Q&A Session with Susan Bowley

Q: What exactly does an AST-Manned Systems person do?

A: The AST-Manned Systems is a generic title for engineers working in Life
   Sciences.  I have a background in Mechanical Engineering and am 
   studying now for a degree in Biomedical Engineering.  I have worked in 
   a research lab and I've been a project engineer for the construction 
   of a Human Powered Centrifuge.  Currently, I spend some time working 
   on general engineering and design related to rat cages for shuttle 
   experiments.  I hope to be working on my own research project 
   sometime this summer.  Some of the other engineers with this title work in 
   labs, manage projects for the shuttle, or do general engineering to 
   support the Life Science projects.


Q: What do you find the most rewarding in this kind of work?

A: What I find most rewarding about my kind of work is that I'm usually 
   allowed to be independent and allowed to have creative expression of  
   my ideas.


Q: Can you describe a problem you are working to solve i.e. an example of
   an actual project?

A: I hope to be working on a research project related to using a NASA thermal
   model to better understand thermoregulation and heat transfer of an
   anesthesized patient during surgery (since everyone undergoing surgery 
   becomes hypothermic and this can cause serious health problems).


Q: Although I am of a different generation, I still experience a lot of
   sexism from males.  Having been through it already, what would you 
   recommend that I can do about it?

A: I think you should always try to think of sexism from males as having a
   positive aspect...and trying to focus on that.  I believe most of it comes
   from a general insecurity of themselves and their capabilities.  Men 
   usually don't want to admit that they don't know something, especially 
   in front of a female.  I try to make them feel comfortable with me so 
   they relax and don't think that I'm judging them.  The main thing you 
   can do is remember to have your own inner direction and to never give 
   up.  There will be alot of opposition in your life that you need to 
   find your own way of dealing with, as long as you stay focused on 
   your own goals.


Q: Do you deal with sexism differently now than you did in the past?

A: Yes.  When I was in school and first exposed to sexism, I was very 
   surprised to be treated differently because of my sex.  My father was 
   an engineer and never treated me as inferior, nor did my mother.  Over 
   the years here at NASA, it has been difficult sometimes to have to 
   deal with sexism and to try and get the work done in the meantime.  I 
   found most of it came from older men who were not used to dealing with 
   women technically and probably did not go to school with women engineers.  
   It is difficult when they don't respect your technical competence.  I 
   think now I realize that there are some men out there (and people in 
   general) who just will have no respect for me or my educational credentials
   no matter what.  I know that probably every technical woman needs to prove 
   her competence continuously no matter how much education or experience she 
   has, and I think that is tiring, but has a good outcome in that struggling 
   through makes you a better person in the long run.  At least now I'm not as
   surprised when I'm faced with someone who's a sexist, and I suppose that's 
   what I've learned.


Q: As an established scientist, do you still feel people "leaning against
   you" or putting pressure on you because you are female?

A: Well...I'm not really an established scientist yet...but I'd say I'm an
   established engineer...and yes, I still feel alot of pressure from other
   people for being female in a male dominated field....not always 
   necessarily from just the people I'm working around...or just from 
   males.


Q: How do you balance free time with your work, especially with lab work or
   experiments which may last into late shifts?

A: I make sure to set time aside for relaxing away from work doing things 
   that reduce my stress and are very different from my work.


Q: What are some ideas you have for us about improving female enrollment in
   math and science classes and careers.

A: I think all female classes and engineering schools would be beneficial.  
   Also, it would be good to have more female teachers in science, math and 
   engineering (from grammer school on through graduate school).  The 
   teachers should focus more on science being a study of nature and FUN 
   for everyone (if taught correctly), along with encouraging individual 
   ideas and creativity from every student.


Q: What kind of experiments and testing do you do in your lab?

A: I don't have an established research project yet...but I can tell you that
   most of the testing I've done is related to taking experimental data...the
   types of experiments I've done include: pull testing a joint to determine
   maximum load experimentally, measuring frequency output, baseline 
   measurements for determining uncertainty of an instrument, and various 
   checks of sensor readout information.


Q: What are the biggest drawbacks?

A: The biggest drawbacks are that sometimes there is alot of resistance 
   to new ideas and independent thinking.  This usually happens when 
   dealing with managers, and unfortunately is the way the world is most 
   of the time. Fortunately, opposition promotes independent thinking.


Q: What is your opinions on whether we should push for all female math 
   classes?

A: I think all female math classes should exist in every school, I don't 
   know if they should be manditory for all females.  I also think it's good 
   to have math classes (and science and engineering) where males and 
   females are intermixed, since when students leave school, that is the 
   type of world they will have to learn to live in and still learn...


Q: What is very inspiring about your work?

A: The inspiring part of my work is remembering that I'm doing work which 
   will effect the future of humankind, here and in space.