Tiffany Davis graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a degree in Aerospace Engineering in May 2016. Last year she tweeted a graduation photo that made headlines with the caption:
“This is what an Aerospace Engineer looks like. #YesIAmARocketScientist #BlackGirlMagic...”
I reached out to Tiffany for an interview and she graciously accepted. We discussed her experience of being a woman of color in STEM, meeting President Obama, what's next in her career, and much more!
Tiffany Davis April 4, 2016
So it’s been about one year since your Twitter picture that has gone viral! You have been featured on numerous blogs, including Blavity and Bossip. How has life been since the social media fame?
Life has been pretty good! The social media fame I received from my graduation posts have afforded me numerous opportunities such as articles on BET.com and even a commercial with Revlon. For me the best outcome of my social media fame was the fact that my story was able to reach and inspire so many. Students, teachers, and parents from all over have reached out to me to give advice about my academic and professional successes.
Congratulations on being selected for Boeing Engineering Accelerated Hiring Initiative. Tell us more about this program and how did you prepare for this?
Boeing's Engineering Accelerated Hiring Initiative (EAHI) was established to develop a qualified, diverse pipeline of talent within the Engineering function by focusing targeted recruitment efforts at top Colleges and Universities. The program consists of a series of intense summer internships as full-time engineers. For my first summer I worked as a stress engineer in a defense group in Huntsville, Alabama. For my second summer I worked in a commercial airplane group in Long Beach, California as a structural analyst. During my time at Georgia Tech, my research and academic performance allowed me to stand out from my peers and become one of the few of the applicants selected for EAHI. The experimental skills I learned in my research labs at Georgia Tech is what prepared me most for these intense, engineering-drive internships.
What was your experience at GeorgiA Tech and being a woman of color in STEM?
At Georgia Tech, there are not a lot of people that look like me, and in the aerospace department that number is even smaller. In fact, I was the only black woman to graduate with an aerospace engineering degree during the Spring 2016 commencement. At first this uniqueness I possessed by being the only black person or the only woman was alienating, intimidating and lonely. There were times I would lose confidence in my abilities and even question whether I "belonged" at Georgia Tech. These self-doubts were intensified by the occasional instance where a peer would overshadow my academic abilities because my race or gender. However, over the years, I have learned to used my diverseness as a strength and not an obstacle! Yes, I am often the only black person, or the only woman in the room, and that makes me an asset to the team! I am the only one that can bring the perspective and experience of a black women IN ADDITION to bringing my knowledge as a rocket scientist and that makes me a force to be reckoned with.
Many of us complain about paying for school and the stress of student loans..not many people have the guts to address the President about this issue! What led you to write your letter to President Obama? How did you feel when he responded? Do you have the letter framed somewhere? Lol
My parents raised me to always ask for what you think you deserve. In that particular situation, I honestly believed I deserved a response from the President (lol, crazy I know). It really burdened me to think about all the other students that have to get loans but won't have high paying jobs such as myself which would allow them to pay back their loans. If someone's dream is to be a social worker or an educator, they should not have to choose another life-path just because those jobs won't allow them to pay back the ridiculous cost of school. And this concern is what I wanted to address with former President Obama. I believe, if we want our nation to be great, we must invest in the education of our children. To my great surprise, President Obama also strongly agrees and is an advocate for this issue of college affordability and that is why he said he felt compelled to respond to my letter. In his response, he also mentioned how he and Michelle had "a mountain of loans" when they finished law school. How amazing is that? Not only did the President of the United States address my concern; he also has first-hand experiences with it himself.
Yes of course, the letter is framed in my mom's house and she isn't going to let it go anywhere!
Tiffany Davis as she welcomes President Obama to Georgia Institute of Technology.
When did you know that you wanted to be an aerospace engineer?
Since I was a little girl, I always knew I wanted to be some sort of engineer. I liked taking things apart, trying to figure out how its components work together, and attempting to put it back together. In school, I was both interested and talented in math and sciences. It wasn't until I was applying for engineering schools and researching different disciplines is when I chose to be an aerospace engineer. I decided on aerospace engineering because it combined my love for astronomy with my interest in physical engineering.
What was the most challenging moment while working towards your degree and how did you overcome it?
Most aerospace engineers do not look like me and that has always been an obstacle for me, both in school and in the industry. There aren't a significant number for black people, especially black women becoming aerospace engineers. Therefore, in certain environments I can feel intimidated by my uniqueness and sometimes, other people will overlook me because they just aren't used to seeing a black woman as an rocket scientist. Over the years, I've learned to use this once perceived obstacle as a strength. My uniqueness makes me an asset to the team! I am the only one that can bring the experience, perspective, and knowledge as a black women to the aerospace field. I have worked extremely hard to be where I am today, and I never let anyone, including myself, belittle my work based on the color of my skin or my gender.
Any future projects that you are excited about?
Currently, I am in my research rotation, where I am working in a composite fabrication lab developing new manufacturing methods for carbon fiber plane materials. For my next rotation, I will be moving to El Segundo California, to work in the Mission Control Center as my space rotation, and my responsibilities will be instructing launched satellites into their desired orbit around earth.
What advice would you give to young black women that are interested pursuing a degree in engineering?
1. Ask for what you think you deserve.
Whether it be extra ranch dressing for your wings, a higher grade at the end of the semester, or a response from the President, you should ask for what you want. You’re not going to hear a “yes” from anyone unless you try him or her. Owning that boldness is part of how I got into aerospace engineering. As a kid, I was always asking my parents, “Can we go to Radio Shack? Can I enter the science fair?” They encouraged and enabled me, and that made a huge difference, especially when others were skeptical or said no. Here I am now, still asking.
2. Have faith.
I don’t mean this in the worshiping sense. What you believe is personal, but in my case, my faith helps me remember that I have a higher personal legend to live out. My work is not for nothing, even when I fail. When something goes wrong – whether that’s a bad grade or something completely out of my control – it can feel like the world is crumbling down. That’s when I pull back and remind myself that there is a higher path and that as long as I keep going, everything will be okay.
3. Know the power of finesse.
Not everyone has a 4.0 GPA, but on-paper qualifications aren’t the be-all and end-all. Can you go to office hours for more help? What resources can you take advantage of? How can you build your professional and personal networks? People will see your effort, and even if it doesn’t pay off in the moment, it’ll help set you up for future success.
4. Struggle together.
Rocket science isn’t easy. I love it, but there have been so many times – like when I first reached out to the President – when I have wanted to quit. To keep myself going, I think about what’s at stake: The pride, the earning power, and the time of the people I care about most. I consider all the people who’ve invested in my success – from my teachers to my parents to my friends. That makes a big difference. We all struggle, and we’re a team. That’s why we simply can’t give up.
**Bonus Questions**
Current favorite song? Humble - Kendrick, Redbone - Childish Gambino, Passionfruit - Drake
Favorite planet? Saturn
Kendrick Lamar or J. Cole? Kendrick
Favorite place you’ve visited? Rome, Italy
Favorite space movie? The Martian