Born in Zeon, she joined the academy in order to become a mobile suit pilot, with the aid of her father's popularity among the scientific community. However, both because she brings memory of the old war with Zeon, both because she's timid, lacking in ambition, clumsy and a "dreamer", some of her mates aren't friendly with her and she hardly gets results in the academy, making her father's shade heavier and heavyer - just like an "ugly duckling" that hasn't become a "swan" yet and doesn't see problems in remaining thus, as quoted in the first pages of the manga.
However, she's determined to improve her skills and discover her true value, even by showing unexpected skills.