Director of Engineering at NASA’s Johnson Space Center
Julie Kramer White graduated with a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering in 1990. Her career at NASA began through a co-op experience as a Purdue student. Following graduation, she became a full-time employee at NASA, where she has remained for more than 30 years. Kramer White has made significant contributions to NASA's Human Spaceflight Programs, specializing in structural design, analysis, certification, and vehicle systems engineering. She has played important roles in such projects as the Space Shuttle Orbiter, X-38, and International Space Station (ISS). Additionally, Kramer White was a founding member of NASA’s Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) following the Columbia accident. From 2006 to 2017, she served as chief engineer for the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle. Currently director of engineering for the Johnson Space Center, she oversees critical engineering support for all of NASA’s human spaceflight programs, including the ISS, Orion, Commercial Crew Program, and NASA’s latest lunar exploration campaign. Kramer White has received numerous accolades, including the NASA Space Flight Awareness Silver Snoopy Award. Purdue named her an Old Master in 2015 and recognized her with an Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Award in 2017.