Meet Katie: Aviation Human Factors, M.S.

I am Katie Reid, a master’s student in the College of Aeronautics here at Florida Tech. My degree will be in aviation human factors. I started at FIT in June 2013 taking one online class to start my graduate career. In August 2013, I officially graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver with my B.S. degree in Psychology. Although my undergrad degree is not typically seen as a degree that has a place in the aviation field, I was determined to find a program where my passions could flourish. FIT had just the degree.

My love for flying started as a young girl when I was given the opportunity to fly in a flight simulator at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, my hometown. I was inspired to pursue a career as a naval pilot when I was a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy, where we were given a plethora of information about aviation in the military. Although that dream was cut short, my desire to work in the aviation field continues. I am excited about my time here at FIT and diving into my degree program.

I am excited about trying out for the brand spanking new women’s lacrosse team at FIT this month. I played lacrosse for 6 years growing up, and coached for two years when I was an undergraduate student. So far I have had a handful of different adventures in Melbourne including paddleboarding, surfing and kayaking. I have even made a trip to Orlando where I found a wonderful dance scene. I am a social dancer and I love dances such as Argentine tango, blues and swing. My adventures here have only begun and I am thrilled to see what other activities I fall into. I am pumped to join the other FIT bloggers to give prospective students an idea of what it is like to be a Panther here at Florida Tech.