Groundbreaking space scientist, Dr. Sima Adhya, was guest speaker at Speech Night and told a packed audience of her work to ensure that mankind does not suffer the same fate as the dinosaurs.

Winner of the Amelia Earhart Award for her pioneering scientific research, Dr. Adhya is currently the Space Mission Scientist for the QinetiQ Group and is working on a project for the European Space Agency on how to deflect an asteroid if it were on a collision course with Earth.

Dr Adyha attended Manchester High School from 1988 to 1995 and in addition to her academic success, was a founder member of the School’s philosophical society Sophos, as well as representing the hockey and swimming teams.

After completing her MA in Natural Sciences (Physical) at Cambridge, Dr. Adyha studied for an MSc in Space Science at University College, London. She completed her PhD inAstrodynamics in 2005, working in collaboration with a team of NASA scientists at their jet propulsion laboratories, on how sunlight causes spacecraft to wobble in their orbit.

Dr Adyha presented awards to the girls who were celebrating individual successes and Manchester High’s best ever examination results.

The Platform Party

Dr Adhya is pictured with (from right) Head Mistress, Mrs Lee-Jones, Chairman of Governors, Mrs Christine Walker, Head Girl, Emma Bluff and her deputies, Emma Mockford, Harriet Johnson, Uzma Ahmed, Jenny Hoban and Jet Evans.