J. D. McFarlan III, vice president of functional engineering at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, was the presenter of the Community Service in Industry Award during the Women of Color STEM virtual conference.

With 36 years of experience in the development of advanced aerospace defense products, McFarlan guides the team that provides engineering support for all programs at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.

"I am excited to introduce you to Demetria F. Hall, a highly accomplished engineer at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics," he said. "Demetria is passionate about exposing students to engineering and currently leads a diverse team of volunteer engineers that promote STEM at local area schools, national events and universities. Under her leadership, the program impacted over 30,000 students and professionals in 2019. Her actions exemplify the core values of what it means to be a great leader and role model for the Women of Color STEM: Community Service in Industry Award," McFarlan said.

In her acceptance speech, Hall joked that at age 12, her sole motivation for becoming an engineer was to afford a pair of Jordache jeans, originally founded in 1978.

"Growing up in a small town, I had limited role models," Hall continued. "But a ten-minute conversation with a local engineer Mr. Luther Martin changed my life. He looked me in the eye and said, 'You can do this!' He knew I loved math and science and encouraged me though there were very few women of color in engineering then," she said.

Hall also thanked mother for her loving support, and JD McFarlan for this nomination.

"I pay it forward, inspiring the next generation of engineers," Hall said. "The true reward is my hearing, 'I want to be an engineer just like you,' " she added.

Demetria F. Hall is a Systems Engineer for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and was on the design team that built the F-35 jet fighter that is currently flying our military. Her primary role was working on the Wind Tunnel Research and Development team that helped define the best performance of the airplane.

Hall is very passionate about exposing students to engineering and currently leads a diverse team of volunteer engineers that promote STEM at local area schools and national events.

She also initiated event collaborative efforts with Talent Acquisition, Diversity & Inclusion, and Business Resource Groups showcasing the innovative F-35 Cockpit Simulator and Virtual Reality experiences.

Her direct impact made during events spark student interest and results in the hiring of a diverse talented workforce. She is an active member of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics NSBE Professionals and serves on the Executive Board focusing on the Pre-College Initiative (PCI) Committee and helps to lead the College Prep Day impacting over 400 local area high school students.