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Naia Butler-Craig[edit]
Background and Education[edit]
Naia Butler Craig grew up in Orlando, Florida to two working class parents. She is a first- generation college student, and the first in her family to attend grad school.[1] An 8th grade Earth-Space Honors class is where she was introduced to STEM. This led to her discovery of Aerospace Engineering, where it intersected all of her favorite subjects- science, space, math, and engineering. Shortly after graduating high school, Naia Butler-Craig was offered an internship at NASA, where she discovered her specialty- Electric Propulsion. Naia attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University[2] and graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering with a concentration in Astronautics.[2] Currently, she is a second year PhD student[1] studying Aerospace Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology. She works in the High-Power Electric Propulsion Lab.
Research and Career[edit]
At age 18, Butler-Craig was accepted for an internship with NASA, with a possibility of future employment. She has worked as a NASA Pathways intern in Science and Space Technology.[1] Currently at Georgia Institute of Technology, she is a GEM Fellow, a NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Fellow, and is involved in the Black Graduate Students Association[2].
As a Pathways Intern at NASA in 2017, Naia Butler-Craig worked on the Albus Cubesat at NASA Glenn Research Center.[2] As part of the same internship in 2018, she was involved in the Sub-Kilowatt Electric Propulsion Project (SKEP).[2] In 2019, she worked for Los Alamos National Laboratories as a Graduate Research Scientist. There, she was involved in a LANL Vector Particle-In-Cell Simulation of Plasma Flow In a Hall Effect Thruster project.[2]
Publications[edit]
Naia Butler-Craig has contributed to multiple scientific papers. In 2019 she collaborated with a number of other researchers on the paper “Development of a High-Propellant Throughout Small Spacecraft Electric Propulsion System to Enable Lower Cost NASA Science Missions”. This was published during her time working on the Sub-Kilowatt Electric Propulsion Project. Her senior capstone, “CubeSat Payload to Explore the Effects of Space Radiation Exposure on Cell Population Growth” was also published.
Awards[edit]
In 2018, Naia Butler-Craig was awarded the Region III Executive Board Member of the Year Award from the National Society of Black Engineers.[3] In 2019 she was awarded the Excellence in Academics, Leadership, and Service Award during graduation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, as well as a spot in the Women in Space Science Hall of Fame at the University of Louisville.[3]
Butler-Craig made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2021.[3]
Additional Awards[3][edit]
- 2020 NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Fellowship
- 2020 Modern Day Technology Leader Award, Black Engineer of the Year, 2020
- GRAD RISE Scholarship, Gerogia Tech Center for Engineering Education and Diversity, 2019
- Excellence in Academics, Leadership, and Service Award, Spring 2019 Commencement, 2019
- The Mars Generation, 24 Under 24 Leaders and Innovators in STEAM and Space Award Recipient, 2019
- GEM (Graduate Education for Minorities) Fellowship Recipient, 2019
- ERAU Undergraduate Research Scholar, 2019
- Women in Aviation Space Engineering Scholarship, 2019
- Make A Difference/Impact Scholarship Recipient, Alpha Omega Epsilon National Foundation, 2018
- TE Connectivity Excellence in Engineering Society of Women Engineers Scholarship, 2018
- 2nd Place Poster Presentation, ERAU Discovery Day Undergraduate Research Conference, 2018
- National Society of Black Engineers Region III Executive Board Member of the Year, 2018
- National Society of Black Engineers Region Reigns Supreme, 2018
- Ford/Tech Sassy Girlz STEM Scholarship Winner, 2018
- Inaugural AIAA Space Diversity Scholarship Recipient, 2017
- 1st Place Poster Presentation, FIU McNair Research Conference, 2017
- R3 NSBE Fall Regional Conference Technical Research Exhibition Participant Award, 2017
- NASA’s Business Professional Women Award, 2017
- ERAU College of Engineering Dean’s List (2) & Honor Roll (2), 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 R3 NSBE Hidden Figures in STEM Scholarship Award, 2017
Volunteer Work[edit]
STEAM Programs[edit]
- Vision of Flight, Orlando - Volunteer[2]
- Tech Sassy Girlz, Orlando - Speaker, Volunteer[2]
- Dreams Soar Inc., Daytona Beach - Volunteer[2]
- 100 Girls of Code, Conyers - Volunteer, Workshop Host[2]
- Freedom Middle School Project Lead the Way, Orlando - Speaker iRise2STEAM, Daytona Beach - Speaker, Workshop Host, Volunteer BEST Academy, Los Alamos - Speaker, Volunteer[2]
Technical Presentations[edit]
- LA Astro Distinguished Seminar Series – ‘VPIC simulations of Astrophysical Outflows and Hall Thrusters’, 2019[2]
- Los Alamos National Lab Student Research Symposium, August 2019[2] American Institute Aeronautics and Astronautics Space and Astronautics Forum, September 2018[2] American Institute Aeronautics and Astronautics Propulsion and Energy Forum, July 2018[2]
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Discovery Day, April 2018[2]
- Region 3 National Society of Black Engineers Fall Regional Conference Research Symposium, Nov. 2017[2]
- Florida International University McNair Undergraduate Research Conference, Oct. 2017[2]
Non-Technical Presentations[edit]
- 2020 Space Gals x Engineering Gals Youtube Live Seminar- Speaker and Panelist 2020 Annual STEM Conference, St. Mark's School of Texas - Speaker and Panelist[2] 2019 Empowerment: Making and shaping History: Women in Space Science, University of Louisville - Keynote Speaker[2]
- 2018 NSBE Jr. Presentation, Mt. Sinai Church Orlando - Keynote[2]