NASA aerospace engineer E. Lara Lash ’13 to deliver Resnik Memorial Lecture

NASA aerospace engineer E. Lara Lash ’13—who graduated from Lafayette College with a major in mechanical engineering and a minor in history—will deliver the Judith A. Resnik Memorial Lecture Oct. 8. | Photo by Daniel Eggert

E. Lara Lash ’13, aerospace engineer at NASA Ames Research Center in California, will deliver the Judith A. Resnik Memorial Lecture at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 8 in Colton Chapel.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will also be streamed live for those who are unable to attend in person. (Register to receive the streaming link.)

Lash—who graduated from Lafayette College with a major in mechanical engineering and a minor in history—is currently leading a team of engineers and software developers investigating the use of unsteady pressure-sensitive paint (uPSP) in large-scale aircraft and spacecraft wind tunnel testing. She is also working alongside NASA software developers and data visualization scientists to improve NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the Artemis II mission coming up this spring.

Lash is currently leading a team at NASA investigating the use of unsteady pressure-sensitive paint (uPSP) in large-scale aircraft and spacecraft wind tunnel testing. | Photo courtesy of NASA

“I’m thrilled to be welcoming Lara back to College Hill,” says Jenn Rossmann, Jeffers Dean of Engineering and Baird Professor of Mechanical Engineering, who was Lash’s academic adviser during her time at the College. “The engineering she does at NASA is fascinating—the flow visualization images her work creates are a hypnotic blend of art and science. This lecture will be an affirmation of how higher education can foster curiosity, interdisciplinarity, and exploration—in Lara’s case, literally. We’re excited to host an event that lets us honor and celebrate the liberatory power of liberal education.”

In her talk, titled “From College Hill to NASA,” Lash will discuss the transformative Lafayette experiences that launched her into graduate school in aerospace engineering and a career with NASA—as well as the personal growth and technical challenges she encountered along the way. 

“I’m in a very blessed position where I very much love what I do, and I loved my time at the College—I couldn’t have made a better choice for myself than Lafayette,” Lash says. “It’s one of the topics I never get tired of talking about.” 

All members of the Lafayette and local community—regardless of department, major, or interests—are welcome to attend the lecture. Lash hopes that current students, in particular, can recognize connections between her Lafayette journey and their own, and gain a new perspective on how their education can be applied in their careers and lives. 

Rossmann adds, “We recognize the habits of curiosity, creativity, and persistence fostered at Lafayette can open doors to opportunities in any field—that is, her story is not just a path to NASA, but an example of how the skills and mindset gained at Lafayette can be a launchpad toward any ambition,” whether in science, the arts, public service, or beyond.

Lash prepares a rocket for launch as part of her Senior Design Project at Lafayette College in spring 2013. | Photo courtesy of Lafayette’s Engineering Division

“There’s no such thing as soft or hard skills—it’s all just skills. And you’ll find the most success, professionally or personally, if you continue to cultivate the well-roundedness a liberal arts education naturally presents to you,” says Lash, whose academic interests were in history and technology, as well as how world history shapes the development of technology. “Lafayette creates a strong foundation of support that not only equips you, but also encourages you to pursue everything you love.”

As a first-year student, Lash approached Rossmann with her dream of working for NASA, and “we viewed every class or opportunity through the lens of, how could this help her get there, and how could she apply this once she’s there?” Rossmann says. “We hope Lara’s journey will inspire students thinking about their own goals, faculty and staff who support students’ growth, and everyone who might also dream of aiming for the stars.”

Lash will hold a Q&A session with Rossmann and the audience following the lecture. Beyond the lecture, she will be on campus Oct. 8 and 9 for additional opportunities for engagement with Lafayette students, faculty, and staff.

“Lafayette is all about helping students achieve their dreams,” Rossmann says, “and so I hope members of the community will come to celebrate this wonderful alumna.” 

The Resnik Memorial Lecture series was named in honor of astronaut Judith A. Resnik, an electrical engineer who lost her life Jan. 28, 1986, in the Challenger space shuttle disaster. The initial Resnik Lecture in 1994 was the idea of Jack Farber ’38, and is supported through the endowment fund in his name.