[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 0 - 09:34:40 ]
Hello to our early arriving Space Team Online and Challenge Project participants! The Space Team Online-Challenge chat with Dr. Rose Grymes from NASA Ames Research Center will begin in approximately 25 minutes. Be sure you have read Rose's autobiography at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/challenge/team/grymes.html before joining this chat. Once the chat begins, Rose will attempt to answer as many of your questions as she can, but please be patient. We are scheduled to have many participants online for today's chat, so we ask that you post one question at a time, and please wait a few minutes before posting new questions. This will greatly help us to keep up with and answer your questions.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 1 - 09:35:05 ]
In the event that we begin to receive too many questions during the chat, the chat may be "moderated." This means that only a few questions will be posted at a time, until Rose can catch up with us. So we again ask that you give Rose time to answer your questions before submitting new ones. As a reminder, please remember to enter "Your Handle" in the box provided, before posting questions to the chat room. Once you've done this, please let us know that you have logged on for today's chat.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 5 - 09:58:32 ]
RE: [Eugene-Blackline] Hi, what's you think about "Greenpeace"? E. Ivanov, Russia
Eugene, we'll get started in a few minutes. Please hold your questions for now. Thanks for joining us today!

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 6 - 09:59:42 ]
Hello and welcome to today's Space Team Online-Challenge Project chat with Rose Grymes from NASA Ames Research Center! Although Rose's primary associates are from science and engineering disciplines, she maintains close working relationships with people within and outside NASA. By working with other agencies, academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and the private sector, Rose and her team are able to develop and implement educational, public, and professional society outreach activities.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 7 - 10:00:00 ]
And now, here is Rose Grymes to answer your questions.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 9 - 10:02:03 ]
Weloome. Although usually based at Ames Research Center in California, where the NASA 'Lead' responsibility for Life Sciences Outreach resides, today I am at Kennedy Space Center. Join NASA and see the world, I guess!

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 10 - 10:03:43 ]
RE: [MrsWilkins/MtCarmel-Mrs.Wilkins/MtCarmel] We have two questions: where did your parents come from and what did you study at Stanford? Thanks!
My mother grew up in Wales, and my father in Poland. They met in London after the Second World War. I was born there, and moved to California when I was two. At Stanford, I started in Medical Microbiology, and added Cancer Biology in my second year of graduate school, graduating with PhD in Cancer Biology, but with my work in Med Micro recognized as well.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 11 - 10:04:58 ]
RE: [Eugene-Blackline] Hi, what's you think about "Greenpeace"? E. Ivanov, Russia
I don't know about Greenpeace. What do you think about it?

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 15 - 10:06:01 ]
RE: [Bojan-Mr.Cahtarevic/KSC] Hello
Hello, Bothan

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 16 - 10:06:03 ]
RE: [Bojan-Mr.Cahtarevic/KSC] Hello
Welcome, Bojan. Rose Grymes is online with us today to answer your questions.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 19 - 10:09:14 ]
RE: [Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry] Sorry it took so long to log on. My students would like to ask you: How important is mathematics in your field of science?
An understanding of mathematics is important. Statistics, too, because both are used in analysis. I always liked math, still do!, because it is so logical and full of interesting patterns. I think that the ability to 'feel' the patterns, and to see with 'commonsense' what mathematics is telling you about the scientific world, is a terribly useful skill.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 22 - 10:11:11 ]
RE: [Eugene-Blackline] Hello Mr. Grymes, the people from Space Team Online after contact became workmans in Nasa?
Are you asking how individuals become NASA employees, and is this exposure to Space Team Online a first step? Well, I suppose that understanding what the agency's mission is about through participation in these on-line chats is quite helpful in picturing yourself somewhere within the agency. Remember that many private businesses contract with NASA to do agency business, and that a lot of NASA's work is done through partnerships and grants for research and engineering at universities.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 24 - 10:12:00 ]
RE: [Bojan-Mr.Cahtarevic/KSC] How did you got involved in Aeronautics
My work isn't directly related to Aeronautics, although I work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, I work at the 'Space' end of things.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 25 - 10:12:39 ]
RE: [MrsWilkins/MtCarmel-Mrs.Wilkins/MtCarmel] We have some more personal questions, if you don't mind: what is your dog's name and where did you learn to scuba dive? Also, what courses do you recommend that students study in high school and college?
My dog's name is Sammy, short for Samara. I learned to dive at the Key Largo Undersea Park, in Florida.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 27 - 10:13:53 ]
RE: [Bojan-Mr.Cahtarevic/KSC] Did you meet John Glen
I haven't met Senator Glenn, although I would love to. One of the people who works with me in Life Sciences Outreach, Bonnie McClain (look for her bio on-line, if it isn't there yet, she's late!!), has been working with staff in the Senator's office. Sebastian O'Kelley is our contact there, and his bio IS online.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 32 - 10:17:11 ]
RE: [Eugene-Blackline] Rose Grymes you will start you chat in next time, and when?
Eugene, the best way to find out about upcoming chat with Rose Grymes and other NASA people is to visit our Schedule of Events page, at http://quest.arc.nas.gov/calendar. You'll want to check this site frequently, since it is updated every other day or so.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 33 - 10:17:15 ]
RE: [Kristen-Mrs.Wilkins/MtCarmel] What would you say is your biggest accomplishment at NASA so far?
Well, right now I's so focused on the Challenge Project, and it's such a CHALLENGE, that I'm considering it my biggest accomplishment so far. This project is a very innovative approach to leveraging the public's interest in Senator Glenn's return to space, and the information about research investigations on STS-95. The invovlement of dozens of participants from the public, and the details involved in the deployment of the Space Analog Station underwater----all those different activities are requiring me to multi-process information in a BIG way. I am REALLY stretching. I hope you like the results.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 34 - 10:17:37 ]
RE: [Andrea-Mr.Crittenden/KayentaMiddleSchool] Have you ever been in space?
Only in my dreams.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 35 - 10:18:11 ]
RE: [Joe-Mrs.Wilkins/MtCarmel] If you change careers and go into show business, what type of films would you like to star in?
Gee, historical period pieces where I get to where interesting clothes, comedies, and science fiction.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 38 - 10:19:55 ]
RE: [Evan-Mrs.Wilkins/MtCarmel] What is your opinion about other life forms in space?
I believe that there is other life in the universe. I believe that there is other intelligent life in the universe. I believe in the physics, which is constant throughout the universe, that makes it extremely unlikely (to the point of impossibility) that we will ever travel to physically visit each other, but I do believe that communication and the exchange of technologies is possible.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 40 - 10:20:56 ]
RE: [Massey/SecondGrade-Massey/TheWhiteLakeSchool] Hi! We are a little late because of computer problems, but we are ready. Thank you for this opportunity to talk to you Dr. Grymes.
Welcome Massey! Rose Grymes is here to take your questions today!

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 44 - 10:22:47 ]
RE: [Kimberly-Mr.Crittenden/KayentaMiddleSchool] What is the hardest job in your job?
I think the hardest job is figuring out the big picture, the real reasons and the large scope of any activity, and then communicating that vision to the rest of a team, to lead them towards getting the project accomplished. I try to understand what each team members talents and interests are, what motivates and excites them individually, and then translate that in drawing the 'big picture' for them. If I do it well, and they 'get' it, they are self-motivated perpetual motion machines, they just spin away achieving remarkable things. When you multiply that by the number of people on the team, and if they're all spinning happily, we can achieve anything we can dream.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 46 - 10:24:18 ]
RE: [Andrea-Mr.Crittenden/KayentaMiddleSchool] Do you like your job?
I love my job. I love the people I work with, I love living the dream of the space program. I was a sci fi junkie as a kid (still am!) so being associated with NASA is still a big thrill. I think the projects I direct in public education bring valuable information to people like yourselves. What's not to love?

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 48 - 10:26:11 ]
RE: [Mallory-Mr.Crittenden/KayentaMiddleSchool] How dose it feel like to be professor?
Well, I'm not a professor. I don't currently have an appointment at a university, and I don't directly teach students at the college level or direct their research. I used to, at Stanford, do some of those things, but at the level of graduate students and Research Associate. I liked interating with students in the laboratory, and directing their research, dealing with them one-on-one. I didn't much like giving lectures to large auditoriums. Stage fright.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 51 - 10:26:58 ]
RE: [Eugene-Blackline] your work is considered secret?
No, quite the opposite. My work is specifically to bring the results of NASA Life Sciences research and technology development to the public.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 53 - 10:27:48 ]
RE: [Babbler-Babbler/Outreach] Hi Dr. Grymes, I was wondering why you let your dog eat government equipment and why you like to think your co-workers are circus acts???
Well, Krisstina, if you knew my dog and my coworkers, you wouldn't ask silly questions.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 61 - 10:31:08 ]
RE: [MrsWilkins-Mrs.Wilkins/MtCarmel] Do you have any suggestions as to how teachers can get more girls interested in math and science?
Since I was one of the girls interested in math and science, I may not even be best placed to answer the question. I hope that more role models will help, and I believe that working to eliminate gender bias throughout school activities will help. Whether it's in the academic work, or in sports, no one should feel 'left out' or 'second class'. I also think that linking math to hands-on science should be a uniquely powerful tool for motivating ANY student. Hands-on inquiry based science is by definition designed to appeal to whatever motivates an individual learner. She, or he, asks questions, designs investigations, analyzes the data. Along the way she, or he, learns the science contents, the scientific approach, and math for data analysis. But the content and the direction are self-determined.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 65 - 10:32:49 ]
RE: [Marisha-TeresaHuckleberry] As a woman scientist, what changes have you seen about women in careers of science? Is it hard competing with men scientists for jobs in the fields of aviation and aerospace?
I wish I could answer that one, but there are women better placed than I in engineering, aviation, and aerospace who could. Check on further 'chatters'--my field has always been Life Sciences, although I apply that knowledge now to the Space side of National Aeronautics and SPACE administration.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 69 - 10:33:19 ]
RE: [MrsWilkins-Mrs.Wilkins/MtCarmel] We can only stay online until 1:30 EST but we would like to thank you for a wonderful experience!
Thank you for joining us today, Mrs. Wilkins. We hope you are able to join us for upcoming chats with NASA experts!

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 71 - 10:33:39 ]
RE: [Mallory-Mr.Crittenden/KayentaMiddleSchool] Where do you live in Florda?
I don't live in Florida. I live in California, but I am doing business today at Kennedy Space Center, so I flew in last night. (And boy are my arms tired!)

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 72 - 10:34:11 ]
RE: [Eugene-Blackline] Thank you for your answer, now in Russia about 1AM! See later! Tschuess! Alles Gute.
"Good night", Eugene. Thank you for joining us today!

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 73 - 10:34:20 ]
RE: [kimberly-Mr.Crittenden/KayentaMiddleSchool] can you sendme a picture of your home and your family?
There are a couple of pictures of me on-line with my bio.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 76 - 10:36:27 ]
RE: [MrC-Mr.Crittenden/KayentaMiddleSchool] We have to also leave now. Thanks for a wonderful time, and Best Wishes. Look us up next time you are in Kayenta!
We hope to hear from you and your class in the future, Mr. Crittenden. Thanks for joining us today!

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 78 - 10:37:00 ]
RE: [Ken-Mr.Bone/DelMarHighSchool] How has working for NASA changed your goals and your life?
Working for NASA gave me an opportunity to meld me interest in Life Sciences research with my interest in the space program--translating my childhood love of science fiction into the real world of the space program. While at NASA, I had several opportunities to try my hand at leading teams, and found that I LIKED the illusion of being in control (experience has taught me that all power is, in fact, an illusion).

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 83 - 10:40:32 ]
RE: [MeriCummings/NASAClassroomOfTheFuture-MeriCummings/NASAClassroomoftheFuture] What types of educational projects are you doing in which the public or students can participate?
Well, the Challenge Project is a big one. The Space Analog Station was designed so that it could be transported to other sites, so that the public could experience in real life a NASA facility used to support projects such as Challenge. We often have to rely on 'virtual' participation, through webchats and webcasts and interactive sites. In addition, for Neurolab, we created a virtual version of Neurolab (online at http://nvt.jsc.nasa.gov). We also create CD-ROMS on space biology topics, and distribute those to classrooms and teachers. The Space Life Sciences Training Program is held at KSC every year for 40 undergraduates, selected from the best across the nation. Those students stay at KSC for 6 weeks as researchers with experts in various Life Sciences topics. There are other activities--check out http://weboflife.ksc.nasa.gov

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 84 - 10:41:03 ]
RE: [Ariel/Outeach-Ariel/Outreach] Dr. Grymes, If you were producing a poster about aging and exercise, what would be the title?
Exercise in Your Space

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 85 - 10:41:29 ]
RE: [rosie-Mr.Bone/DelMarHighSchool] how much money could i make working during the summer?
I guess that depends on what you would do?

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 86 - 10:43:06 ]
RE: [MeriCummings/NASAClassroomOfTheFuture-MeriCummings/NASAClassroomoftheFuture] Is your department involvement in any International Space Station activities? Could you describe a few?
Various aspects of the NASA Life Sciences Division are actively planning the hardware (equipment) for ISS, and the research activities that will take place on-board. In Life Sciences there are three unique aspects of ISS that we are particularly looking forward to--the opportunity to do repeat experiments, the opportunity to do long-term experiments (longer than the Shuttle time frame which is max about 16 days), and the opportunity to do multiple generation experiments.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 87 - 10:44:52 ]
RE: [Adam-TeresaHuckleberry] Are you excited about the Challenge Project, coming up soon?What has been the hardest part of planning it?
I think that it's like a dinner party. Making sure you have the ingredients for every dish, checking the recipes, following multiple recipes without error, remembering everyone's like, dislikes, allergies, and preferences, and ending up with everything appropriately hot or cold at the right time.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 91 - 10:47:54 ]
RE: [MeriCummings/NASAClassroomoftheFuture] Thanks for your answers! Will there be activities that students can perform at the same time that John Glen's mission is in flight?
There are activities associated with the Challenge Project that will be posted at the Challenge website. Those can certainly be done alongside the flight just as well as they can be done alongside the Challenge Mission in the Scott Carpenter Space Analog Station. However, NASA PAO is in control of the flight timelines and public communication surrouding it.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 92 - 10:48:01 ]
EVERYONE, Rose has wgreed to stay with us for an extra 10 minutes today. We will end our chat at 11:10 a.m. today. We hope you can stay with us, and thank you for your great questions today.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 93 - 10:49:49 ]
RE: [AtlantisGroup-Massey/TheWhiteLakeSchool] Hi! We are second graders who are studying space. We work in groups sometimes. Do you have any ideas to help us work easier together? Thank you.
Hey there Atlantis Group. Well, I think you can start by assuming that everyone absolutely wants to do the best job they can, and get credit for it. Then, whenever you have any disagreements, you can honestly share your opinions and find a compromise--because you agreed at the start that the team's job, and succeeding at it, was more important than any single issue you might disagree over.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 94 - 10:52:09 ]
RE: [Kathy-Mrs.Booher/KiewitMiddleSchool] Dr. Grymes, When you dive down to the Scott Carpenter Space Ananlog Station, what will you do?
As the draft schedule now stands, I will be in the Space Analog Station with Tom Whittaker. I don't recall whether Tom and I are scheduled for a webchat or a live webcast. In addition, the NASA Life Sciences Crew Coordinators, online today with the pseudonums of Babbler and Ariel, are working on the activities that crew members will do. Some of their ideas are about building hydroponics assemblies, and some of their ideas use the underwater environment to illustrate the intricacies of building the International Space Station in microgravity. Maybe they'll share with us other ideas, if they're still online and paying attention.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 100 - 10:55:09 ]
RE: [Mallory-Mr.Crittenden/KayentaMiddleSchool] What do you like the most about your job?
I like juggling lots of things at the same time, and having them all be fascinating things, and working with interesting people, and seeing a good number of those juggled things actually work out, and result in activities that I'm proud to have helped.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 102 - 10:55:42 ]
RE: [Michelle/Riverside-Michelle/Riverside] Dr. Grymes, Would you consider yourself a global thinker? It was good to read in your bio that sometimes you approach things in ways that differ from everybody else. Great example for those who think differently.
I don't know, although it sounds good--tell me more about what defines a global thinker?

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 105 - 10:56:52 ]
RE: [MeriCummings/NASAClassroomoftheFuture] I just red an aritcle about an inflatable Mars ship that may double as space station crew quarters. Is it possible that something like this would be tested at the underwater analog space station?
I haven't seen that information about an inflatable. The Space Analog Station is very, very small. Without more information on the inflatable, I can't say if the underwater environment would be useful in evaluating it.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 106 - 10:57:53 ]
RE: [DiscoveryGroup-Massey/TheWhiteLakeSchool] Hi!What were the easiest and hardest classes that you had in second grade?
Hardest I think was handwriting, my mother was very particular about handwriting and I had to do pattern drills over and over again (in later life, I don't think it helped). Easiest was always reading. I LOVE reading, and I was good at reading aloud.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 107 - 10:57:57 ]
RE: [Michelle/Riverside-Michelle/Riverside] Oran, Everytime I refresh my screen my message is getting sent again. Sorry! What am I doing wrong?
Make sure to use the <Refresh Screen or Submit New Message> button in the chat room, not the RELOAD button on your Web browser.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 109 - 10:59:56 ]
RE: [gina-Mr.Crittenden/KayentaMiddleSchool] Do you like to study rocks?
Sure, I find geology interesting, although I don't know much about it. I'd like to continue to learn new things as long as I'm alive. If I get into rocks, and geology, I think the part that will interest me most is topography--looking at LARGE land masses and how they are sculpted by the elements. In NASA, we think about that as planetary geology.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 111 - 11:01:04 ]
RE: [Eugene-Blackline] Whom you dreamed to become in childhood?
I sometimes wondered if I could be the Princess Anastasia, but that didn't seem likely. I hoped to marry Prince Charming, and luckily that worked out!

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 114 - 11:02:38 ]
RE: [MeriCummings/NASAClassroomoftheFuture] With all of your supervisory responsibilities, do you have time to specialize in a single project or experiment to author or collect data and analyze yourself?
I left laboratory work about three years ago to take on managing the Life Sciences Outreach program full time. So, I don't collect data in my own research anymore. Maybe I will again someday. Since I direct ALL the project, I haven't had time to do any one--I do them all. But I do have a hope for next year. There's one thing I'd like to do, and I think I could acomplish it.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 115 - 11:03:46 ]
RE: [EndeavourGroup-Massey/TheWhiteLakeSchool] We have to go to music so we will read your answer later. Our group question is ..Did you ever do any space projects for science fairs? Thank you for your time today.
I've helped out at science fairs by mentoring students in projects, and by judging projects. Sometimes I have brought displays, too. The most successful is to bring moon rocks. REAL ones!

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 116 - 11:04:36 ]
RE: [Michelle/Riverside-Michelle/Riverside] A global thinker is someone who sees the big picture (sometimes missing the details) - obviously your involvement with science and math makes you very aware of the details as well. Would you say you see the big picture first or the details first?
I see the big picture first, and then worry the details to death. I guess I'm a global thinker with neurotic tendencies.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 118 - 11:07:13 ]
RE: [MeriCummings/NASAClassroomoftheFuture] The inflatable habitation module is can Trsanshab, short for transit habitat. It's a huge pop-proof balloon that is much lighter and requires less volume than a solid habitat. I was thinking that it would require a lot of underwater testing for air leakage.
At JSC there a a couple of vacuum testing chambers, one of them VERY large. That might be used for testing. Also, JSC has the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, in which the astronauts train in the bouyant environment of water to get the feel of their tasks and working in spacesuits on EVA. Maybe that would be used for leak testing. Of course, if it's huge, then one might need open water, but I wonder if the chemical constituents of sea water would do damage to the material of the inflatable.

[ Michelle/Riverside-Michelle/Riverside - 122 - 11:08:08 ]
I think it is terrific that you were able to return to your chosen field after taking time off to be a stay-at-home mom. I love your determination to prove that things can be done no matter what others think. This way of thinking is what makes NASA so great!

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 123 - 11:08:30 ]
RE: [Kathy-Mrs.Booher/KiewitMiddleSchool] Dr. Grymes, How big is the SC Space Analog Station?
The Mission Commander is here with me, and he says it's 13 feet long, 11 feet high, and 8 feet wide.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 124 - 11:09:53 ]
We will now be ending our chat with Rose Grymes, who has been chatting with us from NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Thank you to everyone for joining us today!

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 125 - 11:10:28 ]
RE: [MeriCummings/NASAClassroomoftheFuture] Rose, could you tell us what some of the key requirements you look for in hiring a new employee?
Some one who's willing to work on a team, and someone who's got special skills the team needs--I guess that's kinda a contradiction; a team player who stands out. Also we look for someone who's able and willing to teach their special skills to the group, and able to learn from the group to expand herself/himself. So, again, a contradiction in a sense, both a student and a teacher. Actually, I'm not very good at interviewing.

[ MeriCummings/NASAClassroomoftheFuture - 126 - 11:10:47 ]
Thanks for letting us participate!

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 127 - 11:10:56 ]
We would like to give a special thanks to Rose for her time online with us today.

[ Michelle/Riverside-Michelle/Riverside - 128 - 11:11:08 ]
Thank you Dr. Grymes. Thank you Oran.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 129 - 11:11:51 ]
Bye now!!

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 130 - 11:12:52 ]
RE: [Michelle/Riverside-Michelle/Riverside] Thank you Dr. Grymes. Thank you Oran.
You're welcome, Michelle. Be sure to check the Schedule of Events page at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/calendar for a listing of upcoming chats with NASA people.