Who am I?

As an experiment support scientist, I work with researchers and NASA to develop experiments for space. I must understand the research objectives and be able to explain the information to the project team, which includes engineers and payloads (logistics) groups. Together we identify requirements, build hardware and schedule it for launch on the space shuttle.

My Career Journey

I ended up working at NASA by accident. I was originally looking through the newspaper for work in a laboratory. I saw the position advertised at NASA and I was interested in it because most people in my field do not know about things like this.

I earned my college degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Beyond obtaining my college science degree, I had no actual preparation for my position at NASA, but felt that I would be able to do the job. However, a strong background consisting of skills in science, writing and organization are important criteria for the job.

Influences

I have always been interested in how things work and ask a lot of questions. When I was younger I was involved in science fairs and other extracurricular activities. During high school I enrolled in a lot of science classes because I was interested in what I was learning. When I was older and in college I interned in a laboratory. I was able to practice what I had been learning in high school and college.

Personal Information

I'm sports oriented and adventurous. I like diving and learning about nature. I was born in Cupertino, Calif. and lived there until I was 9 years old. Then I moved to Tucson, Ariz., and went to the University of Arizona. After I graduated from college I returned to California to look for employment.

Likes/Dislikes About Career

I like the travel and international relations in my work. I like the cooperative efforts with different cultures, like the Russians. I like seeing and learning about different countries. The worst part about my work is documenting everything. For every item I use in an experiment, I must write down the exact amount. If I need 12 Q-Tips for an experiment, I have to write down exactly how many I used. It's very tedious.

My Plans and Goals

I like what I am doing now. A position like mine takes time to develop. Some experiences must be allowed to take form. In the near future I plan to return to school to obtain a master's degree.