• Brooke Owens Fellow, Class of 2022

• Purdue University, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, ‘24

• Host Institution: Masten Space System

• Executive Mentor: Michelle Murray

• Brookie Mentor: Ava Badii

Therese Malinowski is a sophomore at Purdue University double-majoring in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, with a specialization in astrodynamics and space applications, and in general music. Her work is driven by her vision for a future of astronautical innovation that is both sustainable and ethical for the advancement of humanity’s venture into the cosmos.

Therese grew up between space talks, building projects, and staring up at the stars, but the catalyst for her love for aerospace engineering came from the EAA’s AirVenture. Each year since the first time she attended in fourth grade, she discovered a growing affinity for all things aerospace. This became a gateway to involvement with her local EAA chapter, where she shadowed A&Ps and assisted with the construction of an experimental aircraft, ultimately leading her to the realization that she could combine her passions for design, flight, and space through aerospace engineering.

Since beginning at Purdue, Therese has explored numerous different engineering involvements, including undergraduate research in orbital mechanics, Engineering Projects in Community Service, the Women in Engineering Program, and in serving as a TA in a first-year engineering course. She has also earned the honor of National Gold Award Girl Scout for her creation of Project Dandelion, the world’s first campus sexual assault database. She has also consistently been involved with AIAA, serving as the Vertical Flight Systems team Safety Chair for three semesters, where she researched and fulfilled FAA flight test authorization for a small VTOL UAV and performed safety analysis and risk mitigation for the vehicle’s operations, while also participating in avionics and design. She has also hosted a panel on DEI in aerospace for AIAA’s SciTech national conference.

Therese is deeply honored to be interning at Masten Space Systems during the summer of 2022 through the Brooke Owens Fellowship program, and can hardly contain her excitement to be working the coolest job she could possibly imagine!