Dona Marabe
Hello ! I am a Filipina researcher, aerospace engineer in-the-making, mechanical engineering student, and SERA astronaut candidate aspiring to secure the Philippines' space in space. I take pride in forging my own path while clawing my own way through male-dominated first-world centered fields, armed by grit and passion, and supported by scholarships and hopeful communities. My personal advocacies are centered in science communication and equality for women in STEM.
Since focusing my personal goals to becoming the first Filipino astronaut, I have served as the Philippine Space Agency's first ever volunteer intern, launched my university's first rocket, and published my university's first solo-authored space-related research paper in the International Astronautical Congress.
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Notable Works
The Design Concept of an Ultrahaptic Glove for Extravehicular Space Suits
Presented as an Interactive Presentation under Category B: IAF Human Spaceflight Symposium in the biggest annual global space event—International Astronautical Congress 2025 in Sydney, Australia.
Solo Author
Philippine Space Agency
Served as the first volunteer intern of PhilSA's Space Technology Missions & Systems Bureau under the Spacecraft Mechanical and Autonomous Systems Development Division for 11 months from June 2024 to April 2025; Trained in SolidWorks and Co-authored the Philippines’ first rocket permit manual.
Country's 1st Volunteer Intern
The Development of a Slow Drift Motion [SDM] - Based Water Turbine
Multi-awarded research from senior high school in PSHS-MC as presented in energy and sustainability related competitions throughout South East Asia, including Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Secondary School Research Leader
Malintala Hackathon Team
Led the hackathon team in competitions such as the NASA Space Apps 2019 and the MakeSense #HealthForAll Hackathon, conceptualizing three mobile applications; Won the Animo Labs Innovation Challenge from the NASA Space Apps COVID-19 Challenge for the developed mobile app, Lulan: an Emergency Routing Application.
Team Leader
Archernauts Rocketry Team
Led DLSU-Manila's pioneer rocketry team through the full project lifecycle; Spearheaded an outreach, conducting a hands-on rocketry workshop for students; Awarded the Best Can Satellite Project with a Successful Rocket Launch in the first Philippine National Can Satellite & Rocket Competition hosted by the Indiana Aerospace University in July 2025.
Team Leader
CFD Analysis of a NACA 4412 Airfoil with Finite Span Effects
Set to be presented in the Institute for Liquid Atomization and Spray Systems (ILASS-Asia) Conference 2025 in the National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan as part of an on-going masters thesis on airfoil studies.
Primary Author
Education
De La Salle University - Manila | DLSU-Manila
Institut National des Sciences Appliquées - INSA Toulouse
Exchange Program in MS Mechanical Engineering | August 2023 - January 2024
Philippine Science High School - Main Campus | PSHS-MC
High School Diploma | 2015 - 2021
Physics Core | Electives in Design & Make Technologies, Engineering, and Practical Astronomy
BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering | 2021 - Present
Current CGPA | 3.648 / 4.000 [Updated on 23 September 2025]
With an on-going thesis on biomimicry applications in airfoil structures
STAR Scholar | Top 15 DLSU-Manila Student Applicants nationwide
Engineering Research and Development for Technology [ERDT] Scholar | Awarded by the Philippine Department of Science and Technology [DOST]
FRP++1, 2, and 6 | Local Grade: 15,95, ECTS Grade: A
European Masters Course in Advanced Structural Analysis and Design using Composite Materials
Airbus SE Client | Local Grade: 15,6, ECTS Grade: A
Europe Aerospace & Aircraft Company Partner for the Smart Machining design and manufacturing conceptualization course
Youth Excellence in Science [YES] Awardee | Department of Science and Technology - Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) | 2021
Graduated with High Honors
Excellence in Research Award; Awarded to 2 out of 240+ Students
Gawad Liknayan Awardee (Physics)
Special Citation in Engineering
Other Experiences
