Claudie Haigneré: astronaut and feminist, a woman with multiple lives

Claudie Haigneré was born in 1957 in Le Creusot. After long studies oriented in science, she succeeded in being the first French astronaut to go into space in 1996. She then decided to pursue a political career as the minister responsible for research and new technologies. Today it has returned to the European Space Agency to prepare for future lunar missions. It also fights against inequalities for women in scientific careers. So now we’re going to look at the exploits she’s been able to achieve and her struggle to get young girls into science.

A talented woman

Claudine Haigneré has great facilities at school. She obtained her baccalaureate at the age of 15 and then decided to study medicine in Dijon. She completed her doctorate in medicine after 8 years of study. Claudine Haigneré will not stop because she will continue her studies in aeronautical and space medicine, rheumatology and biomechanics and physiology of movement. She will complete her studies with a thesis on neurosensory physiology. This long career will earn her the nickname of «bac+19».

In 1985 Claudine Haigneré was selected by the C.N.E.S (Centre national d’études spatiales) to participate in a 16-day space mission. Today she is the only and the first French woman to have travelled in space. In 2001 she returned to space again but this time for a 9-month mission. After these two missions, she left her life as an astronaut to go into politics.

In 2002, she joined the department as minister responsible for research and new technologies. But finally Claudine Haigneré wants to continue her career in the European Space Agency. This incredible journey of life is an example and model for young girls/students who want to become astronauts.

His fight for equality

Today, Claudine Haigneré regularly participates in conferences to encourage other women/young students to get involved in science. She recently did an interview on «TV5monde» where she explains to high school girls that anything is possible and that you should not hesitate to start. This interview is part of the association «capital filles» where she is the godmother. This association aims to promote young girls from modest neighbourhoods so that they can benefit from skills training and to have a better mix of trades.

She denounces the disparity between men and women in the profession of astronaut, only 10% of women which is very little. It also denounces the bias that make these disparities appear in these professions. She would like to break down these stereotypes through education, talk about them from an early age so that young girls are no longer afraid to start.

Claudie Haigneré also became aware of the glass ceiling. The glass ceiling is an expression that shows the invisible brakes in areas where women are a minority. In astronomy, for example, the glass ceiling is present. She wants to give young girls a taste for these professions to be more egalitarian and less stereotypical.