At just 36, Wendy Okolo is a trailblazer in aerospace engineering, breaking barriers and redefining possibilities.
Her journey is one of courage, brilliance, and an unwavering drive to make a difference.
Who is Wendy Okolo
Wendy A. Okolo is a Nigerian-American aerospace research engineer in the Intelligent Systems Division at NASA Ames Research Center. Born in 1989 and raised in Nigeria, she attended Saint Mary’s Primary School and Queen’s College, Lagos.
Okolo made history as the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington, where she was mentored by Atilla Dogan. During her undergraduate years, she led the university’s Society of Women Engineers as president. She also served as the Special Emphasis Programs Manager for Women at NASA Ames.
Wendy Okolo: A Trailblazer from the Start
From an early age, she excelled academically, earning straight A’s—a reflection of her natural brilliance. However, her path to engineering wasn’t entirely her own at first. “My mom decided I would be an engineer before I even knew what it meant,” Okolo once shared.
Though she set her sights on engineering early, it was during her first semester at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) that she found her true passion—aerospace engineering.
Soaring to New Heights at NASA
Okolo’s career has been nothing short of remarkable. She started as an undergraduate intern at Lockheed Martin, contributing to NASA’s Orion spacecraft. Over two transformative summers, she honed her skills in Systems and Mechanical Engineering, laying the foundation for her future in aerospace innovation.
As a graduate student, she worked in the Control Design and Analysis Branch of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Today, she is a sub-project manager in the Intelligent Systems Division at NASA Ames Research Center, where she leads groundbreaking research in the Discovery and Systems Health Technology (DaSH) division.
A Woman of Many Firsts
Okolo’s trailblazing contributions have earned her numerous prestigious accolades, establishing her among the foremost minds in aerospace engineering. Her notable honors include:
- Amelia Earhart Fellowship
- Department of Defense NDSEG Fellowship (2012)
- Texas Space Grant Consortium (TSGC) Fellowship (2012, 2013)
- AIAA John Leland Atwood Graduate Award (2013)
- NASA Ames Early Career Researcher Award (2019) – the first woman to receive this honor
- NASA Exceptional Technology Achievement Medal (2021)
- Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) – Most Promising Engineer in the U.S. government
- Recognized among the Most Influential People of African Descent (2021) by the United Nations
Beyond these achievements, Okolo expanded her impact with her literary debut in June 2023. Her book, Learn to Fly: On Becoming a Rocket Scientist, provides insight into her journey and serves as an inspiration for future aerospace engineers.
Championing Diversity and Inclusion in STEM
Okolo’s influence reaches far beyond her personal accolades. She is dedicated to breaking barriers for women, people of color, and underrepresented groups in STEM.
Her initiatives include creating nursing rooms for working mothers to ease their return to work and revising job descriptions to remove gender-biased language, encouraging more women to apply for technical roles. A highly sought-after keynote speaker, she actively shares her insights on STEM inclusion, mentorship, and leadership, inspiring young girls and career women to pursue their dreams with confidence.