Aprille Ericsson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aprille Ericsson
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| Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology | |
| In office March 29, 2024 – January 20, 2025 |
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| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Steven Wax (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Michael J. Holte (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Aprille Joy Ericsson
April 1, 1963 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BS) Howard University (MS, PhD) |
Aprille Joy Ericsson, born on April 1, 1963, is an amazing American aerospace engineer. She served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology. Dr. Ericsson made history as the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Howard University. She was also the first African-American woman to get an engineering Ph.D. while working at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center.
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Early Life and Education
Aprille Ericsson grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Later, she moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, for high school. She loved space from a young age. She remembers watching the Apollo missions when she was in first grade. Her dream was to become an astronaut for NASA. However, she couldn't join the Astronaut Program due to asthma and a knee issue.
In 1980, during high school, she joined a special engineering program. This program was for minority students at MIT. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering from MIT in 1986. After that, she received her master's degree in engineering from Howard University in 1990. She then earned her doctorate in mechanical engineering. This made her the first African-American woman to achieve this at Howard University.
A Career at NASA
While studying at Howard University, Aprille Ericsson started working at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. She worked at NASA for over 30 years. She used her skills as an engineer, technologist, and manager. She helped with many important projects.
Some of these projects include the James Webb Space Telescope, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). She also worked on the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2).
Before her recent role, she helped connect scientists and project managers. She found the right instrument technologies for their missions. In this job, she created partnerships. These partnerships were between government groups, universities, and businesses.
Spacecraft Guidance and Earth Monitoring
Dr. Ericsson worked in different teams at NASA. One team was the Robotics group. Another was the Guidance Navigation & Control Discipline. Her work in this group helped spacecraft stay stable. It also helped them manage their direction and position during missions.
She also worked on missions that sent spacecraft to other planets. Early in her career, she helped with satellites that watch Earth. One project, the Tropical Rain Measuring Mission, collected data. This data helped understand El Niño and La Niña. These are weather patterns that affect farming.
As a Project Engineer, she helped develop laser tools. These tools were for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. This orbiter was launched into space in 2009.
Managing Advanced Instruments
Aprille Ericsson helped manage science instruments. One was the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS). This system uses lasers to measure ice sheet depth. It also measures the height of tree canopies. She was also the manager for a planned mission. This mission aimed to bring dust from Mars' lower atmosphere back to Earth.
Inspiring the Next Generation
Besides her engineering roles, Dr. Ericsson loves mentoring young people. She started helping students when she was in high school and college. She gives talks and serves on advisory boards at many universities. She also advises STEM programs for younger students. She reviews proposals for grants from NASA and the National Science Foundation. Through this, she has supported many engineering students. She also helps young professionals who want careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
She currently advises students at MIT and Howard University. Dr. Ericsson has taught math and mechanical engineering at Howard University and Bowie State University. She also taught aerospace theory at HU Public Charter Middle School of Math and Science.
She works to encourage minority students in science and engineering. She is the lead advisor for a student engineering chapter in Washington, D.C. She has been a speaker for the USA Science and Engineering Festival since 2010. She also spoke at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. NASA recognized her efforts with an Exceptional Achievement in Outreach Award in 2002.
Dr. Ericsson-Jackson strongly supports making STEM more diverse. She especially focuses on including minority female students. She believes that a lack of internet access affects Black students' ability to get into STEM. She thinks that having internet access could create more chances for the Black community.
Ericsson-Jackson has also encouraged all girls to get more involved in math and science. She notes that women are not well-represented in STEM fields. She believes girls are capable but are sometimes discouraged. As the President of her daughter’s school's Parent Teacher Organization, she hosted hands-on STEAM events. These events were for the students at her daughter’s school.
Because she became a mother later in her career, Dr. Ericsson became a big influence. She inspired children in her family and community. She was so passionate about introducing STEM to kids that she hosted a "Family Science Camp" in the summer. This camp included children from her family and community. They visited Howard University’s Dental school. They also attended sports events, where she used math and science activities to make STEM more interesting.
In 2022, Dr. Ericsson received the Ralph Coats Roe medal. This award is from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). It honored her international work. She encourages young people, women, and other underrepresented groups to pursue STEM careers.
Role in the Biden Administration
On September 28, 2023, President Joe Biden nominated Dr. Ericsson for a new role. She was nominated to be the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology. The Senate confirmed her for this position on February 28, 2024. In this role, she leads the group that oversees science and technology for the Department of Defense. This includes policies for the STEM workforce and labs. It also includes research centers funded by the government and universities.
Awards and Recognition
- Women in Science and Engineering Award (1997)
- NASA Goddard Honor Award (1998)
- Center of Excellence Award for the TRIMM Project (1998)
- Women's Network - Top 18 Women Who Will Change the World
- Howard University College of Engineering, Architecture, & Computer Science Alumni Excellence Award (2002)
- Elected to the Howard University Board of Trustees (2004)
- Washington Award (2016)
- National Society of Black Physicists Honor Award (2019)
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Ralph Coates Roe Medal (2022)
