Laura Pashley

Can you tell us a bit about your background and what you do now?

Growing up in Florida, I had a unique opportunity to grow my interest in space at a young age. I visited the Kennedy Space Center multiple times through school field trips and have been fortunate enough to watch a couple of rocket launches. My passion for STEM really took off in high school when I joined a FIRST FRC robotics team, Botcats Team 3653, where I eventually became the project manager and CAD lead in my senior year. This experience solidified my love for engineering and led me to pursue a dual degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of Florida (UF), Go Gators! During my time at UF, I was heavily involved in the Swamp Launch Rocket Team, where I served as president in my senior year. In my undergraduate career, I also mentored a FIRST FRC team, known as Roaring Riptide Team 4118. It was the first time I was in the mentorship position, and it felt so rewarding giving back to the STEM community that had given me so much. My internships at Pratt & Whitney, working on the combustor of the F135 engine, and at SpaceX, focusing on space laser technology for Starlink, shaped my career aspirations. Now, I’m a second-year PhD student in mechanical engineering at Purdue University (Boiler Up!) conducting research as part of the Advanced Diagnostics and Propulsion Research Laboratory under Dr. Terrence Meyer at Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories, the largest academic propulsion lab in the world! I study multiphase injection in rotating detonation engines (RDE) and design varying injector geometry, with the goal of rapid atomization and mixing, to evaluate its effects on engine performance and detonation wave characteristics.

What do you most enjoy about your current position?

What I enjoy most about my current position is that I get to do something I love every day, surrounded by a community of people who share my passion for propulsion and rocket engines. Being part of a group of such smart, talented, and dedicated individuals is incredibly fulfilling. I’m especially inspired by seeing fellow women engineers excel in this field, which motivates me even more.

Did you have a favorite mentor and how did they inspire you? 

I've been fortunate to have many inspiring mentors over the years, but there is one special woman who stands out the most. Leigh Anne Brewster, affectionately known as Coach B, is the robotics coach for the team I mentored, Roaring Riptide Team 4118. As an educator, she taught me the true meaning of being a great mentor. Coach B always went above and beyond, showing immense love and care for her students, treating them as if they were her own children. Coach B is an incredible educator and woman, and I owe so much to her guidance and example.

What is one piece of advice you wish you had received when you were just starting out?

I wish someone had told me earlier to be more confident in my abilities. To young women in STEM, I would say: always voice your opinion; your feelings are valid, and you bring so much value to the table. It can be tough to look around a room and realize you're the minority, and as a woman of color in the aerospace field, I feel this deeply. It's important to remember to be bold and stand firm in what you know and who you are.
 

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