Michael Harman

Women in Tech: Gwynne Shotwell

This woman is an inspiring pioneer in one of the most supernatural technology
fields: space exploration. Gwynne Shotwell, current President and COO of SpaceX, is
blazing new trails in more ways than one. The daughter of a brain surgeon and an artist,
Gwynne is now creating the future of aerospace technology.
Gwynne was raised in the suburbs of Libertyville, Illinois, a small town north of
Chicago. As a kid, Gwynne would help her father with his various projects. She would
help him, cut the grass, put together the basketball net and cut railroad ties for the
barrier around the backyard (Hennigan 1). It wasnt until high school that Gwynne was
introduced to the idea of engineering. At the time Gwynne was on the varsity basketball
and varsity cheerleading teams. Her mom suggested that she become an engineer.
Gwynnes response was, What does an engineer do? Drive trains? (Hennigan 1).
Nonetheless, her mothers suggestion ended up resonating with her. How does a
cheerleader become an engineer? Gwynne wonders (Hontz 1). She thinks it all changed
one weekend when her mother brought her to a Society of Women Engineers panel,
when Gwynne still thought that engineers were nerds, social outcasts, nose pickers
(Hontz 1). One of the female speakers on the panel resonated with her. Gwynne spoke to
this woman after the panel because she was interested in what she did and the nice suit
she was wearing. Gwynne says, I dont know if I would have gone up to her if she had
not been so sharply dressed. I was more comfortable talking to her about her suit than
her career; that was part of my connection to her (Holmes 1).
Gwynne left the event with a very different attitude towards engineering. She
went on to Northwestern University and received a bachelors degree in Mechanical
Engineering and a masters degree in Applied Mathematics. Gwynne was one of the
many women during these years that contributed to changing gender norms by studying
engineering as a female. The 1980s was one of the first decades that saw an increase in
female enrollment in engineering and science programs (Abbate 145-146). After
Northwestern, Gwynne planned on entering the automotive industry. She made
preparations to join Chrysler Auto Company, but eventually decided it was not the
company for her. One day after speaking to a friend from Aerospace Corp., Gwynne
turned her attention to the aerospace industry.
Gwynne Shotwell took a job at Aerospace Corp. dealing with military space
contracts. She left the Midwest for California and began her work in the aerospace
industry. Aerospace Corp. was a good starting point, but eventually contracts were not
enough for Gwynne. She left Aerospace Corp. for a position at Microcosm Inc. to get

involved with the building of real

spacecraft. In 2002, one of her
Microcosm Inc. colleagues left to work
for SpaceX, a new company entering
the scene. While having lunch with
this colleague, Gwynne ran into Elon
Musk, the founder of SpaceX. Shortly
thereafter, Elon Musk interviewed
Gwynne for a sales position and
Gwynne became the seventh employee
of SpaceX. It was their founding year,
and Gwynne became a part of the team
that would start the company. SpaceX
went on to become the first private company to return a spaceflight from orbit in
December 2010. And in May 2012, SpaceX successfully delivered NASA cargo to the
International Space Station. Gwynne says that her path to SpaceX was for the most part
a happy accident (Hontz 1). Most recently, Gwynne and the rest of SpaceX have been
attempting to create cheaper, reusable missiles that will enable more accessible and
frequent space transportation. (Hyland 14) Gwynne Shotwell is the current President
and COO of SpaceX. She is second in power to Elon Musk.
During Gwynnes years at SpaceX, she received recognition on national and
international levels. In 2011, Gwynne received the World Technology Award for
Individual Achievement in Space. The World Technology Network acknowledges
important work in emerging technologies. In 2012, Gwynne was inducted into the
Women in Technology International Hall of Fame. The Women in Technology
International Hall of Fame honors womens contributions to science and technology
that result in a better society. In 2014, she was voted Forbes 90 th most powerful woman
in the world. Gwynne is sincerely acknowledged for her work in space technology but
also for her positive influence on women. Gwynne values science, technology,
engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs in education and has taken many steps
to support these fields of study in schools. Gwynne runs the Frank J. Redd student
competition, which has raised $350,000 in scholarships so far. The student competition
involves designing small satellites. She is married to an engineer at NASA and has two
children of her own.
Gwynne Shotwell is the female President and COO of a revolutionary aerospace
engineering company and the mother of two kids at home. Years ago, this combination
would have been unheard of. Gwynne is certainly defying norms, and in the process
establishing a precedent that enables the next generation of women in ways like never
before. SpaceXs current workforce is 86% male, so Gwynne is still certainly in the

minority at work. For younger women who might be discouraged from entering maledominated fields of study due to societal norms, Gwynne Shotwell is certainly a role
model. Senior vice president of SpaceX Tim Hughes says, Shes a rare mix of
engineering talent, business acumen, and likability. That has allowed her to do
extremely amazing things (Hontz 1). Gwynne says, I never felt any issues whatsoever
about being a woman in Tech (Hontz 2). The lack of women in her university
engineering courses never bothered her. She does recall being rejected work at an airconditioning company because, you cant possibly do this job. Therell be heavy
lifting (Hontz 2). However, this is one of the only times Gwynne has felt her gender
interfere with her work.
One of SpaceXs future goals is to enable human life on Mars. To do so, it must
successfully create reusable rockets. This quest for reusability is what Gwynne is
currently involved in at SpaceX, as well as managing day-to-day operations. Hear
Gwynne briefly discuss this reusability goal on CNBC (THIS will be critical for space
travel: SpaceX exec). Gwynne might not be in the position she is today if it werent for
positive support from others. The panelist Gwynne spoke to at the Society of Women
Engineers event in high school certainly had a large impact on her. From there Gwynne
took it upon herself to become a dynamic, successful leader of the aerospace industry.
Gwynnes story conveys the importance of supporting women in technology. Women
apprehensive of STEM fields should not mistake themselves as incapable or
incompatible, for in many cases these are the women we need on the cutting edge.

References

-Hennigan, W.J. "How I Made It: SpaceX Exec Gwynnee Shotwell." Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times, 07 June 2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.
-"Average Salary for Spacex Employees." PayScale. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.
-Hyland, Duane. "No Trip To Mars Without Reusable Orbiters."Aerospace America 53.9
(2015): 14. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.
-Abbate, Janet. Recoding Gender: Women's Changing Participation in Computing.
Cambridge, MA: MIT, 2012. Print.
-Space Exploration Technologies Corp. "Company." SpaceX. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct.
2015.
-#90 Gwynne Shotwell." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.
-THIS Will Be Critical for Space Travel: SpaceX Exec. Dir. Fred Imbert. Perf. Gwynne
Shotwell. CNBC. N.p., 12 May 2015. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.
-Hontz, Jenny. "Rocket Ma'am." : Northwestern Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct.
2015.
-Holmes, Mark. "It All Started with a Suit: The Story Behind Shotwell." Via Satellite.
N.p., 21 Apr. 2014. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.