Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
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March is Women’s History Month—a time when the world pays tribute to generations of legendary women and their many accomplishments that laid the groundwork for modern-day leaders.
Throughout history, women have played a big part in advancing science. In the last century alone, innovators like Sarah Breedlove (Madam C. J. Walker), who perfected a formula for shampoo and an ointment that prevented hair loss; Florence Parpart, the inventor of the first “modern” re- frigerator that used electricity, and Stephanie Louise Kwolek, who created Poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide or Kevlar―a fiber used to help make a variety of clothing, accessories, and equipment safe and more durable, have changed the way we live as they blazed a trail for others.
Women of Color magazine’s 2013 Legends and Leaders lists just a few of the many women around the world who con- tinue to make advancements in science, technology, engi- neering and math(STEM). They are bright stars shining their light, just as generations before them did so others will have no problem following in their footsteps.
Monica Allen Senior Electronics Engineer Air Force Research Laboratory
As senior electronics engineer at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Monica Allen has invented plasmonic arrays for aircraft sensors, helped de- velop new aircraft technologies, and received more than $1 million in re- search funding. The Ph.D., who holds degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington, also nurtures young people to replace today’s STEM professionals.
Allen has created technical talks for AFRL interns, and helped develop a STEM curriculum for students in the Dayton public school system. At AFRL’s home, Wright-Patterson Air Force, Allen co-established an Air Force Women in Science and Engineering Group for her more than 1,000 women and minority colleagues in STEM fields.
38 WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2013
Gwendolyn E. Boyd Executive Assistant to the Director Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University
Gwendolyn E. Boyd is an engi- neer and the executive assistant to the director of the Johns Hop- kins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL).
Early in her career at APL, she was an analyst in the Strategic Sys- tems Department that provided support to engineering teams to conduct independent analysis and operational performance evaluation of the Strategic Weapon System (SWS) on Polaris, Poseidon and Trident Submarines prior to deployment, dur- ing strategic deterrent patrols, and follow-on operational testing. This included developing estimates of performance factors, evaluation and the readiness of individual classifica- tion symbol for a nuclear-powered, ballistic missile-carrying submarines, and identification of SWS and subsystem issues to permit corrective action and effective system deployment. Additionally, as group software coordinator, she was respon- sible for analysis software development from concept evalua- tion to implementation.
Mylayna Albright
Northern Ohio Director of External Affairs AT&T
It is unusual for an attorney to change careers. In 2008, Mylayna Albright left the post of assis- tant law director for the City of Warrensville Heights, Ohio. The ex-prosecutor joined AT&T to be- come the Northern Ohio director of external affairs, representing the company’s community partner-
www.womenofcolor.net
Leaders
Legends
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