Aisha Bowe
Founder and CEO
STEMBoard

Abstract:
Private companies are changing the future of space and aviation. As startups prove their business plans and industry giants invest in next-generation technology, there is an increasing demand for innovative small companies. In this Introduction to the Aerospace Enterprise seminar, Aisha will share her experience transitioning from an aerospace engineer at NASA to the founder of a defense startup. After discussing new technology trends, investment, and policy, Aisha will share some advice on things to consider when launching your own small business.

About the speaker...
Aisha Bowe is a former NASA rocket scientist, motivational speaker and the founder and CEO of STEMBoard, a defense company that ranked on the 2020 Inc. 5000 fastest growing companies in America list. As an aerospace engineer who started her degree with pre-algebra in a community college, Aisha is on a mission to help youth break stereotypes, stop internalizing false narratives and pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).

A serial entrepreneur, Aisha also created LINGO, a self-paced coding kit that empowers students to learn technical concepts at-home. Complete with online tutorials and support, LINGO kits are a great way to learn the fundamentals of software and hardware engineering concepts. The home version and a school edition support the new remote and hybrid teaching model imposed by the pandemic. Clients include tech giants such as Microsoft, Leidos and GE, as well as non-profits, HBCUs and federal organizations.

Aisha regularly shares her story and message of self-empowerment in interviews and presentations worldwide. She speaks often as part of the US State Department’s speakers’ program and has been the subject of many articles including in Entrepreneur Magazine, Inc.com, Fast Company, and Wired. She was a featured guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show and The Tamron Hall Show, two of the most highly rated daytime talk shows in the United States. In addition, she was the subject of an Olay/BET public service announcement promoting women’s empowerment.

Prior to founding STEMBoard, Aisha worked at NASA’s Ames Research Center where she was a researcher in the Flight Trajectory Dynamics & Controls Branch of the Aviation Systems Division. Ames is renowned for its world-class research in air traffic management conducted in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration to make air travel safer, cheaper, and more efficient. Aisha’s work focused on developing methods to maintain safe separation of air traffic and optimize fuel consumption within automated systems.

Aisha holds a B.S.E in Aerospace Engineering and an M. Eng. in Space Systems Engineering, from the University of Michigan. She has received numerous awards for her dedication to technical excellence and the principles of diversity and opportunity. Aisha is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). She currently sits on the University of Michigan Aerospace Department Industry Advisory Board (IAB).