The Tennessee Valley Chapter of Women in Defense (WID) welcomed exemplary female scholars from across the nation to Huntsville last week to receive recognition for being named Women In Defense Rocket City Fellows.

The scholars took part in two days of activities — which included the Wernher Von Braun Memorial Dinner, visits to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and Redstone Arsenal, an awards ceremony held on the UAH campus, and numerous networking opportunities.

Gayla Suddarth, WID-Tennessee Valley Chapter (TVC) President Elect, and Dr. Robert Frederick, Director of the UAH Propulsion Research Center, organized the event held at UAH.

Alexandria Erickson, a senior studying aerospace engineering at UAH, was honored as the first recipient of the Claire-Isabelle Staschus Memorial Scholarship at the awards ceremony held on October 31.

Staschus’s family members joined the ceremony via Zoom from California and Germany.

The Rocket City Fellows were then introduced by members of the local science and defense community.

The fellowship is sponsored by the WID-TVC, and awardees were presented with a cash fellowship. Several local professional societies and businesses support WID-TVC to make this fellowship possible.

The seven scholars provided brief presentations on their backgrounds, areas of study, and lessons learned.

Jordanna Yochai, a student at Columbia University and WID Rocket City Fellow, spoke about her work in West Africa. Yochai studies insurgency and civil war, U.S. defense strategy, and peacebuilding efforts.

Yochai encouraged her fellow scholars to have confidence in their success.

“I would say that the most important thing is to not doubt yourself,” said Yochai. “Understand that the opportunities you seek are things that you are well-positioned to achieve.”

Michaela Hemming, a Ph.D. candidate in aerospace systems engineering at UAH and WID Rocket City Fellow, traced her interest in a career in engineering to a conversation she had with her stepfather when she was 14 years old, when he pointed out that she possessed skills that would lend themselves to success in the field.

Today, Hemming researches rotating detonation rocket engines. She is also actively engaged in mentoring young women who are interested in STEM.

Jody Singer, who served as the 14th Director of the Marshall Space Flight Center and was its first female director, left the awardees with a word of counsel.

Singer told the young women that they may be the first female to serve in some of the roles they will be appointed to during their careers.

“Just make sure you’re not the last,” said Singer. “It is important to always pay it forward and to follow your dreams.”

The Women In Defense Rocket City Fellows are:

Jordanna Yochai, Columbia University

International Affairs

Angelique Klimek, Purdue University

Chemical Engineering of Explosives

Paige Berg, The University of Alabama in Huntsville

Aerospace Systems Engineering of Ramjets

Lt. Corinne Yorkman, AFFTC

Aerospace Flight Test Engineering

“Stevie” Andress, Purdue University