Q&A: Evelyn Miralles
Evelyn Miralles, associate vice president for strategic information initiatives and technology, is one of the women featured as part of The Signal’s #HawkHerStory coverage, celebrating Women’s History Month. This special coverage focuses on the stories and perspectives of the various women within the UHCL community.
Read The Signal’s Q&A with Miralles below and see the other Q&As conducted with students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni here.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself, on both a personal and professional/educational level?
A: I grew-up in Venezuela and moved to the US when I was 20 years old. I received two bachelor’s degrees in computer science, and an MBA from UHCL. I worked 27 years at NASA training astronauts for human spaceflight and retired in 2019. I serve now as the Associate VP for Strategic Information Initiative and Technology at UHCL, helping to enhance the University recognition.
Q: What are some activities you enjoy doing?
A: I like doing outdoor activities, dancing, and traveling. I enjoy art and reading. I also love the thrill of flying airplanes.
Q: Who are some women (real or fictional) you look up to most? Why?
A: I admired my mother, for her unconditional love to her family and her nurturing nature.
Q: What are some problems you anticipate/have encountered as a woman in your field?
A: I believe that balancing between having a family and a profession is a very demanding action for women. It is also very challenging to excel in an all-male work-dominated environment, while keeping the focus and the enjoyment of the work. I will also add that being monetarily well-compensated is also a concern for many professional women.
Q: What advice would you give to other women and young girls?
A: I have plenty of advice to give them, but primarily I will tell them to be consistent and to set individual goals. I will also advise them to be knowledgeable and never stop learning. The superpower of women depends on her ability to understand how the world works, and how to be companionate about their own difficulties.
Q: Is there anything you would like our readers to know?
A: I can’t wait to see the first woman to land on the Moon!
