Gladys Chepkirui Ngetich
Dr. Gladys Chepkirui Ngetich is a distinguished Kenyan aerospace engineer and a Rhodes Scholar who earned her PhD in Engineering Science from the University of Oxford, where she researched advanced jet engine cooling techniques in collaboration with Rolls-Royce.Her work has earned international recognition, including a patent and features in BBC Science and Nature for her pioneering thermofluids research.
Following her doctoral studies, she secured a prestigious Schmidt Science Fellowship, completing postdoctoral research at MIT’s Space Enabled Lab, focusing on wax-based propellants for small satellite propulsion.Her achievements have earned her significant accolades such as the ASME IGTI Young Engineer Award, MIT’s Rising Star in Aerospace, the UK’s Rare Rising Star, and RMB’s Africa Fearless Thinker Award. In 2018, Business Daily Africa listed her among Kenya’s Top 40 Under 40 Women.
Dr. Ngetich is also deeply committed to social impact through co-founding ILUU, a nonprofit that empowers girls and young women across Kenya. Today, as a management consultant at Boston Consulting Group, she leverages her technical expertise and strategic insight to influence high-impact projects that bridge engineering innovation with sustainable development.