• Brooke Owens Fellow, Class of 2023

• Georgia Institute of Technology, Aerospace Engineering, ‘24

• Host Institution: Voyager Space

• Mentor: Michelle Murray

• Brookie Mentor: TBD

Samina Patel is a junior at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA. She is pursuing a major in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in International Affairs. Born and raised in a small town in southern Georgia, Samina spent endless nights gazing at the stars and planets in the sky. Her passion for engineering was sparked in high school when she joined the VEX Robotics team and advanced to the World Championships. She also discovered her passion for service and leadership through her term as the Georgia Technology Student Association State Secretary during her senior year of high school.

With the looming threat of climate change, Samina began to question how the aerospace industry could continue exploring the depths of the universe while also focusing on improving sustainability and reducing environmental impact on Earth. In her classes at Georgia Tech, she delved into research projects about sustainable aviation fuels and space debris mitigation. In her sophomore year, Samina was a Student Researcher for the Martian Advanced Renewable Systems Energy Team where she assisted in designing an experiment that tested the efficiency of photovoltaic balloons in solar energy harvesting for extreme Martian environments.

In 2022, Samina was awarded the competitive Federal Jackets Fellowship, which provided her the opportunity to secure a government internship in Washington, DC. Because the aerospace industry is greatly dependent on government regulation, it was Samina’s objective to utilize her knowledge in both engineering and international affairs to develop an interdisciplinary understanding on how to pursue a sustainable and equitable future in aerospace. After her internship on Capitol Hill with U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), Samina realized the importance of space policy in the creation of aerospace vehicles and in the advancement of future space missions. It became her objective to pursue a career in the intersection of aerospace engineering and policy.

At Georgia Tech, Samina is actively involved in the Society of Women Engineers, where she served as Social Chair her sophomore year. She is also passionate in promoting STEM education in the Atlanta community, whether it is through Aerospace Outreach or the Astronomy Club. In her free time, Samina loves to read fantasy and science fiction novels, write poetry, play with her cats, and listen to Taylor Swift.

As a Brooke Owens Fellow, Samina is beyond thrilled to spend her summer working on the StarLab project at Voyager Space in Denver, CO!