In honor of Hispanic heritage month we would like to spotlight Diana Trujillo, a Colombian-American aerospace engineer who has revolutionized Latin representation in tech. 

Diana Trujillo was born and raised in Cali, Columbia. She attended a bilingual school and even from an early age had a special interest in science. In school she never paid attention to social norms and knew she wanted to make something of herself.  After graduating Diana moved to the U.S. with nothing but $300 to her name. She knew very little English and decided to take classes to learn while also having a full time job – a true testament to her determination! 

While attending college at the University of Florida she decided to apply to the NASA academy and became the first Hispanic immigrant woman in the program, not to mention she was one of two participants that were admitted. While in the program she met Brian Roberts whose expertise was in robots. He encouraged her to transfer to the University of Maryland to be a part of his team and she agreed. Little did she know that this decision would kick start her journey in aerospace engineering.

In 2007 she began working in the jet propulsion lab in the Goddard Space Flight Center Constellation Program. She then moved on to working with surface sampling and became the system lead in dust removal on Mars surface. This process was eventually used on the Curiosity rover and Diana worked as a telecom system engineer there. Diana also became the flight ground systems engineer for Mars projects. In 2022 Diana became NASA’s 108th flight director and decided to name her team Somos Flight. “Somos” means “we are” in Spanish and she chose it because it represented her community and their values. 

In 2014 her missions gained recognition and she became one of the 20 most influential Latinos in the tech industry. She was recognized in the CBS 2018 celebration of women’s history month. In 2021 she hosted NASA’s first ever Spanish speaking planetary landing show. This gained her recognition and also helped to inspire young Hispanic scientists. 

Today, Diana Trujillo is the head of JPL’s engineering team and leads the Mars Perseverance rover’s robotic arm. She also spends her time working to build awareness and representation for Hispanic scientists. She mentors and helps to award scholarships to help students on their STEM journey.  

Diana Trujillo’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, passion, and the importance of representation. Her story not only highlights her incredible achievements in aerospace engineering but also serves as an inspiration to countless young Latinos and Latinas aspiring to break barriers in the tech industry. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, let us remember and honor pioneers like Diana, who pave the way for future generations and remind us that with determination and hard work, anything is possible.

Learn more about Diana Trujillo’s journey here!


Food for thought: 

Why is representation important in the STEM community? How does Diana’s story inspire you? What part of her journey stuck out to you the most?

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