Gwynne Shotwell Accepts 2023 Washington Award

Gwynne Shotwell

Gwynne Shotwell is the 2023 Washington Awardee for her leading role spear-heading private enterprise space exploration. She is the President and COO of SpaceX, where she directed the building of the Falcon family of launch vehicles and oversaw approximately 170 launches into orbit. Shotwell has been at SpaceX since 2002 and is a member of its board of directors.

Before joining SpaceX, Shotwell spent more than 10 years at the Aerospace Corporation, eventually getting promoted to Chief Engineer of an MLV-class satellite program. She also managed a landmark study on commercial space transportation for the Federal Aviation Administration and completed an extensive analysis of space policy for NASA’s future investments in space transportation.

Named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020, Shotwell’s achievements have also been recognized by Forbes, Fortune, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. In 2020, she was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering, the premier engineering organization in the country.

Through leadership in both corporate and external STEM programs, Shotwell has helped raise more than $1.8 million for STEM programs reaching thousands of students nationwide. She received, with honors, her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics

 
Gwynne Shotwell

About theWashington Award

The prestigious Washington Award is conferred upon an engineer(s) whose professional attainments have preeminently advanced the welfare of human kind. Each year, during Engineers Week, presentation of the award is made at a joint banquet of the members and guests of the Western Society of Engineers; the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers; American Society of Civil Engineers; American Society of Mechanical Engineers; Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers; National Society of Professional Engineers; and the American Nuclear Society.
Washington Award
Discover Engineers Week

Event

2023 Chicagoland Engineering Awards Benefit

Date

Friday, March 3, 2023

Where

Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, Rosemont

Featuring the 105th presentation of the Washington Award.

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Future Engineers

In addition to the presentation of the Washington Award, nearly 100 pre-college students will be recognized for their success in regional STEM competitions.

 

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