Athena Chang
Athena Chang, from San Jose, CA, is a coterm student studying mechanical engineering and Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadet.
As a 2023 Mayfield Fellow at Stanford, Athena immersed herself in a 9-month entrepreneurship work-study program, where she became increasingly passionate about bridging technology gaps between the Department of Defense bureaucracy and high-growth startup cycle. She launched innovative drone products with Skydio, prototyped mini quadcopters for U.S. Special Operations Forces through Hacking for Defense, influenced lethal autonomous weapons policy at the Hoover Institution, and conducted research on munitions supply chain with the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation.
During her five years in the Air Force ROTC program at Detachment 045 (San José State University), Athena was distinguished as the Air Force ROTC Student of the Year and ROTC All-American as the top cadet nationwide. As the Cadet Wing Commander, the highest-ranking position within the detachment, she oversaw all training and operations for over 70 cadets, which later sparked her interest in national security strategy. Currently, she interns with Air University’s Innovation Accelerator, driving national security innovation projects for U.S. Air Force and Space Force military education. Additionally, she recently joined the Autonomy Team at the Defense Innovation Unit to assess commercial capabilities in drones.
Driven by the global conflicts unfolding, Athena believes that understanding geopolitical affairs is crucial for ethical decision-making and fostering peace. As a Schwarzman Scholar, she aims to improve Sino-American relations, especially concerning dual-use technology. Post-Schwarzman, Athena will attend Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT)—the U.S. Air Force’s most prestigious flying training program—to pursue her dream of flying jets. Her ultimate goal is to shape defense innovation policy for the U.S. military in a senior officer role.