Expanding Horizons
How an Amelia Earhart Fellow is ensuring the path forward for women in aerospace engineering and space sciences is secure with opportunities.
You have a long and distinguished history with Zonta International and the Amelia Earhart (AE) Fellowship. Please explain in your own words why the AE Fellowship is important to women in the aerospace engineering and space sciences fields as well as the membership of Zonta International?
The AE Fellowship is one of the very few (if only) fellowships in aerospace engineering and space sciences that is available to women of any nationality studying at any university or college offering accredited doctorate degrees in these fields. This is a huge benefit for women pursuing these degrees. With the cost of a doctorate ever increasing, it is so important to have financial support. Since the AE Fellowship is unrestricted, an AE Fellow can use the funds in various ways, including presenting technical papers at conferences, which offers opportunities for networking and broader recognition of their work.
Receiving the AE Fellowship is much more than the financial support. It is also a validation that others see your capability. There is prestige in being awarded the AE Fellowship. It is broadly recognized within the aerospace community.
When you work in a male-dominated field, it is important to have a network of women friends outside of work. Zonta offers such a network. One benefit is that as you move around the world for your career, there is an opportunity for Zonta members to help you integrate into your new location. Being a Zonta member is a way to give back for the support you received for your doctorate degree.
Before you were a Zontian, you were a Fellow. What inspired you to apply for the Fellowship initially, and how did receiving it impact your career and life?
I was early in my Ph.D. program in mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of Missouri – Columbia. One day, I was walking down the hall in the engineering building when one of the administrators stopped me and said, "I just received this application in the mail for an Amelia Earhart Fellowship from an organization named Zonta International. You might want to apply since you are in mechanical and aerospace engineering." I took the application. I had received several scholarships, fellowships and stipends as an undergraduate student, but at the time, I was unaware of any fellowships for a doctorate program. Of course, I wanted to apply. As a graduate student, you are always looking for financial support.
Receiving the AE Fellowship twice significantly impacted my career and life. In the last year of my Ph.D., my advisor left the University of Missouri – Columbia and went to the University of Toronto. Receiving my second Fellowship helped me to be able to finish my Ph.D. The $4,000 was critical for meeting my financial needs. Being a woman in a male-dominated field, completing the Ph.D. showed my employers and peers that I was qualified for the work I was doing.
Zonta certainly has influenced my life's journey during my 45 years of membership. I was very fortunate to have Past International President Harriet Yeckel present me with my wings, medal and certificate at a January Amelia Earhart dinner in Kansas City. As she was doing that, she said, "You will join Zonta." That was my first encounter with Zontians. Then, when I received my second Fellowship, I went to the District Conference in St. Cloud, MN. I spent the weekend with this wonderful group of women and said, I am going to join Zonta. Three months after completing my doctorate and moving to California, I joined the Zonta Club of Santa Clarita Valley. Zonta has been a part of my life ever since. From the very beginning of my Zonta membership, I have wanted to give back with my time and money. I have held many positions in Zonta over the years and am very proud to contribute to the AE Fellowship program.
What lasting impressions did you gain about Zonta's mission and the importance of building a better world for women and girls through education during your presidency?
Education is the key to success. Education takes many forms – formal education, trade schools, etc. Every additional year a person stays in school is a benefit to them and to their family and community. As president, I saw firsthand how our Adolescent Girls Health and Protection in Peru service project was helping girls stay in school and have better health support. The site visit to Peru was very impactful and something I will never forget. The girls were so appreciative of our visit. They talked about how meaningful the international service project was for their education and their lives.
Amelia Earhart herself was a trailblazer. What qualities did she have that you see in today's AE Fellows that carry on her legacy?
Determination, pioneering, persistence, being at the forefront, pursuit of dreams, aspiring to careers that reward and challenge
Why do you feel it is important to invest in future generations of women in aerospace engineering and space sciences?
Aerospace engineering and space sciences are still two of the most underrepresented fields for women. Over the years, women aerospace engineers and space scientists have made significant contributions to advancements in these fields. Some of these women are AE Fellows. We need to continue to support women in their endeavors to follow their dreams and make a difference in these fields. The work our Fellows are doing is having a positive impact on our everyday life. Amelia Earhart was a role model. Our Fellows follow in her footsteps and are role models for the next generation.
What inspired you to make such a generous gift to support the AE Fellowship Endowment Fund?
When I was on the Amelia Earhart Committee (1988-1992) and as chair for many years (1992-2000, 2010-2014), I saw how many women applied and were fully qualified to receive the AE Fellowship. However, the biennial budget limited the number of Fellows being awarded. In fact, during the 1990s, the number of awards varied year-to-year based on current contributions to the AE Fellowship program. We needed a plan for a more consistent and stable support for the Fellowship program. It was in the mid-1990s that we started the discussion and plans for the AE Endowment Fund. The ultimate goal is to sustain the program, grow the award amount of the Fellowship and increase the number of awards.
This gift is one more way of giving back to Zonta for the AE Fellowships I received in 1977 and 1978. Those Fellowships made a difference in my life, and I want to make a difference for future generations of AE Fellows.
What would you say to others who are considering making a gift to the Amelia Earhart Endowment? How do you hope your gift will inspire other Zontians and friends?
The AE Fellowship program is highly successful and is Zonta's longest running service program. It is OUR program and honors one of our most famous members, who was truly a trailblazer and role model for women. Making a gift to the AE Endowment Fund helps ensure the program will continue for years and provides some financial stability. We have never lost sight of our mission for gender equality and aerospace engineering and space sciences are still male-dominated fields. We need to continue our support. Contributing to the program means women from around the world would have the opportunity to follow in Amelia's footsteps and make a lasting impact on our lives.
Looking back on your journey with Zonta, what message would you like to share with young women scholars and future Fellows?
My advice to young women scholars and future Fellows is to follow their dreams and aspirations, look for opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities, ask questions, be inquisitive and never stop learning.
As their career advances, they need to be a role model and find ways to give back.
Looking ahead, what are your hopes and dreams for the future of the Fellowship program? What about the Fellows?
One of my hopes and dreams is that by the time we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the AE Fellowship we are awarding at least 30 Fellowships at US$20,000 each. It would be wonderful to have the increase from the current US$10,000 to US$20,000 covered by the interest and earnings from the AE Endowment Fund. After we achieve US$20,000 for each Fellowship, I envision giving more than 30 Fellowships a year. Each year, we have many more qualified applicants than Fellowships to give. As the AE Endowment Fund grows, there is opportunity to have more Fellows each year and expand the program.
I would love to have more Fellows become members of Zonta. I would like to see more networking among the Fellows and would like Zonta to help facilitate the opportunities for that networking. Personally, I would like to meet more of the Fellows in person. They are an inspiration, and I love sharing my history about the program they are now a part of.
13 May 2025