Dr. Wendy A. Okolo is a Nigerian-American aerospace engineer who made history in 2015 by becoming the first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington at the age of 26.
Born in 1989 and raised in Nigeria, she attended St. Mary’s Primary School and Queen’s College in Lagos before pursuing higher education in the United States. During her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Arlington, Dr. Okolo served as president of the Society of Women Engineers and interned at Lockheed Martin, contributing to NASA’s Orion spacecraft project. Her academic excellence and leadership paved the way for her groundbreaking doctoral research, which focused on aircraft formation flight for fuel savings—a study that was later demonstrated through flight tests by the U.S. Air Force.
Currently, Dr. Okolo is an aerospace research engineer and Associate Project Manager in the Intelligent Systems Division at NASA Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. Her expertise lies in vehicle flight dynamics, control systems, and autonomous air vehicle safety. She holds a U.S. patent in aerospace vehicle flight path control and has contributed to numerous technical publications and research collaborations.
Dr. Okolo’s contributions to aerospace engineering have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the NASA Exceptional Technology Achievement Medal, the NASA Ames Award for Researcher/Scientist, and the Black Engineer of the Year Award for Most Promising Engineer in the U.S. Government.
Beyond her technical achievements, Dr. Okolo is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in STEM fields. As the Special Emphasis Programs Manager for Women at NASA Ames, she leads initiatives to recruit, retain, and promote women within the organization. She is also a sought-after speaker and mentor, inspiring the next generation of minority STEM leaders through her engagements and her book, “LEARN TO FLY: ON BECOMING A ROCKET SCIENTIST”.
Dr. Wendy A. Okolo’s journey from Lagos to NASA exemplifies the impact of determination, excellence, and advocacy, making her a role model for aspiring engineers worldwide.
