• Brooke Owens Fellow, Class of 2023

• University of Texas at Austin, Aerospace Engineering, ‘24

• Host Institution: Blue Origin

• Mentor: Jennifer Uchida

• Brookie Mentor: TBD

Urvi Alamela is a junior at the University of Texas at Austin, pursuing a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and a Minor in Entrepreneurship. Urvi has been fascinated by the unknown from a very young age, starting with the ocean and then maturing to the sky. Her wonder for advanced life and space transportation grew, as well as her interest in space optimization.

Urvi’s interest in rocketry is prevalent through her involvement with the two rocketry initiatives on campus: the Texas Rocket Engineering Lab (TREL), and the Longhorn Rocketry Association (LRA). In TREL, Urvi started as a Ground Structures Engineer, working with CAD and analysis of the rocket’s ground systems. In December 2021, Urvi became the TREL Director of Operations. She gained a background in amateur design, systems integration, and project scoping while overseeing a 250-person team to build a 30ft, liquid bi-propellant rocket. Her time in TREL served to intersect her engineering and business career interests. Working at the micro and macro scale, Urvi commandeered all project management efforts through massive timelines, established new partnerships within the University, and spoke on behalf of TREL to industry leaders, founders, and investors.

As LRA Launch Vehicle Co-Lead, Urvi managed a smaller team of students in producing a 17ft solid-motored model rocket. The role involved an enormous amount of knowledge transfer to incoming members surrounding topics like university model rocketry, design analysis, and assembly and manufacturing operations. Through her involvement with LRA, Urvi was also able to re-vamp the club’s certification (CERT) rocket program under the Tripoli Rocketry Association, earning her L1 certification in January 2022.

In addition to rocketry, Urvi has developed a strong interest in mentoring and empowering women in STEM. Urvi has been a Peer Coach for the Women in STEM (WiSTEM), formerly the Women in Engineering (WEP) program, for two years, and is deeply invested in the success of her mentees. Her efforts revolve around examining 'gendered' industry practices through discussions and workshops. And above all, she aims to connect by sharing interests with the new students. In her free time, Urvi enjoys practicing yoga, coffee-shop hopping, crafting, and listening to K-Pop!

In 2023, Urvi’s taking a semester off school to pursue an internship at Rocket Lab, working on Neutron fluid systems and components. As a Brooke Owen’s Fellow, she’s excited to continue her industry experience at Blue Origin as a Systems Engineering Intern.