Korea’s first and only astronaut had a lesson about space from Kingston University lecturer Chris Welch recently, after being stumped by questions from intrigued audiences following her return from the International Space Station.

Mechanical engineer and biotechnologist Soyeon Yi carried out scientific experiments for the South Korean government during her mission, but found some technical questions about space difficult to answer back on Earth.

The 31-year-old signed up to a group project run by Dr Welch at the Nasa Ames research centre, California, in order to improve her knowledge, and said the summer programme had made a huge difference.

Dr Welch said: “The programme was designed for students from a range of backgrounds from recent graduates to mid-career professionals who wanted to find out more about space.

“I’m very keen to raise awareness about space and the issues surrounding it and it was fantastic to work with Korea’s first astronaut.

“She told me all about her experiences and I’m sure my Kingston students will be fascinated to hear about her mission.”

The lecturer, who works with the university’s engineering faculty, regularly works with space agencies to promote learning, and won the Arthur Clarke Award for Achievement in Space Education earlier this year.

Miss Soyeon said: “The space flight was a really big turning point in my whole life.

“From the astronaut selection process to now, I have learned so much from my experiences. It has been incredibly rewarding, both personally and professionally.”

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