US Navy Lieutenant Asia Allison, who was instilled with leadership qualities from a young age, is currently enhancing her expertise at MIT as a graduate student.
She is part of the Daniel J. Riccio Graduate Engineering Leadership (GradEL) programme, where she is honing her technical leadership skills.
Allison emphasises the importance of this training, saying: “The Navy has a need for engineering leaders. The critical-thinking skills that I am developing in GradEL will be very helpful in the workforce as we tackle a myriad of challenges and bring new ideas to the Navy.”
Born in Norfolk, Virginia, to a Navy family, Allison moved frequently. She recalls being taught leadership from the age of four, particularly when her first sibling was born. “My mom was laying down the foundation for me, showing me what it truly meant to lead by example,” she reflects on her early experiences with responsibility.
Allison’s journey through leadership roles continued at Spelman College, where she studied mathematics. She financed her education through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) and served as a battalion operations officer, directing about 20 other NROTC students. After college, her first assignment involved leading a division of sailors, a role that required her to learn from those she led. “I began by shadowing my sailors so that I could learn their skillset and be able to advocate for them as their leader,” she explains.
A significant turning point in Allison’s career came in 2020 when she failed her Prospective Nuclear Engineering Officer course. This setback forced her to reconsider her career trajectory. “It was also the first time I really failed at something,” she admits. However, this failure eventually led her to MIT, sparking a period of self-discovery and a renewed passion for engineering.
In 2020, Allison transitioned to an engineering duty officer and applied to MIT’s graduate programme in naval construction and engineering. By summer 2021, she began a three-year programme to earn a naval engineer degree and a master’s in mechanical engineering.
Her selection for the GradEL programme in spring 2023 marked another milestone. This programme focuses on developing leaders capable of inspiring teams and spearheading technical advancements. A key component of GradEL is extensive self-reflection, teaching that effective leadership starts with self-awareness and management. Allison credits this programme for deepening her understanding of her leadership style and background. Reflecting on her past failure, she notes: “I was choosing to look at my mistake as an absolute rather than as an opportunity to improve.”
The programme’s emphasis on self-reflection provided Allison with valuable insights: “It helps to know where you want to go based on where you have been.” She also gained perspectives from industry leaders who spoke about overcoming professional challenges, lessons she plans to integrate into her career.
Currently, Allison is working on a master’s thesis project that involves designing a refuelling infrastructure for an offshore nuclear electricity-generation platform. “I really liked the concept with my prior nuclear engineering experience, as well as having taken a sustainability course here at MIT,” she says.
Drawing on both her advanced engineering training and the early lessons from her mother, Allison continues to navigate her path with determination, viewing her mother as her motivational ‘North Star.’
