Evelyn Miralles

Who Is Evelyn Miralles?

Evelyn Miralles is a Venezuelan-American engineer and a pioneer in virtual reality applied to space exploration. As chief engineer at NASA’s Virtual Reality Laboratory at Johnson Space Center, her work has been critical in training astronauts for spacewalks and working in microgravity environments. Using virtual reality, she has prepared astronauts for missions outside the spacecraft. Currently, she serves as Associate Vice President for Strategic Information Initiatives and Technology at the University of Houston–Clear Lake, where she continues to contribute to technology and innovation.

What is her Background?

Evelyn Miralles always dreamed of building something in space, which led her to study computer graphics at Lamar University and then Information Systems at the University of Houston–Clear Lake. In 1992, she began her career at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, specializing in creating virtual simulations to train astronauts. As the co-author of the DOUG (Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphics) software, she has played a key role in space missions, from the Hubble Space Telescope repair in 1993 to International Space Station missions.
In addition to her NASA career, she is involved in scientific outreach, encouraging students—especially young women—to pursue careers in science and technology. In 2016, she was recognized as one of the BBC’s 100 Most Influential Women.