The Influencers: Ali Adams

Aerospace taking off

Can you guess which country launched the fourth-most rockets to space this year? New Zealand did, behind the US, China and Russia.

I learned this at New Zealand’s inaugural Aerospace Summit this month, which showcased the rapid moves Aotearoa is making in the sector, which is worth $24 billion a year globally. Over 300 delegates attended this exceptional event at Te Pae Christchurch with 40 speakers, five in-depth panel discussions, aerospace exhibitors and even breakdancing stormtroopers.

Kea Aerospace CEO Mark Rocket, chair of Aerospace Christchurch, sees Christchurch as the gateway to space, as it is to Antarctica, and it’s estimated that by 2030, the city will be home to hundreds of aerospace companies providing thousands of jobs.

Christchurch and Aerospace weren’t words you’d traditionally link together, now local businesses are reaching new heights through space science and innovation.

Growing rapidly, the industry is crying out for diversity, a topic of focus during the Women in Space panel. Less than 20 percent of the aerospace workforce worldwide are women, and only half are in engineering and technical roles.

As rocket scientist Dr Priyanka Dhopade pointed out, multiple studies confirm that diversity is crucial for innovation so we need to challenge traditional career gender–bias. Career confidence starts in childhood so adults need to arm girls with the self-belief that they can be scientists, innovators and leaders.

New Zealand has huge potential to become an aerospace nation with Christchurch at its centre, and fostering diversity will help us reach this status faster.