Huntsville STEM women leading Homeland protection

Protecting our nation from enemy missile attacks.

Some top huntsville leaders in science and technology are playing key roles in that critical effort.

And they just so happen to be women.

Waay 31 news anchor pat simon reports on their mission to defend us, while also helping young girls who are waiting in the wings.

Music up / file video: test missile courtesy: northrop grumman / raytheon its something most of us never think about.

Alisha jacobs coo - lsinc corporation "i think we have the potential to lose our normal everyday life."

At any moment melissa morrison-ellis director of raytheon technologies "the threat is getting worse and we know that."

Our country could be attacked by an enemy ballistic missile.

Angela johns program director - northrop grumman "the stakes are high, so what we do has to be on alert 24/7, and it has to work every time."

To ensure our nation's protection, this week, the missile defense agency, headquartered in huntsville, awarded contracts to northrop grumman and raytheon to develop the next generation interceptor or ngi ... a sheild against foreign attacks.

Melissa morrison-ellis director of raytheon technologies "i would say we're protected today, but we need to do more."

And leading the way ... is a growing group of women who happen to live in our own backyard.

Angela johns program director - northrop grumman "we run a number of programs for the missile defense agency."

Angela johns manages 11- hundred of the best and brightest minds in the world ... here in huntsville.

Angela johns program director - northrop grumman "i lead a group of engineers who protect the country everyday, so if the enemy should shoot a missile at us, we can shoot it up of the sky and keep the united states of america safe."

Melissa morrison-ellis doesn't build the rockets that help intercept threats, she runs the team that does.

Melissa morrison-ellis director of raytheon technologies "i'm the one tapping into other functions be it digital, technology or quality or engineering or whatever the case may be those other functions that are needed to get the job done."

Raytheon came to alisha jacobs and her company lsinc because of their specialty in integration.

Alisha jacobs coo - lsinc corporation "what we are able to do is take and design an idea and integrate other technology and create a final deliverable, so in this case something that intercepts missiles.

" butt with "i want to protect those around me, and i want to make sure there's a future."

Nats of classroom that future includes this next generation of young women nats here at the alabama school of cyber technology and engineering.

Nats on this day ... only these young women are participating ... by design.

Rosemary hodges dean -alabama school of cyber technology and engineering "we specifically wanted to zero in on girls to give them some unique opportunities so they can see they don't have to be a minority in this field."

It's a much-needed program to help bridge the gap ... in what's still considered a male dominated field.

Angela johns "i think women are increasingly leading teams both in defense and all of the stem related fields, and we need women at the table."

Nats then freeze screen gfx - census : women in stem careers much more women are needed when you consider some of the latest census figures.

While strides have been made over the last 50 years, only 27- percent of women in the workforce are currently in stem-related careers.

Nats kaitlynn lynn student "sometimes the boys tend to take over the projects."

That's why programs like this all-female environment are created to provide freedom for female students like 14 year old kaitlynn lynn to collaborate and learn.

Kaitlynn lynn "with girls, we kind of work together more.

And we don't have that problem with people trying to take over."

Valencia yabo-dasse student "i want to be a software engineer."

15 year old valencia yabo- dasse is also learning from mentors like melissa morrison-ellis on how to speak up ... but be a good listener too.

Valencia yabo-dasse student "don't be intimidated.

Step in and if you're not getting your point through, make it go through".

Melissa morrison-ellis "i'm still the person in the room that