Despite decades of progress, the number of women in engineering remains stubbornly low — especially in aerospace and mechanical engineering.

Heather Cummings is Senior Engineer, Flight Controls & Autonomy for Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company. She leads the development of hybrid electric propulsion controls and vehicle management systems for Sikorsky’s next-gen HEX and RBW, including groundbreaking work on fully autonomous cargo aircraft. A licensed pilot, Heather is passionate about improving flight safety through automation and mentoring the next generation of aspiring engineers.

In this special episode, Heather and Chitra Sethi, Director of Editorial & Digital Content, SAE Media Group, discuss the mission behind the Rising Star Awards, the importance of visibility for women in STEM, and why

If you’d like to nominate a trailblazing female engineer (or yourself), visit www.techbriefs.com/rsa. Nominations close on July 22, 2025. Winners will be spotlighted across SAE Media Group’s publications, websites, e-newsletters, and social media channels.

To learn more about Sikorsky, check out our previous episode with Heather’s co-worker, Igor Cherepinsky, on the future of vertical lift.

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