Aracely Quispe Neira

Irma Aracely Quispe Neira (born 18 August 1982; known as Aracely Quispe) is a Peruvian-American senior astronautical engineer, NASA scientist, academic and researcher. She is known as the first Latin-American woman to lead three successful NASA missions in the United States: Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), and James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Quispe has been a senior flight operations and systems engineer of the successful James Webb Space Telescope launching. She is an official speaker at the NASA and the United States Department of State, professor at Capitol Technology University, and STEM educator. a rural community in the Motupe District of Lambayeque, northern Peru, where there was no electricity. Her mother Irma Neira Samame was an educator. Her interest in space and science began, when she was six years old and saw Apollo 11 Mission's broadcast and Neil Armstrong walking on the Moon, which made her want to work at NASA.

Quispe graduated with a degree on Computer Science and Systems Engineering An adviser at school suggested that to get into NASA, she had to continue her studies on Astronautical or Aerospace Engineering. Quispe followed the advice and transferred to the Capitol Technology University (CapTechU) in the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM), starting as a Test Engineer, and later becoming Systems Engineer. After finishing the internship, Aracely won a scholarship to do a master's degree with a thesis on the melting of Quelccaya

In 2016, she entered the James Webb Space Telescope program, in which 17 countries and more than 3,000 scientists have collaborated.

Since 2014 she has headed the following missions: the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM), the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) that was launched into space in 2021 to replace the Hubble Space Telescope.

Currently she is an official speaker for the NASA and the United States Department of State.

As a researcher Quispe investigated the deglaciation of the Andean snow-capped mountains in Cusco area of Peru that promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs The initiative aims to provide Hispanic girls opportunities to pursue technology studies and succeed in professions including education, research, and innovation. With the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs support, Quispe participated in international forums to increase Latin American student interest in aerospace industry. She also visited Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Washington St. Francis International (Maryland), Archbishop Carroll (District of Columbia) and St. Anthony (District of Columbia).

Awards and honors

Diploma of Honor from the Congress of Peru – 2013 National award "Lord of Sipán" from the Lambayeque Regional Council and Regional Government of Lambayeque – 2013 Peruvian Consulate in Washington D.C. recognition – 2013 US Senate Proclamation "for the great recognition and honor", Washington. Awarded by US Congresswoman Grace Meng – 2019 NASA Senior Science Committee recognitions as "role model from Peru in NASA" – 2015, 2021 Honorary Doctor of Science from Capitol Technology University – 2022 The International Gold Excellence Awards by the Peruvian American National Council, the United States – 2022 awarded to only 90 women in 72 years since its creation in 1951. Washington – 2023 2023 Outstanding Achievement Award from the NASA administration – 2023