From Physics to Cybersecurity: Emily Togaga’e Leads the Way in Aviation Technology at Hill Air Force Base

By Isabelle, with assistance from Alli
May 29, 2024
Location: Clearfield, Utah

In the world of cutting-edge aviation technology, Emily Togaga’e is a name you need to know. As a computer engineering team lead at Hill Air Force Base (HAFB) and finalist for the Women Tech Award, Emily’s story is one of brains, determination, and a sprinkle of good ol’ fashioned grit. This ain’t your average tech story, folks. Emily’s journey, from the heartland to the frontline of cybersecurity, is all about pushing boundaries and proving that with enough hustle, you can reach for the sky – literally.

Early Life and Education: From Wisconsin Winters to the World of Physics

Emily’s story starts like a feel-good movie montage. Picture this: Wisconsin winters, a loving family facing their share of struggles, and a young Emily dead-set on defying the odds. As a first-generation college student at BYU-Idaho, she dove headfirst into the world of academia, initially drawn to the mind-bending realm of physics.

But here’s the plot twist – Emily’s scientific curiosity wasn’t confined to just one discipline. She quickly realized that computer science was the secret sauce, the magic ingredient weaving its way into every scientific field imaginable. And just like that, her path to becoming a coding guru began.

A Computer Modeling Club and Uranium Dioxide: Not Your Average College Resume

Remember that movie montage? Yeah, it’s about to get even better. Not content with just acing her classes, Emily took her passion to the next level. She founded a computer modeling club at BYU-Idaho, because why not, right? This wasn’t just some after-school hobby; this club meant business. They were crunching numbers and generating data that caught the attention of some pretty bigwigs – the Idaho National Laboratory, to be exact.

And if you’re thinking this led to an internship, you’d be absolutely right. Emily snagged a coveted spot at the laboratory, where she got to flex her coding muscles by simulating uranium dioxide usage in nuclear reactors. Yeah, you read that right. This wasn’t your average internship, folks. This was next-level science, and Emily was killing it.

Trading the Lab Coat for a Flight Suit (Metaphorically Speaking): Hill Air Force Base Beckons

Now, you might be thinking, “Hold up, what does all this physics and uranium stuff have to do with aviation and cybersecurity?” Well, buckle up, buttercup, because this is where Emily’s story takes flight (pun intended).

Despite majoring in physics, it was Emily’s mad computer science skills that landed her a sweet gig at HAFB straight outta college. Turns out, the Air Force has a thing for people who can wrangle code like nobody’s business. And let’s be real, who wouldn’t want to work on cutting-edge aviation tech? Talk about a dream job!