A.P.E.X. Events Presents Shayna Begay, Aerospace Engineer
Published: November 08, 2019 | Read Time: 2 minutes
A.P.E.X. Events – SUU’s Premier Event Series – is proud to present aerospace engineer Shayna Begay! Begay is an engineer tasked with the upkeep of nuclear weapon systems in the U.S. – she is a rocket doctor! Join us on November 14 at 11:30 a.m. in the Great Hall at Southern Utah University for an interview with Shayna Begay.
Shayna Begay is a member of the Navajo tribe and grew up in Cortez, CO. She is a recipient of the Gates Millennium Scholarship and attended the Florida Institute of Technology where she earned both a Bachelor’s in (2010) and Master’s (2011) degrees in Aerospace Engineering. During her time at FIT, Shayna developed a Nanotechnology Outreach Program for secondary students and spent a summer abroad at Oxford University. As a graduate student, Shayna interned at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM, where she worked on the Mars Rover Curiosity Program. Since 2012 Begay has worked full-time for Sandia.
Currently, Shayna is a Project Team Lead and Senior Mechanical Engineer in the Nuclear Weapon Systems Group, where she is responsible for leading a multi-disciplinary team of Engineers and Scientists and she oversees the design, testing, and production of over 50 components in a multi-billion-dollar program.
As a volunteer, Shayna is very passionate about encouraging young students to pursue STEM careers. She has taught several courses in Chemistry, Nanotechnology, Photovoltaics, and Rocketry through Sandia’s different community outreach programs. Additionally, Shayna has been an active volunteer for AISES by serving as a science fair judge, national conference undergrad research poster judge, a scholarship reader, and has presented sessions on leadership development. She serves as a motivational speaker and STEM field advocate and has appeared as a guest speaker for several programs and schools including, the American Indian Graduate Center and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Education Forum.
"Shayna Begay is a passionate woman who wanted to be a rocket scientist and paved her a path to her dream. Her fascinating field of expertise and her message to students on building personal success is powerful!”
Visit suu.edu/apex for more information on this event.