Diana Trujillo

Last updated
Diana Trujillo
Diana Trujillo (29795849390).jpg
Born
Diana Trujillo

1980
Cali, Colombia
Alma mater Miami Dade College
University of Florida
University of Maryland, College Park
Known forMars Curiosity Rover, Mars 2020
Spouse
​
(m. 2009)​
Children2
Scientific career
Institutions Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Goddard Space Flight Center

Lady Diana Trujillo Pomerantz (born 1983) [1] is a Colombian-American [2] aerospace engineer at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She currently leads the engineering team at JPL responsible for the robotic arm of the Perseverance rover. [3] [4] On February 18, 2021, Trujillo hosted the first ever Spanish-language NASA transmission of a planetary landing, for the Perseverance rover landing on Mars. [5]

Contents

Early life and education

Trujillo was born in 1980, in Cali, Colombia. [1] [6] Her mother was a medical student when she got pregnant and had to leave her studies to look after her daughter. [7] Trujillo attended Colegio Internacional Cañaverales, [8] a bilingual school accredited by the International Baccalaureate, formerly the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). [9] During her school years, she had an interest in science and questioned the roles that are traditionally associated with women. [6]

Uncertain but determined to overcome the economic difficulties that her family faced in Colombia, Trujillo moved to the United States at the age of seventeen with only $300. [10] In order to improve her language skills, she started English lessons at Miami Dade College while working as a housekeeper, among other jobs. [11]

Trujillo enrolled initially at the University of Florida to pursue studies in aerospace engineering, [7] inspired by a magazine article about the role of women working on aerospace missions and having self-confidence in her strong mathematical skills. While studying at the university, she decided to apply for the NASA Academy, being the first Hispanic immigrant woman admitted to the program. [7] She was one of the two participants to get a job offer from NASA. [7] During her work at the Academy, she met NASA robots expert Brian Roberts, who convinced her to move to Maryland with the aim of increasing her chances in the Aerospace industry. [12] Trujillo attended the University of Maryland where she was part of Roberts' research team, focusing on robots in space operations. [13] In 2007, she earned a bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland. Her story was turned into a children's science book titled "Mars Science Lab - Engineer" by Kari Cornell and Fatima Khan. [14] She was a member of Sigma Gamma Tau. [15]

Career

Trujillo joined NASA in 2007, working at Goddard Space Flight Center on the Constellation program and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on human and robotic space missions. [16] [6] She has served many roles, including Surface Sampling System Activity Lead and Dust Removal Tool Lead Systems Engineer. [6] She was responsible for ensuring Curiosity's sampling fulfilled its science objectives dust-free whilst maintaining operational safety. The Dust Removal Tool took her six months to develop, and brushes the dust of the surface of Mars to allow scientists to investigate the surface below. [17] [18] [19] [13] It was used on Curiosity's 151st day on Mars. [20] In 2009 she was appointed telecom systems engineer for the Curiosity Rover. [7] Trujillo was responsible for the communications between the spacecraft and scientists on Earth. [21] She has also been Flight Ground Systems Engineer and Vehicle System Testbed Mars Surface Lead. [22] [23] She was at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory when the rover landed on Mars. [24] In 2014, Trujillo was promoted to Mission Lead. [7] [25] [26] [27] That year, she was listed as in the 20 most influential Latinos in the Technology Industry. [28]

Trujillo worked as flight director [29] on the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover robotic arm [30] and in February 2021, she hosted NASA's first Spanish-language planetary landing show. [31]

She has been involved in several initiatives to inspire young women from Latin America and African-American women to pursue a career in science and engineering. [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] She took part in a discussion about Hidden Figures at the University of Southern California alongside Octavia Spencer and Pharrell Williams. [39] [40] [41] She has been a mentor for the Brooke Owens Fellowship, which she created with her husband Will Pomerantz. [42] [43]

In June 2020, Trujillo was appointed to the Brooke Owens Fellowship's Executive Board [44] [45] She was awarded the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Bruce Murray Award for Excellence in Education and Public Engagement. She was featured on CBS' 2018 celebration of Women's History Month.

Personal life

Trujillo married Will Pomerantz in 2009. They have two children. [46]

Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jet Propulsion Laboratory</span> Research and development center and NASA field center in California, United States

Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a federally funded research and development center in Pasadena, California, United States. Founded in 1936 by Caltech researchers, the laboratory is now owned and sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and administered and managed by the California Institute of Technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mars rover</span> Robotic vehicle for Mars surface exploration

A Mars rover is a remote-controlled motor vehicle designed to travel on the surface of Mars. Rovers have several advantages over stationary landers: they examine more territory, they can be directed to interesting features, they can place themselves in sunny positions to weather winter months, and they can advance the knowledge of how to perform very remote robotic vehicle control. They serve a different purpose than orbital spacecraft like Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. A more recent development is the Mars helicopter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exploration of Mars</span> Overview of the exploration of Mars

The planet Mars has been explored remotely by spacecraft. Probes sent from Earth, beginning in the late 20th century, have yielded a large increase in knowledge about the Martian system, focused primarily on understanding its geology and habitability potential. Engineering interplanetary journeys is complicated and the exploration of Mars has experienced a high failure rate, especially the early attempts. Roughly sixty percent of all spacecraft destined for Mars failed before completing their missions, with some failing before their observations could even begin. Some missions have been met with unexpected success, such as the twin Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, which operated for years beyond their specification.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hazcam</span> Camera used by extraterrestrial rover missions to avoid hazards

Hazcams are photographic cameras mounted on the front and rear of NASA's Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity and Perseverance rover missions to Mars and on the lower front portion of Chinese Yutu rover mission to the Moon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NASA Academy</span> Leadership development training program at NASA

The NASA Academy is NASA's premiere leadership training program for undergraduate and graduate students. Since its founding in 1993, the NASA Academy has brought together future leaders of the aerospace industry and exposed them to the inner workings of NASA, academia, and industry. The Academy consists of a ten-week summer program hosted by a participating NASA center. Currently there are academies at Langley Research Center, Ames Research Center, Marshall Space Flight Center and Glenn Research Center. Goddard Space Flight Center and Dryden Flight Research Center previously hosted NASA Academies, as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mars aircraft</span> Unmanned space aircraft

A Mars aircraft is a vehicle capable of sustaining powered flight in the atmosphere of Mars. So far, the Mars helicopter Ingenuity is the only aircraft ever to fly on Mars, completing 72 successful flights covering 17.242 km (10.714 mi) in 2 hours, 8 minutes and 48 seconds of flight time. Ingenuity operated on Mars for 1042 sols, until its rotor blades, possibly all four, were damaged, causing NASA to retire the craft.

<i>Curiosity</i> (rover) NASA robotic rover exploring Gale crater on Mars

Curiosity is a car-sized Mars rover exploring Gale crater and Mount Sharp on Mars as part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. Curiosity was launched from Cape Canaveral (CCAFS) on November 26, 2011, at 15:02:00 UTC and landed on Aeolis Palus inside Gale crater on Mars on August 6, 2012, 05:17:57 UTC. The Bradbury Landing site was less than 2.4 km (1.5 mi) from the center of the rover's touchdown target after a 560 million km (350 million mi) journey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mars 2020</span> Astrobiology Mars rover mission by NASA

Mars 2020 is a NASA mission that includes the rover Perseverance, the now-retired small robotic helicopter Ingenuity, and associated delivery systems, as part of the Mars Exploration Program. Mars 2020 was launched on an Atlas V rocket at 11:50:01 UTC on July 30, 2020, and landed in the Martian crater Jezero on February 18, 2021, with confirmation received at 20:55 UTC. On March 5, 2021, NASA named the landing site Octavia E. Butler Landing. As of 26 March 2024, Perseverance has been on Mars for 1102 sols. Ingenuity operated on Mars for 1042 sols before sustaining serious damage to its rotor blades, possibly all four, causing NASA to retire the craft on January 25, 2024.

<i>Perseverance</i> (rover) NASA Mars rover deployed in 2021

Perseverance, nicknamed Percy, is a car-sized Mars rover designed to explore the Jezero crater on Mars as part of NASA's Mars 2020 mission. It was manufactured by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and launched on July 30, 2020, at 11:50 UTC. Confirmation that the rover successfully landed on Mars was received on February 18, 2021, at 20:55 UTC. As of 26 March 2024, Perseverance has been active on Mars for 1102 sols since its landing. Following the rover's arrival, NASA named the landing site Octavia E. Butler Landing.

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References

  1. 1 2 Cornell, Kari (2021-10-19). Mars Science Lab Engineer Diana Trujillo. Lerner Publications. ISBN   9781467797221.
  2. ↑ Smith, Yvette (2021-09-10). "Diana Trujillo: From Colombia to Mars". NASA. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  3. ↑ Tiempo, Casa Editorial El (2020-08-01). "Diana Trujillo, colombiana detrás de la misión Perseverance en Marte". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  4. ↑ "Una colombiana detrás de Perserverance, la misión espacial de la NASA que explora Marte para buscar el origen de la vida". BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). 2021-02-18. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  5. ↑ NASA. "Juntos perseveramos: El aterrizaje del rover Perseverance en Marte". YouTube. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "From Columbia to Mars - Behind the spacecraft - Perseverance". YouTube. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Diana Trujillo, Aerospace Engineer – TechCrunch". techcrunch.com. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  8. ↑ "La colombiana Diana Trujillo dirige misión de la NASA". Orlando Sentinel. 2015-05-26.
  9. ↑ "The school". Cañaverales International School. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
  10. ↑ "Trujillo - MDC College Forum - Volume 19, Number 5". www.mdc.edu. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  11. ↑ "Diana Trujillo". Brooke Owens Fellowship Program. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  12. ↑ "Worth the Struggle: Diana Trujillo's Journey from Colombia to NASA". KCET. 2019-07-30. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  13. 1 2 A., Cornell, Kari (April 2016). Mars science lab engineer Diana Trujillo. Minneapolis. ISBN   9781467797221. OCLC   907585966.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ↑ "Mars Science Lab Engineer Diana Trujillo – ReadingWithYourKids.com". readingwithyourkids.com. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  15. ↑ "Sigma Gamma Tau: Members". aero.umd.edu. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  16. ↑ "Celebrating Latinas in STEM: Diana Trujillo, NASA... - smithsonianlvm". Smithsonian Latino Center. Archived from the original on 2018-12-17. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  17. ↑ "NASA: Curiosity Mars Rover brush at work". WTVR.com. 2013-01-08. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  18. ↑ EFE. "La colombiana Diana Trujillo dirige misión de la NASA". El Sentinel (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  19. ↑ "Diana Trujillo, colombiana que dirige el camino de exploración del Curiosity - EFE Futuro América". EFE Futuro América (in European Spanish). Archived from the original on 2018-07-07. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  20. ↑ Echeverry, Manuel (2015-06-03). "Diana Trujillo, una colombiana jefa de misiones del Curiosity en la NASA" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2021-02-20. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  21. ↑ "Diana Trujillo: NASA Jet Propulsion Lab engineer. Mars Curiosity team member. First-time dog owner". Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  22. ↑ "Latinas in the US Speaker Biographies" (PDF). White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-01-25. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  23. ↑ Interview with Diana Trujillo, systems engineer, archived from the original on 2018-04-01, retrieved 2018-03-31
  24. ↑ "WE LANDED ON MARS - Martian Chronicles". Martian Chronicles. 2012-08-06. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  25. ↑ "Meet Diana Trujillo: Colombian Behind NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover Functions". Latin Times. 2015-08-05. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  26. ↑ "National Hispanic Heritage Month: Celebrating Diana Trujillo #HispanicHeritageMonth". Adafruit Industries - Makers, hackers, artists, designers and engineers!. 2016-10-15. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  27. ↑ "Diana Trujillo, la caleña que supervisa en la NASA las misiones del robot que envía información desde Marte". Colombia New York (in European Spanish). 2015-08-05. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  28. ↑ "Diana Trujillo, líder de misión del Mars Curiosity, NASA". CNET en Español (in Spanish). 2014-09-16. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  29. ↑ "Who is Diana Trujillo and why is her work linked to the success of Perseverance?". Latest News, Breaking News, Top News Headlines. 2021-02-19. Archived from the original on 2021-02-27. Retrieved 2021-03-06.
  30. ↑ mars.nasa.gov. "From Colombia to Mars". NASA’s Mars Exploration Program. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  31. ↑ Nuñez, Gabriella (2021-02-15). "NASA to offer Mars rover landing coverage in Spanish for the first time". WKMG. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  32. ↑ American Latino (2016-09-07), Diana Trujillo - Colombian Exploring the World and Mars | America Latino , retrieved 2018-03-31
  33. ↑ Carlos Sarmiento (2014-05-20), Interview with Diana Trujillo NASA, archived from the original on 2021-02-20, retrieved 2018-03-31
  34. ↑ IDB, el BID-the (2016-01-13), Diana Trujillo - From Cali to Mars, archived from the original on 2019-03-29, retrieved 2018-03-31
  35. ↑ "Diana Trujillo, Aerospace Engineer | AOL.com". www.aol.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  36. ↑ Univision Noticias (2015-05-17), "Vamos a llevar al hombre a Marte": Ingeniera de la NASA Diana Trujillo, archived from the original on 2019-04-06, retrieved 2018-03-31
  37. ↑ "Diana Trujillo" (in Mexican Spanish). Archived from the original on 2018-09-16. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  38. ↑ "Hecho en América: Diana Trujillo, la colombiana que está detrás de las exploraciones en Marte". www.univision.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  39. ↑ "Hidden Figures screening inspires talk about math and representation - USC News". news.usc.edu. 13 January 2017. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  40. ↑ "USC Partners with #GirlsBuildLA for 'Hidden Figures' Screening to Celebrate Girls in STEM". 2017-01-09. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  41. ↑ "L.A.'s teenage girls find representation at 'Hidden Figures' screening - USC Rossier School of Education". USC Rossier School of Education. 2017-01-12. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  42. ↑ "Brooke Owens Fellowships will boost women in aerospace (and we're helping)". GeekWire. 2016-10-08. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  43. ↑ "Our Team". Brooke Owens Fellowship Program. Retrieved 2018-03-31.
  44. ↑ "BROOKE OWENS FELLOWSHIP WELCOMES NEW LEADERS TO EXECUTIVE TEAM". Brooke Owens Fellowship. 19 June 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  45. ↑ "How the space sector is responding to the killing of George Floyd". SpaceNews. 2020-07-15. Archived from the original on 2020-07-16. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  46. ↑ "De Cali a Marte: el camino que recorrió Diana Trujillo para liderar una misión espacial". www.elpais.com.co. 21 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  47. ↑ "Mars Perseverance Team Members to Be Recognized at Hispanic Heritage Awards". NASA.gov. 8 September 2021.
  48. ↑ "Diana Trujillo recibió la cruz de Boyacá". El Espectador.
  49. ↑ "Diana Trujillo, líder de misión a Marte, será condecorada en Congreso". ElTiempo.com. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
  50. ↑ "City of STEM Icon Award". CityOfSTEM.org. Archived from the original on 2021-10-20. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
  51. ↑ "Los 22 Más".
  52. ↑ "Diana Trujillo on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  53. ↑ "Diana Trujillo Pomerantz - Enciclopedia | Banrepcultural". enciclopedia.banrepcultural.org. Retrieved 2021-02-18.

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