"Engineers and scientists are inherently creative souls. I mean, that’s what we’re doing. We’re creating things. In a lot of instances, we’re creating something literally from an idea to reality. And there is something incredibly exciting about that. So when I talk about the work we do in STEM, I try to focus on the fact that it’s creative. We’re innovators. We’re trying to do something totally new. And when you do that work, it’s usually with other people who are just as excited as you are. We’re bringing all of these creative souls together to pull off something that you couldn’t imagine was possible before. …Yes, you have to be good at math and do the academic work to prepare you to do the kind of work we do. But in the end, it really comes down to unleashing this creativity and bringing minds together to achieve something that hasn’t been done before." NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM Engagement, Kris Brown, poses for a portrait, Monday, February 8, 2021 at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown, and NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, participate in a panel discussion during an event for Women’s History Month, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM Engagement Kris Brown delivers opening remarks prior to an event with NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins, Kjell Lindgren, and Robert Hines at the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Library, Thursday, March 30, 2023, in Washington. Lindgren, Hines, and Watkins spent 170 days in space as part of Expeditions 67 and 68 aboard the International Space Station. Photo Credit: (NASA/Keegan Barber)

NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown speaks during a panel discussion with NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, and NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja as part of a Women’s History Month program, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown speaks before a panel discussion with moderator NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, and NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja as part of Women’s History Month, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown speaks before a panel discussion with moderator NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, and NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja as part of Women’s History Month, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown speaks before a panel discussion with moderator NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, and NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja as part of Women’s History Month, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, Kris Brown, second from right, and U.S. Department of Education Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten, second from left, watch as a student operates a robot during a STEM event to kickoff the 21st Century Community Learning Centers NASA and U.S. Department of Education partnership, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 at Wheatley Education Campus (EC) in Washington. Students engaged in NASA hands-on activities and an engineering design challenge. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, Kris Brown, right, and U.S. Department of Education Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten, left, watch as a student operates a robot during a STEM event to kickoff the 21st Century Community Learning Centers NASA and U.S. Department of Education partnership, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 at Wheatley Education Campus (EC) in Washington. Students engaged in NASA hands-on activities and an engineering design challenge. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, Kris Brown, provides remarks at a kickoff event for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers NASA and Department of Education partnership, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 at Wheatley Education Campus in Washington. Students engaged in NASA hands-on activities and an engineering design challenge. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, Kris Brown, left, and U.S. Department of Education Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten, right, participate in a virtual reality tour of NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab during a kickoff event for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers NASA and Department of Education partnership, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 at Wheatley Education Campus in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, Kris Brown, provides remarks at a kickoff event for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers NASA and Department of Education partnership, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 at Wheatley Education Campus in Washington. Students engaged in NASA hands-on activities and an engineering design challenge. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, Kris Brown, second from right, and U.S. Department of Education Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten, second from left, watch as a student operates a robot during a STEM event to kickoff the 21st Century Community Learning Centers NASA and U.S. Department of Education partnership, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 at Wheatley Education Campus (EC) in Washington. Students engaged in NASA hands-on activities and an engineering design challenge. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, Kris Brown, provides remarks at a kickoff event for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers NASA and Department of Education partnership, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 at Wheatley Education Campus in Washington. Students engaged in NASA hands-on activities and an engineering design challenge. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, left, moderates a panel discussion with NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, and NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja during an event for Women’s History Month, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, left, moderates a panel discussion with NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, and NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja during an event for Women’s History Month, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

From left to right, NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown, NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja, and NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, pose for a photo at the conclusion of an event for Women’s History Month, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, speaks during a panel discussion with NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown, and NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja, as part of a Women’s History Month program, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, introduces NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown just before a panel discussion with Brown, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, and NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja during an event for Women’s History Month, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, speaks during a panel discussion with NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown, and NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja, as part of a Women’s History Month program, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja, speaks during a panel discussion with NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown, and NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, as part of a Women’s History Month program, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, speaks during a panel discussion with NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown, NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, and NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja as part of a Women’s History Month program, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, speaks during a panel discussion with NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown, NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, and NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja as part of a Women’s History Month program, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja, right, speaks during a panel discussion with NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown, and NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, as part of a Women’s History Month program, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, speaks during a panel discussion with NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown, and NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja, as part of a Women’s History Month program, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja, speaks during a panel discussion with NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown, and NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, as part of a Women’s History Month program, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

NASA Goddard’s Deputy Director for Technology and Research Investments, Dr. Christyl Johnson, speaks during a panel discussion with NASA IT Cybersecurity Specialist, Sarah Adewumi, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for STEM, Kris Brown, NASA Headquarters Deputy Director for the Astrophysics Division, Sandra Cauffman, and NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja as part of a Women’s History Month program, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Students at Wheatley Education Campus participate in a rotor motor and wind tunnel activity during a kickoff event for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers NASA and Department of Education partnership, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 at Wheatley Education Campus in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Students at Wheatley Education Campus participate in a virtual reality tour of NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab during a kickoff event for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers NASA and Department of Education partnership, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 at Wheatley Education Campus in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Students at Wheatley Education Campus participate in a Mars rolling rover activity with a robot, during a kickoff event for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers NASA and Department of Education partnership, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 at Wheatley Education Campus in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Students at Wheatley Education Campus participate in a rotor motor and wind tunnel activity during a kickoff event for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers NASA and Department of Education partnership, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024 at Wheatley Education Campus in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)