A woman of science who shares her knowledge
Since two years Angelique Van Ombergen works as a scientific coordinator at the European Space Agency (ESA) and as a visiting professor at the University of Antwerp. Besides publishing in several magazines, she regularly gives workshops and lectures for adults and children.
At the University of Antwerp, she conducted research on what space travel does to the brain of astronauts, upon which she obtained the title of Doctor of Medical Sciences and later did further postdoctoral research. Her scientific work earned her the Flemish PhD Cup in 2018. And in one fell swoop, she stands out internationally by entering the European ranking of the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30, in the Science and Health category.
Making science accessible to all
She also wants to share her knowledge and discoveries with the public. She began with two books for young children, "In Mijn Hoofd - De wonderlijke wereld van het brein" (In my Head) and "Reis naar de sterren" (Journey to the Stars), published by Lannoo. Then, at the end of 2020, she aimed to make her knowledge more accessible to a wider audience by publishing "Ruimtereizen: ons brein in extreme omstandigheden" (Journeys in Space: the brain in extreme conditions).
She has also launched her own association, Space4Youth, with which she organises occasional space camps for children.