Bee Thakore: Asian girls should consider Aeronautical Engineering as a career
27 January 2010

Aeronautical Engineer Bjial (Bee) Thakore, 27, thinks young Asian girls should consider space engineering as a career. The Gujarati high-flyer was speaking at an 'Inspiring Women in Stem' event organised by Women in Technology on Wednesday 27th January 2010 in London. Born and raised in Baroda, India, Thakore is Founder of Big on Good Solutions, an engineering and business consultancy. She is also the youngest member on the Board of Directors of the world's largest space advocacy group, The Planetary Society.

Still only 27, Thakore did an aeronautical engineering degree at the University of Bath which was followed by stints working in multidisciplinary challenges for Airbus UK, Rolls-Royce Ltd, X PRIZE Foundation and the International Space University. This was followed by a stint at plastic toy maker Lego, where Thakore investigated how to drive efficiency by 3D modeling with Lego bricks. She also looked at the future systems of Robotics at Lego.

Bijal Thakore named Young Woman Engineer of the Year 2008

Thakore's love for robotics came from her time at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France. Bijal, who graduated with a M.Sc. in Space Studies from the International Space University (ISU) in 2006, and who also attended the Space Studies Program in Vancouver in 2005, was overjoyed when she was awarded the 'Young Woman Engineer of the Year 2008' as organised by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

While doing her Masters at ISU, Thakore interned for the X Prize Foundation, where she researched economic incentives that would result in adequate technological solutions to water scarcity and poverty. After her graduation she worked for ISU as a teaching associate and researcher where she lectured whilst working on space applications and planetary robotic systems. She has advised multinational clients including BT, EADS, Facebook, Google, NASA, Premier Farnell and the UN on technical projects, new business development, enhancement of commercial channels and global space policy issues.

Bee Thakore founded Big On Good Solutions, an interdisciplinary engineering house in 2008. She was named by The Times and Management Today in their '35 Under 35' High achievers of 2009 for her services in the engineering sector. An 'international Indian' she has lived in UK, Canada, France, China, Spain and US.

About the International Space University

The International Space University, the 'gold standard in interdisciplinary space education', is a graduate school that conducts programs at its central campus in Strasbourg, France, and at locations around the world. ISU offers a unique core curriculum covering all disciplines related to space programs and enterprises - space and earth sciences, engineering, satellite applications, policy and law, business and management, and space and society. ISU also provides short courses for professional development and life-long learning.

Since it's founding on the campus of MIT in 1987, with noted author and visionary Sir Arthur C. Clarke as its first Chancellor, ISU has graduated more than 2700 students from 100 countries, many now in senior positions with commercial and government space-related organizations throughout the globe.