Mary Golda Ross
Mary Golda Ross was the first Native American female engineer. She was also the first female engineer in the history of the Lockheed Corporation where she was best remembered for her work on aerospace design. Much of the work she did there remains classified. Some of the work we do know about includes preliminary design concepts for interplanetary space travel, manned space flight, ballistic missiles, and satellites in orbit above the earth.
Read more about Mary Ross here: https://www.nps.gov/people/mary-g-ross.htm
Fred Begay
Dr. Fred Begay, or Clever Fox, was the first Navajo to receive a Ph.D. in physics and became a nuclear physicist. His work was in the alternative use of laser, electron and ion beams to heat thermonuclear plasmas for use as alternative energy sources. Begay also spent significant time volunteering within the Navajo community and provided them with science and technology expertise.
Read more about Fred Begay here: https://www.carlsoncaspers.com/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-spotlight/dr-fred-begay/
Susan La Flesche Picotte
Susan La Flesche Picotte was a Native American medical doctor and reformer and member of the Omaha tribe. She is widely acknowledged as one of the first Indigenous people, and the first Indigenous woman, to earn a medical degree. Serving more than 1,300 people over 450 square miles, Picotte opened a hospital on a reservation in Nebraska before her death.
Read more about Susan Picotte here: https://cfmedicine.nlm.nih.gov/physicians/biography_253.html
Jerry Chris Elliott
Jerry Chris Elliott High Eagle is a physicist and one of the first Native Americans who worked at NASA. Elliott’s lifesaving efforts on the Apollo awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor awarded by the President of the United States. They named him “High Eagle” in tribute to his contributions to space exploration.
Read more about Jerry C. Elliot here: https://transportationhistory.org/2018/11/07/national-native-american-heritage-month-jerry-c-elliott-aerospace-engineer/
What other Native Americans in STEM inspire you? Let us know in the comments!
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