Alina Santander Vinokurova

Alina Santander Vinokurova, from La Paz, Bolivia, studied mechatronic engineering at Vaughn College and physics at Universidad Mayor de San Andres. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford. She started her STEM journey by winning medals in scientific competitions and representing Bolivia internationally. She was the first Bolivian to participate in the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge, earning several awards. She also received the 20 Twenties Award and the Brooke Owens Fellowship, which underscore her contributions to the aerospace field. With professional experiences at InstaHub, Honeywell, and Zipline International, Alina is preparing to further her impact in the aerospace industry. One of her goals is to create opportunities for aspiring Latin American youth in STEM fields and to encourage more women to join the ranks of innovators and pioneers.