Women@NASA 2015 - Kate McMurtry / AFRC

Biography

Kate McMurtry is the branch chief of operations engineering at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. Selected as chief in 2014, McMurtry is responsible for planning, directing and coordinating the technical and administrative functions for the branch. The mission of the branch is to provide sound engineering to ensure airworthiness throughout planning, integration, and flight of unique systems and flight vehicles. Prior to her current position, McMurtry acted as the branch chief and deputy branch chief for two years. She joined NASA in 2008 as the lead operations engineer responsible for the airworthiness, research requirement development, hardware design, environmental testing, flight test planning, and mission control of the research for the agency’s F-18 research and support aircraft. McMurtry started her career in 2004 as a U. S. Air Force officer working developmental engineering at Edwards Air Force Base, California, for the Airborne Laser Program. She ended her military career as a captain and received numerous awards for her service. Although, McMurtry received her Bachelors of Science in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 2003, she found her true interest in aeronautics while working for both the Air Force and NASA. She received a Masters in Business Administration, in 2010, and obtained a Masters in Arts in Management and Leadership, in 2009, both degrees from Webster University. McMurtry is a certified private pilot, and a member of the Society of Flight Test Engineers, Ninety-Nines, and the Experimental Aircraft Association. Currently, she also supports presentations and career days at local Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) schools and is an active member of the NASA Armstrong Speaker’s Bureau.