Andrea Trois, the engineer from Bari who raised eight thousand euros in two days on the web. “So I will study at NASA.”

Andrea Trois, a 25-year-old engineer from Bari who on Sunday launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance part of the tuition fees that will allow him to participate in the space studies program, raised 8,000 euros in just two days. In-depth program held in NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. After winning a €12,000 scholarship, Troyes still lacked the funds to complete his tuition fees, hence his choice to rely on Go Fund Me. He graduated in Bari in Mechatronics Engineering and then specialized in Turinand are now participating in a journey Ph.D At the Polytechnic of Bari.

An engineer, eight thousand euros are missing to include in his scholarship. Instead of giving up, he chose to ask for money through Go Fund Me. Why?
“The amazement is very local. It is a program that has a lot of participants in the United States, where such initiatives are more common than here. I knew other people who paid for their studies through fundraising, so the fear of giving up this opportunity prompted me to try it. I didn't think things would go well, and I expected the support of relatives and friends. “I certainly didn't imagine it would spread so widely.”

Have you ever feared that you might not be able to reach the amount you expected?
“Yes, because I have no experience. It's my first fundraiser, I just tried it. I started it 2 months after the payment date because I figured it would take much longer. That is why I must express with all my heart my endless gratitude to the community of Bari and Casamassima, the city in which I live. “I am very grateful for all the donations that have arrived from all over Italy.”

Did you feel abandoned by Italian institutions?
“Not at all, they were all very close to me. Simply put, this course I would like to do now is truly extraordinary. Beyond what you can ask for at your university. “In fact, I really want to thank them for what they did for me at this moment.”

Do you feel like you are destined to become one of the many brain drain?
“Not at all. In fact, I am one of those who returned. Some of my colleagues left after training in Bari, while I returned after being in Turin to obtain a doctorate. I would like to see Puglia and our entire territory grow. Honestly, in my field I can do that, and in terms of Space: There are successful paths even in our universities.”

Wouldn't he be able to earn more abroad while doing his job?
“I've always believed that money is a means, not an end. I would like to aspire to a goal that is not a high salary, but something that gives me more in life. At this moment, I would like to try to give back with the skills I hope to gain and the trust that all donors have placed in me.”

How is the level of research in your sector in Italy?
“I will give an answer that goes against the grain. I think we in Italy are world class in these studies, the difference is only in the limited ability to spend. Smaller money, fewer investments and fewer people who believe in it. But things have changed in recent years, and the space economy has become increasingly important. Several successful companies were then born in Puglia, where Rea Space of Fasano created the spacesuit for astronaut Walter Velade. From an academic point of view, Bari Polytechnic does a lot, both for the local area and for the children. Especially in the aviation sector, Rector Francesco Cupertino has these issues very close to his heart.”