We need Black engineers in aerospace engineering. The products and systems we make – airplanes, rockets, satellites – all provide benefits to society. They help make the world smaller by connecting people; they help us learn about our place in the solar system; they help maintain our security.

These products and systems will do a better job providing benefits to society if the engineers designing, developing, producing and operating these products and systems look more like society. According to the datausa.io website, in 2018, just over 4% of aerospace engineers were Black. In the Fall 2019 semester at Purdue, only 1% of our students in Aeronautics and Astronautics were Black. By having very few Black engineers in aerospace engineering, we miss the perspectives and insights that come from Black engineers.

By having very few Black engineers in aerospace engineering, we perpetuate the cycle of aerospace engineering looking like it is a profession for mostly white, mostly male engineers.

One challenge to changing this is access to Aeronautics and Astronautics for Black engineers-to-be. I want to use my position as Head to provide additional opportunities – via scholarships and other support – to make Purdue an academic destination that is accessible for aspiring Black aerospace engineers.