NASA astronaut, NASA system director to keynote Sept. 5 kickoff event for Leading Women Toward Space Careers
Purdue University is gearing up to host its annual kick-off event for Leading Women Toward Space Careers in September. This unique program connects undergraduate and graduate students with mentors in space-related fields. The mentors, who are all established professionals in the space industry, come from diverse backgrounds, including NASA, Sierra Space, and policy roles in Washington, D.C. This program is open to all participants without regard to race, ethnicity, national origin or gender
The evening event will feature a public address by Sharon Conover, system director for NASA Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD) with The Aerospace Corporation, and Joan Higginbotham, NASA astronaut. The event takes place in The Honors College and Residences North (HCRN) building in Honors Hall at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 5 and is free to the public, though registration is required.
Conover served as NASA’s ISS vehicle office acquisition manager for the commercialization of low earth orbit and human spaceflight habitation demonstrations on the International Space Station. She previously served as the director of payload integration and design for the Orbital Reef Space Station. Conover began her new position of system director for the NASA Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD) at The Aerospace Corporation in July 2024.
Sharon Conover, system director for NASA Space Oprations Mission Directorate (SOMD)
Joan Higginbotham, NASA Astronaut
Higginbotham, an electrical engineer and a former NASA astronaut, flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-116 as a mission specialist and is the third African American woman to go into space, after Mae Jemison and Stephanie Wilson. She actively participated in 53 space shuttle launches during her 9-year tenure at Kennedy Space Center before being selected as an astronaut in 1996. In April of 2022, after 35 years in government service and the energy, retail and aerospace sectors, Higginbotham opened an aerospace consulting firm, Joan Higginbotham Ad Astra, LLC.
The Leading Women Toward Space Careers (LWTSC) program was created by the John Martinson Honors College and in partnership with the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation to inspire, connect, support, and ready college-aged women across STEM disciplines for long term leadership in space-related careers. The program features mentorship with senior professionals in space careers and professional development for Honors College women in STEM disciplines and graduate students across Purdue University.
According to LWTSC program manager Dr. Allison Roberts, the program offers mentorship through “mentorship circles,” where students and mentors meet six times a year. “The goal is for students to connect at both a personal and professional level,” Roberts explains. “Mentors bring their lived experience, offering insights that can't necessarily be gained in the classroom.”
Mentors discuss topics such as career transitions, work-life balance and the realities of working in the space industry, providing students with valuable guidance as they navigate their own career paths. This program is the only one of its kind in the United States, a distinction further emphasized by its partnership with Morgan State University, a historically Black college or university.
In addition to mentorship circles, students are involved in various events, workshops, and even take part in organizing the kickoff event. “Students not only attend but also help run the kickoff event,” Roberts notes. “Last year, two students served as emcees and two as interviewers, gaining valuable skills in public speaking and confidence.”
Beyond the speaker portions of the event, the evening will include the recognition of the 2024 class of Astronaut Scholars, awarded by the prestigious Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. The kick-off will conclude with a private dinner where students, scholars, and speakers can engage in more intimate conversations, further enhancing the mentoring experience.
The Honors College and Residences is located at 1101 3rd St. on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.
Andrea Mattingly
Director of Communication for Teaching and Learning, andrea@purdue.edu