Sonya T. Smith

Sonya T. Smith, Ph.D., is an Executive Director of the Research Institute on Tactical Autonomy (RITA) at Howard University and a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA). She is the first tenured Black female faculty member and first woman promoted to full Professor in her department. Smith earned her Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Virginia (1995), becoming the first African-American woman to do so. Her research focuses on fluid dynamics, thermal systems, and aerospace engineering, supported by NSF, NIH, NASA, and DOD. She leads the ADVANCE-IT initiative to advance women in STEM and organizes international conferences like the DST/HU ADVANCE-IT Women in STEM Conference (2015, 2017). Awards include Fellowships in ASME, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and AIAA. She directs the Applied Fluids-Thermal Research Laboratory and holds leadership roles in professional societies like ASEE and NSBE.