Wanda Austin

Wanda M. Austin (born 1954) is an American aerospace engineer. She is a former president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation. She was both the first woman, and the first African-American, to hold this position. Austin also served as interim president for the University of Southern California, following the resignation of C. L. Max Nikias. She was both the first woman, and the first African-American, to hold this position.

Austin has served on numerous White House commissioned boards and committees and received recognition for her contributions to engineering, aeronautics, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education.

She graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in 1971. She earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Franklin & Marshall College, arriving on the "beautiful rural campus" as one of twenty African American students out of a student body of near 2000. A junior year abroad at the University of Lancaster further broadened "inner city kid" Austin's exposure to academic possibilities, with senior tutor George Rosenstein instrumental in her application to the University of Pittsburgh. where Austin earned two master's degrees: one in Systems Engineering and one in Applied Mathematics (1977) Austin explains her work in the MILSAC (Military Satellite Communications) Program at Aerospace Corporation. From 2004 to 2007, she was Senior Vice President of the National Systems Group at Aerospace, prior to assuming the role of CEO on January 1, 2008. She served as CEO for almost nine years and retired on October 1, 2016.

In 2009, Austin served as a member of the U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee. The following year, she was appointed to the US Defense Science Board and in 2014 she became a member of the NASA Advisory Council, both of which were White House commissioned. She was succeeded by the university's permanent replacement, Carol Folt, in 2019. The University created an endowed scholarship in her name in thanks and recognition of her leadership during this tumultuous period. the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the International Academy of Astronautics and a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. She is a World 50 executive advisor, fostering peer-to-peer discussions among senior executives from some of the world’s largest companies. She previously served on the board of directors of the Space Foundation on the board of trustees for the National Geographic Society.

She continues to serve on the board of directors of the Chevron Corporation, Amgen Inc., Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc., Horatio Alger Association, National Academy of Engineering and is a life trustee for the University of Southern California. As of May 2022, she holds the position of Lead Director of the Chevron Corporation and is the Chair of the Chevron Board Nominating and Governance Committee.

Austin joined the board of directors of Apple Inc. in January 2024.

Personal life Austin is married with two children. She was also named Women of the Year award and received the Robert H. Herndon Black Image Award from The Aerospace Group. Austin was also inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame in 2007, and received the Black Engineer of the Year Award in 2009. She received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from USC in 2019.