• Brooke Owens Fellow, Class of 2020

• Illinois Institute of Technology, Astrophysics, ‘21

• Host Institution: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

• Mentor: Paul Shawcross

Emma Stohlman graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Astrophysics from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 2021. Ever since she was young, she wanted to be an astronaut. Her favorite childhood memories are of her and her dad looking up at the stars during electrical blackouts, and the trips they would take together to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

Emma first became interested in space policy in elementary school when she learned of the planned retirement of the space shuttle program. While in high school, she became interested in studying astrophysics after taking a physics course with a teacher who encouraged her to challenge herself.

Emma decided to enter into a career in science policy after a legislative internship in Senator Bernard Sanders’ office in her sophomore year, where she had the opportunity to attend hearings on space and science policy and meet a number of women who encouraged her to enter the field. The following summer, she gained experience in research while studying magnetic reconnections in Earth’s magnetosphere at the University of Colorado at Boulder. In the future, she hopes to find a career helping shape space policy to anticipate the needs of the industry and the international community.

At school, Emma was a member of the M.A. and Lila Self Leadership Academy, earning a certificate in Leadership Studies and a full tuition scholarship. She worked at the Center for Research and Service helping to coordinate large testing programs, founded the Student Health Initiative to advocate for the safety of students and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, and occasionally wrote articles for TechNews.

As a Brooke Owens Fellow, Emma had a fantastic time working with the team at the Center for Strategic and International Studies Aerospace Security Project. The following year, she interned with BryceTech, working with their NASA team to put on the first virtual NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts conference. After graduating, Emma worked with Alignment Government Strategies as a Staff Assistant in Washington, DC.

In her free time, Emma enjoys sewing, reading fiction, playing fetch with her cat Dizzy, and hiking.

Emma currently works as a Research Assistant on the Space and Science Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.