Meet: Jerry Jason

Who I Am

I am currently a flight controller in the Mechanical, Maintenance, Arm and Crew Systems (MMACS) Group. My job responsibility during a shuttle flight is to monitor the mechanical systems, such as the Auxiliary Power Units, and make sure everything is operating normally. If something does go wrong I have the training to handle the problem. When a shuttle is not in operation I have a busy agenda of training and preparing for the next flight. Being a flight controller means continuous training.

My Career Journey

I received my Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering from Michigan Technological University in 1991. Michigan Tech is located in the Upper Peninsula and is primarily an engineering institution. After graduation I worked five years at a company called Surface Combustion, which is located in Toledo, Ohio. There I was a field service engineer and a product development engineer. I was recently hired by the United Space Alliance and am working as a flight controller.

Influences

I can vividly remember my experiences in the sixth grade, which in the last year of elementary school in Michigan. The home room teacher, Mr. Dave Jensen, had a profound impact on my life. Mr. Jensen had the ability to make school an interesting and fun learning experience. I can remember him, in science class, pointing to a object in the class and asking "What is this made of?" The class would respond "molecules." Then he would point to another object and ask the same question, just a bit louder, and the class would answer a bit louder, "molecules." This continued for several choruses until we were almost yelling the word "MOLECULES." I bet every kid in that class got that question right on the test. In reflection, his class taught me the basics of being an engineer. How to be organized, how to use deductive reasoning, how to be competitive, and most importantly how respect others.

Personal Information

One fact I would like everybody to remember about me is that I enjoy life and the challenges that come with it.

Some of the activities I like to participate in are whitewater kayaking, ice hockey and woodworking.

My Family

I was born and raised in the city of Westland, Michigan, which is a suburb of Detroit. I stayed in Westland for 18 years until I went to college. Being from a highly populated suburb of Detroit, I had the chance to make several friends. The best man at my wedding was a friend I met in kindergarten, some 20 years previous.

My parents still live in the same house I grew up in. Westland was a great city to grow up in; I had plenty of friends and many activities to participate in.

I currently reside in Houston, Texas. I have been married to my wife Mindy for four years. We have two black Labrador-mix dogs, Cody and Sierra. I think the dogs think they are our children, or least my wife does.

Mindy and I, along with Cody and Sierra, enjoy going on camping trips. We usually coordinate them with a kayaking a river.

Likes About Career

I can not imagine having a better job. I have always wanted to be involved in the space program and now I have an opportunity to contribute.

My Future Plans and Goals

My future career plans include higher flight controller certifications and more management responsibility.

[Read about Jerry Jason's desires to become a pilot in his additional thoughts.]