Ms. Monique Brisson took home one of the prized Career Achievement awards during the 2020 Women of Color STEM digital conference.
The presenter of her award was Lisa P. Smith, a member of the federal senior executive service (SES), and deputy director of logistics in the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff of Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection at Headquarters Air Force.
A research electrical engineer at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Brisson has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to outreach, proving to be an outstanding role model for young STEM professionals throughout her time in the Air Force.
In the archive photo, Brisson checks the condition of her car’s air filter at the base Auto Hobby Shop. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tommie Horton)
The third of four children, Brisson said she watched her mother perform miracles raising four children on her own.
“She always stressed the value of education. Her example of sacrifice and hard work inspires me to this day,” Brisson said in her acceptance speech.
“Through my job with the U.S. Air Force as an electrical engineer, I’ve had opportunities to work on amazing technologies and also found many ways to give back to my community,” she continued.
Playing a critical role in the Commander’s Challenge team, Brisson led the development of the sensor fusion component. For her contributions, she was recognized with the Air Force Civilian Achievement Award Medal. Brisson later moved to Wright-Patterson AFB as a Research Electrical Engineer.
Eager to tackle new challenges, she began focusing on modeling and simulation, in particular, virtual reality. Demonstrating her ability to broadly apply her capabilities, she enabled a novel study incorporating human motion tracking, virtual reality, biometric monitoring, and aircraft maintenance.
Beyond her outstanding contributions in her primary duties, Brisson is always looking for new training and education challenges, recently choosing to enroll in and earn a second master’s degree while completing the Air Force’s Air Command and Staff program.
Nominations are now open for Women of Color STEM Conference Awards. Since 1995, the conference has hosted several award ceremonies for women who create innovation and inspiration.
Click Apply Now to nominate a woman of excellence in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields for a Women of Color STEM Award.
