaut! She was born in 1987. She is part of the European Space Agency's (ESA) astronaut team chosen in 2022. She also works for the UK Space Agency as a Reserve Astronaut. Before becoming an astronaut, Meganne was a materials scientist in Italy. She also studied the atmosphere in Antarctica!
Contents
Meganne's Amazing Research
Studying Tiny Materials
Meganne worked at the Italian National Research Agency (CNR). There, she studied tiny materials called graphene-based nanocomposites. These are super small materials made from graphene, which is like a super-thin sheet of carbon. She focused on 3D graphene structures, such as graphene foams. This work was part of a big European project called the Graphene Flagship.
Research in Space and Cold Places
In 2018, Meganne even did research in zero-gravity conditions. She was looking at how special pipes, called loop heat pipes, could help keep satellites cool in space.
Meganne also spent time in Antarctica! She worked at a research base called Concordia Station. There, she was an atmospheric physicist and meteorologist. This means she studied the air and weather in one of the coldest places on Earth. She was there during the winter of 2019 and the summer of 2020–2021.
Meganne's Life Story
Early Life and Education
Meganne Christian was born in Kent, England. When she was five, her family moved to Wollongong, Australia. She went to The Illawarra Grammar School. In 2002, her school team won an international competition called the Future Problem Solving Program.
Meganne then studied at the University of New South Wales. In 2009, she earned a degree in industrial chemistry. She also received a special award from the university. She continued her studies there and earned her doctorate in 2014. Her research was about how to store hydrogen using special materials.
Career and Achievements
After finishing her doctorate, Meganne moved to Bologna, Italy. She worked at the National Research Council of Italy. In 2021, the Australian ambassador to Italy highlighted Meganne for International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
In June 2023, Meganne became a Reserve Astronaut for the UK Space Agency. She also leads projects to help businesses use space technology. In 2023, her hometown of Wollongong gave her an award called "Wollongong to the world." In March 2024, she became a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, which is a big honor in aviation and space.
Passports and Hobbies
Meganne has four citizenships: British and New Zealand (from birth), and Australian and Italian (by becoming a citizen). She became an Italian citizen in 2022.
Outside of her science work, Meganne has many interesting hobbies! She is a barbershop singer. She has won a big singing competition twice, in 2017 and 2023, with her choir called Brindabella chorus. She also has a blackbelt in Hapkido, which is a type of martial art. Other things she enjoys include via ferrata (climbing rocky paths), knitting, sewing, and whitewater rafting.
See also
In Spanish: Meganne Christian para niños
