{"id":263,"date":"2024-03-27T14:59:52","date_gmt":"2024-03-27T14:59:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/aeronautics\/?p=263"},"modified":"2024-03-27T14:59:52","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T14:59:52","slug":"paula-gutierrez-disrupting-the-renewable-energy-sector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/aeronautics\/2024\/03\/27\/paula-gutierrez-disrupting-the-renewable-energy-sector\/","title":{"rendered":"Paula Gutierrez\u00a0&#8211; Disrupting the renewable energy sector"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"768\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-265 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/aeronautics\/files\/2024\/03\/Aero-Alumni-5.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p data-block-id=\"699efb0f-b0f5-4520-89af-8f05b3f8f5f4\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Name: <\/span><\/b>Paula Gutierrez<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-block-id=\"699efb0f-b0f5-4520-89af-8f05b3f8f5f4\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Programme: <\/span><\/b>MEng Aeronautics with Year Abroad (5 Years)<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Year of study:<\/span><\/b> 4th year<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Favourite places: <\/span><\/b>Madrid and London<span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><!--more--><\/h2>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Studying at Imperial<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>What made you become interested in Aeronautical Engineering?\u00a0<\/strong><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Ever since I was young, I always questioned how aircraft are able to fly and if humanity would ever land on Mars. I eventually decided to study Aeronautical Engineering as it is known to be one of the most challenging degrees you can do. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Why did you decide to study at the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">I initially applied to a number of different degrees in different countries. However, Imperial&#8217;s high ranking<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"> amongst the best universities in the world<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">,<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"> made it stand out to me. I have always lived in big cities and the university\u2019s central location in London made me decide that it was the best choice for me.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>How have you found your course so far?\u00a0<\/strong><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">I have enjoyed my <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">course a lot. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">When I fist started Imperial, I was nervous as I did not have a in-depth understanding of aeroplanes. However, after a month, I felt that I was at the same level as my peers thanks to the introductory Mathematics course. After a few months I felt like I could pilot an aircraft!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The chance of accessing lots of different equipment within the Department makes the course really stimulating.\u00a0 I enjoyed using the different wind tunnels and was especially impressed by the three flight simulators we used durin<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">g<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> the &#8216;Fly Dynamics&#8217; course. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I have now progressed to receive an opportunity from the Department to do a research program at MIT and a year abroad at University of California, Berkeley &#8211; which is incredible.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What has been your favourite area of study so far and why?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">My favourite modules have been the three aerodynamics modules that you complete across the first three years of the degree. They covered many aspects of Aerodynamics and Computational Fluid Dynamics. I particularly enjoyed discovering more about boundary layers, turbulence, and hypersonic flow. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">However, the most enriching module was the &#8216;Aeronautics Vehicle Design&#8217; module. We had to design an entire 90 passenger aircraft for short-haul flights from scratch!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Please tell us about any volunteering opportunities, competitions or field work you\u2019ve been part of since joining Imperial.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">In my second year, I participated in the <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">Space Leanspace Hackathon<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"none\"> with two other Imperial students and a student from Kings College London. We were invited to the Hackathon final at the Space Tech Expo in 2022 (Bremen, Germany), where we developed a satellite ground station in two days. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">We were awarded a prize for innovation, securing VIP tickets for the International Astronautical Conference<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"> (<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">IAC<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">)<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"> 2022! I was also offered a 2022 summer internship from one of the Hackathon sponsors &#8211; Clearspace, in Switzerland. I got the opportunity to work as a Control and Navigation Engineer at Clearspace.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">I also participated in the <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"none\">Build my app<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"none\"> Google Hackathon in Los Angeles this year, where myself and my four teammates (from my exchange at University of California, Berkeley), were awarded first prize for<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">developing LevelApp, an app that empowers SME sales through\u202fMachine Learning.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"272\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-286\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/aeronautics\/files\/2024\/03\/Picture9-272x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This year, I also published my first paper at International Astronautical Conference 2023 (co-authored by Dr Paul Bruce and <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pietro <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Innocenzi from<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> the Department of Aeronautics). <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I also want to thank<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Imperial College Old Centralians&#8217; Trust for awarding me the Undergraduate Travel Award and <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Imperial College <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Gate Trust to fund my presentation<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> in Baku<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This summer, I will join the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> as an intern in the <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Contamination Control<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Team. I&#8217;ll be working on<\/span>\u00a0<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Computational Fluid <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dynamics <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">for projects such as <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Mars 2020<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Europa Clipper<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Tell us about how your experience becoming a \u2018Supernova\u2019\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Nova 111 list recognises the 111 best students between 18 to 25 years old in each country in ten specific categories. These categories included computer science, economics and engineering. There is a competitive application process which includes different interviews and logical reasoning tests.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This year, I was shortlisted as one of the 111 students and voted as the &#8216;Supernova&#8217; winner of the Spanish list . As a part of the prize, students get access to a personal acceleration program and are invited to dedicated networking events. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I would recommend people to apply, as it is a unique opportunity to network with other talented students, industry leaders and international companies<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> such as Bain, McKinsey or Boston Consulting Group<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. The winners of the list were also featured in several news channels. <a href=\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/economia\/nova-identifica-111-estudiantes-mas-talento-espana-10628467\">Read more about the Spanish winners<\/a>.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>How else are you involved with university life? \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I was selected for the International Research Opportunity Program (IROP). The program enables students to spend a summer doing research in one of Imperial\u2019s partner universities. For mine, I spent 8 weeks at MIT researching Hypersonic Aerothermodynamics on the study of a re-entry vehicle. This was an absolutely amazing experience because I had the opportunity to join one of the best institutions in the world while discovering US culture for the first time. I am continuing my research at MIT and hope to publish a paper very soon.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I was also one of three Imperial students who was selected to complete a year abroad at the University of California, Berkley. This gave me the opportunity to take a wide variety of modules amongst different disciplines including Business and Machine Learning, which complemented my knowledge in the field of engineering.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I have also been able to attend several events in Silicon Valley and Stanford, including the recent Imperial College President visit and a startup showcase in San Francisco. I was invited to a pitch and meet investors, Imperial alumni and Imperial College President, Professor Hugh Brady.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"263\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-269\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/aeronautics\/files\/2024\/03\/Hugh-263x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Paula Gutierrez and Imperial College President, Professor Hugh Brady.<\/span><\/i><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I am also discovering the US and Californian culture and have been able to travel to amazing places such as Los Angeles, the Grand Canyon and Hawaii. I would widely encourage everyone at Imperial to do a year abroad.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Study experience\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259,&quot;335559991&quot;:630}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Have you discovered any hidden campus gems while at Imperial?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Whilst it is not really a hidden place, I think most people would agree that the best lunch at Imperial is the Katsu Curry from Kimiko. On Tuesday\u2019s, there is also a Farmer\u2019s Food market on campus &#8211; the pizza truck is amazing!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Career path and future goals<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>What would you like to do after you graduate?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Whilst I\u2019m not completely sure, there are several things I would like to do, including working in the space industry as an aerothermodynamics engineer or taking up a role in Formula 1. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I would also like to continue my entrepreneurship career. I currently have a climate fintech startup<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/volta-io\/.\"><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Volta<\/span><\/i><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> that I am developing with another Aeronautics student.\u00a0 Volta aims to reconnect the public with the renewable energy sector.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We are currently in stealth mode and will start our fundraising round soon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>How will Imperial College help you achieve your future goals?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Imperial College has helped me in many ways to achieve my goals. Apart from being a renowned university, it has opened many doors, including being able to attend other top institutions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">One of the ways Imperial has helped me the most is through the Enterprise Lab. I was able to receive mentoring for my start-up via the Imperial Experts-in-residence program, as well as participate in the Venture Catalyst Challenge, securing the \u00a35,000 Moonshot prize. I have learnt valuable skills including learning how to pitch to investors, techniques to fundraise and how to make a Business Model Canvas.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Personal<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>What do you think is the most important quality to succeed?\u00a0<\/strong><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259,&quot;335559991&quot;:90}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I think the most important quality to succeed is perseverance. Sometimes things don\u2019t go as you expected but if you are focused on reaching your goals, you will achieve them one way or another. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Discuss your greatest achievement\/highlight so far\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">One of my greatest achievements was winning the European Space Agency (ESA) Grand Prix at the Student Aerospace Challenge with other three Aeronautics Students (Joel Tomas, Adrien Venot and Kiril Surkov). We developed a suborbital vehicle using an innovative airfoil called the Busemann biplane<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We received ESA sponsorship <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">which <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">includ<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ed<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0an invitation to present our research at<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"none\">International Astronautical Conference (IAC)<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">IAC<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">22 and to be part of the International Student Education Board (ISEB).\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">This gave us the chance to be interviewed for different news outlets <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">such as El Mundo, and several radio stations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-272\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/aeronautics\/files\/2024\/03\/radio-2-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-273\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/aeronautics\/files\/2024\/03\/radio1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><em>\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Thanks to this exposure, I was then invited to be one of the speakers at \u201cThe Women Time\u201d organised by El Mundo and Unidad Editorial<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">International Student Experience<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><strong>What country are you from?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">I am half Spanish and half French but I have always lived in Madrid, Spain.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Would you recommend Imperial to those from your home country and why?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I would definitely recommend Imperial to everyone, especially to students from Spain and France due to several reasons:\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li data-leveltext=\"-\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;-&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">You can perfect your English whilst discovering a new culture. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"-\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;-&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Imperial is located in central London which is one of the most international cities in the world.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-leveltext=\"-\" data-font=\"Calibri\" data-listid=\"4\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;-&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">You are close enough to take a flight or even train back to your home town for a long weekend. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What are the best things about Imperial\u2019s international student body?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Imperial College is very international and you can find students and lecturers from almost every country. I joined the Spanish and French societies which meant I met a lot of people from my home country who really helped me integrate during the first few months. There are more than 60 cultural societies where you can meet a lot of new people!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>What would be your top tip(s) for prospective students looking to study abroad?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Before going on your year abroad, try to get in contact with people who will be doing the same course as you. I&#8217;d even recommend meeting with other students in person if possible. This way you&#8217;ll already know people at your partner university. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Name: Paula Gutierrez\u00a0 Programme: MEng Aeronautics with Year Abroad (5 Years)\u00a0 Year of study: 4th year\u00a0 Favourite places: Madrid and London\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1750,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Paula Gutierrez\u00a0- Disrupting the renewable energy sector - Department of Aeronautics<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/aeronautics\/2024\/03\/27\/paula-gutierrez-disrupting-the-renewable-energy-sector\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Paula Gutierrez\u00a0- Disrupting the renewable energy sector - Department of Aeronautics\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Name: Paula Gutierrez\u00a0 Programme: MEng Aeronautics with Year Abroad (5 Years)\u00a0 Year of study: 4th year\u00a0 Favourite places: Madrid and London\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/aeronautics\/2024\/03\/27\/paula-gutierrez-disrupting-the-renewable-energy-sector\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Department of Aeronautics\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-03-27T14:59:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/aeronautics\/files\/2024\/03\/Aero-Alumni-5.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Laurence Peffers\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Laurence Peffers\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\\\/aeronautics\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/27\\\/paula-gutierrez-disrupting-the-renewable-energy-sector\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\\\/aeronautics\\\/2024\\\/03\\\/27\\\/paula-gutierrez-disrupting-the-renewable-energy-sector\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Laurence Peffers\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\\\/aeronautics\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/1d6cf75effca78b72e82b6ce6a2fe735\"},\"headline\":\"Paula Gutierrez\u00a0&#8211; 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