Women in STEM Panel to Inspire 290 Girls at Cradle of Aviation Museum

For Immediate Release 

Women in STEM Panel 

To Inspire 290 Girls  

at the Cradle of Aviation Museum 

Garden City, N.Y. – On Monday, March 11th from 10:00am -12:00pm, The Cradle of Aviation Museum will be holding a special panel presentation featuring women in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields in honor of Women’s History Month. This event, designed specifically for high school and middle school girls, aims to motivate these young ladies to consider a career in STEM. Each panelist will be discussing their specific career field, how they got there, and what sparked interest in their profession.  

The panel will feature two women from NASA – Space Shuttle Astronaut Nicole Stott; Sharon Devivio, President of Vaughn College of Aeronautic Engineering, Aviation, and Technology; and Cybersecurity specialist and founder of CybHER, Dr. Ashley Podradsky.  

Nicole Stott was born in Albany, NY and is a veteran Space Shuttle Astronaut. Stott received degrees in both Aeronautical Engineering and Engineering Management. She started her career at Kennedy Space Center and was later picked for the 18th class of astronauts. After training, Stott was ready for space! She flew on both STS-128 and STS-133. During her time in space Stott performed a spacewalk, partook in the first capture of HTV cargo vehicle, and painted the first watercolor in space! Now retired, Stott brings together her love of science and art by using her artwork to inspire the next generation of space explorers and to encourage us all to look at the majesty of our Earth in the hopes of preserving it for generations to come.  

Sharon Devivo is the seventh president of Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology and the only woman president in the College’s history.  During her tenure with Vaughn, DeVivo has led two strategic planning efforts that have assisted the college in transforming from primarily a training institution to one that offers a bachelor of science degree in engineering, management and aviation and a master of science degree. In the last seven years, Vaughn has raised more than $20 million in federal and state grants to support the transformation as well as qualified for a $32 million renovation of the main campus building. She currently serves on the boards of The Wings Club, and the Queens Council of the Boy Scouts as well as the International Aviation Women’s Association Advisory Board.

Dr. Ashley Podradsky is an associate professor of digital forensics at Dakota State University. Dr. Podradsky has degrees in eCommerce and Computer Security as well as Information Systems. Recognized by Google and the Department of Justice, Dr. Podradsky studies and works hard to help educate tomorrow’s Cybersecurity leaders. As founder of CybHER, she aims to increase diversity in the cybersecurity field and even runs camp for those young ladies interested in the field.   

The Cradle of Aviation Museum and Education Center is home to over 75 planes and spacecraft representing over 100 years of aviation history and Long Island’s only Giant Screen Dome Theater.  Currently, the museum is celebrating  “Countdown to Apollo at 50” sponsored by the Robert D.L. Gardiner Foundation, showcasing Long Island and Grumman’s significant role in the Apollo program. The Museum was recently recognized and listed on New York State’s National Register of Historic Places as a significant part of American history. The museum is located on Museum Row, Charles Lindbergh Blvd., in East Garden City.  For more information call (516) 572-4111 or visit www.cradleofaviation.org.   

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