MAKATI, PHILIPPINES – Aisha Bowe, Bahamian-American rocket scientist and tech entrepreneur, captivated and inspired young scholars and innovators during her visit to Manila on August 14 at Aboitiz Tech Space in AIM, Makati. As part of the U.S. Embassy’s Speakers Program with Fulbright Philippines, she also spent time with Aboitiz Foundation Future Leaders scholars. Her engaging talk and lively Q&A session highlighted not only her personal triumph over doubt, but also her deep commitment to empowering others to dream—and do—the impossible.
Bowe’s journey has never been linear. Once told by a school adviser that beauty school would be her likely future, she carved her own path to NASA as an aerospace engineer, then transitioned to entrepreneurship by founding STEMBoard and Lingo, organizations dedicated to democratizing access to STEM and empowering young people worldwide. “I wanted to go to space, but I didn’t think it was possible… I was afraid to even dream about it,” she recalled. But this fear, she admitted, is what she learned to conquer—urging herself and others to embrace their biggest, wildest aspirations.
Her Manila Q&A drove this message home. Bowe emphasized that mathematical modeling and artificial intelligence are upheaving the foundations of rocket science, but that the human element—building, testing, doing—remains irreplaceable. “It’s an and, not an or… you need both,” she told the crowd, highlighting the “yin and yang” of theory and practice.
The crowd, a mix of students, Aboitiz Foundation scholars, educators, and entrepreneurs, drew advice relevant for anyone yearning to blend technical mastery bold action. To would-be entrepreneurs, Bowe’s advice centered on radical self-investment and team loyalty: “Team over everything. You will live and you will die by your team… but the team experience will only be as good as the investments you make in yourself.” She encouraged youngsters to absorb lessons at both startups and large companies—shadowing founders, donating time, and learning firsthand how innovation and failure converge.
Bowe also champions the visibility and celebration of scientists, especially women and people of color. “We have to put STEM on the same level as celebrity,” she noted, describing her delight at being on a billboard in the Bahamas, not for glamour, but for courage in pursuing science. Her personal story, and her advocacy for others, makes clear that science, engineering, and entrepreneurship are not just for the select few—or for someone “else.” They are open to all, if only we dare.
Bowe’s Manila event was more than a celebration of one woman’s achievements. It was a rallying cry for anyone who’s ever doubted the scale of their own dreams, and a lesson: don’t just think the impossible. Do it.
