Who I Am and What I Do

I am a computer engineer working as an aerospace technician for the development of ground support equipment at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). I develop automated systems, specifically the electrical design and the control software for the ground support equipment at KSC. Some of these systems focus on data acquisition; they use sensors to take measurements and display them to an operator. Other systems are automated machines (robots) that move to perform tasks.

My area of expertise lies mainly in developing control software and graphical user interfaces (GUIs). I use high level software languages such as C, C++, LabWindows, and Visual Basic to mention a few, and apply principles of psychology to build screens that are efficient and easy to use.

One of the first projects that I worked on was the Automated Tile Processing System (ATPS), a robot designed to inspect and waterproof the thermal protection tiles that cover the underside of the orbiter. I also designed and implemented some of the electrical portions and all of the control software and user interface for the Advanced Life Support Automated Remote Manipulator (ALSARM), a robot used to measure the environment of a plant growth chamber. ALSARM will help us to better understand how to efficiently grow plants on a Moon or Mars base. I am currently finishing the Solid Rocket motor Stacking Enhancement Tool (SSET) project, where I developed all of the software and electrical system. See my January field journal for more information on this project! I hope to begin work soon on the Sine Bar project, a tool that will measure the circularity of each solid rocket motor segment.

My Career Journey

I graduated from Crestview High School in northwest Florida in 1980. After high school, I worked as a drum instructor at the same school while taking some classes at Okaloosa Walton Community College. I also worked as a cook at one of our local restaurants. I met my wife, Ronda, in 1982 and we were married one and a half years later. We then moved to Pensacola, Florida, where I worked at a "Steak and Ale" restaurant. I eventually learned every job in the store, from dishwasher to manager. I finished my undergraduate degree at Pensacola Junior College, and went on to the University of West Florida.

I finally graduated from the UWF in 1990 with a systems and control engineering degree. This degree specialized in digital control systems (computers), feedback control theory (machine control), and software engineering. I then interviewed at Kennedy Space Center in 1990 and began working at KSC in early 1991 as system software engineer for the Check-out, Control and Monitor Subsystem (CCMS), the computer system used to monitor and control each space shuttle mission from landing through launch. I learned the software development process, and discovered that the most expensive part of software was maintaining it after it was released, not in creating it as I had thought. In 1995, I began working for the Advanced Systems Analysis Division, which has recently been renamed as the Automated Ground Support Systems Laboratory, where I began my automated systems work.

Influences

My father was a major influence in my life. While growing up in Titusville, Florida, my father worked for McDonnell Douglas at KSC. I would watch the huge Saturn V launches from my backyard, knowing that my father was involved with the space program. I was captivated by the idea that space is infinitely vast and almost completely unexplored, and proud that my father was one of the explorers. One of my college professors, Dr. Royce Harbor, became another big influence in my life. He taught me that mathematics was a language. He was without a doubt one my toughest teachers academically, but I learned more from him than any other teacher.

Personal Information

I am married to my wonderful wife Ronda, and we are the parents of three children. In my spare time I coach and play soccer, conduct puppeteer shows for my church, play drums, guitar, and synthesizer, and am an avid computer gamer!

Likes About Career

What I like most about my career is the incredible feeling of accomplishment that I get when I get to see the machine move as I intended when I programmed it. At first, the task always seems insurmountable. It's kind of like how you feel when you are told to clean your room, and you just don't know where to begin. After pondering over the problem, though, you see that it's really just a bunch of smaller tasks that all need to be done. One by one, the tasks are completed, and pretty soon you can see the finish line. I get a real thrill when the robot that I programmed comes to life. Another thing that I love about my career is the variety. Each project has its own new problems to solve, which means that with each new project, I learn and grow a little more. My career may be hectic sometimes, but it's never boring.

My Future Plans and Goals

I intend to continue working at Kennedy Space Center in my present job to gain more experience and to learn all that I can. I would then like to move to an area of NASA research, particularly in the area of interplanetary exploration. I can only imagine the rush that the Mars Pathfinder developers must have felt as they saw their robot doing its job! Besides, using automated systems (robots) to explore our solar system seems to be the safest and least expensive approach. The more I see, the more I realize that mankind is on the verge of exciting new discoveries, and I'd like to be a part of it. My second goal is to start my own business someday. I believe that the next few decades will be very profitable for software developers who can build programs that fill a need in our society. And tools are becoming available that make it easy to create software.

Advice

Don't be intimidated by what you perceive others to be. When I first came to Kennedy Space Center, I expected to see tons of brilliant scientists doing things that I never could. I was amazed to find that they are ordinary people like you and me. They have simply taken the challenge to rise to the occasion and do great things. It's astounding what you can accomplish if you just try. Second, compare yourself only with yourself, never compare yourself with others. You are successful if you are now better at something than you were in the past. Even a failure can be a success if you learned something. Finally, if you are going to learn a software language, learn JAVA, it's going to be huge!