Lt. Col. Arminta J. Harness (USAF Ret) [1928 – 2010]
Arminta Harness (Minta) was born March 2, 1928, in Oilton, Oklahoma. After two years at Lindenwood College for Women in Missouri, she enrolled at the University of Southern California (USC) and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Aeronautical Engineering. She was the second woman to receive an engineering degree from USC. She went on to have a distinguished career with the United States Air Force and Westinghouse. Minta was truly a trailblazer and mentor for women in technical fields. 
Career Minta joined the Air Force when she found companies would not hire a woman engineer. Although she was the first woman engineer in the Air Force, she was initially given administrative assignments. Once in an engineering position, she had an illustrious career which included many firsts. She designed and tested intelligence gathering and other experimental equipment for aircraft. She served as the Program Chief for the Gemini Target Vehicle. The Apollo program later used that technology. She retired as a Lt. Colonel after 24 years. Her last position was Executive Director and Deputy Chief for Space Communications Systems for the Space and Missile Systems Organization. Minta then worked for four years as Manager of Laboratory Planning for Westinghouse Hanford Company’s nuclear development lab.
SWE Minta was a Life Member and Fellow of SWE. She held many leadership positions including Society President from 1976-78. She received the Distinguished Service Award in 2000. As part of her third career as an artist, she designed and sculpted the SWE Resnik Challenger Medal which is given to the recipient of that award.
Other Affiliations Minta is registered in the Military Women’s Memorial at Arlington, Virginia. She was a Past President of the Los Angeles Club of Zonta International, dedicated to making the world a better place by empowering women. A Fellow of the Institute for the Advancement of Engineering, she received their Engineering Achievement Merit Award in 1971.
