Stephanie Zajac of Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University

IEEE EMC Society Women in North America Virtual Event

Originally Aired: March 25, 2025

Building a Career in Aerospace: Improv Games and Tiger Teams

Stephanie Zajac will speak about her career path in the aerospace industry, the significance of mentorship, and saying “yes” to the unexpected opportunities that arise. Stephanie will also share her insights into the multi-institution effort to save the Europa Clipper spacecraft from a potential launch delay due to the late discovery of an untested vulnerability to one of the Clipper’s most common electronic parts: the humble transistor.

Biography:

Stephanie Zajac is an engineer in the aerospace industry, specializing in ionizing radiation effects on electronics and modeling natural space environment phenomena. Stephanie’s love of physics, mathematics, and astronomy motivated her undergraduate and graduate studies at the Cal State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and Stony Brook University, respectively. Stephanie has thus far had a varied career in the satellite and space exploration industries, and is currently working at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. Stephanie has maintained a passionate involvement in STEM outreach activities over the years, especially at the K-12 level, continuing the tradition of impactful mentorship that has made an immeasurable difference throughout her career. She is currently serving in her first year as an Officer at Large in the EMC Society Board of Governors.

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