CSU video honors Sue van den Heever, first woman to lead NASA Earth Venture Mission
In honor of Women’s History Month, Colorado State University produced a video about Professor Sue van den Heever and her distinction as the first woman to lead a NASA Earth Venture Mission. The mission, INCUS, is a $177 million project that will study storms in the tropics, to improve weather and climate models.
The Investigation of Convective Updrafts mission will deploy three small satellites, known as SmallSats, to explore why convective storms, heavy precipitation and clouds form exactly when and where they do, and why only some storms produce extreme weather. INCUS is expected to launch in late 2026 or early 2027.
In the video, van den Heever encourages others to follow their passions and not give in to self-doubt.
“Imposter syndrome always tries to make us not trust ourselves or downplay who we are. Trust yourself.”