Brooke Owens Fellowship
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| Brooke Owens Fellowship | |
|---|---|
 Brooke Owens Fellowship Class of 2019 | |
| Awarded for | Exceptional undergraduate women and gender minority students in aerospace |
| Country | United States |
| First award | 2017 |
| Final award | 2024 |
| Website | brookeowensfellowship |
The Brooke Owens Fellowship[1][2][3] is a non-profit program in the United States that provides paid internships and executive mentorship for undergraduate women seeking a career in aviation or space exploration.[4] The fellowship was created to honor the memory of Brooke Owens, a pilot and space policy expert who died of cancer at the age of 35.[5]
The program looks to improve diversity within the aerospace industry[6] and offers students paid summer internships at companies (including SpaceX, Avascent, Commercial Spaceflight Federation, Orbital ATK, Virgin Orbit, and Blue Origin), travel stipends, and assigned mentors.[7] It was created by Lori Garver, a former NASA deputy administrator, along with aerospace executives William Pomerantz (Virgin Orbit) and Cassie Kloberdanz Lee (Vulcan Inc.).[8]
Fellows receive two experienced aerospace mentors, one at their host industry, and another in an associated sector.[9] Mentors include Lori Garver, Diana Trujillo, Charles Bolden, Pamela Melroy, Dava Newman, Danielle Wood, Emily Calandrelli, Will Pomerantz and Cassie Lee.[10] The fellows are connected to a Fellowship class and an alumni network.[9] The program is run with Future Space Leaders, and emphasizes creativity.[11] The annual Brooke Owens Fellowship conference happens during the Future Space Conference in Washington, D.C.[11] Whilst the program is open to international students, some institutions can only host US citizens or green card holders.[11][12]
The program's success has resulted in the creation of several spin-off fellowships, including the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship, Patti Grace Smith Fellowship, Zed Factor Fellowship, and Zenith Canada Pathways Fellowship.[13]