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Meet: Denise Varga
Software Engineer
NASA Glenn Research Center
My Journals
Chat Archives
Who I Am
I am a software engineer for NASA, where
I have worked for the last 17 years. Software Engineering is a job in
which you take descriptions for events that need to be carried out by
a computer and determine how to implement these events by selecting hardware
and writing software to perform the task. I'm going to tell you about
my favorite project. From 1992 to 1997, I led a team of software engineers
to develop a software system for a space shuttle experiment called CM-1,
or Combustion Module-1, an experiment to study the formation and properties
of fire in space. CM-1, which was flown aboard MSL-1 in 1997 (both STS-83
in April and STS-94 in July), is a complex combustion experiment with
a lot of instrumentation and hardware that needs to be operated or recorded.
We used three computers to perform the experiment: a laptop that provided
the crew interface; a computer that operated the hardware and read the
instrumentation; and a computer that took camera images and digitized
them for storage and downlink for science analysis. My team and I generated
the design and code for all three of these computers. This experiment
was so successful it is being flown again on a future mission - scheduled
for the year 2001.
These days, however, I am working on an Aeronautics
project called NPSS (National Propulsion Simulation System). In this project,
we are writing a computer simulation of airplane engines and components
so that aerospace companies can design and test new engines using the
computer. This will save companies both time and money because they won't
have to actually build engines and test them in the test cells only to
find there is a problem in the design. These design flaws will be detected
before the time and money is spent to build the engines. This tool will
also be used by researchers to design and test new high-speed engine designs
for airplanes of the future. Some of the goals that airplane manufacturers
are being challenged to meet are quieter engines, more fuel efficiency,
lighter weight materials, improved safety and reliability. The goal of
the NPSS Project is to provide a universal tool to all American engine
companies to assist them in achieving these goals.
My Career Journey
When I was deciding on a major for college, I asked myself, "What am I
good at? What interests me?" I identified my strengths (math and foreign
languages) and interests (music, astronomy). With some help from my father,
I identified computers as a possible field of interest. I asked myself,
"What would I most like to do?" The image of the Apollo launches that
I watched faithfully as a kid came to mind, and I knew immediately I wanted
to work for NASA.
Certainly, NASA was a place that needed computer
professionals. During my college career, I focused on the scientific side
of computer programming rather than the business side, because that was
where my interest was along with NASA's interests. When I graduated in
1982 with a BS degree in computer science from the University of South
Carolina, I sent out resumes to every NASA Center in the nation (there
were 11) and was accepted at Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.
Influences
I would have to say that the two people who influenced me to pursue my
career were Neil Armstrong and my father. Watching Neil made me want to
be an astronaut. I had my application in to the Astronaut Program for
more than ten years. (Unfortunately, I was never selected.) My father
influenced me because he never made me feel like I couldn't do something
because I was a girl. I had two younger brothers, and he always included
me in anything they did. It never occurred to me that any careers weren't
open to me because I was a girl.
Preparation for Career
As I mentioned before, I was deeply interested in the Apollo missions
and faithfully followed NASA at that time. (That's probably why "I Dream
of Jeannie" was one of my favorite shows!) I loved reading all kinds of
books, although I was partial to fantasy and science fiction. The "Lord
of the Rings" was probably my favorite. I loved math and propelled myself
into the advanced class by racing through a self-paced program in 5th
grade. I also became interested in astronomy and did some stargazing when
I had a chance. I loved books on space and the solar system.
Personal Information
A picture of my sons Aaron and Michael at our house. Aaron and Michael
are my ten-year-old twins. I am married and have four boys: twins Aaron
and Michael (age 10), Sean (age 7), Corey (age 4). My husband also works
at NASA.
We have a lot of hobbies in my family. My husband
is an avid drag racer and owns a '72 Mustang that he races every April
through October at a local dragstrip, Norwalk Raceway Park (he's been
in some of the drag racing magazines). My hobbies of astronomy and music
have taken a back seat to computers these days. Most nights nowadays I
can be found playing Sony's online fantasy game EverQuest. The kids are
well versed on the computers, and we have four PCs in our house. As a
family, we also love to camp and backpack and go on about one trip a year.
In the past I have also enjoyed skiing, and I got my private pilot's license
in 1987. My boys are all involved in sports, mainly baseball, basketball,
and football.
If I weren't working at NASA, what would I want to
do? That is an easy question for me. I'd want to be programming computer
and video games. I am currently a Net Yaroze member (for those of you
who don't know what that is - I have a special version of the Sony Playstation
which can be downloaded with homemade games coded and compiled on the
PC). I am teaching myself game programming in my (very sparse) free time.
Likes/Dislikes About Career
I think the most positive aspect of my career is that it is always changing.
It never gets stale. Computers are probably the most rapidly changing
technology in existence today. In my job, you have to keep up with the
changing technology. That means taking classes from time to time, which
can be good or bad depending on whether you like learning new stuff. I
love it.
Probably the most negative aspect of my career is
that it can be long hours. When you program for a shuttle experiment,
the software has to be done on time! That means working long hours to
meet a deadline, if necessary. But, to me, the work is interesting enough
that I don't mind. I get to do some traveling and worked during the shuttle
mission at Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama supporting the operation
of CM-1. I was able to listen to and watch what was going on up on the
shuttle. I have met the astronauts and gone to a party with them. This
is great fun for me, but it is hard on my family when I travel. 1997 was
a busy year because I was in Huntsville for 4 days in April and 16 days
in July (not to mention several simulations during the year), while my
husband went to the Oshkosh Air Show in August for 2 weeks to represent
NASA at our displays. We all survived an exciting year!
Advice
Concentrate on math. Good overall grades are important, too. When trying
to get your first job, all people have to go on are your grades. Spend
as much time with computers as you can. Start out with a wide field of
interest in computers and narrow your interests as you learn more about
different areas of computing.
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