Women In Space: Space Pioneer Renee Frohnert Shares The Future of Space Technology and Exploration for Women
“My overarching goal is to inspire young girls and women to pursue STEM and space. There is a saying “you can’t be what you can’t see.” Today’s woman dreamer, Renee Frohnert a female space pioneer with big dreams. With experience at Lockheed Martin Space and L3Harris Space, she developed spacecrafts for the Department of Defense and other commercial space companies. She was featured as an aerospace engineer on Netflix and continues to promote aerospace and STEM to young girls. A true inspiration, Renee reflects on her journey and her mission to advocate for DEI and gender equality in the space technology industry.
1. You are a space pioneer, with a passion for diversity and inclusion. Tell us your story, and what inspired your interest in Space.
Since I was 7, I have been passionate about space with strong aspirations of becoming an astronaut. As a young girl, I watched Toy Story and fell in love with Buzz Lightyear. My dad, an electrical engineer, pushed me to pursue space and STEM by taking me to the NASA Kennedy Visitors Center to watch rocket launches. I followed in his footsteps by pursuing the same higher education program he completed, a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from Penn State University.
My undergrad degree launched (no pun intended) my space career, as I accepted my first engineering position in the industry at Lockheed Martin Space following graduation. I continued to pursue a Master’s in Engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from the University of Southern California while working full-time at Lockheed Martin and L3Harris Space. My space journey has provided with incredible career opportunities including participating in the Project PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut program and the Lockheed Martin Engineering Leadership program.
2. Space/space technology tends to be a very male dominated field. Tell us more about how you navigated as a woman interested in space? Any challenges faced along the way?
My journey in space almost stopped just as soon as it started; as a woman in a male dominated field, I experienced challenges as a minority. In undergrad, I was one of only 2 women out of nearly 500 electrical engineering students. I had no women professors and did not know any women within industry at the time. As a result, I faced severe imposter syndrome feeling out of place and received a 1.5 GPA my first semester. Despite this setback, I overcame the odds against me and completed my degree with honors. My success can be attributed to support groups in similar situations like myself including the Society of Women Engineers.
As I transitioned from college to industry, the challenges continued largely due to unconscious bias. Many of the engineering teams I have worked on have comprised of myself as the only female of over 30 team members. The first time I realized the impacts of unconscious bias was when I walked into a room as the lead spacecraft engineer and was assumed to be there to supply coffee rather than to discuss technical requirements for a project.
While experiencing unconscious biases at times was uncomfortable, these encounters have made me rapidly grow. I have navigated these challenges through the support of my mentors and champions within the industry. These experiences have shaped me to become passionate to advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to overcome unconscious bias and create positive work environments. My DEI journey has led me to connect with people all over the world through various platforms including public speaking engagements, non-profits, events, and my social media (@ReneeFrohnert).
3. You have worked at in the space industry at companies such as Lockheed Martin Space and L3Harris Space and Airborne Systems, and are an Advisor to Women in Space. What was the most rewarding project you have gotten to be a part of?
It is hard to choose just one rewarding project because all of the space projects I have supported get me excited in different ways. If I had to choose one project, I would choose the NASA Artemis program in which I had the opportunity to design electronics that will be sending the first woman and person of color to the moon around the 2025 timeframe. I was fortunate enough to watch a test flight at NASA Kennedy Space Center seeing my electronics perform as expected!
While designing the spacecraft is super exciting, traveling to space sounds like even more fun! I am fortunate enough to be scheduled to fly to the edge of space in 2024 with a new spacecraft program taking people into the stratosphere. Being in the space industry has opened doors like this for me to do things I never thought possible – even a few years ago.
4. As the platform for women dreamers, what is your next big dream?
I have three next big dreams:
1. Travel to space and become an astronaut
2. Start a space technology company
3. Create a space TV show or documentary
While these dreams are specific, my overarching goal is to inspire young girls and women to pursue STEM and space. There is a saying “you can’t be what you can’t see.” I never want a person, no matter their background, to feel they must leave STEM and space because they don’t belong. Because space is a place for everyone.
Thank you Renee for sharing your story with us. We are excited to have you in our global women’s network!
Bio: Renee Frohnert is a business leader, entrepreneur, engineer, and influencer within the aerospace industry. Renee is a Project PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Program Graduate and is training to go to space. She previously supported various space missions such as the NASA Artemis in which she designed critical electronics to send the first woman and next man to the Moon. As an engineer and business leader at Lockheed Martin Space and L3Harris Space she has developed spacecraft for the Department of Defense, Blue Origin, and other commercial space companies. She was featured as an aerospace engineer on Netflix and continues to promote aerospace, engineering, and STEM on her instagram (@ReneeFrohnert) with over 20k followers. She advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion through public speaking and educating the space industry on unconscious bias.
Renee has been awarded numerous industry awards including the Lockheed Martin Engineering & Technology Award and Penn State Engineering Alumni Award. She enjoys teaching as a Visiting Lecturer at Cornell University's School of Engineering. Renee holds an MBA from the University of Southern California, a Master's Degree in Engineering from Cornell University, and a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering from Penn State University.