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Diana Trujillo: NASA Flight Director from Colombia
Diana Trujillo’s groundbreaking journey to becoming a leader in aerospace engineering is a story of determination, passion, and resilience. What started as a childhood dream of space turned into her moving to the United States alone as a teenager to achieve her educational goals, eventually allowing her to earn one of the top roles at NASA and she is now leading the charge to explore Mars.
From her humble beginnings in Colombia to paving the way for space education to be accessible to all, her path to success is a reminder that dreams, no matter how distant they may seem, are achievable with hard work and dedication.
Photos courtesy of the Brooke Owens Fellowship and William Pomerantz on X.
Early Life in Colombia
Diana Trujillo was born and raised in Cali, Colombia, where the opportunities for women in STEM fields were limited. She grew up fascinated by space, often gazing up at the stars, and dreamed of one-day exploring space. But it seemed like the odds were stacked against her– there was no one in her family that she could look up to with a career in science, her family often struggled financially, and she had to push back against the traditionally domestic roles that were expected of her by her family. In an interview with CBS, Trujillo often felt as though many in her family believed that she didn’t have the potential to reach her goals.
“I wanted my — especially the males of my own family — to recognize that women add value,” she said, “it came from wanting to prove to them that we matter.”
At just 17, Diana made the life-changing decision to move to the United States. With just $300 in her pocket, limited English skills, and no specific plans, she landed in Florida and began her journey to space.
Diana Trujillo’s Education Perseverance
In the US, Trujillo worked full-time as a housekeeper to support herself as she learned English and studied engineering at Miami-Dade Community College. When it came time for her to declare a major, Trujillo was inspired by the female astronauts who came before her- and was motivated to study harder when she noticed that none of her classmates looked like her.
After transferring to the University of Florida, she applied for the NASA Academy at Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA’s prestigious leadership and research program for undergraduate students. She became the first Hispanic woman immigrant ever to be admitted to the program.
She moved to Maryland and earned her Bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland, being one of only two NASA Academy students to receive a job offer after graduation.
Making Waves at NASA
At NASA, Trujillo worked hard and was quickly promoted to high-level positions, leading multiple teams in their missions to explore Mars. In 2014, she was listed as one of the 20 most influential Latinos in the Technology Industry.
In June of 2024, Trujillo became the 108th flight director at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. She’ll lead missions into space, specifically focusing on Mars exploration- her social media username is even @fromcalitomars! As a flight director, she is a part of an elite group of aerospace engineers and is the first NASA flight director from a Spanish-speaking country.
On her first day as flight director, she unveiled the sigma that will represent her. Called “Somos Flight,” the logo incorporates the Colombia flag with the American to demonstrate her roots.
“The word ‘somos’ speaks to community, to who we are as individuals, to our worth, to what we have overcome to become who we are, and to what we can accomplish together. That’s why my call sign will be Somos Flight. I can’t wait to see all that we will achieve together,” Trujillo explained in her first address to her colleagues.
Her time at NASA has awarded her many accolades, including being named one of “Los 22 Más” (the 22 Colombians who best represent Colombia) and Comendador of Orden de Boyacá by the President of Colombia (Colombia’s highest civilian honor).
An Advocate for Women and Latinas
Beyond her technical contributions, Trujillo is a passionate advocate for women and Latinos in STEM fields. In 2021, she co-created and hosted NASA’s first-ever Spanish-language broadcast of a planetary landing, “Juntos Perseveramos,” to ensure that more people can learn about the Perseverance mission to Mars and to showcase the diverse team at NASA who made the mission possible.
She’s also a board member and mentor for the Brooke Owens Fellowship, where she has been a leader and advocate for students since the Fellowship’s founding in 2016. Trujillo’s husband, William Pomerantz, who is also a leader in the aerospace industry, is a co-creator of the program, and together, they work to provide paid internships and mentorships to women and gender-minority undergraduate students in aerospace.
Diana Trujillo Biography
Diana Trujillo’s journey from Colombia to NASA is an inspirational example of what can be achieved through hard work, determination, and an unwavering belief in one’s dreams. Her story has inspired millions, showing that no matter where you come from, the stars are within reach.