• Patti Grace Smith Fellow, Class of 2025

• University of Colorado Boulder, Mechanical Engineering, ‘26

• Host Institution: Airbus

Hi! I'm Asaiah Gifford, a mechanical engineering student at the University of Colorado Boulder. I’m passionate about making a positive impact on my community, and pursuing engineering allows me to better understand how to create meaningful solutions to complex problems. As someone often drawn to leading teams, I aim to bridge gaps between groups that might not otherwise connect, fostering collaboration to create systems that benefit humanity as a whole. My focus in aerospace lies at the intersection of humanity, advanced technology, and our exploration of the next frontier. I am committed to developing innovations that not only improve life on Earth but also enable us to explore and understand worlds beyond the one we know and love. In 2018, I attended the WorldDenver National Women’s Day convention, themed “Women in Space.” Listening to the women on the entrepreneurship panel share their journeys of overcoming scrutiny in the male-dominated aerospace industry while founding their own ventures—from consulting firms to manufacturing enterprises—was profoundly inspiring. Mae Jemison’s keynote speech at the event further encouraged me to honor their legacies by contributing to the growing presence and achievements of women in space exploration. I’m continually learning to be a better engineer by engaging with diverse people and environments. As the Spanish lead for my Engineers Without Borders team’s final trip to Guatemala, I helped analyze the water distribution system and conduction line we had implemented in the Caserío Totolya community. Drawing on my engineering expertise and cross-cultural communication skills, I helped connect the community's 400 residents and the technical knowledge they needed to access potable water. This experience profoundly shaped me and strengthened my passion for centering people in all my engineering endeavors. This summer, I’m thrilled to develop my aerospace-specific technical skillset as a Patti Grace Smith Fellow. I look forward to continuing to seek opportunities where I can leverage my skills to create innovative technologies and deliver engineering solutions that are accessible and impactful for all.