2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. When she moved to the U.S. from Colombia, NASA-JPL engineer Diana Trujillo didnt speak English. Im not exactly sure about my third best career accomplishment. While enrolled in English-as-a-second-language . She resides with her husband Nic and two dogs, Martin and Duke. What we're trying to do is to rove around the surface of this unknown planet to try to find out if at some point there was life on the surface of Mars. Diana Trujillo, an aerospace engineer, is currently Technical Group Supervisor for Sequence Planning and Execution and a Tactical Mission Lead for the Mars Perseverance rover. Board member of the Columbia Memorial Space Center. It gave me the tenacity that I needed to say I'm not going to give up on my dream," she told TechCrunch. [6], Uncertain but determined to overcome the economic difficulties that her family faced in Colombia, Trujillo moved to the United States at the age of seventeen with only $300. And I feel like such a lucky person to be working on this. I can't believe that I'm cleaning a bathroom right now.' Born and raised in Colombia, Trujillo immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 17 to pursue her dream of working for NASA. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. Since 2011, she has appeared in 6 feature films. $25 per post at a $5/CPM. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Past Addresses: Vallejo CA, Vallejo CA +1 more. When she turned 17, Trujillo, who did not speak English, flew to Miami with just $300 in her pocket to start living life the way she wanted to live it, according to CBS News. When she moved to the U.S. from Colombia, NASA-JPL engineer Diana Trujillo didn't speak English. [22][23] She was at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory when the rover landed on Mars. Members ; About . Updated on: March 1, 2021 / 6:46 PM "I get to elevate and amplify my culture and all the countries that speak Spanish by sending a message to everybody that we're here, we're present," she added. Diana Trujillo is a 43 years old art from Colombia from Cali. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. To date, the broadcast has over 2.6 million views on YouTube, which exceeded all of our expectations.. All Rights Reserved. My second best career accomplishment was getting the opportunity to work as Flight Director for helicopter deployment. Her children, the light of her life, were involved in all activities that they showed interest in and their mother was always a proud. She also noticed the line was filled with people who didn't speak Spanish nor looked Hispanic, and she was one of the few women on the queue. With the Brooke Owens Fellowship, we want to show students all aspects of the space industry that students can contribute to while getting a paid internship at an aerospace-related company. NASA hired her that year, and in 2009, she became a telecom systems engineer for the Mars Curiosity Rover, which landed successfully on Mars in 2012. Sep 30, 2021. . De Cali a Marte: el camino que recorri Diana Trujillo para liderar una misin espacial. Once you get to a place where everyone in the room is an expert, you have this crazy feeling that nothing is impossible. In her spare time, she enjoys trying new restaurants, watching The Bachelor, and reading psychological thrillers. "I hope that within the one year of surface operations on Mars, we can answer that question soon.". [7][25][26][27] That year, she was listed as in the 20 most influential Latinos in the Technology Industry. Brooke Owens Fellowship. Now, she's leaving her mark on Mars. Diana Trujillo woke up in a panic. "The more hers there are, the more engineers and scientists that are Latin are out there, the more chances we have for those kids to have la chispa, where they say, 'I want to be that," she said. She was named one of Los 22 Ms (the 22 Colombians who best represent Colombia) and Comendador of Orden de Boyac by the President of Colombia (Colombias highest civilian honor). Reception will be held on 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. 3060 S Monaco Pkwy, For me, the question was How do we make sure the whole community is engaged and understanding the human presence in space? Juntos Perseveramos, for me, was what was missing. The solar panel of NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter's solar panel as seen by Mastcam-Z, a pair of zoomable cameras aboard NASA's Perseverance Mars rover. She is also the Robotic Arm System lead for the Mars Perseverance mission. She paid her way through college by cleaning houses, learned English, and is now working to send her second spacecraft to the surface of Mars. When she immigrated to the United States, she spoke little to no English and had to work full . . In her spare time, she enjoys trying new restaurants, watching The Bachelor, and reading psychological thrillers. But she was 17 when she decided to immigrate to the United States. Let others know about your loved one's death. This enabled me to really go all in, and I eventually realized my goal of working for NASA when I was accepted into the NASA Academy, and later graduated as an aerospace engineer and began to work for NASA full-time. In an interview with El Pas de Cali, her home citys biggest newspaper, Diana says that you dont need to be a genius or have tons of postgraduate degrees to work at NASA. I was in complete survival mode. Trujillo married Will Pomerantz in 2009. "The abuelas, the moms or dads, the uncles, los primos, like everyone has to see this," she told CBS News. I was born and raised in Colombia. Whenever NASA's Mars Perseverance rover sends back new images, members of the public can view and "like"their favorites on the mission's website. Diana lived on month day 1996, at address, Louisiana. [32][33][34][35][36][37][38] She took part in a discussion about Hidden Figures at the University of Southern California alongside Octavia Spencer and Pharrell Williams. I think that watching the image was when I actually processed that we had actually landed," she added. As a teen immigrant from Colombia, Diana Trujillo cleaned homes to pay her engineering education at the University of Florida. In her spare time, she enjoys trying new restaurants, watching The Bachelor, and reading psychological thrillers. Some other species that treats themselves better or values people better. [17][18][19][13] It was used on Curiosity's 151st day on Mars. The Mars landers seismometer has picked up vibrations from four separate impacts in the past two years. Diana Trujillo is on Facebook. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. First-time dog owner", "Meet Diana Trujillo: Colombian Behind NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover Functions", "National Hispanic Heritage Month: Celebrating Diana Trujillo #HispanicHeritageMonth", "Diana Trujillo, la calea que supervisa en la NASA las misiones del robot que enva informacin desde Marte", "Diana Trujillo, lder de misin del Mars Curiosity, NASA", "Who is Diana Trujillo and why is her work linked to the success of Perseverance? In fact, she leads a 45-person team at the NASA laboratory that's responsible for the robotic arm of the latest Mars rover. So, what did Diana do did to make her dream come true? 2021 Leadercast. The 10 sample tubes being dropped on Mars surface so they can be studied on Earth in the future carry an amazing diversity of Red Planet geology. All that matters is that you are passionate about being part of the change we want to see in the aerospace industry. Many people ask about the amount of money Diana Trujillo makes from Instagram. According to the Student Research Foundation, Hispanics hold only 8% of the STEM workforce of which Hispanic women only comprise 2%. On the flip side of working on such intense projects is the reality that sometimes your hardware breaks, you miss lunch, and theres a lot of stress involved in accomplishing the mission. In addition to her technical accomplishments,Diana also created and hosted thefirst ever Spanish-language live broadcast of aMars Landing, attracting a global audience of millions. The part I enjoy the least is the long stretches between project milestones where youre tired and mentally exhausted from dealing with the same problem for weeks on end. Olinger Hampden Mortuary, Cremation & Cemetery, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Risen Christ Catholic Parish, She resides with her husband Nic and two dogs, Martin and Duke. This may not be a career accomplishment as much as a proud personal accomplishment, but Id probably have to say Im extremely grateful and proud that I have the opportunity to work for such an A+ team at NASA JPL. Lady Diana Trujillo Pomerantz (born 1983) is a Colombian aerospace engineer at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.She currently leads the engineering team at JPL responsible for the robotic arm of the Perseverance rover. The MMRTG will be inserted into the aft end of the r Students took part in a NASA "You've Got Perseverance" event to honor them for overcoming academic challenges. [7] Trujillo attended Colegio Internacional Caaverales,[8] a bilingual school accredited by the International Baccalaureate, formerly the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO). Jun 2, 2020. Diana Trujillois a Space Explorer and Aerospace Engineer who worked on Mars rovers todetermine if ancient life everexistedon the surface of Mars. Diana Trujillo immigrated to the United States from Colombia when she was 17 . Thanks, you're now subscribed to our list. "I'm walking in there and every single thing that I do, I'm representing my country, my culture, my heritage, my people, and I have to give my best every single time.". As one of the few Hispanic women working in the field, Trujillo has never forgotten the roots that helped her get to the top of the aerospace ladder, and land her dream job at NASA. she said. A United Launch Alliance worker is inside the Vertical Integration Facility (VIF) at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida on June 9, 2020. Trujillo applied to the NASA Academy her senior year of college, and was the first immigrant Hispanic woman to join the program, according to TechCrunch. Please enable JavaScript to show the Articles By Author listings. Diana Trujillo was born and raised in Cali, Colombia, and as a young Latina, she imagined exploring and traveling through space. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. To date, my biggest career accomplishment was creating and hosting Juntos Perseveramos, a Spanish broadcast of the Perseverance mission in March. , point in time: 2021-01-04T00:00:00Z Her first feature film was The Hidden Face (2011). . After that happened, my mom had nothing. Im thrilled to be part of the executive team of the Brooke Owens Fellowship, which is an organization thats geared toward women and gender minorities to, honestly, kick down the door of whatever is holding us back from bringing everybodys ideas to the table. In 2021, Diana was honored with theCruz de Boyacand named aComendadorofOrden de Boyacby the President of Colombia, the highest honor Colombia awards to civilians. Now, as a member of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab, Trujillo is more than proving that value, as her hard work helped create the robotic arm that the Perseverance will use to collect rock samples on Mars during its mission. Phone & Email (4) All Addresses (4) Family (1) Social; Court (136) And More; And so, I think that all of those things make me, and even today, helps me see life differently. Something went wrong while submitting the form. Receive our weekly newsletter packed with insights, tools and more. "Life has always given me the opportunities that are the right ones for me, so we'll see what comes next," she said. She obtained a bachelors degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland. Memorial Service will be held on March 21, 2019 at 2:00 pm at Risen Christ Catholic Parish, 3060 S Monaco Pkwy, Denver, CO. As a child growing up in Cali, Colombia, Diana Trujillo would lie beneath the stars, look to the sky and think, "Something has to be out there that's better than this.". She arrived in the US with only $300 in her pocket and not knowing a single word in English. Trujillo said her goal is to help the next generation of Latina women realize they, too, can be successful in the STEM world. Trujillo is now part of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab and worked on the team that created the robotic arm that will collect rock samples on Mars. Its a lot of work, but it will pay off in the end. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. "I was very much on the mindset of 'What's happening?'" The second choice I made was to pursue my educational studies relentlessly. / CBS News. She also created and hosted NASAs first-ever Spanish-language live broadcast called #JuntosPerseveramos for the Mars 2020 Mission. The accomplishment: she is the first Latina to lead such an important project. Throughout her career, a similar theme followed: She'd be one of the few Latinas working in science. This gave me the ability to free up some of the mental space that was dedicated to survival to now engage more with my academic studies. 2:00 pm at By filling in this form you agree to be added to our mailing list.Youll be sent the latest news from Space Talent. And thats where, she said, she realized this was what she wanted to do for a living. Diana Trujillo. YOU HAVE 10,000 FOLLOWERS: Christopher Brito is a social media manager and trending content writer for CBS News. Once you write it, then back up and figure out what you need to do to get there. Diana M Trujillo, Age 51. And so, I think that all of those things make me, and even today, helps me see life differently. [24] In 2014, Trujillo was promoted to Mission Lead. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. UNLOCK PROFILE. Board member of the Childrens Center at Caltech. She told TechCrunch in 2018 that she grew up with the mindset that it was the woman's place to take care of the men in the family, and that her mother dropped out of med school when she met Trujillo's father and became pregnant with her. Learn more about NASA's Perseverance rover: mars.nasa.gov/mars2020 TRANSCRIPT Denver, Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. With one degree from the University of Florida and another from the University of Maryland, she got her first job at NASA. Composed of 84 enhanced-color images, this mosaic features a rovers-eye view of the South Stah geologic unit of Mars Jezero Crater. And so, at 17 years old, Trujillo kissed her family goodbye and boarded a plane to Miami. The Fellowship was created in honor of space industry pioneer and accomplished pilot Brooke Owens. So, that they can turn around to the younger generation and say she can do it, you can do it.". She joined the Fellowships executive team in 2020. It was just more like, 'I'm glad that I have a job and I can buy food and and have a house to sleep.' | Privacy Policy | Terms. "Understanding if we're alone in the universe is the ultimate question," she said. The show was called "Juntos perseveramos," or "Together we persevere," and it garnered more than 2.5 million views on YouTube. . Find a goal. It was just more like, 'I'm glad that I have a job and I can buy food and have a house to sleep.' Its an amazing organization, and I highly recommend that any undergraduate woman or gender minority check it out and apply. 1629 K Street, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006 Contact Us (202) 827-9798, Join AWISDonateCareer CenterThe NucleusAdvertising. Dianaisa passionate advocate for diversity in STEM, having pushed for more inclusion of the Latin@community in venues ranging from the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics to the educational programPlazaSsamo(Sesame Street).Dianaserves as an executiveofthe Brooke Owens Fellowship, an award-winning,highly competitive program that provides internship and mentorship to extraordinary undergraduate women seeking careers in aviation or space exploration; a memberof theTECHNOLOchicascampaign to raise awareness among young Latinas and their families about opportunities and careers in technology; amember of the boardof the Columbia Memorial Space Center, a science center open to the public and based in a predominantly Latin@ community; and a member of the board of the Childrens Center at Caltech, a center that is revolutionizing early child development education. In June 2020, Trujillo was appointed to the Brooke Owens Fellowship's Executive Board[44][45] She was awarded the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Bruce Murray Award for Excellence in Education and Public Engagement. Today, Dianais living that dream. Diana Trujillo has yet to stop exploring, and her personal perseverance inspires many Hispanics in STEM today. "I didn't see it as, 'I can't believe I'm doing this job at night,' or 'I can't believe that I'm cleaning. "When I arrived in the United States, my goal was to help Mom. [31], She has been involved in several initiatives to inspire young women from Latin America and African-American women to pursue a career in science and engineering. was 33 Is there anything else you would like to share? Space, to me, was one of these hardest challenges, and my fascination with space began. Risen Christ Catholic Parish, Soon enough, she was sneaking into some of the math department classes, where she didnt need to speak any English, with the numbers being a universal language. This website uses cookies to optimize your visitor experience. She resides with her husband Nic and two dogs, Martin and Duke. "My parents got divorced when I turned 12. Diana passed away on month day 1996, at age 42 at death place, Louisiana. This graphic depicts the environmental conditions at Jezero Crater from the day NASAs Perseverance Mars rover landed through Sol 600. Time would tell her that it was all worth it. Diana will always be remembered as a wonderful mother who put her children first. First published on February 25, 2021 / 8:06 PM. This is one of NASAs most ambitious projects to date. Family-Friendly Restaurants in Dallas . Growing up in Colombia, she dreamed of working for NASA. "I didn't see it as, 'I can't believe I'm doing this job at night,' or 'I can't believe that I'm cleaning. View Diana Trujillo's genealogy family tree on Geni, with over 230 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. A clear goal and what she calls the strength of Colombian women helped her to do it all with a few hours of sleep. "The abuelas, the moms or dads, the uncles, los primos, like everyone has to see this," she said. that it was the woman's place to take care of the men in the family, . Her story was turned into a children's science book titled "Mars Science Lab - Engineer" by Kari Cornell and Fatima Khan. People en Espaol. "I wanted my especially the males of my own family to recognize that women add value," she said, adding, "it came from wanting to prove to them that we matter.". I learned English. Outside NASA, Trujillo has been involved in the Brooke Owens Fellowship program as a leader, mentor, coach, and selection committee member. She currently leads the engineering team at JPL responsible for the robotic arm of the Perseverance rover. The robotic arm of NASAs Perseverance rover is visible in this image used by the AI4Mars project. No money. Find a contribution that you want to make, regardless of whether a job exists for this specific contribution or whether you have the prerequisites yet to attain this goal. [7] During her work at the Academy, she met NASA robots expert Brian Roberts, who convinced her to move to Maryland with the aim of increasing her chances in the Aerospace industry. Scientists will be looking for a rock to drill somewhere in this location. Her dreams of reaching space and wanting to understand the universe came as a young person in Cali, Colombia. Then as pictures and videos from Perseverance started to beam back, it became real. In 2017, Diana was named one of Los 22 Ms, the 22 Colombians who best represent Colombia and all Colombians in the USA. UNLOCK PROFILE. We spend lots and lots of hours here, testing everything from how it should be moved, from how we're going to configure it. Memorial Service will be held on In terms of personal choices, probably the most important one I had to make was constantly assessing and reassessing the elements in my life that were slowing me down or helping me along. "I want to be out there looking back in, showing my family that women have value, that women matter.". The following are her milestones since joining JPL in 2008: She served as the Mission Lead, Deputy Project System Engineer, and Deputy Team Chief of the Engineering Division for the Mars Curiosity Program. "I hope that within the one year of surface operations on Mars, we can answer that question soon.". These days, however, Diana Trujillo is an aerospace engineer. Sometimes, that thing slowing me down was my own self-doubt, and I had to make a conscious decision to shut down those voices in my head and trust my intuition. The story of Diana Trujillo, a NASA aerospace engineer and flight director for the Mars 2020 mission, is like that of many Latinos who come to the United States in search of their dreams. YOU HAVE 5,000 FOLLOWERS. I came to the U.S. when I was 17. This image of NASA's Mars Perseverance rover shows a plate fastened to the rover aft crossbeam (lower right) with three fingernail-sized chips stenciled with nearly 11 million names of Earthlings. The samples will help scientists get a better understanding of the terrain and whether or not it ever held life. Advocate for diversity in STEM, especially for Latin women and Colombian females. While Diana Trujillo was going to UF, she got accepted at the NASA Academy. Growing up in Colombia, there was this notion that women were limited in terms of what they could accomplish intellectually and professionally. Diana Trujillo is an aerospace engineer and Flight Director at NASAs Jet Propulsion laboratory. Diana Trujillo. Diana Lynn Trujillo was born on October 13, 1963 and passed away on March 12, 2019 and is under the care of Olinger Hampden Mortuary & Cemetery. Past Addresses: See available information. All Rights Reserved. She is an advocate for diversity in STEM providing weekly updates on the Perseverance mission in both English and Spanish. - Lead and conduct organizing campaigns, demonstrations, marches, trainings and meetings for job sites in the meatpacking & processing plants, grocery stores, health care, and other professional When she immigrated to the United States, she spoke little to no English and had to work full-time while attending college.