The Bionic Woman of NASA — Dr. Aynna Howard
Do you know NASA’s “Bionic Woman” and how she changed the life of not only the U.S. people but also the artificial intelligence world? Come and join me as I unravel Dr. Howard’s story.
Dr. Aynna Howard
Roboticist, Researcher, Entrepreneur, Professor
January 24, 1972 — n/a
Birthplace: Providence, RI
Dr. Aynna Howard is a pioneering woman who has made significant contributions to science and technology in artificial intelligence (A.I.), assistive technology, computers, and robotics. Her novel research and innovative ideas are cutting-edge.
Dr. Howard has more than 20 years of research and development experience. She has worked on numerous projects sponsored by or in conjunction with prestigious agencies, including the National Science Foundation, Procter and Gamble, NASA, ExxonMobil, Intel, and the Grammy Foundation.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Brown University, a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California, and a Master of Business Administration from Claremont Graduate University. During her engineering studies, Dr. Howard worked at NASA’s Jey Propulsion Lab. She has worked as a computer scientist, information systems engineer, robotics researcher, and senior robotics researcher while at NASA.
In 2005, Dr. Howard accepted a professor position at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Electrical and Computer Engineering School. While there, she started her own laboratory and research group named HumAnS, standing for the Human-Automation Systems Lab.
Dr. Howard has published over 250 peer-reviewed academic papers and received multiple awards and international recognition for her work in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). STEM is a field where African American women have historically been underrepresented and under-celebrated. Some of the awards and recognition Dr. Howard has received the 2001 Lew Allen Award for Excellence in Research from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Early Career Award in Robotics and Automation in 2005, and the National Society of Black Engineers Janice Lampkin Educator Award in 2009.
At Ohio State University, Dr. Howard became the first woman of any race to lead the College of Engineering as dean. Additionally, she previously served as the School of Interactive Computing Chair in the Georgia Tech College of Computing, the Linda J. and Mark C. Smith Endowed Chair in Bioengineering in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and remains the acting director of HumAnS Lab. She directs the $3,000,000 training initiative in healthcare robotics and founded and leads a summer robotics research program for undergraduate students.
Dr. Howard received the Athena Lecturer Award from ACM for her contributions to robotics, A.I., and broadening participation in computing. And if all that was not enough, in 2013, Dr. Howard became an entrepreneur and chief technology officer when she founded Zyrobotics, LLC. The company licenses technology derived from her research and has developed mobile therapy and educational products for special needs youth.
In addition to her several awards and published articles, renowned publications, including TIME Magazine, Black Enterprise, and USA Today, have featured her. Business Insider recognized her as one of the 23 Most Powerful Women Engineers. Forbes listed her on their Top 50 Women in Tech list.
The research and products developed by Dr. Ayana Howard are cutting-edge, and her innovations are changing the world. She is an award-winning trailblazer in STEM and a role model for young girls interested in computers, engineering, and science.
If you’ve been inspired by this article, I encourage you to purchase the book Real Queens Like Me: Stories of Great Black Women Who Changed the World. It’s available on Amazon.
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