What was your first big break?

My uncle worked for a mining company in Colorado. He gave me a chunk of uranium and I used it, along with models of atoms, to explain radioactive decay. I won the science fair in Tacoma, Washington, as a high-school junior, which garnered attention from some MIT alumni and other mentors who encouraged me to go to school at MIT.

Have you had a career-defining moment?

I'm a fluid dynamicist. In this field, the greatest honour awarded is to have an instability, the forces behind complex flow dynamics, named after you. The Widnall instability is named for my work on how unstable waves develop in turbulent fluid flows.

You have achieved many firsts. Which are you most proud of?

I was the first woman faculty chair at MIT and the first woman to serve as president of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, but being the first woman to serve as Secretary of the Air Force was a special honour. As someone who always wanted to fly every plane that the Air Force has, it was the type of incredible opportunity that makes my colleagues' eyes water.

How would you describe your early opportunities?

I have lived at the leading edge of a wave of increased sensitivity to the role of women in science and engineering. Science associations, MIT and even corporations were all working to increase the visibility of women. I benefited enormously from people stepping forward in my life to encourage me to take advantage of opportunities. It has been an incredible ride.

What has been the biggest change for women during your working life?

The numbers and the acceptance of women is definitely the biggest change. I was one of 20 women in a freshman class of 1,100. Now women make up almost half of the undergraduate population. The most significant change, though, is the sense of equality and teamwork among the students. It is a very different atmosphere from when I was in school.

Is there a continued need to champion opportunities for women in engineering, or do they have parity?

I think there is a continuing need. MIT has done very well. Women are the majority in half the engineering departments here, but that is not true everywhere in the country. And, in industry, women are still not in the highest levels of management. We still need to pay attention to that.

What is your career philosophy?

Aim high, the Air Force credo, has worked for me.