Niharika Navin

Niharika Navin’s avid lifelong passion for astronomy led her to UIUC’s Aerospace Engineering
department, where she is now a senior.
For the last two years, she has served as the President of Women In Aerospace (WIA) during
which she has significantly expanded the organization’s mentorship, professional
development and educational outreach initiatives. Through WIA, she has been closely
involved in Grainger’s Women In Engineering initiatives, as an orientation program assistant,
liaison and ambassador.
Over the course of her four years at Illinois, she has been an active member of the Illinois
Space Society (ISS) as a project member on NASA competition teams and the high-powered
rocketry team. She presently serves as ISS’ Director of Student Relations, a role focused on
ensuring student belonging and good leadership practices. She is also an Engineering
Learning Assistant and a Global Engineering Ambassador, supporting the international
exchange community with academic and cultural resources.
With a keen interest in aerospace structures and materials, coupled with research
experiences at the Laboratory of Advanced Space Systems at Illinois and the Composites and
Additive Manufacturing Laboratory, Niharika is eager to continue her academic journey.
After graduating in May, she is excited to pursue a master’s degree and contribute to
building the next generation of resilient space structures.