Leedjia Svec

Lieutenant Commander Leedjia Svec directs military programs at NASA Ames where she serves as a liaison officer to create and facilitate innovative partnerships and sharing of technical knowledge and resources. She was previously stationed at the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI) as a senior scientist where she led policy, basic, and applied research in subject areas such as cultural heritage preservation, culture, diversity and inclusion, anti-hazing, bias, and more. Prior duty stations include the Naval Medical Research Unit San Antonio where she developed mathematical models for predicting color vision performance and implemented a program of science education for girls in the community. At the Center for Information Dominance she introduced a course of academic improvement skills for over 6,000 sailors. She has also served as adjunct faculty at University of West Florida, University of Texas San Antonio and Saint Mary’s University. LCDR Svec studied psychology and engineering technology at University of the Pacific, studied abroad at the University of Melbourne Australia, obtained her MA/PhD in vision science from the University of Nevada, Reno, second MA in International Relations at Saint Mary’s University with distinction where she engaged in hands on conflict transformation internationally, and is certified in Human Systems Integration from the Naval Post Graduate school. Achievements include; 2017 NASA Equal Opportunity Medal, 2017 Silicon Valley Women of Influence award, international young investigator award from the Aerospace Medical Association, national engaged leader award, officer of the quarter, selection for who’s who among college students, Lockheed Martin internship award, and over 100 publications/presentations. She is an avid STEM and diversity advocate; currently serving as a lead cultural mentor and delegate with TechWomen, has mentored over 40 students, served as a scholarship selection panelist for the American Association of University Women, was a student fellow of Norwich University Institute of Culture and Language, is a member of Theta Nu Xi, Multicultural Sorority Inc., and is the author of Stylish STEM, a STEM and diversity advocacy blog.