Cornwall


<p>International Women’s Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women as well as being a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. Here at Muddy Cornwall we are marking the day once again with an interview series of inspiring women across the Duchy, celebrating women’s achievements and how they are inspiring others to be included, to foster a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment. <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/life/people/">You can read the rest of our series of interviews here</a>, as well as find all our previous ones.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="890" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Melissa-Quinn-Headshot-small-890x1000.jpeg" alt="Melissa Quinn Headshot small" class="wp-image-33123" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Melissa-Quinn-Headshot-small-890x1000.jpeg 890w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Melissa-Quinn-Headshot-small-712x800.jpeg 712w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Melissa-Quinn-Headshot-small-768x863.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Melissa-Quinn-Headshot-small-1367x1536.jpeg 1367w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Melissa-Quinn-Headshot-small.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 890px) 100vw, 890px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tell-me-a-bit-about-yourself-your-background-and-what-you-do-and-how-you-came-to-do-this">Tell me a bit about yourself, your background and what you do – and how you came to do this?</h3>



<p>Hello! I’m Melissa Quinn, a mom, wife, Canadian and international space executive living in Cornwall! I have lived in here for 13 years, but I am originally from the remote forests of British Columbia, Canada. I moved to the UK to do my Masters at my dream university, London School of Economics, later landing a job at Cornwall Airport Newquay supporting its growth. I spent a decade working at <a href="https://cornwall.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/people/melissa-quinn-thorpe-spaceport-cornwall/">Spaceport Cornwall</a>, leading the team to the first ever UK satellite launch last year. I left Spaceport last summer to join US company called <a href="https://www.slingshot.space/">Slingshot Aerospace</a> that tracks space debris and satellites, helping to avoid collisions and keeping it sustainable for years to come. Think air traffic control in space!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="563" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/SlingshotGlobalSensorNetwork2-1000x563.jpeg" alt="Slingshot Global Sensor Network Melissa Quinn Cornwall" class="wp-image-33127" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/SlingshotGlobalSensorNetwork2-1000x563.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/SlingshotGlobalSensorNetwork2-800x450.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/SlingshotGlobalSensorNetwork2-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/SlingshotGlobalSensorNetwork2.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tell-me-about-a-recent-achievement-or-something-you-d-like-to-highlight"><strong>Tell me about a recent achievement or something you’d like to highlight? </strong></h3>



<p>I was recently promoted to General Manager of the International arm of Slingshot! While I am thrilled about this, I know there are not many of us at this level in the space industry. Only 24% of the space workforce are women, and that is much lower at the leadership and executive level. I recently spoke at a large Military conference, where I highlighted that without better inclusion in our industry, we would continue to make the same mistakes, and get stuck trying to solve some of Earth’s greatest challenges. We need different types of people at the table to come up with new solutions!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Mel-World-Satellite-Business-Week-1000x666.jpeg" alt="Melissa Quinn Slingshot, speaking at a conference" class="wp-image-33125" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Mel-World-Satellite-Business-Week-1000x666.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Mel-World-Satellite-Business-Week-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Mel-World-Satellite-Business-Week-768x511.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Mel-World-Satellite-Business-Week.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-do-you-your-team-do-to-inspire-inclusion-in-cornwall"><strong>What do you/your team do to inspire inclusion in Cornwall?</strong></h3>



<p>Although I now find myself travelling the world to promote inclusion in male dominated industries, I love still having the opportunities to go into local schools and speak at local events around my experiences of inclusion, including the <a href="https://cornwallwomensfund.co.uk/">Cornwall Women’s Foundation</a> and <a href="https://anthropy.uk/">Anthropy</a>. We are also about to start a STEAM programme out of our new office at the Spaceport (I know full circle!).</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-there-anything-else-in-your-industry-or-otherwise-that-you-d-like-to-see-in-cornwall-that-would-advance-the-inclusion-of-women"><strong>Is there anything else (in your industry or otherwise) that you’d like to see in Cornwall that would advance the inclusion of women?</strong></h3>



<p>I love what the team at <a href="https://www.tecgirls.co.uk/">Tec Girls</a> is doing, especially around their <a href="https://www.ctrlaltdelsummit.com/">Ctrl, Alt Del Summit</a>, as well as Truro Girls School hosting an AI conference. We need more events like this to inspire not only girls, but more women into technical fields.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-you-have-any-role-models-who-are-they"><strong>Do you have any role models? Who are they?</strong></h3>



<p>The women in my life are my role models! My mother is a force! Powerful, clever, kind and beautiful she is incredible. My daughters are both strong and determined, and their tenacity against the age-old constructs inspire me. In the space industry, I have really loved watching astronaut <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kelliegerardi/?hl=en">Kellie Gerardi</a>’s journey, juggling motherhood, online trolling and public expectations on what an astronaut should look like.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-your-favourite-cornish-beach-view"><strong>What’s your favourite Cornish beach / view?</strong></h3>



<p>I travel a lot overseas at the moment, and the first thing I do when I get back to Cornwall is take our dog out on a blustery coast path and breathe in the views around Droskyn. We are so spoiled in this county!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Droskyn-Perranporth-Cornwall-Photo-25605165-Cornish-©-Ian-Woolcock-Dreamstime.com--1000x667.jpeg" alt="Droskyn rock arch Perranporth Cornwall" class="wp-image-33126" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Droskyn-Perranporth-Cornwall-Photo-25605165-Cornish-©-Ian-Woolcock-Dreamstime.com--1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Droskyn-Perranporth-Cornwall-Photo-25605165-Cornish-©-Ian-Woolcock-Dreamstime.com--800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Droskyn-Perranporth-Cornwall-Photo-25605165-Cornish-©-Ian-Woolcock-Dreamstime.com--768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/03/Droskyn-Perranporth-Cornwall-Photo-25605165-Cornish-©-Ian-Woolcock-Dreamstime.com-.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-do-you-do-in-cornwall-to-make-the-most-of-living-here"><strong>What do you do in Cornwall to make the most of living here?</strong></h3>



<p>My husband and I thrive off of community, and we have that in spades here in Cornwall. He is a chef with local cafes that foster a place for people to meet and get topped up on good soul-filling food. Being in the hospitality industry in Cornwall, we are lucky to be able to visit our friend’s cafes and restaurants all over the county, meeting their communities along the way. It really is my favourite part of living here, the special energy that the year-round community brings.</p>


Muddy Meets: Melissa Quinn, Slingshot Aerospace

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