Graduate Spotlight: Meet Heather

When she started college, Heather Kline never thought she would become a software developer, but today she works as a Research Engineer at the National Institute of Aerospace—a job that does, in fact, involve a lot of programming! Heather’s journey started at the Museum while she participated in the Museum Apprentice Program, a free year-round program that provides high school students with unique and exciting volunteer opportunities.

The Museum Apprentice Program was a perfect fit for Heather, a lifelong aviation enthusiast. “I was one of those kids who was obsessed with airplanes,” she confesses. When she aged out of Aerospace Camp Experience as a camper, Heather’s parents found out about the Museum Apprentice Program, where she delivered presentations on aerospace topics during the Museum’s Free First Thursday programs.

Heather also bonded with other students in the Museum Apprentice Program—many of whom she’s still in touch with today. One of her favorite memories is watching Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, a cheesy flick they always enjoyed during holiday meetings.

All that exposure to aerospace in a fun, relaxed environment encouraged her curiosity and led her to continue studying the topic after college at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. At Stanford University, Heather earned a Master’s and a Doctorate in Aeronautics and Astronautics. Today, she’s based at NASA’s Langley Research Center through the National Institute of Aerospace in Virginia and develops software that models aeronautical concepts. Aerospace companies will be able to use the software she works on to accurately predict how their vehicles will perform in a variety of circumstances.

And when she’s not developing aeronautical simulations at NASA, she’s working on her private pilot’s license: another example of how her Museum experience continues to influence her today.

Want to learn more about the Museum Apprentice Program? Start here!

*Photo credit: David Otey III