MEET Leslie

Undergraduate - Aerospace Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
From: Fort Worth, Texas

“Innovation means nothing if it does not lift others with you. Representation creates possibility, and I want to inspire students from underserved communities to step into spaces they belong. I hope to be part of a legacy that helps build more diverse pilots, engineers, and astronauts reaching for the stars. I aspire to work in the space industry through spaceflight operations or the aviation sector, and to expand into business to better serve these communities. My dream is to one day build my own flight school and create pathways for others to follow.”

Background

Leslie Nava is an Aerospace Engineering student at Georgia Tech, student pilot, public speaker, and first-generation college student. She serves as Head of Communications and Website Developer for Southeast Analog and is the founder of Nava Impact, a platform focused on sharing stories and expanding access to STEM. Leslie is deeply involved in outreach, mentoring students across communities from Texas to Puerto Rico through workshops, storytelling, and hands-on engagement. Through Nava Impact, she is currently developing content and leading a project in Mexico aimed at expanding aerospace exposure in underserved and isolated communities. Her work is driven by a belief that exposure creates opportunity, and she is committed to using engineering, storytelling, and mentorship to inspire the next generation.

Research Experience

Leslie is a Research Project Lead in Georgia Tech’s VIP M.A.R.S. program, where she leads triboelectric energy harvesting research for Mars-related applications. She previously worked as a Research Assistant with the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science at NASA Ames, studying mycelium-based composites for lightweight aerospace structures.

Internships

  • CoLabL: Nonprofit Management Micro-Intern (Spring 2026-Present)

  • Blue Marble Space Institute of Science: Research Assistant (Summer 2025)

Awards & Honors

  • AIAA: Roger W. Kahn Scholarship

  • AIAA: Lockheed Martin Marillyn Hewson Scholarship

  • Hispanic Heritage Foundation: National Hispanic Heritage Youth Awardee (Engineering)

  • Georgia Tech: College of Engineering Dean Scholar

  • AIAA: Rising Star in Aerospace 2025

  • UNCF: 2024 STEM Scholar

  • Taco Bell Foundation Scholar

Interests

Leslie is passionate about aerospace, mentorship, and science communication. She aspires to work in spaceflight operations or aviation, earn her pilot license, and one day build a flight school in Mexico to expand access and representation in aerospace. Leslie loves to dance Hip-pop!

Leadership Involvement

  • Head of Communications & Website Developer: Southeast Analog

  • Founder & Content Creator: Nava Impact

  • Research Project Lead: Georgia Tech VIP M.A.R.S.

  • Coach Lead & Mentor: Georgia Tech Horizons

  • GT COE Scholars Recruitment

“When one walks into a room their family has never seen before, they do not walk in alone.”