Juksana “Jenny” Mai Ngam has been a force for the aviation industry. She received the James C. Ray Scholarship in December 2019, and she obtained her Private Pilot’s License in July 2021 at the age of only 18 — all while attending Central Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA). Today, after graduating from CFAA, Jenny is attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.
In December 2023, she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Human Factors Psychology from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Human Factors. In her experience at the University, Jenny has gained internship experiences across multiple industries including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), The Boeing Company, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). She describes her experience: “These roles allowed me to gain practical hands-on experience in the certification process of emerging technologies, aviation human factors policies and regulations, workload and ergonomic assessments to improve job safety and efficiency, and research aimed at integrating eVTOL and large UAS into the national airspace system.” She is on track to graduate in May 2025.
Her short-term goals include graduating with a Master of Science in Human Factors and getting a job within the aviation human factors field. Long-term she strives to work on human factors flight deck research, design, and certification for a commercial or fighter aircraft.
Jenny shared how the scholarship has impacted her current career, “Although the scholarship is focused on flying, it gave me the opportunity to discover my passion by experiencing the challenges pilots face in high-stress situations. Much of my passion to pursue a career in human factors grew out of my flight training experiences, where I became fascinated by the study of human capabilities and how design elements can support pilots, ensuring safe operation within the flight deck. This includes optimizing control placement, testing illumination levels, and ensuring pilots can comfortably and efficiently reach buttons and interact with their environment, among other factors.”
She continues, “As a human factors professional, particularly in aviation, having ground school knowledge and firsthand experience with the demands of flying, along with an understanding of the cockpit layout and the function of each instrument, is invaluable. It allows me to better understand pilots and the critical factors needed to enhance efficiency, comfort, and safety in operations.”
Her advice to the future generation of scholarship recipients is: “My advice is to surround yourself with a strong support system. There were many times I felt discouraged about flying, but I was fortunate to have a support system that was always there to listen and encourage me to keep pushing forward. With their encouragement, I was able to persevere and earn my PPL. I’m grateful I stayed committed, as earning my license is a significant achievement that I’m very proud of.”
Jenny adds, “I also want to stress the importance of not getting discouraged by failure. I failed my oral exam during my check ride, and I remember feeling devastated. But someone shared a piece of advice that has stayed with me: failure is just the ‘First Attempt In Learning.’ You learn from it and come back stronger, and that’s exactly what I did. I spent a week studying, went back, and passed both my oral and practical portions, earning my Private Pilot’s License that day.”
Jenny’s path to success has been paved by her hard work and dedication to her education, all inspired by her passion for aviation. We wish her the best of luck with her endeavors within the Human Factors field. Your support of the SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo fuels our mission to engage, educate, and accelerate the next generation of Aerospace Professionals such as Jenny and many others through our scholarship programs!
