11 Mar 2021

Women at NASA are making history every day by contributing to groundbreaking missions and projects in the areas of space, science and aeronautics. They’re also dedicated to inspiring the next generation of explorers to break new boundaries. We’re celebrating Women’s History Month by recognizing their stories and contributions to exploration and beyond.

Interview Questions:

1. Tell us briefly about your work for NASA and when you first knew you wanted to join the agency.
   I am currently the Ground Ops Lead for the X-59 QueSST aircraft. In a nutshell, I am the Ops Engineer that is responsible for overseeing the ground operations planning and execution, maintenance, servicing, and logistics support of the X-59. As an Operations Engineer you wear many hats so you have to be prepared for wherever you are needed and be able to look at the “big picture” view of a project, especially with a new aircraft.
2. Prior to working on X-59, I was the Ops Engineer of the Support Fleet King Airs. In that role, I was able to work many different projects, including capturing supersonic shockwave interaction in flight (AirBOS4) and several Earth Science related campaigns with JPL (DopplerScatt, AirSWOT).
3. How has your job shifted due to the global pandemic?
   A lot of working from the home office and Teams/Skype meetings. A lot more phone calls than visits to offices/hangars to talk to folks. I think I’ve been to Armstrong three times since last March and once to Lockheed Martin to see the X-59 being built. It’s made things more challenging, but it also shows how much we can adapt to new situations to accomplish the mission.
4. Have you overcome any challenges to get where you are?
   I didn’t take the typical straightforward path to industry after I received my Aerospace Engineering degree. I wanted to get students motivated in science and technology, so I entered a Ph.D. program in Educational Psychology and Technology. I realized while I was in that program, that while I loved what I was doing, I really missed engineering. So, I left that program to look for a job in industry. It was a challenge due to the break in time, but a bit hard work, determination, and not giving up goes a long way.
5. Have you overcome any challenges as a woman to get where you are? 
   I would like to be able to say that I did not overcome any challenges as a female to get where I currently am, but there are times where I have had to prove myself more than others. I don’t feel like it’s been nearly as difficult at NASA as maybe other areas of the industry could be, and I attribute that to the workforce and culture here. It might have been different several years ago, but as with all industries, things are changing for the better.
6. Share with us any women who inspired you as role models.
   Sally Ride, Megan McArthur – NASA Astronauts
   Dr. Candace Wark – Professor at Illinois Tech
7. Share with us your favorite quote.
   This one is tough. I think I have two, that aren’t related to John Muir or Ansel Adams:
   - “Find what you love to do and do it.” – NASA Astronaut Megan McArthur (advice she gave me)
   - “If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.” – F.A. Clark
8. What is your favorite part of your job?
   I would say there are a few favorite parts of my job: working with folks who share a passion for aeronautics and space, the variety of what I get to do from day to day, and working on a great team that is part of an exciting project. When I have the opportunity, I love being able to support aviation career days. Most recently I have been fortunate enough to support the ones at LAX and Van Nuys. It was great to be able to talk to students about my career, answer any questions they have, and try and inspire that next generation. 
9. Explain briefly the importance of education in your upbringing.
   Education was important to me. I was always curious and wanted to know “why?” I grew up in a small town in Michigan and my local school didn’t offer much in the way of math and science. I was fortunate enough to be accepted into a dedicated advanced math and science center in high school where I could keep asking “why?” The school was 30 minutes from where I lived, and I split the school day between there and my high school, but it was worth the extra effort needed.
10. Do you have any recommendations for others like yourself who may be contemplating a career at NASA?
    Don’t give up, do what you love, and jump at opportunities that you’re interested in. As with my life, sometimes the path isn’t a straight line. I spent a lot of summers doing astrophysics research while studying aerospace engineering. I apply some of my Ph.D. coursework and research to what I do today. Not everyone takes the same path or has the same background, that’s what makes working at NASA great – it’s diverse!
11. What does Women’s History Month mean to you?
    Women’s History Month to me is a time to celebrate the role that women have in society. For so long we were on the “backburner” and it’s just amazing to see what all we’ve had a role in, whether it’s in the spotlight or not. It’s also a good chance to really see what other women are up to in industry, whether engineering or some other discipline.
12. What do you wish you had known as a young female contemplating a career in engineering?
    Be open to opportunities. Don’t be set in what you want to do early on as sometimes what you really enjoy the most isn’t what you thought you’d be doing. I wanted to work on the space side of the industry due to my shared passion for astronomy/astrophysics. Turns out, I’m having the most fun working the aeronautics side of things. Now, I just get to enjoy astronomy/astrophysics as a hobby and I’m okay with that.
13. What is your perspective on how the role of women in STEM has changed over your career?
    The role of women in STEM has grown so much over my career. When I received my undergraduate degree back in 2004, there were very few women in my class. Now, I hear that there are a lot of clubs/organizations on campus being led by women. I have seen more and more women being vocal and leading the way in various aspects of STEM. To me that is progress and it’s great to see.