Millennia Young

Affiliation: NASA Johnson Space Center

Educational Background: BS, Applied Math, and MS, Applied Statistics, New Jersey Institute of Technology; PhD, Statistics, Rice University

Millennia Young grew up in New Jersey, where her family moved around and she attended three high schools. Math had always been her favorite subject. She loved solving problems and knowing she had the correct answer, even if the answer was “does not exist.”

After high school, Young went on to study applied mathematics at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She minored in statistics after an introduction to statistics concepts during her capstone project. Although both disciplines use math to model what is happening in the world, statistics provided unique insights. Young chose to stay at at the New Jersey Institute of Technology after she graduated for a newly developed master’s program in applied statistics, during which she was chosen as a research assistant. That research experience solidified her desire to continue to a PhD program. Her research mentor recommended Rice University for its solid program and supportive environment for graduate students.

Young is most proud of sticking to the journey, even when it became difficult. She had two children before starting her PhD and three by the time she defended her thesis. She appreciated the university support when one of her children faced medical challenges and she needed flexibility. She wasn’t always sure she would make it through her PhD, but she kept going.

After the struggle, Young now has her dream job leading the biostatistics lab for human health and performance at NASA. Her job has unique statistical challenges that keep her work intellectually stimulating. She helped design NASA’s latest research analog—the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog—and she is witnessing the journey of the Artemis program from concept to realization. The Artemis program will see the first woman and person of color land on the moon.