By Robin Scott
Image: Enanga Fale

The April meeting of NSS of North Texas featured a talk on “Defining the Future of Aerospace” by Enanga Fale, Director of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Aerospace Special Interest Group (SIG), a Director of the Society of Women Engineers, and a Northrop Grumman Technical Fellow and Senior Systems Engineering Manager.

Fale emphasized “Find your place in space, and everybody has a place in space.” Fale’s organizational aim is to transform the aerospace industry by research, experiential learning programs, outreach, and advocacy.

Fale said for the past two to three years, NSBE Aerospace SIG has been heavily involved in reviewing the needs of the future space workforce and aerospace as a whole relative to governmental priorities of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) for workforce and technology development. OSTP progresses Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) with new technology and workforce development across space, defense, aviation, and other vehicles to meet the needs of the U.S.

NSBE’s goal is to progress professionals in the Aerospace and Defense industry by understanding the governmental priorities and needs for U.S. constituents. Fale showed the OSTP space STEM priorities were exploration and science, growth in U.S. jobs, climate crisis mitigation, and national security along with growing internships and nurturing the future space workforce. Fale explained inspiration, preparation, and employment of the space workforce has moved from ideation to strategic goals with measurable impacts, and the space workforce has progressed from only engaging engineers to engaging lawyers, business leaders, psychologist, etc.

NSBE Aerospace SIG Policy engagement has included attending an OSTP space communication and collaboration community events, responding to request for information, writing technical position papers, and attending Space Weeks. Fale said NSBE has worked with the Kenyan space industry, and space market in East Africa and submitted a response to OSTP on sustainability of microgravity research and development during and beyond the International Space Station transition.