JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. —
The celebration of Women's History Month, during the month of March, is a reflection of the extraordinary accomplishments of women throughout society who have not only helped shape American history, but also military aviation and aerospace engineering.
Dr. Christine Darden, retired NASA aerospace engineer, who developed the sonic boom research program, is a local mathematician who was recently celebrated for her contributions to the Women’s and African American movements in the book “Hidden Figures” written by Margot Lee Shettterly. Her work in mathematics and physics is seen to this day as she influenced aviation technology that drives the design of today’s Joint Base Langley-Eustis warfighters.
Darden, a native of Monroe, N.C., enrolled at Hampton University in 1962 where she majored in mathematics education with a minor in physics. During the 1960s racial discrimination and inequality proved to be a difficult time in America, especially in the city of Hampton.
Darden and other students at Hampton University were the first in Virginia to execute a “sit in” protest at public lunch counters due to racist prejudices.
“I remember participating in a “sit in” protest in downtown Hampton,” said Darden. “It was a very uncomfortable period in my life, but it never caused me to lose focus in pursuit of my education.”
After facing discriminatory adversity as an African American woman in her early years of education, Darden had her first encounter with NASA while attending Hampton University.
“I knew NASA was in the area while attending college,” said Darden. “I remember in 1962 after John Glenn’s historical space mission, NASA held a parade in his honor and my friends and I watched his parade on Queen Street in downtown Hampton.”
Darden left and traveled to northern Virginia and didn’t return until 1970 when she was hired at NASA as a data analyst.
She said, after 5 years in the computer room she had an overwhelming desire to work in the engineering section.
Darden was yet again faced with another challenge, not only did she experience discrimination based on her ethnicity, but she was being passed up for promotions because of her gender.
“A lot of what the engineers were doing, I learned in graduate school,” said Darden. “I was equally as qualified as the men working in the engineering section, but every time I requested a transfer I was denied.”
According to Darden, NASA hired an African-American male around the same time she was hired and he was promoted ahead of her two different times. This frustrated her, and at one point, she contemplated resigning, but her determination and will-power didn’t allow her to quit.
“I finally went in to speak with higher management and I explain to them that I hadn’t had a promotion since I’d been at NASA and all the men were passing me up and being promoted,” said Darden. “Then after several meetings with leadership throughout my department I was finally transferred to an engineering section, and I became one of few female aerospace engineers.”
Darden thrived as an aerospace engineer. While working at NASA she continued her education by earning her PHD in Fluid Mechanics.
A few years later Darden was appointed as the technical leader of NASA's Sonic Boom Group of the Vehicle Integration Branch of the High Speed Research Program and was responsible for the development of NASA’s sonic boom research program.
During her 40-year career at NASA, she led several advisory teams and received directorial appointments for various research programs throughout NASA. She also authored more than 50 publications in the field of high-lift wing design in supersonic flow, flap design, sonic boom prediction and sonic boom minimization.
Today, Darden not only continues to encourage young people and especially young women about the importance of the science, technology engineering and math skills, but she also shares ideas for how to create opportunities. When asked about keys to being a successful female engineer, she said “Do you job and do it well… be proactive; and let people know what you want and aspire to.”