WITH DR. JEN ROCHLIS
MEAN TO YOU?
ALWAYS A GOOD TIME
OF EXPLORERS
LAUNCH!
TRAILBLAZING
THE LAB
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Ask Dr. Jen
Owning It
We Asked the Community
Top 10 Movies that Will Take
You on a Space Adventure
Sugar, Sprinkles & Limitless
Possibilities
Astronaut Training Quiz
SPRING 2025
12
22
24
27
From the Founder
Editor’s Letter
The Team
Contributors
15
You’re Never Too Old to
Reach for the Stars
Fueling the Future of
Aerospace
PHOTO: ESA IPEV/PNRA - E. BONDOUX
PHOTO: NASA/JPL
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the Women’s Aerospace Network (WAN). I’m
honored to have you here as part of this growing community,
united by a shared passion for aerospace and the belief that
we’re stronger together.
When I started WAN, just a little more than a year ago, it was
born from a personal journey. Early in my career, I found myself
stepping into the aerospace industry — a world that seemed
distant and inaccessible just a few years earlier. I was one of just
two women in my department, and while the work was thrilling, it
was impossible to ignore the loneliness and the gaps in
representation.
That experience stayed with me. I kept asking myself, What
would it take to create a space where people could grow,
regardless of their role, geography, or network? That question
led to WAN.
From those early days, WAN has grown beyond anything I could
have ever imagined. What began as a small community has
blossomed into a global movement, connecting thousands of
people across borders and disciplines. This year alone, we
hosted our first-ever networking event, bringing together
individuals from over 25 countries. Seeing the spark of
connection and shared purpose in those conversations
reminded me why this work is so important.
WAN is more than a platform — it’s a culture of empowerment, a
place where underrepresented voices are amplified, and where
we celebrate the trailblazers and everyday heroes who are
reshaping the industry. It’s built on the belief that solving the
challenges of space exploration requires the collective talents of
many, and that we all have a seat at the table.
As we continue to grow, I’m inspired by the incredible passion,
creativity, and energy that each of you brings to this community.
WAN thrives because of your voices, your stories, and your
commitment to building an inclusive and collaborative future.
Whether your passions lie in STEM, aerospace, or elsewhere, you
have a place here.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we’re proving
that space truly is for all.
With gratitude,
HOLLY PASCAL
FOUNDER, WOMEN’S AEROSPACE NETWORK
CONNECT WITH ME ON LINKEDIN
1
FROM THE FOUNDER
Keyword: Oort
Welcome to Women’s Aerospace Magazine. I’m so happy you
found us.
When I was invited to helm this new magazine, I was thrilled, but
a little apprehensive. I thought that aerospace wasn’t an
industry for a nonscientist like me, but I quickly discovered that I
belong here just as much as anyone else — and I thank you all
for showing me that. Your enthusiasm, combined with Holly’s
vision, reignited the dreamer within me and, together, it feels like
we can accomplish anything.
Over these past months, we’ve heard from so many of you.
You’ve shared your hopes and dreams, your stories, and also
your challenges and disappointments. You’ve also confirmed
our mission: We’re all looking for community, and that
community today is more valuable than ever.
We chose the theme Origins for this issue because, historically,
origin stories haven’t always been very inclusive. It doesn’t mean
that underrepresented groups haven’t always been there,
because you know we have. Yet, until now, there have been few
networks in place to help us grow and navigate the future, as
well as celebrate our accomplishments. That’s exactly why the
Women’s Aerospace Network (WAN) was born.
Merriam-Webster defines Origins as “Rise.” And rise we have,
from humble beginnings as dreamers, to accomplished
students and professionals in all fields of aerospace and
aviation; from doctors and lawyers, to engineers and astronauts,
to writers such as myself who were always fascinated by space,
but had no idea how to get there.
The worlds of aviation and aerospace are growing by leaps and
bounds.
Yet
with
incredible
opportunities
come
equally
incredible challenges. In this issue, we’ve asked an impressive
variety of contributors to share their own journeys, and to report
on others’ who are traveling right alongside you. There was no
way that we could include them all, but I hope the sampling that
we’ve provided offers hope, inspiration, and a little bit of
guidance.
As I write this letter, I’ve recently watched parts of my hometown,
Los Angeles, burn to the ground. So many peoples’ lives have
been disrupted, and people displaced, including some of our
WAN team. The tragedy feels almost unbearable, yet the one
bright light shining through all of this is how communities have
come together to support each other, both for the short- and
long-term journeys of rebuilding. As one volunteer put it, “The
community saves the community.”
Community is what WAN is all about, and that is what we’re
trying to foster in this magazine. In these pages, and in this
community, everyone matters. Our tagline, Space for All,
embodies everything we hope to be: A safe place where people
from all backgrounds, all over the planet, can feel welcome,
supported, valued, and heard. In this community, each of you is
the most important member.
I hope you find inspiration, aspiration, ideas, food for thought,
fun, and laughter in our pages. Most of all, I hope you find
yourself, and others, in our community.
EDITOR’S LETTER
BY MARI FLORENCE
SPRING 2025 - 2
MARI FLORENCE
EDITOR IN CHIEF
CONNECT WITH ME ON LINKEDIN
HOLLY PASCAL
FOUNDER
MARI FLORENCE
EDITOR IN CHIEF
JAMES HARRIS
HEAD OF CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
ALYSSA GERLACH, SAMIRA HASNAIN
STAFF WRITERS & SOCIAL MEDIA
LISA MERLINI
COPY EDITOR
ASH MACE
ART DIRECTOR/GRAPHIC DESIGNER
TINA SINDWANI
SOCIAL MEDIA
THE TEAM
CLAIRE POWELL, JENNIFER ROCHLIS,
PH.D., AMELIA WOLF
WAN ADVISORY BOARD &
DOD LIAISON
PHOTO: CONTAINS MODIFIED COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA
(2025), PROCESSED BY ESA
MEREDITH GAROFALO IS A REGIONAL
MURROW AWARD-WINNING CERTIFIED
BROADCAST
METEOROLOGIST
AND
SCIENCE/SPACE CORRESPONDENT. SHE
MOST RECENTLY WAS A FREELANCE
METEOROLOGIST FOR SPECTRUM NY1 IN
NEW YORK CITY & CBS IN CLEVELAND
AND
AND COLUMBUS. SHE IS THE PRESIDENT OF ROCKET GIRL
ENTERPRISE, LLC, A FREELANCE WRITER FOR SPACE.COM, A
MENTOR FOR SCIENCE JOURNALISTS WITH THE OPEN NOTEBOOK,
AND A CONTRACTOR FOR DEPARTMENTC AS A DIGITAL CONTENT
CREATOR FOR NASA SCIENCE MISSIONS.
ALYSSA GERLACH IS A WIFE, MOTHER
OF TWO, AND PASSIONATE ADVOCATE
FOR SPACE AND FLIGHT. SHE LOVES
SHARING THE WONDER OF THE COSMOS
WITH
HER
DAUGHTERS—WHETHER
THROUGH
STARGAZING,
STOMP
ROCKETS, OR CREATIVE SPACE-THEMED
JENNIFER ROCHLIS WRITES THE “ASK
JEN”
COLUMN
FOR
WOMEN’S
AEROSPACE MAGAZINE. SHE HAS SPENT
HER CAREER BRIDGING THE SCIENCES
WITH THE HUMAN ELEMENT. AS THE CEO
OF A SPACEFLIGHT CONSULTING FIRM,
SHE LEVERAGES OVER 20 YEARS OF
LEADERSHIP
LEADERSHIP FROM ROLES AS AN AEROSPACE AND DEFENSE
EXECUTIVE AT NASA AND TELEDYNE FLIR, COMPLEMENTED BY
EXTENSIVE BOARD SERVICE. SHE IS AN ESTABLISHED THOUGHT
LEADER IN HUMAN SYSTEMS INTEGRATION, HUMAN MACHINE
TEAMING AND AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS. IN HER CAPACITY AS AN
INTEGRATIVE COACH, SHE CREATES BESPOKE STRATEGIES THAT
EMPOWER PROFESSIONAL INDIVIDUALS, EXECUTIVES, AND TEAMS
TO ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
JESSICA KEHALA STUDER’S JOURNEY
BEGAN WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE IN
CLASSICAL MUSIC, SPECIALIZING AS A
PROFESSIONAL
PIANIST.
SHE
THEN
PURSUED STUDIES IN PHARMACEUTICAL
AND
BIOMEDICAL
SCIENCES
BEFORE
ENTERING MEDICAL SCHOOL, WHERE SHE
EARNED
EARNED HER M.D. HER CAREER IN SPACE MEDICINE COMMENCED
WITH AN INTERNSHIP AT THE FRENCH SPACE AGENCY (CNES),
AND THE MEDES MEDICAL INSTITUTE IN TOULOUSE, FRANCE. THIS
PATH LED HER TO SPEND A YEAR IN ANTARCTICA AS A RESEARCH
M.D. FOR THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY (ESA).
CONTRIBUTORS
JAMES HARRIS IS THE HEAD OF CONTENT
DEVELOPMENT
AT
THE
WOMEN’S
AEROSPACE NETWORK, AN EMMY AWARD
WINNER, AND A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF BLACK JOURNALISTS HONOREE. WITH
A DEEP PASSION FOR STORYTELLING, HE
HAS CRAFTED, PRODUCED, AND EDITED
IMPACTFUL
IMPACTFUL CONTENT FOR MAJOR NETWORKS LIKE NBC AND
CBS. HIS WORK CONSISTENTLY BRINGS BOLD IDEAS TO LIFE,
RESONATING WITH AUDIENCES ACROSS VARIOUS PLATFORMS.
A PROUD WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA MEMBER, JAMES ALSO
VOLUNTEERS HIS TIME TO CAUSES CLOSE TO HIS HEART. HE
HOLDS A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN JOURNALISM FROM FLORIDA
A&M UNIVERSITY AND A MASTER’S IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
FROM TROY UNIVERSITY. HE CURRENTLY RESIDES IN BROOKLYN,
NEW YORK
SPRING 2025 - 4
SAMIRA
HASNAIN
IS
A
WRITER,
PSYCHOLOGY
STUDENT,
MENTAL
HEALTH ADVOCATE, AND POP-CULTURE
ENTHUSIAST FROM PAKISTAN.
SHE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT READING,
COFFEE, AND ALL THINGS PSYCHOLOGY.
CONNECT
CONNECT
WITH
HER
ON
LINKEDIN:
LINKEDIN.COM/IN
/SAMIRAHASNAIN.
ACTIVITIES. BRINGING IMAGINATION TO LIFE, SHE SEAMLESSLY
INTEGRATES HER LOVE FOR AEROSPACE INTO EVERY ASPECT OF
LIFE.
ALYSSA IS ALSO A DRIVEN PROFESSIONAL, BALANCING CAREER
AND MOTHERHOOD WITH DETERMINATION AND A SMILE.
INSPIRED BY SPACE FROM AN EARLY AGE, SHE IS COMMITTED
TO EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF EXPLORERS
AND DREAMERS.
PHOTO: NASA/SCOTT ANDREWS
ADVICE FOR ON
OR OFF PLANET ™
BY JEN ROCHLIS, PH.D.
Here’s a little about me…
As part of WAN’s Board of Advisors, I’ve spent over 30 years in the
aerospace industry, working across academia, government, and
private industry, and currently as an entrepreneur. I run both an
aerospace consulting company and a coaching practice, where
I help individuals, teams, and families. I’m also a mom of three
and, like many of you, I’ve navigated plenty of ups and downs in
both my career and personal life. Through it all, I’ve remained
dedicated to understanding how humans survive and thrive,
both on- and off-planet.
So, whether you’re early in your career, navigating a transition, or
looking for support to take your next big step, I’ve been there —
and I’m here to help. As a mentor, advisor, and consultant, I’ve
had the privilege of supporting women at every stage of their
careers, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to support you
through this column.
In every issue, I’ll answer a few of the many great questions sent
to WAN. If you’d like the chance to see yours featured in the next
column, send it to media@womensaerospace.com.
Hi there, I’m Jen, and I’m honored to share this
space with you (pun definitely intended).
Ask away!
HOW CAN STUDENTS APPLY FOR
NASA INTERNSHIPS? DOES NASA
HAVE A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
FOR STUDENTS?
I’ll start by pointing you to NASA’s website, NASA.gov, which
provides an overview of the various programs available for high
school, college, graduate, and international students.
If you’re looking toward a career as a NASA government
employee (and are a U.S. Citizen), I recommend exploring the
Pathways Program. It’s one of the most direct routes to being
hired at NASA. However, it’s important to know that most NASA
employees work through contractors. In fact, at any given NASA
center, there are often far more contractor employees than civil
servants.
Each NASA center has a different focus (e.g., Earth science,
human spaceflight, launch operations), so once you know how
your interests align with a specific center, you can research the
companies that provide contractor support there. For example,
NASA’s Stennis Space Center has a career site listing more than
15 companies that supply contractors, many of which hire
interns and full-time employees. It's also a great time to look at
commercial spaceflight opportunities, as those companies are
expanding and hiring.
Mentorship happens naturally during NASA internships, and if
you’re hired full-time, there are many career development and
mentorship opportunities for both civil servants and contractors.
Of course, it’s always a good idea to network and connect with
mentors in the aerospace industry.
Lastly, if you’re aiming for a NASA internship, apply early. Start
preparing your applications now for spring, summer, and fall
internships and reach out to me or others in our community if
you need help with your applications or interviews!
SPRING 2025 - 6
Rejection is an invitation to reflect,
redirect, and realign your energy in a
way that’s more purposeful.
HOW CAN WE PROTECT OUR
SELF-ESTEEM WHEN OUR IDEAS
ARE REJECTED?
I'm going to speak to a few elements related to your question, so
bear with me…
I know it sounds totally cliché, but rejection or failure —
whichever word you prefer — is really just information. It’s
valuable information that can clue you into what is and isn’t
working. I can’t tell you how many times throughout my career
my ideas have been rejected or ignored or even claimed by
someone else later. Each time it happened, it pushed me to
question what I could do to improve both my ideas and how
best to share them. So let’s start there: If you have ideas or
solutions that you're passionate about and believe in, there
could be a few reasons why they’re not gaining traction. Is it the
content? The way you’re presenting it? Are you pitching to the
right audience? Or is the idea simply not ready for prime time
yet? If you are early in your career, it may be that your
knowledge of the situation is incomplete. You may not yet be
aware of what has been tried or proposed before, so ask: What
issues or concerns do you have? Is there anything I’m missing?
Get—and stay—curious.
And don’t underestimate the power of simply asking someone,
What do you need? This one question can save you a lot of time
and heartache by ensuring what you deliver actually aligns with
their expectations.
I learned this lesson the hard way early in my career, when my
boss asked me to bring him an idea to solve a problem our
team had been facing. I worked tirelessly to craft a
sophisticated, detailed analysis I was certain would impress him,
only for him to tell me he was disappointed, and it wasn’t what
he expected from me. I felt awful. After a second attempt that
still missed, he finally explained that what he really needed was
something quick and straightforward—something I could’ve
done in ten minutes if I’d just asked the right questions upfront.
That was one of the toughest moments of my career, but it
taught me an invaluable lesson: Clarity changes everything.
Asking direct and specific questions, such as,“What exactly are
you hoping to see?” or, “What format works best for you?” isn’t
just efficient and effective, it can also transform how you and
your ideas are perceived and received.
Now, let’s assume your idea is solid, meets the mark, you've
presented it well, and it’s still not taking off. As I often remind my
coaching clients when exploring their Human Design self-
knowledge system, only about nine percent of people are
designed to initiate ideas out of the blue. For most of us, our
energy flows more effectively—and our ideas gain more traction
—when we respond to something in our environment, such as a
question, a problem, or an invitation to contribute. That doesn’t
mean we shouldn’t share our ideas—it just means we need to
be mindful of the timing and context to ensure they resonate.
Think of your creativity and your ideas like gold — valuable and
precious. Tune in to whether this is the right time, right place,
right people to share them with so they’ll truly be heard and
appreciated. For example, you're in a meeting and throw out a
“Hey, what if we...?”, and it’s met with crickets, it likely wasn’t the
time. But when someone asks, “Does anyone have suggestions?”
— that’s your moment to bring out your golden contribution. You
can even lead the witness and ask, ”Is now a good time to share
an idea I have?” to ensure they’re ready and open to listening.
This brings us to your original question of how we can protect
our self-esteem, because I get it, it stings. We’ve been
conditioned to tie our self-worth to external validation, so
rejection feels deeply personal. But here’s the truth:
Those feelings of embarrassment, frustration, or even shame
when an idea doesn’t land? They’re actually signals that you
care deeply about what you are offering.
As I teach my clients, be a screen door, not a sponge.
Acknowledge and witness the feelings of rejection, let the
emotions flow through you, but resist the urge to absorb them—
or worse, tie their meaning to your identity. Emotions are just
energy in motion, they’re meant to move. Like messengers, they
offer powerful insights into patterns and beliefs that might be
limiting you. Holding onto or suppressing them only limits your
possibilities and, over time, can lead to burnout and bitterness.
Take time to process your emotions in whatever way works for
you— yell, cry, journal, talk it out with a trusted friend. Then let
them go, and get ready for the next opportunity.
Growth requires that you keep showing up, learning, and
refining. Every time you show up for yourself, you’re honing your
instincts and strengthening your inner compass.
And remember,
Gold doesn’t lose its value just because it’s not used right away,
and neither do your ideas. When the right moment comes, their
brilliance will be recognized, and you’ll be ready.
Your value is intrinsic and absolute.
MEDIA@WOMENSAEROSPACE.COM
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