Kat Gardner-Vandy
Dr. Kat Gardner-Vandy (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma tribal member) is an Associate Professor of Aviation and Space at Oklahoma State University. She is a Geologist (BS 2005, University of Oklahoma), Planetary Scientist (PhD 2012, University of Arizona), and private pilot (2005).
Prior to OSU, she was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in the Division of Meteorites, a STEM Lab Instructor at Tulsa Community College, and an adjunct professor.
Dr. GV is the Principal Investigator of Native Earth | Native Sky, a collaborative STEM education effort between three Native American Nations in Oklahoma and OSU. In 2022, she was named a Native American 40 Under 40 by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development. Dr. GV is a proud daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, scientist, educator, and leader, and she is forever grateful for her ancestors and mentors.
