Girlstart’s Women in STEM weekly series highlights various women who are making a difference in STEM. Be inspired as these incredible women describe how they became interested in their field, provide insight into a day in the life, and share learnings from their experiences.
Adele Mae Luta
Exploration Spacewalk Integration Project Manager @ Oceaneering International Inc.
Adele is an Exploration Spacewalk Integration Project Manager at Oceaneering International Inc. Her passion for the STEM field as a young girl has led her to supporting the exploration spacesuit and space vehicle integration for NASA’s next missions to the moon. She encourages young girls to have confidence and not let obstacles get in the way of your dreams.
What sparked your interest and made you want to volunteer with Girlstart?
Girlstart has amazing programs like their Summer Camps. It would have been great to attend when I was a girl. I love the Q&A with the girls!
Was there a specific person, program, or event in your life that led you to your STEM career?
It was many things but I loved math in school and when I discovered that physics was a way to apply math – I was hooked!
Briefly describe your career.
I am supporting the exploration spacesuit and space vehicle integration for NASA’s next missions to the moon. Due to my STEM degrees, I have been lucky to work in human spaceflight, defense, and healthcare. I have also lived and worked internationally. I love sharing stories about innovation, physics, and human systems. I hold a BS and MS degrees in Physics and an MS and PhD (ABD) in Psychology with an emphasis in cognition and learning.
What are your favorite things about your career?
Being challenged, especially when I am part of a team developing something that has never been done before in outer space.
What projects/programs have you worked on?
I have supported NASA’s Space Shuttle program, the International Space Station program, and now Artemis as we return to the moon. I have also been able to support really cool defense and healthcare initiatives through Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) programs.
What would you like to tell girls who are interested in pursuing a STEM career? What words of encouragement would you share with them?
Science doesn’t care if you are cool, rich, or have lots of followers. Science is hard and demanding but amazing and powerful. If this sounds interesting, maybe you are a future scientist!
Why is confidence in STEM important for girls?
STEM is hard, but that is what makes it great! At least for me. When you come across a challenge that you need to overcome – having confidence in yourself and your team keeps you moving toward the solution.
Adele is also a member of AstraFemina, a non-profit organization of women who are leaders in STEM fields, with a mission to Inspire Today’s Girls to Become Tomorrow’s STEM Stars by sharing their stories.
