Meet our NL Space Campus Community Manager Maaike Smelter
On May 10th Maaike Smelter started as our Community Manager. We are happy to introduce her to you! She has experience in the field of communications, events and in working with diverse organisations, different generations and bringing them together. Above all she has a real authentic interest in technology and in what drives and motivates people. Great assets for being our Community Manager and connecting the Space community. To find out more about Maaike, her background and ambition, we asked her a couple of questions.
Who is Maaike? What distinguishes you as a person in your work? What are your qualities?
By heart I am a true connector. Growing up as the daughter of a car mechanic, I feel most comfortable around people who have a passion for technology. In contrast to liking creative and technical challenges, I have a bachelor in Social Work and most of my work experience is in events where the goal is to bring people together. I have a talent for seeing opportunities where people can enhance each other with their work and see everyone as an equal. What motivates and drives people is what I am most interested in. Hence the lot of questions I ask. Combining my affinity for mechanics and engineering, social and creative qualities, real interest in people, positive mind and experience in communication, makes me very excited to grow the Space Community in the Netherlands and Europe.
What are the main lessons learned in your work so far?
I am still young and there are a lot of years to learn, but so far what interests me the most, is that really everyone sees the world in a different way through their eyes of what’s important to them. To understand that everyone is doing their best to make the world a better place, in the way they know how to, makes working with people a lot more fun. The second is that if you really want to, you can learn anything you want. We may be blessed with talents, but time, motivation and doing is what makes people grow.
How are you planning to fulfill the role of Community Manager?
My vision is that we can support innovation by bringing organisations together and showing the world what is happening in the field of Space. By literally showing what is going on through (online) events, social media and opening up to visitors, we generate ideas for future implementations. By realising that spin in may be as powerful as spin out, we fast forward the possibilities in the area of Space innovation.
Also bringing people together to share ideas, ambitions and create opportunities to start working together. To be able to create this platform, we organise a lot of different events and meet-ups and we are always open to think with you about new ways to bring people together.
How do you see the future of the campus? What will it bring us and what is your contribution?
I see a clear vision of positive energy and a vibrant area at the Space Campus, where a lot of people come to work (remotely), visit an event, rent a cleanroom for testing, brainstorm with colleagues over good coffee, and end up after work for social drinks. Where start-ups and scale-ups settle their companies, students study remotely during the day and gather for drinks during the evening. It’s a place that energises people and where the community can come together.
What are you looking forward to the most?
The Space Campus, next to being an actual place you can visit, is also a place where everyone can meet, share ideas and expand their network. The future of business and innovation is working together to create a better world. I am very happy to be able to be a part of realising this.
