Fig O'Reilly: the Miss Universe Ireland who really does save the planet

While many beauty pageant contestants say they want to ‘save the planet’, the first bi-racial Miss Universe Ireland is actually doing exactly that.  Fig (short for Fionnghuala) O’Reilly works remotely from Dublin for NASA, leading a project to share the mighty space agency’s data and expertise to help solve global problems like wildfires and rising ocean levels. When not saving the world, Fig likes watching movies, hanging out with friends and her family of five sisters – and hovering over the French Riviera in a helicopter for fun and flying experience.

You’re the directer of NASA’s Space Apps Challenge. What on earth – or beyond – is that!?

All sorts of data are collected (by NASA). We use that information to come up with useful solutions to help the environment. We ask scientists, engineers, university students and professors alike to come together and work on awesome projects such as dealing with rising sea levels and these unprecedented wildfires. We’ve directly been involved with building apps to aid first responders, for example.

You’re also a Nasa ‘datanaut’? Is that just a very fancy name for what used to be called a nerd?!!!

(Laughs) I probably would consider myself a bit of a nerd. I am a systems engineer by schooling. But it’s a new type of engineering, using numbers to create a story. There’s a lot of info out there and it’s amazing what can you can learn by crunching numbers and diving deep into it.

A recent movie – Hidden Figures – highlights how black women did the maths for NASA to pioneer moon landings. They were members of the Alpha Kapa Alpha (AKA) sorority. The first black woman in space was also member - as are you. What exactly is AKA?

Sororities (student and alumni groups for women) are big in America. Founded in 1908, it’s the first sorority for black women, a sisterhood based on scholarship and service. I am proud to be a woman of the AKA. We are trying to make sure women with opportunities give back to the community.

What’s involved in winning a Miss Universe competition? I am big into fashion and beauty.  Those are things I love. But pursuing a pageant can get expensive! A Miss Universe competition is the highest level of beauty pageant in the world. It’s like the Olympics. You have to be prepared to work with runway coaches and interview coaches. It’s a journey of self-awareness, knowing you are presenting yourself to the world.

Do you invest in the stock market?

For my birthday my mom got me my first stock portfolio. I am excited to learn more about about stocks and trading. It’s new journey for me.

How is your investment doing in the stock market? It’s nerve-racking! When I had just received it when the it was not so great. Now there is an upturn I am makling a little money.

Do you subscribe to the view that the stock market always outperforms other assets in the long run?I hope so! I am too much of a novice to have an entire philosophy on the stock market in general. But I am personally optimistic. Maybe too optimistic!

What would you say to young people embarking on college education right now?  It’s a  hard decision for people of my generation. Is university education worth the monetary investment? You never know if you are going to work in the industry you study for - or a different industry.  My education was a big risk. But for me it worked out because I studied a technical degree. But if you are not doing a more liberal arts degree, you need to create a story for yourself and go for some kind of specialization.

What is the most expensive thing you bought for fun?  One of my dreams is to become a pilot so I bought an exclusive helicopter flight over the French riviera. It cost a lot but it was fabulous.

What luxury would you like to treat yourself to? Technology! I love integrating smart home appliances and technology into my home…turning lights on and off remotely…I also have some really beautiful LED visuals connected to music and sound that is played through my devices.  And the smart thermostat is amazing. It’s so nice not having to get out of bed to turn on the heat.  My goal is to have a really smart home. I’d love a smart closet that shows what my clothes look like on me. And that’s not far off. At the CES – the largest consumer tech conference in the world - I saw some of this technology. It was awesome.

What do you do to unwind? I am a huge film fan. I love watching films. I love hanging out with friends and I am a big family person.

What’s your number one financial priority? Paying down student loans! George Washington University was at one point the number one most expensive university in the US (although not any more). When I was there it cost $44,000 a year. Now I believe it’s around $50,000.