Dawn Stanley, NASA (Photo: Emmett Given)
Ambitious people are often told to reach for the stars but few are able to take that idea quite as literally as Dawn Stanley, a Systems Engineering and Integration Manager for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS).
Stanley’s work is focused on developing the technology around SLS, a system being readied to propel crewed missions to Mars.
“SLS will launch and deliver crewed missions to Mars, enabling increased understanding of the red planet, and its connections to Earth’s past, present and future and our galaxy,” Stanley tells me.
“Before we take on that mission, we are employing a proving ground approach by expanding capabilities by visiting an asteroid redirected to an orbit near Earth’s moon."
Having been connected to NASA since high school, through college and into her professional career, Stanley is now well used to discussing major achievements of engineering during the course of normal "day at the office."
But the potential for NASA to inspire people is certainly not lost on the woman who started out her professional life as a chemical engineer. “I hope that our missions to asteroids, Mars and beyond will inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, teachers and explorers to pursue careers in the aerospace industry,” she says.
“They can be a part of history and continue unlocking the mysteries of the universe, which enables us to learn more about our own planet.”
Reflecting on her own career to date, Stanley tells me that a particular highlight was serving as Deputy Chief Engineer on the Ares I-X, a NASA project involving the design and demonstration of a launch system for human spaceflight.
“Being actively involved in the various facets of developing a rocket was a valuable experience that has direct links to the work I am involved in with SLS,” she explains.
“I have had a blessed career and many opportunities,” she adds, noting that mentors have played an important role in her professional development.
“Their counsel and sharing of their experiences provided me real world examples of how to manage my career,” she told me. “I learned a lot from mentors who did not know they were my mentors. I observed them in meetings and various settings and was able to obtain valuable lessons.”
Asked what advice she might give to women or girls interested in pursuing a career in the aerospace industry or as space innovators, Stanley emphasized the importance of self-confidence and a readiness to take on challenges and to seize opportunities that come along.
“Look for opportunities to learn how the various aspects of your organization functions from procurement to logistics to resources to technical,” she says. “This will help you better understand and develop solutions for the opportunities you will encounter along your journey.”
