Women in Aerospace (WIA), a leading professional organization dedicated to expanding women’s opportunities for leadership, education and visibility in the aerospace community, is proud to honor seven remarkable women for their contributions to the aerospace industry and to the advancement of women in the field.
The WIA Awards celebrate women’s professional excellence in aerospace, annually recognizing female leaders who have made outstanding contributions to the aerospace community.
The 2023 Women in Aerospace Award recipients are:
- OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Melanie Stricklan, Colorado Springs, CO, is recognized for outstanding contributions towards protecting space for future generations and blazing an inclusive path to drive innovation forward. Ms. Stricklan is a Co-Founder of Slingshot Aerospace.
- AEROSPACE AWARENESS AWARD: Dr. Nelli Mosavi Hoyer, Ph.D, Washington, DC, is recognized for excellence and innovation in outreach and raising public understanding of aerospace programs and her commitment to advancement of women in aerospace. Dr. Mosavi currently serves as a Project Manager at The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
- INITIATIVE, INSPIRATION, IMPACT AWARD: Lt. Monica Zaricor, Patuxent River, Maryland, is recognized for outstanding contributions in execution of the Integrated Functional Capability (IFC)-4 test program. Lt. Zaricor currently serves as the MQ-4C Triton Signals Intelligence SIGINTMinotaur Integration Project Officer at the U.S. Department of the Navy, VX20 Naval Test Wing Atlantic.
- LEADERSHIP AWARD: Alexis Wang, Boulder, CO, is recognized for her tremendous impact on the manufacturing and engineering field and as a mentor to women in her organization, community and the aerospace industry. Ms. Wang currently serves as the Senior Director for Manufacturing and Test Operations at Ball Aerospace.
- ALLYSHIP AWARD: Mary Stevenson, Chantilly, VA, is recognized for her outstanding leadership and support of women and collaborative dedication to inclusion in the aerospace community. Ms. Stevenson currently serves as the Director of Enterprise Defense Programs at Stellar Solutions, Inc.
- AEROSPACE EDUCATOR AWARD: Dr. Christina Bloebaum, Kent, OH, is recognized for her excellent leadership and sustained dedication to aerospace education and for her tenacious advocacy for girls and young women in aerospace. Dr. Bloebaum currently serves as the Dean and Professor at Kent State University, College of Aerospace and Engineering.
- LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Dr. Marla Pérez-Davis, Kent, OH, is recognized for her dedication and advancement of the aerospace industry, and her championship for future generations of diverse aerospace leaders. Dr. Pérez-Davis currently serves as the Director of the Center for Advanced Air Mobility & Professor for the College of Aeronautics and Engineering at Kent State University.
This year, there were two separate Award Selection Committees; one specifically dedicated to the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the second focused on WIA’s additional six awards. Both committees, comprised of volunteers from the industry, government and nonprofit/academia, reviewed a total of 60 women nominated across seven award categories. Each of those nominated women serves as an inspiration to our community.
As part of the Awards Ceremony, the Women in Aerospace Foundation will also present five merit-based scholarships to promising young women who will serve as the next generation of female leaders in the aerospace industry.
