Evelyn Miralles is an executive, leader, and pioneer in computer technology with 30 years of extensive experience in roles within the public and private sectors. She has a successful record of creating partnerships and generating initiatives that lead to innovative solutions, benefiting our growing diverse and digitally connected world.

During her 27-year tenure at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Miralles served as the Chief Principal Engineer within the Engineering Division leading a highly technical, visible, and critical astronaut training facility supporting R&D for operations in
space. Her computer acumen and vision helped to advance human space exploration by developing state-of-the-art flight software and hardware systems to prepare astronauts to perform dangerous excursions in microgravity. She led the development of innovative immersive graphical applications that successfully supported every Space Shuttle and International Space Station mission since 2000, as well as helped to establish the Commercial Crew Program in 2011. Miralles co-wrote the state-of-the-art flight software Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphics (DOUG), the first virtual reality-ready training tool used to prepare astronauts for spaceflight.

Currently, Miralles serves an administrative leadership role in higher education as the Associate Vice President for Strategic Information Initiatives and Technology at the University of Houston Clear Lake, where she is an executive and advisor to the President’s office. Miralles provides guidance in matters of policy and development of procedures and monitors and oversees their implementation and enrollment impacts via her participation in shared governance committees such as the University Council, Planning and Budgeting, and Facilities and Support Services. She also serves as a lecturer for the College of Computer Science and Engineering, where she provides presentations on technologies and business strategic planning. In her position, Miralles successfully founded the new Institute for Human and Planetary Sustainability (IHAPS), which aims to promote innovative solutions and sustainable outcomes to global challenges through a multi-disciplinary approach and applied research bringing social, economic, environmental, and educational perspectives to the forefront. She serves as a member of the Great Houston Partnership (GHP) organization (Aerospace and Aviation Committee), the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership (BAHEP), the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), and the American Association of States Colleges and Universities (AASCU).

Miralles has been honored with the prestigious Flight Safety Award presented by NASA’s Astronaut Crew Office. She also received the University of Houston Clear Lake Distinguished Alumna award in 2016, among other national and international recognitions. She was named one of BBC’s Top 100 Inspirational Women in the World in 2016, one of CNET’s Top 20 Most Influential Hispanics in Technology for 2015 and 2016. She lends her experience and knowledge to the field of computer engineering and mixed reality technologies, as well as her passion and experience in executive leadership and strategic planning on a national and international level, commercially, and within government agencies and universities. Among her proudest roles, however, is to encourage young students and professionals to pursue and succeed in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education through lectures and other outreach efforts. Miralles holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Graphics (CS) from Lamar University, a Bachelor’s in Computer Information Systems (CIS), and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Houston Clear Lake.