Brooke Owens Fellowship


The Brooke Owens Fellowship Program is a paid internship and mentorship program for college undergraduate women seeking a career in aviation or space exploration. The fellowship was created to honor the memory of Brooke Owens, a pilot and space policy expert who died of cancer at the age of 36.

Motivation and overview

The program looks to improve diversity within the aerospace industry. The program offers students paid summer internships at companies, travel stipends and assigned mentors. It was created by Lori Garver, a former NASA deputy administrator, along with aerospace executives William Pomerantz and Cassie Kloberdanz Lee.
Fellows received two experienced aerospace mentors, one at their host industry, and another in an associated sector. Mentors include Lori Garver, Diana Trujillo, Charles Bolden, Pamela Melroy, Dava Newman, Danielle Wood, Emily Calandrelli, Will Pomerantz and Cassie Lee. The fellows are connected to a Fellowship class and an alumni network. The program is run with Future Space Leaders, and emphasises creativity. The annual Brooke Owens Fellowship conference happens during the Future Space Conference in Washington, D.C.. Whilst the program is open to international students, some institutions can only host US citizens or green card holders.

Alumni

The first batch of thirty-six fellows was announced in 2017. Applicants are asked to submit work relevant to their discipline. The successful applicants made several recommendations for selection, which included; gain lab experience, join clubs and volunteer to learn new skills, be bold and committed, get someone to evaluate your resume and practise for interviews.

2017 Cohort