Dr. Wanda M. Austin Inducted Into WITI Hall of Fame

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (Sept. 28, 2007) -- Dr. Wanda M. Austin, senior vice president of The Aerospace Corporation's National Systems Group, has been inducted into the WITI (Women in Technology International) Hall of Fame.

Austin, who has been selected to succeed Dr. William F. Ballhaus Jr. as president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation on January 1, 2008, upon his retirement from the company, was inducted into the Hall of Fame on September 27 along with three other women who have distinguished themselves in the areas of science and technology.

The other inductees were Lucy Sanders, CEO and cofounder of the National Center for Women & Information Technology, Helen Greiner, cofounder and chairman of iRobot Corp., and Padmasree Warrior, executive vice president and chief technology officer at Motorola, Inc.

The induction ceremony was held in Santa Clara, California, as part of WITI's three-day "Women and Technology Summit."

"These brilliant women are excellent leaders, and role models for young women eagerly seeking an academic or career path in a technology or science field," said Carolyn Leighton, CEO, chairwoman and founder of WITI. "Their accomplishments surpass the greatest of our expectations, and provide inspiration and encouragement to us all."

Austin, who joined The Aerospace Corporation as a member of the technical staff in 1979, was cited for making "significant contributions to systems engineering and simulation, satellite and payload integration, and launch readiness and mission success" on a number of complex national security space systems.

"She has been instrumental in realizing the full potential of advanced space technology on these programs. As a result of her recent promotion to President and CEO, she has shattered the glass ceiling and has opened a path for aerospace industry women to reach new career heights," the WITI citation stated.

The Aerospace Corporation, based in El Segundo, Calif., is an independent, nonprofit company that provides objective technical analyses and assessments for national-security space programs and selected civil and commercial space programs in the national interest.

Contact Dave Jonta, 310-336-5041, david.l.jonta@aero.org