[527] NASA aerospace engineer Bowe lands at MTSU, Hobgood Elementary for visit

MURFREESBORO — MTSU students and faculty and the students at nearby Hobgood Elementary School (a NASA Explorer School) received a special treat Wednesday and Thursday, April 16-17, with a visit by Aisha Bowe, an award-winning NASA aerospace engineer.

Bowe’s appearance was to help spark an interest in science and STEM-related careers, which also include technology, engineering and mathematics.

Bowe works in the flight trajectory dynamics and controls branch of the Aviation Systems Division at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, in California’s Silicon Valley. She spent time Wednesday with MTSU students individually and in groups, met with Provost Brad Bartel and provided a National Women’s History Month lecture.

After having breakfast with students and faculty Thursday, Bowe visited an Honors physical science class and met with MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. She and MTSU sophomore Jasmine Johnson of Humboldt, Tenn., pedaled to McPhee’s office building on the university’s award-winning 2014 moon buggy, which placed fifth overall and earned the Neil Armstrong Design Award during the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge April 11-12.

Bowe had lunch with Hobgood students, teachers and administrators. Bowe also had a scheduled afternoon meeting with MTSU graduate studies and research administrators Mike Allen and Todd Gary before leaving campus.

Her work in Next Generation, or NextGen, air transportation and air traffic management focuses on developing methods to maintain safe separation of air traffic and optimize fuel consumption within an automated system. NASA’s Ames Research Center is renowned for its world-class research in air traffic management conducted in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration to make air travel safer, cheaper and more efficient.

Bowe has received numerous awards for her dedication to technical excellence and the principles of diversity and opportunity, including: NASA’s Engineering Honor Award, NASA’s Honor Award for Equal Employment Opportunity, a NASA Ames Spotlight Award for Equal Opportunity and Diversity Excellence, the National Society of Black Engineers 21st Century Trailblazers in Aviation and Aerodynamics Award and the National Society of Black Engineers Outstanding Technical Contribution Award.

Her activities also have been featured on NASA NOW, Bahamas Weekly and Telemundo.