Nadia Michaella Numa

Graduate student, Aerospace Engineering – Astrodynamics & Space Applications
Minor: Dynamics & Controls

What are you are studying/what you are interested in studying and/or researching while at Purdue? If you have done internships or other applicable experiences, feel free to include them here.

I received my Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a concentration in Propulsion and a minor in International Relations. Internships in propulsion product development at GE and Boeing during my undergraduate years were invaluable to my learning. I received my Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University with a focus on experimental plasma-assisted combustion. Inspired by my experience as a mission architecture associate engineer at SpaceX, I began my Ph.D. at Purdue with a focus on Astrodynamics and Space Applications. My research – in a broad sense – investigates cislunar space infrastructure that incorporates propellant depots (“space gas stations”) in mission design.

What made you want to join the Leading Women Toward Space Careers program?

I believe that the Leading Women Toward Space Careers Program will allow me to interact and learn from industry pacesetters and fellow students. Through the mentorship circle, I will have access to a breadth of knowledge and experiences from premier women in space careers. I hope to gain insight from forerunners on leadership and technical skills development. These opportunities will help me move towards the completion of my Ph.D. with a solid foundation of where and how I can make a difference. To me, in addition to career development, mentorship from this program represents an intangible benefit – what is feasible and what is possible for young women of color.

What area would you like to work in after graduation? (What career path, interests, opportunities, etc., would you like to accomplish? What field are you interested in?)

I would like to further contribute to the field of Astrodynamics and Space Applications. As we start to make our return to the Moon via the Artemis Program, one future challenge is the pre-positioning of consumables (e.g., fuel) and systems to enable faster and more cost-effective space exploration. Another aspect is the development of laws and policies to serve as the foundation for our collaboration with domestic and international partners. A career in space allows me to contribute to this complex and exciting phase in space exploration.