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Despite my natural inclination towards subjects like physics and mathematics in high school, which gradually nurtured my interest in engineering field, the societal norms in my home country, Nepal, often discourages women from pursuing

such

path, causing me to doubt my own abilities and aspirations.

However

, I eventually defied the expectations and chose engineering as my career path opting for aerospace, a field known for its male dominance.

Initially

, my choice of aerospace engineering was partly driven by a rebellious spirit but with each passing year in my undergraduate studies, my passion for

this

field grew exponentially, solidifying my conviction that I made the right choice. My aerospace engineering journey commenced with my selection to Nepal's most prestigious engineering institution, IOE Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University. Right after my enrolment, I got an opportunity to get involved in two projects:

Design

and Fabrication of a RC

Aircraft

and, Construction of a Stationary Model of Ionic Propulsion

aircraft

, both of which were showcased in the National Level Mechanical Exhibition. Though quantifiable results at hand were not obtained, these projects were my foundational steps towards understanding the engineering approach in planning and accomplishing a

project

through a detailed

design

, analysis, and implementation. As my undergraduate studies progressed, I gained a comprehensive understanding of theoretical principles and practical applications in

aircraft

design

,

flight

mechanics and

performance

through relevant courses

such

as Aerodynamics,

Flight

Dynamics,

Aircraft

Propulsion,

Aircraft

Systems, Unmanned Air Vehicle Synthesis (UAS), Computer Aided

Design

and

Aircraft

Preliminary

Design

, among others.

Coupled with

hands-on lab work, these courses honed my skills in software like MATLAB, XFLR-5, X-PLANE, CATIA, the direct application of which was used

while

I designed a light STOL electric

aircraft

to deliver a passenger or essential supplies in equatorial countries from short soil airstrips as a part of my

design

project

. As my major

project

and thesis, I developed a MATLAB-based tool for comprehensive

flight

performance

calculation: ‘Formulation of In Situ

Flight

Performance

Toolbox for Decision Support System'.

Furthermore

, a three-month internship at Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) complemented my final year

project

which particularly involved validation of the tool against the actual

performance

charts.

Although

this

process was endlessly tiring, it enhanced my skills in problem solving and collaborative team work, and I closely witnessed the prominent gap between theoretical and in-the-field problems.