“I came [to the United States] in ’83 and in ’98, I was invited to go back to Costa Rica. The first Hispanic astronaut that NASA ever had is a Costa Rican — Franklin Chang Diaz. So everyone was talking about Franklin. At that point I had been working for NASA for seven years. All of a sudden, I had little girls and women coming to me, wanting to ask me about engineering. I resisted it at first, because I thought, they only care about the astronauts. That’s what ran through my head at first. I didn’t think I had done anything at that point. I didn’t think that I could be a role model. But as time went on, people started to hear about me more in Costa Rica, and eventually throughout Latin America. I got requests to travel all over to give talks — all the way from Mexico down to Chile. I cannot tell you when it was, but I realized, there are so many men in this field. When a little kid draws an engineer or a scientist, they tend to draw men. But here I am. And maybe I haven’t accomplished everything I want to do. But I can show little girls and little boys out there that it doesn’t matter where you come from. You can be anything that you want to, even when you have had a very difficult upbringing.” Earth Science Deputy Division Director in the Science Mission Directorate, Sandra Cauffman, poses for a portrait, Friday, Sept. 17, 2021 at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Sandra Cauffman, acting Director of the Earth Sciences Division of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, speaks during the 2019 Annual Earth Science Applications Showcase, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019 at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. Every summer students and young professionals from NASA’s Applied Sciences’ DEVELOP National Program come to NASA Headquarters and present their research projects. DEVELOP is a training and development program where students work on Earth science research projects, mentored by science advisers from NASA and partner agencies, and extend research results to local communities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Sandra Cauffman, acting Director of the Earth Sciences Division of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, speaks during the 2019 Annual Earth Science Applications Showcase, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019 at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. Every summer students and young professionals from NASA’s Applied Sciences’ DEVELOP National Program come to NASA Headquarters and present their research projects. DEVELOP is a training and development program where students work on Earth science research projects, mentored by science advisers from NASA and partner agencies, and extend research results to local communities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Sandra Cauffman, acting Director of the Earth Sciences Division of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, speaks during the 2019 Annual Earth Science Applications Showcase, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019 at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. Every summer students and young professionals from NASA’s Applied Sciences’ DEVELOP National Program come to NASA Headquarters and present their research projects. DEVELOP is a training and development program where students work on Earth science research projects, mentored by science advisers from NASA and partner agencies, and extend research results to local communities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Sandra Cauffman, acting Director of NASA's Earth Science Division, is seen during a special session titled “Home Planet 2030 – The Role of Earth Observations in Studying Our Planet” at the 70th International Astronautical Congress, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Sandra Cauffman, acting Director of NASA's Earth Science Division, is seen during a special session titled “Home Planet 2030 – The Role of Earth Observations in Studying Our Planet” at the 70th International Astronautical Congress, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Sandra Cauffman, acting Director of NASA's Earth Science Division, is seen during a special session titled “Home Planet 2030 – The Role of Earth Observations in Studying Our Planet” at the 70th International Astronautical Congress, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

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 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 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)

In the Kennedy Space Center's Press Site auditorium, Sandra Cauffman, deputy director of NASA's Earth Science Division, speaks to the media during a mission briefing on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R). GOES-R is the first satellite in a series of next-generation GOES satellites for NOAA, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. It will launch to a geostationary orbit over the western hemisphere to provide images of storms and help meteorologists predict severe weather conditionals and develop long-range forecasts.

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 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 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)

In the Kennedy Space Center's Press Site auditorium, members of the media participate in a mission briefing on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R). Briefing participants from left are: Steven Goodman, NOAA's GOES-R program scientist; Joseph A. Pica, director of the National Weather Service Office of Observations; and Sandra Cauffman, deputy director of NASA's Earth Science Division. GOES-R is the first satellite in a series of next-generation GOES satellites for NOAA, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. It will launch to a geostationary orbit over the western hemisphere to provide images of storms and help meteorologists predict severe weather conditionals and develop long-range forecasts.

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 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, 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 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 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)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – During a Spanish language news conference at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, agency officials discussed preparations for the launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or MAVEN, mission. Participating in the briefing is Sandra Cauffman, deputy project manager at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. MAVEN is being prepared for its scheduled launch on Nov 18, 2013 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Positioned in an orbit above the Red Planet, MAVEN will study the upper atmosphere of Mars in unprecedented detail. For information on the MAVEN mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/maven/main/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the conference room of Operations Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, social media participants listen to a briefing on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, mission by, from the left, Lisa May, MAVEN Program executive, Kelly Fast, Mars Program scientist, Sandra Cauffman, deputy project manager at the agency's Goddard Spaceflight Center, in Greenbelt, Md., and Chris Waters, systems design team lead at Lockheed Martin. The social media participants gathered at the Florida spaceport for the launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, spacecraft. Their visit included tours of key facilities and participating in presentations by key NASA leaders who updated the space agency's current efforts. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossman

In the Kennedy Space Center's Press Site auditorium, members of the media participate in a mission briefing on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R). Briefing participants from left are: Steven Goodman, NOAA's GOES-R program scientist; Joseph A. Pica, director of the National Weather Service Office of Observations; Sandra Cauffman, deputy director of NASA's Earth Science Division; and Damon Penn, assistant administrator for response at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. GOES-R is the first satellite in a series of next-generation GOES satellites for NOAA, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. It will launch to a geostationary orbit over the western hemisphere to provide images of storms and help meteorologists predict severe weather conditionals and develop long-range forecasts.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – During a Spanish language news conference at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, agency officials discussed preparations for the launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or MAVEN, mission. Participating in the briefing, from the left, are Andres Adorno of NASA Public Affairs, Jared Espley, project scientist at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., Sandra Cauffman, deputy project manager at Goddard and Diana Calero, launch integration engineer in NASA's Launch Services Program at Kennedy. MAVEN is being prepared for its scheduled launch on Nov 18, 2013 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Positioned in an orbit above the Red Planet, MAVEN will study the upper atmosphere of Mars in unprecedented detail. For information on the MAVEN mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/maven/main/index.html. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the conference room of Operations Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, social media participants listen to a briefing on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, mission by, from the left, Lisa May, MAVEN Program executive, Kelly Fast, Mars Program scientist, Sandra Cauffman, deputy project manager at the agency's Goddard Spaceflight Center, in Greenbelt, Md., and Chris Waters, systems design team lead at Lockheed Martin. The social media participants gathered at the Florida spaceport for the launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, spacecraft. Their visit included tours of key facilities and participating in presentations by key NASA leaders who updated the space agency's current efforts. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossman

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- In the conference room of Operations Support Building II at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, social media participants listen to a briefing on the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, mission by, from the left, Lisa May, MAVEN Program executive, Kelly Fast, Mars Program scientist, Sandra Cauffman, deputy project manager at the agency's Goddard Spaceflight Center, in Greenbelt, Md., and Chris Waters, systems design team lead at Lockheed Martin. The social media participants gathered at the Florida spaceport for the launch of the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, spacecraft. Their visit included tours of key facilities and participating in presentations by key NASA leaders who updated the space agency's current efforts. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossman

In the Kennedy Space Center's Press Site auditorium, members of the media participate in a mission briefing on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-R). Briefing participants from left are: Sean Potter of NASA Communications; Steven Goodman, NOAA's GOES-R program scientist; Joseph A. Pica, director of the National Weather Service Office of Observations; Sandra Cauffman, deputy director of NASA's Earth Science Division; and Damon Penn, assistant administrator for response at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. GOES-R is the first satellite in a series of next-generation GOES satellites for NOAA, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. It will launch to a geostationary orbit over the western hemisphere to provide images of storms and help meteorologists predict severe weather conditionals and develop long-range forecasts.