The Lausanne-based space engineer and pole dancer talks about sexism, self-empowerment and control: part six of the interview series on role models that promote equality.
You’re a space engineer, pole dancer and mother, and you explain issues related to space as the art figure Galactic Chloé. Who are you today?
I’m always everything. My life is like a tripod: it remains stable, even if the legs are of different lengths. It's not about giving everything equal space. Sometimes work takes priority, sometimes it’s family. The balance isn’t static – that’s something you have to accept. Society definitely finds it difficult to reconcile all these roles. My status as an engineer alone is regularly called into question. Even today, I still hear comments like “Women can’t be engineers”. Social media makes this kind of attitude visible. That’s precisely why I want to break down prejudices.
How do you do that?
I’ve never set myself limits. Despite the low number of women in the field, I decided early on that I wanted to be an astrophysicist. I studied aerospace engineering and worked at the European Space Agency. I’ve experienced sexism in the past. Now I use my social media reach to draw more attention to women in science and technology.
You consciously combine science and pole dancing. Why?
I’m fascinated by the mix of strength, flexibility and expression. In my “Zero Gravity” show, I explain astrophysical concepts on the pole. I use the art form to convey information on topics such as gravity or microgravity. At the same time, the idea is to challenge established standards and look at your own body in a different way.
Is every dance a political statement?
Yes – and an act of self-empowerment. That’s why I do it in public. Visibility is part of bringing about change.
You originally wanted to be an astronaut. How do you deal with the fact that this dream burst after an accident?
For a long time, I defined myself by this dream. Eventually, I found myself wondering where it had actually come from. It was very much shaped by external expectations. As a scientist, many things can be explained by logic.
What weren’t you expecting?
That life would be so unpredictable. My accident, in which I lost the vision in my left eye because of a piece of glass from a bottle that fell out of the fridge, was an extremely unlikely occurrence. It still serves as a reminder that control is often an illusion.
