Shayla Rivera
- Aerospace Engineer and former Rocket Scientist with NASA
- Professor of Practice - College of Engineering at Texas A&M; Director of ENGR[x]
- Stand up comedian featured on NBC’s Today Show and HBO Latino's "Shayla Rivera: It's Not Rocket Science"
- Breast Cancer Survivor
Shayla Rivera is not just any kind of rocket scientist—she is a hilarious rocket scientist. Who knew science and engineering could be so entertaining? Fascinated with human behavior and having the desire to inspire people with laughter, Shayla Rivera draws on her experience from NASA, education in aerospace engineering and psychology, time in corporate sales,
read the restShayla Rivera is not just any kind of rocket scientist—she is a hilarious rocket scientist. Who knew science and engineering could be so entertaining? Fascinated with human behavior and having the desire to inspire people with laughter, Shayla Rivera draws on her experience from NASA, education in aerospace engineering and psychology, time in corporate sales, and life on the road during her comedy club tours to liven up audiences.
Her skills and abilities are not limited to comedy and science. Shayla has delved into both the sales and financial services industry, which has given her the expertise to train personnel for Fortune 500 companies and organizations nationwide. She has also acted and appeared in numerous television shows on major networks, including NBC, HBO, Lifetime Real Women Network, Univision, and Telemundo, just to name a few. She was nominated for Best Lead Actress by the NAACP Theater Awards.
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Shayla Rivera is bi-lingual in English and Spanish. She is a recipient of the Mario Moreno Cantinflas award, granted by the city of Los Angeles for her influence in the Latino community. She is also invested in offering comedy and hope to the United States servicemen and women stationed around the world, earning the President’s Volunteer Service Award by the President’s Council on Service Participation.
On top of all that, Shayla is also a breast cancer survivor. With her life experiences, her professional experiences, and her comedy skills, she strives to encourage and uplift others. Shayla currently resides in Austin, Texas as a Professor of Practice at Texas A&M and Director at ENGR[x}, a professional training program for engineering students.
read less"Fearing what we don't understand only promotes limitations in our growth."
