Diana Trujillo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Diana Trujillo
Born	Diana Trujillo 1983 January 4th Cali, Colombia
Alma mater	Miami Dade College University of Florida University of Maryland, College Park
Known for	Mars Curiosity Rover, Mars 2020
Spouse(s)	William Pomerantz ​ (m. 2009)​
Children	2
Scientific career
Institutions	Jet Propulsion Laboratory Goddard Space Flight Center

Diana Trujillo Pomerantz (born in 1983) is a Colombian-American aerospace engineer. She works at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Diana leads the team that built the robotic arm for the Perseverance rover. This rover is exploring Mars. On February 18, 2021, Diana hosted NASA's first live broadcast of a planetary landing in Spanish. It was for the Perseverance rover landing on Mars.

Early Life and Learning

Diana Trujillo was born in 1983 in Cali, Colombia. She went to Colegio Internacional Cañaverales, a school that taught in two languages. Even when she was young, Diana loved science. She also wondered why certain jobs were often only for women or men.

Moving to the United States

When Diana was seventeen, she moved to the United States. She only had $300 with her. She wanted to overcome her family's money problems in Colombia. To learn English better, she took classes at Miami Dade College. She also worked different jobs, like cleaning houses.

Studying Engineering

Diana started studying aerospace engineering at the University of Florida. She was inspired by a magazine article about women working on space missions. She knew she was good at math. While at the university, she applied for the NASA Academy. She was the first Hispanic immigrant woman to be accepted into this special program.

Diana was one of only two people from the program to get a job offer from NASA. At the Academy, she met Brian Roberts, a NASA expert on robots. He suggested she move to Maryland. This would help her chances in the space industry. Diana then went to the University of Maryland. She joined Roberts' research team. They focused on how robots work in space. In 2007, she earned her bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering. Her story was even made into a children's science book. It is called "Mars Science Lab - Engineer."

Amazing Career at NASA

Diana Trujillo joined NASA in 2007. She worked at the Goddard Space Flight Center on the Constellation program. She also worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on missions with humans and robots in space.

Working on the Curiosity Rover

Diana had many important jobs. She was in charge of the Surface Sampling System. She also led the team for the Dust Removal Tool. This tool was very important for the Curiosity rover. It made sure the rover could collect samples without dust. It also kept the rover safe.

Diana spent six months creating the Dust Removal Tool. This tool brushes dust off the surface of Mars. This allows scientists to see what is underneath. Curiosity used this tool on its 151st day on Mars. In 2009, Diana became the telecom systems engineer for the Curiosity Rover. She made sure the spacecraft could talk to scientists on Earth. She was also a Flight Ground Systems Engineer. She was at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory when the rover landed on Mars.

Leading Missions

In 2014, Diana was promoted to Mission Lead. That same year, she was named one of the 20 most important Latinos in the Technology Industry.

Diana also worked as a flight director for the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover's robotic arm. In February 2021, she hosted NASA's first live show about a planetary landing in Spanish.

Inspiring Others

Diana has been part of many projects to inspire young women. She especially encourages girls from Latin America and African-American women. She wants them to study science and engineering. She took part in a discussion about the movie Hidden Figures. This event was at the University of Southern California. She was with famous people like Octavia Spencer and Pharrell Williams.

Diana has also been a mentor for the Brooke Owens Fellowship. She helped create this program with her husband, Will Pomerantz. In June 2020, Diana joined the Brooke Owens Fellowship's Executive Board. She received the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Bruce Murray Award. This award is for "Excellence in Education and Public Engagement." She was also featured on CBS in 2018 for Women's History Month.

Personal Life

Diana Trujillo married Will Pomerantz in 2009. They have two children.

Awards and Honors

• 2011 Shared the STEM Award from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation.
• 2017 Named one of Los 22 Más by the Colombian Embassy in the United States.
• 2017 Bruce Murray Award for Excellence in Education and Public Management.
• 2019 City of STEM Icon Award.
• 2021 Awarded the rank of Commander (Comendador) in the Order of Boyaca. This is the highest honor for Colombian citizens.
• 2021 Awarded by the Congress of Colombia the order of merit Policarpa Salavarrieta.

See also

In Spanish: Diana Trujillo para niños