Camilla Baier
A SCOTTISH PhD student who is one of five Brits shortlisted for a one-way trip to Mars has said she hopes the project will inspire women to pursue careers in science and technology.
Hannah Earnshaw, 23, grew up near Fort William which she said offered "great opportunities to star-gaze" and she went on to attend the Scottish Space School while a pupil at Lochaber High.
Now studying for a PhD in astronomy at Durham University, she is one of 100 people being put forward for the chance to partake in Mars One, a project which aims to colonise the planet by 2024.
Although she has been interested in outer space from a young age, she said she never saw herself taking the career path of being a professional astronaut.
"But when I saw the word 'Mars' in the application form back in 2013 I knew that that was something I wanted to be a part of," she said.
The shortlisted 50 men and 50 women will now be subject to tests on their response to stressful situations before finding out whether they have made it on the final list of 24 people chosen to embark on the one-way trip.
She said: "I am glad the Mars One organisers are determined to keep the participants in gender equal numbers. Not only do mixed crews work better, but it allows visibility of women in science and technology.
"I am hoping that lots of girls will be watching the project, so that we can go against the idea of only men working in science and technology."
She said that meeting other applicants throughout the application process gave her the chance to talk to other candidates and said that it has been a positive experience "to find out that so many people believe in the mission and want to push it forward as much as I do".
Ms Earnshaw said that her family, who live in Glasgow, have been very supportive throughout the application process, "We know that it will be emotional once I actually have to leave the planet, but they are standing behind me and are proud that I have made it this far."
Once the final 24 participants are chosen at the end of the year, a nine-year long training will prepare them for the first human launch in 2024.
"It is really great to have a life's work that you really believe in," she said. "I believe in this mission and want it to succeed. Even if I am not the one to do it, I know that with taking part in this I am dedicating my life to something that is really important."
The other British hopefuls are Dr Maggie Lieu, 24, a PhD in Astrophysics at the University of Birmingham, Oxford University student Ryan MacDonald, 21, from Derby, Alison Rigby, 35, a science laboratory technician, from Beckenham, Kent, and Clare Weedon, 27, a systems integration manager for Virgin Media, from Addlestone, in Surrey.
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