Paige Kassalen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paige Kassalen
|
|
|---|---|
Kassalen working with the Solar Impulse 2 airplane in 2016.
|
|
| Born | May 19, 1993 (age 32) |
| Alma mater | Virginia Tech, Carnegie Mellon |
| Occupation | Electrical engineer |
| Known for | Only American and youngest member of the ground crew for the Solar Impulse 2 project |
Paige Kassalen is an American electrical engineer who was part of an amazing global adventure. When she was just 22 years old, she became the youngest member of the ground crew for the Solar Impulse 2. This was a special airplane that flew all the way around the world using only power from the sun!
Paige was the only American and the only woman on her team, making her a true pioneer. For her incredible work, she was named to the famous Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2017, which honors young leaders. After her adventure with Solar Impulse, she used her skills to help develop materials for self-driving cars and studied at Carnegie Mellon.
Early Life and Education
Paige Kassalen was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She went to Mt. Lebanon High School and graduated in 2011.
After high school, Paige studied at Virginia Tech. In 2015, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. Electrical engineers are experts who design and work with electronics, power systems, and all kinds of technology. She was an excellent student and won awards for being an outstanding senior in her department.
Later, in 2020, she earned a Master's degree from Carnegie Mellon, another top university.
The Solar Impulse Adventure
After college, Paige started working at a company called Covestro. This company was a partner with the Solar Impulse project. Because of this partnership, there was a special job opening to join the flight team. Paige applied and got the job!
In February 2016, she joined the ground crew for the Solar Impulse 2. Her job was very important. She helped fix any electrical problems with the solar-powered plane. She also helped the plane land safely after its long flights. Being part of a team that made history by flying around the world without fuel was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
