University of Minnesota Graduate First Female Chief Engineer For International Space Station

Many industries have been stereotyped as "male-dominated" or "female-dominated" industries. For example, most people think females are nurses while males are doctors, or males are engineers while teachers are females. But there are many folks out there that cross the gender stereotypes and do big things in their industry.

University of Minnesota graduate Heather McDonald is one of those people who pushed the boundaries and made a name for herself. According to the University of Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering website, McDonald is the first female in NASA history to be a Chief Engineer for the International Space Station. Most females avoid math and science careers, but McDonald was drawn to it after transferring to the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities.

The website continues to say that the International Space Station has been around for around 20 years, making this a historical moment. She oversees different engineering departments that all work together to make the International Space Station work. Her main job is to make sure everything is up to code and works right on the International Space Station. She even has to work with other countries and agencies to make sure that the systems are all working together properly.

Many of us didn't realize growing up that some of our passions would turn into our careers. I loved to talk into microphones and here I am working in radio. The article says that McDonald grew up in Duluth, Minnesota. Her family lived close to an Air National Guard Base and would go watch jets take off and land for fun. That lead her to pursue a degree in Engineering and make history. It's so awesome seeing females push through the gender barriers of some industries.

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