Aisha Bowe | |
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![]() Bowe in the Philippines in August 2025 | |
Born | |
Alma mater | University of Michigan |
Organization | STEMBoard |
Known for | Aerospace Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Innovation |
Website | www |
Aisha Bowe (born November 4, 1986) is a Bahamian-American aerospace engineer, STEM advocate, space tourist and entrepreneur. She is the co-founder and CEO of STEMBoard, a technology company, and LINGO, an educational tech company featuring tutorials and online resources featuring NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace. In 2020, STEMBoard landed on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing privately owned U.S. companies.
Bowe is the recipient of the NASA Equal Employment Opportunity Medal, US Women's Chamber of Commerce Emerging Star Award and Virginia Business magazine's Black Business Leaders Award.
On April 14, 2025, Bowe was part of the crew for Blue Origin NS-31's eleventh flight to sub-orbital space under the New Shepard program. [1] [2] [3]
Bowe grew up in the United States in a working-class family. Her high school guidance counselor recommended that she become a cosmetologist, and Bowe subsequently enrolled in Washtenaw Community College. Bowe's father encouraged her to take a mathematics class there, and with a foundation in mathematics, Bowe successfully transferred into engineering programs at the University of Michigan. [4] [5]
Bowe completed her undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering in 2008, and master's degree in space systems engineering in 2009, both at the University of Michigan. [6] [7] She cites her interest in science fiction as an influence on her choice of aerospace engineering. [8] One of her graduate professors, Thomas Zurbuchen, mentored her and inspired her to pursue a career at NASA. [9]
Bowe worked in the Ames Research Center, in the Flight Trajectory Dynamics and Controls Branch of the Aviation Systems Division. [10] She joined the AST Flight and Fluid Mechanics group in 2009, assisting in the development of algorithms in support of Air Traffic Management. [11] In 2012 she received the National Society of Black Engineers award for Outstanding Technical Contribution for her paper "Evaluation of a Fuel Efficient Aircraft Maneuver for Conflict Resolution". [12] As a Bahamian-American, Bowe wants "to see more Bahamians in the science and technology field." [13] [14]
While at NASA, she served as liaison to the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program. [15] In this role, she mentored students, held interview workshops and led NASA site tours. [16]
Bowe is a part of the U.S State Department Speaker Program and delivered lectures in South Africa, Israel and Kuwait. [17] [18] [19] [20]
Bowe was awarded 2024 Woman of the Year by STEM FOR HER for her work contributions to the field of aerospace engineering and commitment to inspiring and mentoring young women in STEM. [1] She also received the 2024 Luminary Award at Black Enterprise's Women of Power Summit and being named Essence Magazine's POWER 40. [21]
Bowe traveled with Blue Origin in 2025 on Blue Origin NS-31, making her the first Black woman confirmed to travel with Blue Origin. [22] She also became the sixth Black woman to cross the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. [23] She shared the mission with guests Gayle King, Katy Perry, Amanda Nguyen, and Kerianne Flynn on 14 April 2025. [24]
In an interview with ABC News, Bowe shared that she mentored a 13-year-old girl who is now an aerospace engineer working for Blue Origin on one of the same rockets on which Bowe will be taking flight. [25]
On February 18, 2025 SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster landed off the coast of the Exumas. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (BMOTIA) hosted a delegation of Cabinet ministers, parliamentarians and special guests led by Prime Minister Phillip Davis at Cape Eleuthera Resort and Marina to witness the event. [26] Bowe was invited for her role in creating space protocols in The Bahamas and her work in creating opportunities in STEM fields in the Bahamas.
Bowe attended the 56th Annual NAACP Image Awards where Kamala Harris received the Chairman Award. [27]
Bowe is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers and a certified Program Management Professional by PMI. She is also a certified SSI scuba diver and a mountain climber. [4]
Bowe is a co-founder and CEO of STEMBoard. The company provides professional advisory services to organizations in the U.S Government. [28] The company was founded in 2013 and is an SBA 8(a) Certified Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) supported by the U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce. [29] [30] [31]
STEMBoard was ranked on Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in 2020. [32] [33] The company was also the recipient of the Nunn-Perry Award 2022 presented by the United States Department of Defense. [34]
Bowe founded LINGO, an education technology company, in 2022. [35] The company makes projects-based activities for kids. [36] [37] [38] The activities are available in the form of kits including coding kit that teaches hardware and software design. [39] [37] The lessons are self-paced. [40] The first kit was called "In the Driver's Seat" which taught kids to create and code a back-up sensor for an autonomous car. [40] The company provides kits to children in over 10 countries. [22]
Some of Bowe's selected publications are: [41]
Bowe has been recognized for her contributions to engineering, diversity, and equal opportunity by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Society of Black Engineers, and US Women's Chamber of Commerce. [42] [12] Some selected awards are: