On April 25, 2015, Simran Dhoju’s life changed forever when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devasted her hometown of Kathmandu, Nepal. The then-15-year-old lost one of her closest friends that day and the tragedy claimed the lives of almost 9,000 others.
“I wanted to be a doctor before the incident,” said Simran, now a University of Alabama senior majoring in aerospace engineering. “During that time, I realized how the lack of earth imaging satellites or space resources in Nepal delayed disaster response and management. I’ve always wondered how many lives could have been saved if we had those resources.”
Simran decided to use this defining moment as an opportunity to begin applying for colleges in the United States so she could pursue her new passion for aerospace engineering.
“I actually applied to UA after the deadline,” Simran laughed. “I’m not sure how it worked out, but it did. I really appreciated the scholarships UA gave me since moving across the world as a 17-year-old is very expensive. I think attending UA is one of the best decisions I’ve made because I love the aerospace program and the community that I’ve found here.”
In 2022, Simran was one of 51 students nationally to be awarded the Brooke Owens Fellowship, a highly competitive designation for women and gender minorities in STEM fields. She is also a recipient of the Olin B. King Endowed Achievement Scholarship at UA, established by the Olin B. King Foundation of Huntsville.
“Aerospace and STEM in general is a very male-dominated industry so there’s not a lot of representation when it comes to women and gender minorities,” Simran said. “The Brooke Owens Fellowship is a really special opportunity not only for me, but for all the women and gender minorities at UA. In STEM, it’s difficult to not feel intimidated, and it’s difficult to find your space or feel like you belong. This fellowship gives students the networking and the confidence to move forward in the field.”
Additionally, the Brooke Owens Fellowship has allowed Simran to fulfill her dream of interning as a systems engineer with Planet Labs in San Francisco, California, this summer. Planet Labs utilizes satellite imagery to advance humanitarian efforts, map agricultural regions and monitor forest fires.
“Planet really focuses on how to use space data to help life on earth,” Simran said. “Instead of just launching rockets, they tie space and earth together through satellite imaging, which is what I’ve wanted to do since I was 15 years old.”
While the Brooke Owens Fellowship has allowed Simran to realize her own career ambitions, it has also given her a platform to impact the UA community and mentor others in her program.
“I feel like these fellowship and scholarship opportunities give wings to your dreams,” Simran said. “Growing up, I always wished I had someone to look up to. I would look around and not find anyone from my country or my minority group working in aerospace. All my life, I’ve thought that it was impossible or that it would take years to even get the opportunities I’m receiving right now. I hope to be the role model I wish I’d had growing up.”
Simran said she encourages her fellow female classmates to apply for scholarships and fellowships, particularly if they find themselves thinking they are underqualified or not worthy.
“I think it’s really easy to sell yourself short and self-reject yourself even before you start an application,” she said. “As a minority in STEM, you do have a lot of self-doubt, but you should take that chance because you never know what might come to you that will change your life.”
