Q&A Session with Tianna Shaw

Q:  If your husband had to move for his job, would you quit your job to move
    with him?

A:  We have discussed this, and it would depend on the situation.  My 
    husband is an aeronautical engineer, so there are a limited number of 
    places where he could work.  On the otherhand, I am an electrical 
    engineer.  I could get a job anywhere, and I also could make more 
    money than he.  We would have to seriously consider the situation to 
    see what would be best for all of us (including our son).  My husband 
    and I both feel that it is important that we both do work that is 
    interesting and exciting, this would be an important factor in our 
    decision.  Also, I have a personal desire to start my own company in 
    ten or fifteen years, so I could do this almost anywhere.  We have
    also discussed moving to my small hometown in Northern California to 
    start a company.  In that case, he would have to follow me and find 
    something else to do.  That would be fine, too, because he'd be happy 
    to design his own planes.


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

A:  I am working on a control system for a human powered centrifuge.  This 
    is a new and unique facility.  It was proposed as a device to counter 
    some of the deliterious effects of a person living in microgravity.  
    We have devices that allow astronauts, for example, to exercise 
    during spaceflight, but they still have some changes take place in 
    their body.  A centrifuge would allow the person to experience a 
    greater acceleration on the body.  Gravity is an acceleration that 
    attracts two masses - or a body to Earth, for example. The concept of 
    a centrifuge is something like the old carnival rides.  When 
    something is spun around it experiences a greater force of 
    acceleration.  We need to determine if combining excercise with 
    acceleration would lessen the changes that take place in a person's 
    body when they are in space.  I am not a physiologist a scientist, 
    but, as an electrical engineer, I am working on a device that will 
    help scientists study the human body and its responses to exercise 
    and acceleration.


Q:  I have never lived anywhere else, and I have not traveled much.  I don't
    even know where NASA-Ames is.  I feel so stupid sometimes asking 
    questions everyone else seems to know the answer to.  Can you suggest 
    ways to get over my feeling this way?

A:  I know it is difficult to do, but don't believe that your questions 
    aren't important.  Most people don't know as much as you may think.  
    Keep asking questions, the more you ask, the more comfortable it will 
    feel.  Also, there are different ways to ask questions.  Although, most 
    opportunities may require asking in front of the rest of a class, you 
    can also ask the individual one-on-one or in writing.  But definitely 
    continue to ask in person as well. It gets better, I know, because I've 
    been through it. I came from a really small town, and there was not a 
    lot of exposure to different types of careers.  I did not know about 
    NASA Ames until I was in graduate school.

Q:  Does your husband help you with your work, or do you help him with his
    work?

A:  We talk a lot about different things going on at work.  He is an 
    aeronautical engineer and I am an electrical engineer.  We usually 
    don't go into a lot of details because the other would be lost, but 
    we do discuss issues, especially about dealing with different people, 
    writing reports, and presenting things to our bosses.  We are also 
    both involved with other activities at work and outside as well.  
    These common interests allow us to work with each other.


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

A: I don't have lab work, but there are potentially times when a project 
   needs to be done by a certain deadline.  I just have been very lucky.  
   It is important that your family and friends are supportive and share 
   in certain responsibilities.  My husband and I, for example, share 
   housework and kid duty.  Depending on our schedules at work, sometimes 
   one or the other has to do extra at home.


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

A:  I think this depends on the environment.  I think that both boys and 
    girls benefit from the varying opinions of others and I would hate to 
    limit that interaction.  On the other hand, if the environment is 
    such that the girls are being neglected or hindered in any way 
    regarding interaction and challenges in a class, it should be 
    considered.  I'd rather see awareness among teachers
    developed so that they do not, either consciously or subconsciously, 
    promote an evironment that lifts boys at the expense of girls.  I 
    know that this happens in terms of inequities in encouragement given 
    to pursue classes and attention given in these classes.  Teachers 
    need to be shown the possibilities and informed that they can be done 
    by any person. (Don't get me wrong, I have tremendous respect for 
    teachers, and think that they should be paid much, much more.  All of 
    my parents are or have been teachers.  My mother and step father 
    teach high school, my step mother teaches elementary school, my 
    father is a former high school teacher.  When they were growing up, 
    effectively, women had two career choices when they entered
    college - nursing or teaching.  Times have changed girls and women; 
    although they have always been capable, are now more likely to be 
    given the opportunity to provide different and necessary views in 
    solving the world's problems.)


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

A:  One thing that I try to do expose girls to the possibilities of things 
    that we (engineers, scientists, etc.) can do.  Realizing that math 
    and science classes form the bases for such exciting work will help 
    improve interest.  Also, showing women doing things with math and 
    science helps.  I attended a Expanding Your Horizons conference when 
    I was in 10th grade - that is when I decided to become an engineer.  
    I did not choose the same fields as the two engineers I saw that day, 
    but the concept of "engineering" has excited me ever since.  Also, I 
    think that teachers need to become more aware of the types of things 
    that be done/careers/work, in general terms, using the skills developed
    by taking these classes.  At the same time, they should acknowledge that 
    they do not know all the possibilities and there are probably a lot 
    more.  I don't think anyone should every be discouraged from taking 
    any class or subject, people should be encouraged to pursue interests 
    - even if it means that they may have to work a little harder.


Q:  WOW!  How many years did you spend in college?

A:  I spent 5 years completing my dual BS degree in Biomedical and 
    Electrical Engineering.  It was outlined as a four year program, but 
    I decided to take longer.  I felt that I was not prepared coming from a 
    very small high school (graduating class size 44), so I did not take 
    every class that was outlined in the schedule my first year.

    I spent a total of three years completing all the course work for an MS 
    degree in Biomedical Engineering and a second in Electrical Engineering.
    Origninally, I just planned for the BME degree, but decided to take 
    extra EE classes to build upon my specialty and interests.  I decided 
    later to go for the second degree because I had so many "extra" 
    units.  It actually took me longer to finish my Masters because I 
    have been working since I finished my classes.  I worked for about 
    two years before I got serious and finished my first thesis, which 
    probably took about a year to complete.  I am now starting my project 
    for my second MS.


Q: What are the biggest drawbacks?

A: Simply not enough time to do all that I would like to do or what I think 
   needs to be done.


Q:  How much did your education cost?  Will you ever make back the money your
    education cost you?

A:  I went to a private university, University of Southern California, for my
    undergraduate (BS) degree.  The cost for tuition, fees, and living 
    probably was about $15,000 my first year to about $20,000, my last 
    year.  The cost would be more now.  My parents are both high school 
    teachers.  They did not make enough money money to pay for all this, but 
    they also made too much for me to get much financial aid.  I applied 
    for A LOT of scholarships my first year, and got a good one from the 
    school, too.  My second year and on, I got support from a competitive 
    fellowship program to which I had to reapply each year.  Finding and 
    applying for the scholarships and fellowship was a lot of work, but 
    worth it.  I ended up with only one student load for my undergraduate 
    education for $2500.  I graduated in 1988, and should have this paid 
    off by 2000 by paying $50 per month.   Typically, student loans are 
    paid off in about ten years, this was delayed because I went to 
    graduate school immediately afterwards.


    I did not apply for many scholarships as a graduate student.  I went to a
    State University for my Masters, and I thought other people would 
    need the money more than myself.  I also started working in the 
    engineering field the summer before I graduated with my BS, continued 
    for my last school year and during the summer as a graduate student.

    I was able to pay for most of my expenses.  I did, however, have to 
    take out one student loan for $4400 and another loan for $3000 during 
    the three years I was taking classes.  I have been working full time 
    for about three years, the $3000 is paid off fully and the $4400 is 
    paid at a rate of $50 per month, similar to the one loan I had as an 
    undergraduate.

   I have easily been able to pay back the money I needed to borrow for my
   schooling.  My husband and I, together, make as much money as my 
   parents do now (my parents have been teaching for 30 years).  The 
   money may seem like a lot while you are in school, but once you have a 
   job, you realize it was worth it.


Q: I would like to go to a top university, but I am a little scared to leave
   Ukiah.  What helped you the most to get through being scared at first?

A: I grew up in a small town north of Ukiah, a place called Hoopa.  I went to
   school in Los Angeles.  That was a HUGE transition.  I picked USC 
   because it is a top engineering school AND the degree program was what 
   I was really interested in doing.  One thing that helped most in 
   leaving for the school (besides the fact that I really didn't know 
   what I was getting into) was to keep in mind that going to and 
   succeeding at a top university was important to me, was a goal I had 
   for myself.

   I had a lot of emotional support from my family and friends.  Whenever I 
   felt things weren't going well, I talk it over with my mother and she 
   encouraged me.  I also made a good friend with someone who worked in 
   the department at school.  That made me feel more comfortable with 
   the department, and I felt like I had support there if I needed, even 
   when it came to other things or interactions with other departments 
   at the school as well.


Q: What is very inspiring about your work? What do you find the most 
   rewarding in this kind of work? 

A: I combined these two questions...

   It is inspiring and exciting to work on projects that potentially have 
   impact way beyond the inital purpose.  For example, as an engineer, I 
   make it possible for researchers/scientist to make important discoveries 
   about life science research, understanding the human body and 
   mechanism, and also know that some of this research and things 
   developed will go way beyond NASA initiatives to enhance the health 
   and livelihood of all people.