CLEVELAND — Dr. Marla Pérez-Davis is a trailblazer who holds many titles.

She’s a Puerto Rico native, a proud mother, and the director of NASA’s John H. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. That makes her the first Puerto Rican-born woman to lead any NASA Center. 

What You Need To Know

  • Dr. Marla Pérez-Davis plays an important role at NASA's John H. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland

  • Growing up, she decided she wanted to be a chemical engineer, but teachers tried to tell her it was for men

  • She set out to prove them wrong and go by the words her family told her: "You can be whatever you want to be"

  • She's one of the many women working behind the scenes for NASA's next mission, Artemis, which plans to get the first woman on the moon

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be in this position," said Pérez-Davis.

NASA’s John H. Glenn Research Center was established in 1941. In 2020, Pérez-Davis became the second woman in history to lead the center and oversee its missions and more than 3,200 employees.

“Proud with, you know, being humble,” she said.

Her mother instilled in her the value of independence and education as a child.

“My family was like, 'Hey, you can be whatever you want to be,'” said Pérez-Davis.

Pérez-Davis has always been curious. From a young age, she was drawn to math and science. So much so, that she decided she wanted to be a chemical engineer after looking up the word in an encyclopedia when she was around 13-years-old.

“First time I was going to share with one of my teachers that I want to be a chemical engineer, the reaction was not what I expected," she remembered. "The reaction was, why do you want to be a chemical engineer? Well, because I like chemistry and I like math, remember, I just got the definition. And the response: 'Well, that’s a male field. That is not for women.'"

That ignited a flame that fueled the fire that pushed her to prove that stereotype wrong. She studied hard in high school and was accepted into the engineering program at the University of Puerto Rico.

It was a huge culture shock when she came to Cleveland to work at NASA more than 30 years ago. She was recruited right out of college.

“You know there have been times that have been tough times when I thought I wanted to go back. But, I love NASA," said Pérez-Davis. "I love what I do and I guess that love for the mission and what we do at NASA kept me going."

Throughout her decades-long career in research, Pérez-Davis has earned numerous accolades and promotions, but she said her proudest accomplishment is being able to pay it forward by tutoring students and encouraging them to follow their dreams.

One moment that sticks out is a conversation she had with some students at a recruitment event at her alma mater in Puerto Rico.

“We want to tell you that you are the reason why we are in engineering," she recalled.

The next lunar landing is on the horizon, and Pérez-Davis plays a critical role in NASA’s Artemis mission that plans to put the first woman on the moon.

It’s a big undertaking with a team full of women behind the scenes making it possible.

“Rewriting history," she said. “A source of inspiration for the next generation.”

 Dr. Pérez-Davis says a strong support system to overcome obstacles and naysayers is key.

She believes curiosity, commitment, and perseverance can take you anywhere — even space.