A sign marking the Kalpana Chawla memorial is displayed outside an exhibit space Jan. 30 in Nedderman Hall. The memorial recognizes Chawla’s legacy as a UTA alumna and NASA astronaut.
After 23 years, students and staff are still inspired by astronaut and UTA alumna Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian-born woman in space.
On Feb. 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas during reentry into Earth’s atmosphere after a 16-day mission, killing Chawla and six other crew members. Now, more than two decades later, students and staff continue to remember Chawla as a determined woman whose legacy motivates the campus community.
Frank Lu, mechanical and aerospace engineering professor, said he views Chawla as a self-made woman, noting that she comes from a humble background. Chawla was born in India, got her bachelor’s degree at Punjab Engineering College, then moved to the U.S. and got her master’s degree and doctorate, later becoming an astronaut.
Photographs of the space shuttle Columbia crew hang on the wall in a memorial honoring Kalpana Chawla on Jan. 30 in Nedderman Hall. Chawla died Feb. 1, 2003, when the shuttle broke apart during reentry.
“She’s an inspiration to young people,” Lu said. “I also say that she is an inspiration to young women.”
Lu had the opportunity to honor Chawla in 2018 by giving a presentation at her alma mater, Punjab Engineering College. While on his visit he got to see the Kalpana Chawla Hostel, plant a tree, which is a great honor in many cultures, and commemorate her in front of students and staff.
Aero Mavs President Deeva Khanuja said she was impacted by Chawla’s perseverance and how she broke barriers, influencing Khanuja’s decision to attend UTA.
Kalpana Chawla’s NASA flight suit is displayed as part of a memorial Jan. 30 in Nedderman Hall. The exhibit highlights Chawla’s career as an astronaut and aerospace engineer.
“She is a huge reminder that any dream is achievable with hard work, no matter where you go,” Khanuja said.
Khanuja said she connects Chawla’s qualities and achievements to her own role as president of Aero Mavs, inspiring her to continue to grow the organization and provide a safe space for members.
“In Aero Mavs, there’s a stronger focus on teamwork, or innovation or dedication, because that’s what she showed us,” Khanuja said.
Portraits and informational panels honoring astronaut Kalpana Chawla line the walls at her memorial display Jan. 30 in Nedderman Hall. Chawla, a UTA alumna, was the first Indian-born woman to travel to space.
Lincoln Gammage, president of the UTA branch of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, said Chawla’s accomplishments are motivating because of her background as a woman in STEM, noting that engineering is typically a male-dominated field.
“That marks her as a pioneer, not because of what she did or where she went, but how she got there, how she achieved what she did,” Gammage said.
“She really lived out the message that you can be whatever you want to be.”
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