Sheila Widnall

Honored by:Aerospace Engineering Department
Brick location:PAVER:21  map
(Born in 1938) broke historic barriers in 1993 as the first woman appointed as the U.S. secretary of the Air Force. An accomplished aerospace engineer and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor, Widnall is internationally acclaimed for her research on fluid mechanics, specializing in aircraft turbulence. Her groundbreaking work continues to influence the field today. By breaking through both academic and institutional ceilings, Widnall paved the way for women to rise to top roles in aerospace. Since her tenure, three other women have held the role of secretary of the Air Force. Widnall later returned to MIT, where she now holds the title of Institute Professor Emerita—the highest faculty rank.

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Steph Wells
Sheila Widnall
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Photo credit: U.S. Air Force