Dr. Nialah Wilson-Small Makes History as First Black Woman to Earn PhD in Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University

Dr. Wilson-Small, who took to LinkedIn to share her extraordinary accomplishment, described her academic journey as a "wild and tiring ride" while expressing immense gratitude to those who supported her along the way.

Dr. Nialah Wilson-Small Makes History as First Black Woman to Earn PhD in Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University

In a groundbreaking achievement, Dr. Nialah Wilson-Small has emerged as the trailblazing first black woman to obtain a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Cornell University in New York, marking a historic milestone in academia.

Dr. Wilson-Small, who took to LinkedIn to share her extraordinary accomplishment, described her academic journey as a "wild and tiring ride" while expressing immense gratitude to those who supported her along the way.

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Commencing her higher education at Howard University in Washington, USA, Dr. Wilson-Small earned her Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering before pursuing her Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University.

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Celebrating the successful defense of her dissertation, Dr. Wilson-Small proudly announced, "I successfully defended my dissertation and became the 1st Black woman to get a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from Cornell University. You may now call me Dr. Nialah Wilson-Small."

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During her tenure as a PhD student at Cornell University, Dr. Wilson-Small focused on developing algorithms for large collectives of simple robots under the mentorship of Dr. Kirstin Petersen and Dr. Shiri Azenkot. Her current research revolves around human-swarm and human-drone interactions, delving into the intersection of design, human-robot interaction, and autonomy.

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Dr. Wilson-Small's achievement resonates alongside other remarkable black women in the aerospace engineering field, including Wendy Okolo, who earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at the age of 26.

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Their collective accomplishments stand as beacons of inspiration, breaking barriers and fostering diversity in the realm of aerospace engineering.