The first Latin American woman to obtain European SpaceMed scholarship

Itzel Suárez López, a Biomedical Engineering graduate from the Tec’s Mexico City campus, has become the first Latin American woman to study for a Master’s in Physiology and Medicine of Humans in Space and Extreme Environments, thanks to an Erasmus Mundus scholarship.

This European Commission scholarship is awarded to foreigners to study at one of the top universities in Europe.

Her master’s program will be pursued at three European universities:

• Charité – Berlin University of Medicine (Germany)
• Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School (Slovenia)
• University of Caen Normandy (France)

These institutions stand out for their academic excellence, with Charité being the number one university in Germanyand one of the top ten in the world, according to an analysis by US magazine Newsweek.

From the depths of the sea to space

Itzel attributes her passion for science to her parents, who instilled a passion for science and medicine in her from childhood.

From a very young age, she began her career in the world of diving, obtaining various certifications. She says she has always participated in expeditions with her parents, who are instructors in this discipline.

What’s more, her mother’s enthusiasm for subjects such as geology and biology influenced her vocational development.

Thanks to her passion for science, her grades, and her ability to solve challenges, she was considered for the master’s program.

“As an engineer, I’m imagining what technological tools can be created based on experiments and problems".

Physiology and medicine in extreme environments

Itzel explains that for the master’s degree, they’re asked to propose a solution for overcoming the obstacles faced by individuals in unusual conditions.

In her case, one of her ideas is to overcome the lack of gravity in space, which would allow humans to improve the conditions under which they would develop there.

“In space, there are many physiological challenges, such as fluid shift because of the absence of gravity, so all the blood no longer has the force pulling it down,” she says.

She also says that the master’s program’s multidisciplinary group carries out various activities to complement their learning.

“For example, as an engineer, I’m imagining what technological tool can be created based on experiments and problems; it’s been really cool to see that we’re all coming up with different solutions,” she says.

Although things are different today, Itzel confesses that she has always had a constant fear of making a fool of herselfthroughout her life. This is a fear that often prevented her from asking questions and blocked the curiosity that had awakened in her from a very early age.

However, she realized over time that this fear wouldn’t get her anywhere, so she recommends:

“Don’t be afraid to try,” she concludes.

Erasmus Mundus Master’s Scholarships

Erasmus Mundus scholarships are joint master’s programs fully funded by the European Union.

These programs are highly regarded for their high academic standards in terms of the scholarship recipients and the participating universities.

Erasmus Mundus scholarship recipients will complete their master’s degree at at least two universities located in different countries.

These scholarships are awarded to high-achieving students from around the world who submit their applications during selection rounds held each year.

DON’T LEAVE WITHOUT READING: