Rising Star Award Winner 2024: Aerospace & Defense

Heather Cummings
Senior Engineer - Flight Controls & Autonomy Sikorsky
Aircraft, A Lockheed Martin Company
Middletown, Connecticut

EXPERIENCE

Heather Cummings is a flight controls and autonomy engineer at Sikorsky where she develops software and electrical solutions for the next generation of aircraft. Cummings previously led software development and test efforts on a demonstrator aircraft for reduced crew operations. Committed to advancing safety in aviation, her career goals include leading the development of the next generation of semi- and fully autonomous aircraft, supporting both military and commercial needs.

What’s the most exciting part of your work?

The most exhilarating part of my work is the unique opportunity to fly onboard the aircraft during flight tests, actively tuning and modifying the software in real-time. This hands-on experience allows me to witness the direct impact of the work I do in a tangible way, which helps to keep me motivated in times where it is harder to see those impacts. It is also exciting to see these new technologies in action such as new automatic takeoff and landing capabilities.

What is one major challenge you’ve faced in your career and how did you overcome it?

A major challenge I faced in my career was implementing a new software process within our department. There was significant contention over the best approach, as various team members had differing opinions. To overcome this, I took the initiative to develop examples and collaborate with a different team that had successfully implemented a similar process. Together, we created a framework tailored to our department’s needs. This effort allowed us to find common ground and move forward with a unified approach which was able to improve our team’s efficiency.

What advice do you have for young women engineers aspiring to be leaders?

Here is my advice to other young women aspiring to be leaders in engineering: First, don’t be shy about clearly communicating your goals — whether it’s a promotion, a raise, or a new opportunity. This will help you to develop a plan of action with your manager to achieving those goals. Second, seek out a mentor — someone who can provide technical guidance and help you navigate your career path. Third, never be afraid to ask questions. Having a continuous learning mindset is an invaluable trait in the fast-paced environment that engineering often demands.

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