[ Tish/NASAChatHost - 22 - 07:28:07 ]
Welcome Seward County Community College and the Liberal, Ks Branch of the American Association of University Women - You may join in at any time today between 7:00 a.m. PT - 3:00 p.m. PT. You can post questions and our experts will visit the room at various times throughout the day to answer. We have LOTS of interest and participants so please compose thoughtfully so your questions will get posted. Have fun and enjoy the day!

[ DianHardison - 28 - 08:12:54 ]
RE: [TibisayMarin] Ny question is: How can a geologist be a part of NASA's leading research in planetary geology? How can we improve the outreach programs in planetary geology across America? Thansk for your time
Planetary geology is a very interesting field to study! For example, we were surprised at the chemical composition of moon rocks (they most closely resemble charcoal) and are eager to study more samples from Mars than just the meteorites. A study of planetary geology would include chemistry and computer modelling, so be sure and take those courses in high school and college. Once in college, ask your professors for contacts with NASA to see what fields are current (hopefully we'll have some Mars samples to study by then!) As for outreach, we'll keep on trying -- and we can use your help whenever you talk to younger girls.

[ Janis - 29 - 08:37:29 ]
RE: [Catherine] Janis Davis-Street, How long did it take you to get to where you are now?
I graduated from college in 1985, and finished graduate school in 1987. I have been at NASA since 1991 - so it's been 13 years since I was a full-time student.

[ Shirle - 31 - 08:39:46 ]
Dian, I was reading about the potential for mining the Moon for energy sources. What type of spacecrafts and propellant would have to be developed to do that?

[ Catherine - 32 - 08:39:46 ]
Janis Davis-Street, How long did it take you to get to where you are now?

[ Jessica - 33 - 08:39:46 ]
What is it like to be working for NASA?

[ Jessica - 35 - 08:39:46 ]
What is the next mission to space

[ MarieClaire - 36 - 08:39:46 ]
Hi! I'm a third grader at Key School in Arlington, VA. I'd like to know if it is really true that they sleep tied on the walls in the space shuttle. Thanks! Bye.

[ Shirle - 37 - 08:39:46 ]
For Stacey Morrison-How often if at all do hackers get through? What do you use to track them or keep them out?

[ kelley - 39 - 08:39:46 ]
Is space travel open to people out side of the military?

[ Julie - 41 - 08:39:46 ]
Hello all! This is a wonderful program! I am a teacher in Santa Paula California. Every Thursday after schoolI work with a group of about 22 kids, 18 girls and 4 boys. (Unfortunately they are all on spring break today, I wish they were able to participate today, I know they would have some great questions.) The purpose of our group is to encourage these girls to be confident in their math and science interest. Our program consists of teacher directed hands on science projects, field trips and guest speakers. We would love to have any of the women featured today be guests to our program if they are ever in our area. Please have a look at the GEMS website: http://gems.scienceave.com; for more information and contact me if any of you would like to be a part of our program! (Santa Paula is in Southern California near Ventura, about 45 minutes north of LA.) Thanks! Julie Engel

[ Janis - 47 - 08:41:24 ]
RE: [Jekris] What do you eat in space?
Food on board the Shuttle, the Mir Space Station and the International Space Station is not very different from that on Earth. The foods are frequently dehydrated, freeze-dried or irradiated. This allows the food to have an extended shelf-life, and allows reduced the total weight of the food. Water is produced on Shuttle and is added to the dehydrated food. Some foods include shrimp cocktail, broccoli w/ cheese, a variety soups, puddings, cereals etc. On Mir and ISS the foods are 50% US and 50% Russian

[ Janis - 48 - 08:43:45 ]
RE: [Jasmine] Why did you pick this job?
I enjoy being a Nutritionist because I can see so many ways that what we study can help people here on Earth - we study how food and nutrients help the body function better. Our work on bone biology in space may provide insights into the treatment of bone diseases on Earth, like osteoporosis

[ Janis - 49 - 08:45:13 ]
RE: [Jessica] What is it like to be working for NASA?
It is very exciting and intellectually stimulating - we get lots of opportunities to interact with scientific experts all over the country and the world.

[ Janis - 50 - 08:45:45 ]
RE: [Genevieve] We studied the space station at school. What is it like with dehydrated food?
Once it is rehydrated it is actually quite good.

[ Janis - 51 - 08:49:48 ]
RE: [JoyceRobito] I am a single parent of a 12 year daughter. I find it difficult at times to juggle work, home, etc. Your job I'm certain is more demanding than mine, how do you do it.
It is not any easy feat - as I am sure you can imagine. I try to take things one day at a time, and remember that I don't have to have a spotless house all the time. I am fortunate that my husband helps out a lot, that makes a big difference. I try to have weekends be just family time.

[ StaceyMorrison - 52 - 10:05:14 ]
RE: [Jasmine] Why did you pick this job?
I transferred from the Office of the Chief Information Officer to the Space and Life Sciences Directorate because Space and Life Sciences need more computer people to help them with their computer problems. I volunteered to be the Y2K representative because I thought it would be a very challenging yet rewarding task. I took the job at NASA because I thought it would be great to work for the space program.

[ StaceyMorrison - 53 - 10:07:23 ]
RE: [Jessica] What is it like to be working for NASA?
Working for NASA is fun because you get to be on the cutting edge of technology and you get to support the space program. There are a lot of smart, nice people that work here and I enjoy working with them on a common goal.

[ StaceyMorrison - 54 - 10:10:05 ]
RE: [Shirle] For Stacey Morrison-How often if at all do hackers get through? What do you use to track them or keep them out?
I can't tell you how often hackers get through because it is sensitive information. I can say that we have special software that tell us which computers are vulnerable to hackers and we fix those vulnerabilities as soon as we find them.

[ StaceyMorrison - 55 - 10:15:49 ]
RE: [Shirle] What are some of the security issues you have to deal with each day?
We deal with all kinds of security issues from hackers to disgruntled employees. The Agency is very security conscious and we do all we can to make all of our computers secure.

[ DianeMcMahon - 56 - 10:19:40 ]
RE: [GabrielleChelsea] We wanted to ask the biological research expert: What can the space program do for farming on Earth?
Hello, Gabrielle - I'm the Payload Integration Manager for the Biological Research Project, and will give you my perspective on how it will aid farming on Earth. Research on the Space Station will contribute to our understanding of plants and animals. In an environment that is free of the effects of gravity, it is possible to study aspects of biology that are difficult down on the ground. (One example is to study 3-dimensional growth of cells--which of course both plans and animals have.) Eventually, the knowledge gained could be applied to producing better strains of seeds for use in planting crops. Also, studies of insects on Space Station may provide the insight needed to better control their eating and reproductive behaviors on Earth so that crop damage is reduced. Research and technology developed for use on-orbit could be beneficially applied in ways that are hard to predict right now.

[ StaceyMorrison - 57 - 10:22:16 ]
RE: [Joyce] Your job is so demanding, how do you juggle family and your job?
I have been married for almost 10 years and I have a 6 year old daughter. I am very lucky in that my husband stays home with our daughter and runs his photo business from the house while I work outside the home. I try to work 40 hour work weeks and exercise after work. Now that our daughter is in Kindergarten, my husband can run errands and do portrait sittings when she is in school. He teaches at night at a community college and does weddings on the weekends. I take care of her then. We use an hourly day care or teenage babysitters when we need to. My husband enjoys staying at home and doing the housework as well as running his business. It works out well for us.

[ StaceyMorrison - 58 - 10:27:37 ]
RE: [kelley] Is space travel open to people out side of the military?
To travel into space you have to be an astronaut. We have pilot and commander astronauts that are usually from the military because you have to be able to fly a big jet and not many people outside the military get that experience. We also have scientist astronauts. These can be physicists, chemists, medical doctors, biologists, etc. that conduct experiments on the shuttle. Usually you have to have advanced degrees to get selected. There is a website that tells you what you have to do to be an astronaut at http://www.nasajobs.nasa.gov/jobs/astronauts/jsc-aso.htm

[ StaceyMorrison - 88 - 10:36:32 ]
RE: [MarieClaire] Hi! I'm a third grader at Key School in Arlington, VA. I'd like to know if it is really true that they sleep tied on the walls in the space shuttle. Thanks! Bye.
During the IML Shuttle mission there were 4 sleeping compartments in the shuttle, so not all of the astronauts could sleep at the same time. In the compartments they had a sleeping bag that they sleep in. They have a light on in the compartment that lets them read if they want to. They tie themselves into their sleeping bag so that they don't float around. You can go to the website http://lsda.jsc.nasa.gov/ go to Photo gallery, and then go to keywords and click on Living in Space and you will see a picture of an astronaut sleeping. They also wear an eye mask and ear plugs so that they can sleep.

[ DianeMcMahon - 93 - 10:38:31 ]
RE: [Anna] Dian, what kind of enginering do you do on the shuttle?
Hello, Anna - I don't actually do engineering work. My job is to integrate payloads onto the space station, and some of the necessary integration information I work with includes engineering designs and analyses that other people do. Engineers of many types work in the space program - electrical, aeronautical, mechanical, etc. - and engineers are almost always a part of any team effort at NASA.

[ Tish/NASAChatHost - 94 - 10:39:29 ]
To our participants - Please check the schedule and be sure you are asking questions for the featured FORUM mentors and not women who are featured in the live webcasts. Only appropriate questions for our feature mentors listed on the schedule page (http://quest.nasa.gov/women/TODTWD00/schedule.html) will be posted.

[ StaceyMorrison - 95 - 10:42:52 ]
RE: [PBFarradynekids] We have children here at our company that are from the ages of 5-12. When did you know as a child that you wanted to do what you are doing now and what subjects were of the most interest to you in school?
I didn't know I wanted to be in computers until I was a junior in high school. I first wanted to be a nurse, then a teacher, a professional singer, and then a Spanish/English interpreter. I didn't think about working for NASA until my senior year in college and I had to start looking for a job. I loved math and biology in school the most. I liked taking Spanish also. If you like solving puzzles like jigsaw or crossword puzzles, you will like being in computer science. Programming takes a lot of skill in finding out what is wrong when debugging a program.

[ StaceyMorrison - 97 - 10:45:32 ]
RE: [anna] Stacy is it hard working on computers in space?
Unofrtunately, I don't get to work on computers in space, I only get to work on them on the ground. In space the astronauts are trained on how to use their computers and are also trained on what would happen if something doesn't work. They can also ask the people in Mission Control what to do if something happens to their computers. The computers are tested a lot before they go into space so that all of the bugs are worked out beforehand.

[ StaceyMorrison - 98 - 10:47:46 ]
RE: [Molly] What influenced you to be in the computer/space business?
I took a computer math class in my junior year of high school and I was hooked on computers. I like computers because I like trying to figure out how they work. I also like to figure out how to use the software. I like to help people learn how to use their computer as well. It is like a big puzzle that I am always trying to put together.

[ DianeMcMahon - 99 - 10:52:33 ]
RE: [WHS] This is for Dianne - What acutally are payloads?
"Payloads" mean science hardware that is sent on-orbit (either as a shuttle or space station experiment). Some space station examples: we'll send up radiation dosimeters to use in an experiment to measure radiation exposures in space, and a plant research unit which will be used to grow and study plants. The crew (astronauts and cosmonauts) are trained to use the payload hardware to conduct these experiments.

[ StaceyMorrison - 100 - 10:53:33 ]
RE: [Kayla] What are some goals that you wish to acheive?
One of my goals is to get into management. I also want to get a Masters Degree in Business Administration and then maybe a Ph.D. in computer science. I may want to teach after I retire from NASA (in another 22 years). Another goal I try to strive for is to mentor young girls and boys into careers in math and science. There are a number of jobs in computer science that are open waiting for people to apply for them. I want to let you know that computer science is fun and not just something that only nerds and geeks do.

[ DianHardison - 101 - 10:56:52 ]
RE: [Shirle] Dian, I was reading about the potential for mining the Moon for energy sources. What type of spacecrafts and propellant would have to be developed to do that?
Using the moon to launch from would be interesting in that it has plenty of construction materials, if you can make what you need out of rock, and gravity is only 1/6 of Earth's, so you don't need nearly as much energy to escape from the "gravity well." But the only thing that could serve as an energy source on the moon is Helium 3, a radioactive isotope that exists in large quantities in moon rock. We would have to build plants that could extract the Helium 3 out of the rock and store it, and then build a nuclear power plant that could use it (not all that difficult, actually). Then we could have large amount of energy to further our building on the moon. Nuclear power on the moon is much safer than on Earth because there's no atmosphere to spread contamination if something goes wrong, and everyone is living in controlled habitats anyway. To get started, the best, fastest, and cheapest way would be to send specialized robots to the moon to start building -- and that we could do already, if we wanted to! If Congress would set aside the money, we'd do it right now!

[ StaceyMorrison - 102 - 10:57:00 ]
RE: [Heather] What was it like working with the Y2K? How did you stay calm and so in control to?
I had been working on the Y2K problem since August of 1996. That gave me a lot of time to get a lot of our hardware and software upgraded before January 1, 2000. I had a lot of good people working the issues in each of our divisions and they were able to pull it off. I will admit it was hard to stay calm in the last few months, but when I woke up on January 1, 2000 to go to work (yes, I had to work on New Year's Day) and we had power, I knew everything was going to be all right. We had no Y2K problems at all, so it worked out great.

[ StaceyMorrison - 103 - 11:00:35 ]
RE: [Allie] Stacy, Is it hard working with computers and making sure there ready for the voyage to Mars?
There are a number of things that can happen to computers in space. They can be hit by cosmic rays that can damage the random access memory (RAM) or the hard drive. The people that build the space craft try to put enough shielding so that cosmic rays won't get to the computers. We also have to make sure that they won't get damaged or have a glitch while they are in flight. If that happens, they will bring along some spares to try to fix them during the flight. We always have a lot of spares and backups to make sure that when we have a problem, we can fix it.

[ DianHardison - 104 - 11:01:33 ]
RE: [Anna] Dian What kind of enginering do you do on the shuttle?
My Engineering is Materials Science, mainly metallurgy. Since we use a lot of very reactive chemicals, my main job is to keep anyone from putting anything into something that won't contain it properly. For example, right now we're running tests on the ammonia that will be used in the Space Station to keep it cool while it's in the direct sunlight of space. This isn't the ammonia in your kitchen -- this is pure, cryogenic (hyper-cold), very deadly stuff! You have to be careful exactly what kinds of valves, filters, seals, gauges, and pumps you use with something that can eat through nickel steel!

[ DianHardison - 105 - 11:06:34 ]
RE: [lAlnila] Do you believe in other galaxies and other life forms aside from humans? What made you want to become an astronaut? How long did it take for you to be trained to become an astronaut? What did you study in college? Have you ever encountered a scary experience in space? If so what was it?
Well, of course there are other galaxies, and even other clusters of galaxies. I remember a line from the original Star Trek that Uhura said to Scotty: "It's a Big galaxy, Mr. Scott...." That's an understatement if there ever was one! Check out what a light year is -- light travels 186,000 miles in ONE SECOND, so imagine how far it travels in a YEAR. Then remember that the CLOSEST star is 4 light years away. Then try to imagine one BILLION. Then remember that the farthest stars we see are about FOURTEEN BILLION LIGHT YEARS away -- in fact, we're seeing them as they were 14 billion years ago. THEN imagine how many, many, many stars and planets there must be out there. Then, if your mind isn't totally boggled by all that, which it should be! Then think of how ridiculous it would be if we were the only sentient life forms in all those trillions and trillions of solar systems.

[ Heather - 106 - 11:07:28 ]
Dear Aprille, What materials do you use to model spacecrafts? :)

[ DCASGirls - 109 - 11:07:28 ]
We just joined in. We are in the Municipal Building in New York City. We broke up our groups into different specialities, ranging from web page design to digital photography, to Safety and Health (COSH), to the New York CityStore, Law, and so on. In these groups, which the girls were allowed to pick for themselves, every participant got to learn something about our working environment and how the jobs are done. We were very interested in your NASA involvement, as all girls should reach for the stars and let our ambitions be limitless.

[ Tish/NASAChatHost - 110 - 11:07:28 ]
Hello DCAS Girls - We're glad you could join us. If you have questions for our featured FORUM mentors please feel free to ask. Check the schedule as we have some women featured in this FORUM all day long and a live web chat with Linda Bangert beginning now.

[ Janis - 111 - 11:07:55 ]
RE: [Allie] Janis, Does the crew of astronauts have to have a certain amount of nutrients in the food they eat durning the trip?
Nutrient requirements for space flight are very similar to those on Earth, for example the amount of calories is the same. A few specific nutrients are different: iron requirements are a bit lower. As we stay in space longer, we will learn more about requirements.

[ DianeMcMahon - 112 - 11:08:16 ]
RE: [Claire] Dianne - Can you tell us about the crystal growth experiments?
Hello, Claire. As you probably know, there are biological and non-biological (metallurgical, I think) crystal growths being studied, and the ones I was assigned are biological ones. Zero-gravity provides an excellent environment for growing crystals. Due to workload factors, I am no longer assigned to these experiments. Previously, I participated in a workshop at the University of Alabama-Huntsville that was given to high school students who actually prepared some protein samples that will be sent to the space station. The samples were flash-frozen to preserve them until they fly. Think of how exciting it is to actually have a sample you've prepared become part of a space experiment!

[ DianHardison - 113 - 11:12:40 ]
RE: [Kayla] A lot of people believe that tax payers money not be used to build space crafts that have no garentee. What is your appinon?
Well, to be blunt, I think those people are stupid. In the first place, taxpayer's money isn't spent in outer space, it's spent right here on Earth -- it's spent to pay the people who work at making discoveries and doing work that benefit everyone. As the plaque says, "for the good of all mankind." In the second place, there ain't no such thing as a guarantee. Your car could blow a tire on the way home. A tornado or earthquake could destroy your neighborhood. Should we then not build cars or houses? How ridiculous. The fact is, that every tiny piece of space exploration advances us in understanding and making better what we do here on Earth, from home computers (when I was your age, home computers were considered not only impossible but a dumb idea) to weather forecasts (most of you have parents who can remember when there WERE no weather pictures from satellites). Space is THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to EVER spend tax money on -- because NO other investment has EVER returned the benefits that space exploration has.

[ Janis - 114 - 11:17:47 ]
RE: [MrFasulo] Janis Davis-Street- What are some of the new foods that you are preparing for the shuttle crews?
Food scientists at NASA come up with the new foods. Some of the newer ones include: cashew chicken curry, cheese tortellini and fettuccine.

[ Janis - 115 - 11:19:15 ]
RE: [Sarah] Daer Janis, How do you figure out what nutritions are needed for the individual astronauts? What are some of the foods they would eat in space?
The astronauts taste the space foods, and then select what foods they would like to eat while in space. Dietitians at NASA evaluate the selections and make sure that the menus meet the nutritional requirements.

[ Janis - 116 - 11:21:40 ]
RE: [anna] Janis are there certain foods that astronuts can eat in space?
Many of the foods are very similar to those on Earth - chicken dishes, cereals, chicken salad spread, beef dishes.

[ Janis - 117 - 11:23:21 ]
RE: [Ryan] Dear Janis, what is the hardist part of your job?
I think that the hardest part of working here is making sure that the procedures that you want to use will actually work in an environment without gravity. This becomes very challenging sometimes.

[ Janis - 118 - 11:24:37 ]
RE: [Tim] Dear Janis, Have you always been wanting to work with NASA??
Growing up in Guyana I never dreamt that I would ever be associated with the space program. In fact I responded to a newspaper ad 9 years ago - and was thrilled to be part of 'this great adventure"

[ Janis - 119 - 11:27:54 ]
RE: [Michelle] Hi, how are you? I am in college right now and I am interested in pursuing Aerospace Medicine. However I have found it difficult to find summer opportunities. I am really looking forward to garnering some direct experience. Do you know of any internships or related summer work that is available?
I would contact the Public Affairs Office here at JSC: NASA - Johnson Space Center PAO Mailcode AP Houston, TX 77058

[ Janis - 120 - 11:34:55 ]
RE: [Kayla] A lot of people believe that tax payers money not be used to build space crafts that have no garentee. What is your appinon?
I think those folks are probably very misguided. As a scientist, I see so many benefits from the space program in medicine and health. For example some of the miniaturization technology is being used in cardiac surgery. Scientists are using space technology to grow cells which may help us to better understand human physiology. The research in the area of bone and muscle metabolism have tremendous application to Earth related diseases like osteoporosis, paralysis etc. Plant scientists are gaining a better understanding of basic biological processes through work done in space -I could go on. The long and short of it, is that the space program offers many opportunities for understanding the human body and beyond.

[ DianHardison - 121 - 12:19:24 ]
RE: [Sherrie] What is it like working for NASA?
Working for NASA is never boring! We may have last minute emergencies, we have a great many disappointments (from having our budget cut to having to scrub a launch), we have multitudes of problems that no one else in the world has ever imagined, much less dealt with (like trying to get the computers from Russia, Italy, and America to talk to each other when we put together pieces of the Space Station) -- but we also have the greatest feeling in the world, knowing that we have "tamed the lightning" with our own hands and minds. When we launch, when one of our probes or satellites sends back information that's new to the whole world or helps someone somewhere in the world, then we know we have made a difference for the better.

[ DianHardison - 122 - 12:23:46 ]
RE: [Kayla] Dear Dian, What kind of chemicals do you use?
Well, we work with solvents for cleaning, nitrogen for pressurizing, helium for mass spectrometry leak checks, alcohol for removing particulates, oxygen for replenishing supplies on the space craft, liquid and solid high explosives for fuels -- I think it would be easier to say what we DON'T work with! many of the elements and compounds that we use are very hazardous, so we have to undergo specialized training to be allowed to handle them. And of course we have a security force to keep people out of unauthorized areas, from the armed guards to the poisonous snakes and alligators.

[ DianHardison - 123 - 12:27:56 ]
RE: [PBFarradynekids] We have children here at our company that are from the ages of 5-12. When did you know as a child that you wanted to do what you are doing now and what subjects were of the most interest to you in school?
Well, I don't remember how old I was when I first took something apart, but I was about 6 when I got a cardboard playhouse and put it together in strange ways without bothering to read the instructions. My mother said "oh dear, she must be going to be an engineer." And so I was. But I was in my junior year of college before I decided on even which kind of engineer I wanted to be (I didn't even know there were different kinds when I started college!) And I didn't decide on a career at Kennedy Space Center until I was 28 or so. The important part is to set high but general goals, and make sure you keep learning everything you can so that you'll be well equipped to take on whichever one presents the opportunity. And don't believe you can't change your mind any time you want to! I know a woman who has been a Navy officer, a computer programmer, a physical therapist -- and entered her first marathon at age 43.

[ Brenna - 125 - 12:28:21 ]
For...Stacy - Hi I'm in 5 grade and I love space. How many computers does NASA use on the shuttle? Thank you. Bye

[ brenna - 126 - 12:30:08 ]
Hi, I'm joining the forum now. I'm in 5th grade and love the space program! I was at Cake Kennedy 2 years ago. I can't wait to go back!

[ Miriam - 130 - 12:30:08 ]
Firstly I would like to say what an inspiration women like yourself are to women worldwide (I am in Australia). Then I would like to ask if there are any special dietary requirements for people in space (e.g. extra calcium, more or less water, etc). Thanks.

[ Alicia - 131 - 12:30:08 ]
I would like to know if any of you encountered discrimination on account of your being female on the road to where you are today. Thank you.

[ DianHardison - 133 - 12:32:22 ]
RE: [morghan] How do you know whether or not the air is "safe" on other planets? I am in the 5th grade in Maine
Knowing whether you can breathe the air is pretty simple: humans need at least 18% oxygen to survive (Earth's air is a little over 20% oxygen). Even a little bit of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide, or sulfur monoxide, etc. will poison a human. Simple chemical tests, like basic reactants you will learn to use in a chemistry lab, can tell you whether you have enough oxygen or too much of anything else. We also have electronic instruments which can measure a number of different chemicals down to very small levels, like parts per million. Screening for harmful bacteria or viruses is much more difficult. When the first astronauts went to the moon, they kept them in isolation after they came back to make sure they didn't have any "space germs," if you can imagine!

[ DianHardison - 134 - 12:35:13 ]
RE: [Ashley] Is there any pets or animals on the space station?
Well, there are no plans for pets yet, although there will be experimental animals. I'm personally opposed to experimenting on animals, but I didn't get a vote. They have taken up everything from hornets to monkeys on the space shuttle. They watch how spiders build webs and bees build honeycombs in free fall. A lot of times they send up fish and jellyfish -- it's funny to see them swimming "upside down" (since there is no "down" in free fall). For a great story about a girl who snuck a pet cat onto a Space Station and met aliens, read Vonda McIntyre's "Barbary." Your library or used book store may have it.

[ DianHardison - 135 - 12:35:53 ]
RE: [brenna] Hi, I'm joining the forum now. I'm in 5th grade and love the space program! I was at Cake Kennedy 2 years ago. I can't wait to go back!
Glad to have you! I hope you share your interest with your friends and let them know how great it is to be exploring space!

[ DianHardison - 136 - 12:39:29 ]
RE: [Alicia] Hi, I am student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and am majoring in electrical engineering. I was wanting to know what gates you all were worried about keeping open on your path to becoming who you are today, and also how you all may have encountered discrimination on account of your being women. I also would like to know what made you decide to take the challenge and follow through on your dreams, and any particular experiences any of you would like to share about how dealt with the obstacles in your paths. Thank you for your time.
More power to you! Electrical engineering was actually my worst subject -- I never could get a handle on those little electron critters! To be honest, I have never actually encountered gender discrimination, and only occasionally did someone look at my 5-foot, 100-pound frame and say "You do WHAT?" (That was back when I disarmed bombs for the Navy.) In my experience, the only person whose opinion of you really matters is YOUR OWN, and if you're doing what you want to do, doing it to the best of your ability, and have goals and dreams and aspirations, then nothing anyone else does or says counts. And if someone gives you a hard time, punch 'em in the nose! (No, I don't really advocate violence. Usually just THREATENING to punch them in the nose is enough. )

[ DianHardison - 137 - 12:45:13 ]
RE: [MarieClaire] Hi! I'm a third grader at Key School in Arlington, VA. I'd like to know if it is really true that they sleep tied on the walls in the space shuttle. Thanks! Bye.
We hope to try to launch the shuttle again as soon as May 3. We had a strong storm front come through during the last launch attempt, and the winds were just too hard for us to launch or make an emergency landing (if needed). There are several web pages with the launch schedule posted on them -- try typing "shuttle launch" into a search engine, or just put http://www.ksc.nasa.gov into your URL bar and let it hunt. Until the next shuttle launch, we will be launching a communications satellite (comsat) on an Atlas rocket and a military satellite on a Titan rocket. We call the unscrewed rockets "expendable" because they fall back into the sea and are not recovered or reused the way the shuttle is.

[ DianHardison - 138 - 12:46:01 ]
RE: [Ashley] Hi, my name's Ashley and I'm 12, I am very much interested in biology and I was wondering: Do you think there is a large need for biologists in space?
Absolutely there will be a need for biologists, more and more as we get further into space. Maybe you'll be on the team to discover a new life form!

[ DianHardison - 139 - 12:49:47 ]
I have to go now, since I'm on the east coast. I apologize for my typos -- typing was not my best subject, which is why I'm thankful for spell-checkers! (Which chat rooms don't have, of course!) All I can say to all the participants is -- THANKS! We enjoyed visiting with you! And remember, there ARE no limits: if you can dream it, you can do it. In fact, if you can dream it, then you're only cheating yourself if you don't go for it and do your best!

[ Janis - 140 - 12:53:38 ]
RE: [Alicia] I would like to know if any of you encountered discrimination on account of your being female on the road to where you are today. Thank you.
To be honest, I wouldn't say that I wouldn't say that I've experienced gender discrimination. I think there is a human reaction to typecast people. People frequently assume that nutritionists are strictly women who cook and tell you to 'eat your spinach'. It is always interesting/amusing to watch their reactions change when we begin to explain that we look at the way food is metabolized by the body an are in fact 'serious scientists'. I look on such encounters as educational experiences.

[ Janis - 141 - 12:57:15 ]
RE: [Miriam] Firstly I would like to say what an inspiration women like yourself are to women worldwide (I am in Australia). Then I would like to ask if there are any special dietary requirements for people in space (e.g. extra calcium, more or less water, etc). Thanks.
Thanks for your kind words. Some of things we are very concerned about are indeed fluid, calcium, vitamin D and calories. Fluid - we recommend at least 2L - this is to keep the crew hydrated and reduce the risk of forming a kidney stone. Calcium and Vitamin D are important for bone health. Vitamin D is especially important as the shielding on the space craft limits exposure to UV light (and hence Vit D production in the skin). Calories - we just need the astronauts to eat enough so that they stay healthy during the flight.

[ Janis - 142 - 12:59:04 ]
RE: [Ashley] Hi, my name's Ashley and I'm 12, I am very much interested in biology and I was wondering: Do you think there is a large need for biologists in space?
I think understanding how the human body works, how cells and organisms behave in space, are all areas that are excellent opportunities for biologists in space

[ CarolRusso/GRC - 155 - 13:46:39 ]
RE: [Shannon] Mrs. Russo, What's it like to be a boss?
The good news about being a boss is that you have lots of people helping you do things and you can ask people to tell you about subjects of interest like nanomaterials which is a brand new technology. You are also in a position to help people grow in their careers which I really enjoy doing. A boss has responsibilities to meet commitments such as meeting program goals and ensuring that research money is spent wisely and efficiently. You can have more influence as a boss because you can direct more people and programs than an individual researcher or worker which gives me a great sense of satisfaction. The bad part of being a boss is that occasionally you have to deal with mundane tasks and problem employees. You have to budget and prioritize your time as there is always more to do than time to do it. In all, I find the good outweighs the bad.

[ StaceyMorrison - 156 - 13:49:11 ]
RE: [Michelle] Hi, how are you? I am in college right now and I am interested in pursuing Aerospace Medicine. However I have found it difficult to find summer opportunities. I am really looking forward to garnering some direct experience. Do you know of any internships or related summer work that is available?
Go to this website http://www.nasajobs.nasa.gov/jobs/student_opportunities/student_opportunities.htm and you will see a lot of opportunities for summer hires. It will give you all the information you need to see if there are any openings.

[ CarolRusso/GRC - 157 - 13:52:32 ]
RE: [MimiJuniorGirlScout] why did you become an enginer?
I became an engineer because I enjoyed solving practical problems using math and physics. I learned to fly in high school and wanted to work in aeronautics. I switched my major in college from math to aeronautical engineering and went onto graduate school. My first job was at GE Aircraft Engines where I designed and tested parts of new engines. I now work as Director of Aeronautics at GRC managing programs that develop new technologies resulting in cleaner, quieter, and higher performance engines for US industry. Engineering is a challenging field that requires you to constantly keep up to date as technology is always changing so it is never boring.

[ CarolRusso/GRC - 158 - 13:54:45 ]
RE: [Katie] Where you a Girl Scout when you where little?
Yes. I was a Brownie, Camp Fire Girl, and a Girl Scout. It was a lot of fun learning new skills and being with other girls. It taught some discipline as you had to work to get merit badges but it was fun too.

[ CarolRusso/GRC - 159 - 13:56:25 ]
RE: [BrittanyJuniorGirlScout] Do you like to read?
I love to read and except for a few TV programs like some movies and tennis, I spend time reading rather than watching TV. I love mystery books. I also read books while travelling on airplanes which I do a lot.

[ StaceyMorrison - 160 - 14:00:07 ]
RE: [Kayla] Dear Stacey Morrison, What do you do with the computers and hardware?
I manage programmers that develop software for our directorate and I also help people decide what kind of computers they want to buy and help them get the approval to buy them. I also do some web pages.

[ StaceyMorrison - 161 - 14:01:52 ]
RE: [Ryan] Dear stacy Morrison, If there was a y2k prblem what would you do?>
We had power generators in place if the power was to go out and all of our non-essential computers were turned off so that they wouldn't be affected by the roll over. If we had a Y2K problem with any of our computers, we would take them off the network and try to find out what the problem was. Once we figured out the problem, we would put it back on the network.

[ StaceyMorrison - 162 - 14:05:27 ]
RE: [Zoey] Stacey Morrison I did a report on you, and I was wondering after I read your page, how did you gain respect from your piers??
I am impressed. No one has done a report on me before. When I was younger, I did have a problem with getting people older than me to take me seriously. What I did was show them that I could do the job well and I gained respect from that. After I proved I could do one job, they gave me more and more responsibility. This gave me an opportunity to gain more respect. I also treat my peers well and try to do things for them so that they will help me out in return. I also respect myself and others respect me for that.

[ StaceyMorrison - 163 - 14:07:45 ]
RE: [Brenna] For...Stacy - Hi I'm in 5 grade and I love space. How many computers does NASA use on the shuttle? Thank you. Bye
It depends on the mission. The shuttle has five general purpose computers that run the flight software that actually runs the shuttle. Then the astronauts bring a number of laptops with them to run experiments. Then some of the experiments themselves may have computers inside them. There could be 20 computers in total on the shuttle depending on the flight and how many experiments they have.

[ Geoff - 164 - 14:13:29 ]
If you can create artificial gravity by rotating a ship, what is the minimum length (or radius) to avoid the worst parts of coriolis force on the crew?

[ StaceyMorrison - 165 - 14:15:09 ]
RE: [brenna] stacy, who were your heroes as you were growing up? How many different computers do you use on the shuttle?
My heroes were my mom, grandmothers, and great aunts. I also had a number of teachers that really helped me in school when I was growing up. I admired people like Amelia Earhart and Susan B. Anthony who did things that women didn't do often. One of my great aunts was in the WAVES which was the Navy's women's group.

[ CarolRusso/GRC - 166 - 14:19:48 ]
RE: [StaceyMorrison] Working for NASA was something I never dreamed of doing as a child. I am very good at math and I decided in my junior year of high school to go into computer science. I also like science, especially biology, so I took that in college also. I started reading science fiction novels in high school and thought NASA would be a good place to work for. Luckily when I applied to them, I was hired and have worked there ever since. I think of space as the new frontier. The next place that humans are going to explore. I also think of space in the sense of new technology. A lot of what we need to work in space has to be made from scratch because we have never done it before. I love new technology and figuring out how to do new things. I have a six year old daughter and I encourage her creative thinking. She likes to watch Bill Nye the Science Guy and do her own experiments in the bathroom sink. She also likes educational software that helps her use math and science skills to solve a puzzle. My daughter started using a computer at 18 months old. I would encourage you to help your daughter develop math and science skills when she is young, so that when she starts pre-school or Kindergarten, she will already want to do those things. Also reading to her will help her learn to read on her own. Talking to her like an adult instead of child will also develop her communication skills. Taking her to science and medical museums will also help. Taking her to your work or her dad's work will show her that there are women in the workplace. Reading her stories about science and space are another idea. There is a book by Dr. Roberta Bondar's sister about the Space Shuttle and what they do on launch, orbit, and landing. I would recommend getting that book to show how the astronauts work in space.
The attraction for me was applying my math and science skills to solve practical problems in aeronautics. I learned to fly in high school and wanted to work to make airplanes perform better, safer, cleaner, and quieter. I went to school to become an aeronautical engineer and have worked on propulsion systems my entire career. My father strongly influenced me to do well in math and science because he felt those skills would give me more choices for good jobs and a satisfying career. I had to work hard but for the most part I enjoyed these subjects. The satisfaction of knowing that I helped to improve a product that impacts the lives of many people is also a big part of the attraction to math, science, and engineering. Getting your child excited about math and science through museums, movies, and field trips is very important because a strong interest is needed to keep motivated in these disciplines. Many more women are entering these areas so it is not as lonely it was when I started and many more role models are available. Recently, I attended the Women in Aviation conference in Memphis, TN and saw many young girls getting excited about aviation and space careers. Conferences like these or even local science fairs and museums are great places to foster excitement.

[ Janis - 167 - 14:22:10 ]
RE: [ALICE] I AM THE MOTHER OF FOUR GIRLS WHO ARE ALL INTERESTED IN SCIENCE. DID YOUR PARENTS DO ANYTHING SPECIAL TO ENCOURAGE YOUR CHOSEN CAREER PATH? HOW CAN PARENTS HELP ENCOURAGE THEIR DAUDHTERS PURSUE SCIENCE AS A CAREER (ANY FIELD)?
I think that encouraging daughters to just excel, and to not think that there are career paths closed to them. Both of my parents started out as teachers. My Mom became a school principal and my Dad the CEO of a large corporation in my home country, Guyana - they both set excellent examples for me. I think from a very young age, I was always encouraged to just do my very best - it has been the motto that I try to pass on to my kids.

[ Janis - 168 - 14:23:09 ]
RE: [Kim] Do astronauts still drink Tang?
I think they drink it still - it's called 'orange drink' these days.

[ Janis - 169 - 14:23:26 ]
RE: [BrittanyJuniorGirlScout] Do you have any children?
I have 2 sons aged 9 and 6

[ Janis - 170 - 14:23:47 ]
RE: [Katie] I'm a girl scout, were you?
I was a Brownie - I think the Girl Scouts are AWESOME

[ CarolRusso/GRC - 171 - 14:27:38 ]
RE: [Jessica] What is it like to be working for NASA?
I joined NASA only 7 years ago after working in industry for almost 20 years and have really enjoyed it. You get to work on the most leading edge technologies which is very exciting. These technologies enable new products and capabilities in aeronautics and space such as quieter and cleaner engines and airplanes and new space exploration.

[ StaceyMorrison - 175 - 14:38:05 ]
RE: [Alicia] Hi, I am student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and am majoring in electrical engineering. I was wanting to know what gates you all were worried about keeping open on your path to becoming who you are today, and also how you all may have encountered discrimination on account of your being women. I also would like to know what made you decide to take the challenge and follow through on your dreams, and any particular experiences any of you would like to share about how dealt with the obstacles in your paths. Thank you for your time.
My father really encouraged me to take all the hardest classes I could take so that I would be prepared for college. I went to a school where there were four guys for every girl and so I learned to get along in a mostly male world. When I started at NASA, I think the discrimination I felt was more about my age (I was 22 then) then it was my gender. A number of male contractors that were old enough to be my father treated me like I was a little girl and that they didn't need to pay attention to me. After I started talking to my boss about it and started going to the right meetings, the contractors' attitudes changed. I also showed them that I could do something for them and they decided I was worth paying attention to. Other than that, I really haven't felt any discrimination at NASA.

[ StaceyMorrison - 178 - 14:41:10 ]
RE: [Alicia] Hello, Room. I would like to know what made you all decide to follow through on your dreams. Thank you.
I happen to be a very stubborn woman and will not give up easily. I was not doing well in my computer classes at college but I didn't want to change my major because it would take me longer to graduate and I really liked computers. I just didn't like programming them. I sent out 200 resumes and received 199 rejections. I didn't give up until I got the one job offer from NASA. Now I am trying to get into management. I won't give up until I get there. Being persistent is the way to get what you want. Eventually you will get it if you try hard enough.

[ CarolRusso/GRC - 179 - 14:43:20 ]
RE: [Alicia] Hi, I am student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and am majoring in electrical engineering. I was wanting to know what gates you all were worried about keeping open on your path to becoming who you are today, and also how you all may have encountered discrimination on account of your being women. I also would like to know what made you decide to take the challenge and follow through on your dreams, and any particular experiences any of you would like to share about how dealt with the obstacles in your paths. Thank you for your time.
Those are very good but tough questions. I have always tried to move into jobs that would challenge me but also give me additional career options later. For example, I started out designing compressors for jet engines which used my strong education in fluid dynamics. I moved into first line management in the compressor group so I could influence more programs than as an individual contributor and to gain supervisory experience, a must for anyone who wants to move into management. Next, I broadened out into engine systems design and analysis to learn more about other parts of the engine not just compressors. That broadening enabled me eventually to move into managing new technology programs for engines across many product lines. The supervisory and the broad technical experience enabled me to compete for my present job as Director of Aeronautics at NASA moving from industry to government. I am able to influence many more products than just one company's product lines. So each career move broadened opportunities building on the skills gained in the previous position. Some "must dos" are supervisory experience to move into management, broad technical skills to move up the ladder, even multi-company or company/government jobs to have more mobility and choices. Avoid staying in one job too long. In general 3-5 years is sufficient to make your mark and gain enough experience to move on. Talk to others who are in positions that you might aspire to and learn what it takes to make it there. As far as discrimination, I clearly needed to work harder and longer to be recognized and given opportunities than many male colleagues. I think things are easier for women in technical fields today but there are still obstacles. Happily, there are also more opportunities and organizations seeking qualified women for growth positions. If you aspire to a technical field, definitely pursue it but don't be shy of asking for help from others who are ahead of you.

[ StaceyMorrison - 180 - 14:47:06 ]
RE: [anna] Stacy is it hard working on computers in space?
I have never been in space, but I think it would be harder to work on computers in space than on the ground. The good thing, though, is that NASA believes in redundancy and will always have a spare part or computer if the computer breaks down. Also the people on the ground tell the astronauts how to fix a computer in space if they have to. If they aren't able to fix a problem, sometimes they have to give up on the experiment until next time. The shuttle has 5 computers that run the flight software. One of them is a complete backup of the other 4 that can be used to get them down again. We try very hard to think of all contingencies before we send anything into space because it is very hard to get anything from the ground right away.

[ CarolRusso/GRC - 181 - 14:50:04 ]
RE: [Janis] I think that encouraging daughters to just excel, and to not think that there are career paths closed to them. Both of my parents started out as teachers. My Mom became a school principal and my Dad the CEO of a large corporation in my home country, Guyana - they both set excellent examples for me. I think from a very young age, I was always encouraged to just do my very best - it has been the motto that I try to pass on to my kids.
My father strongly encouraged me to study math and science. He and my mother who was a housewife supported me in entering science fairs and we went to museums and read a lot of books both fiction and non-fiction. There were very few women in engineering when I started but today there are many more so I would help your daughter to meet some women in technical fields. Career fairs, science fairs, conferences like Women in Aviation are all good events for meeting such women. Encouraging her to read about women who have been successful in science, math, and engineering is also very helpful in getting girls excited about these fields. Teachers can use NASA GRC educational materials to augment their lesson plans that bring exiting experiments to the classroom. The web has lots of material to educate girls about technical areas.

[ StaceyMorrison - 182 - 14:51:07 ]
RE: [Kayla] A lot of people believe that tax payers money not be used to build space crafts that have no garentee. What is your appinon?
If we don't invest in space travel, we are not investing in our future. I realize that there are a lot of hungry people on this planet, but the technology that we use to build spacecraft have helped us figure out how to grow more food in less space. We now have velcro and medical devices that we didn't have before because of the technology we have developed at NASA. If we don't try to explore our solar system and beyond, we will not be able to solve a lot of the problems that we have at home.

[ StaceyMorrison - 183 - 14:54:34 ]
RE: [Dulce] How do you feel about your career?
I feel that I have a good career at NASA. I get to be involved in space exploration which I wouldn't necessarily get to do anywhere else. I think that NASA treats women well and we have a lot of women in management positions. I hope to stay here until I retire (in 22 years).

[ StaceyMorrison - 184 - 14:58:53 ]
RE: [Janis] I think that encouraging daughters to just excel, and to not think that there are career paths closed to them. Both of my parents started out as teachers. My Mom became a school principal and my Dad the CEO of a large corporation in my home country, Guyana - they both set excellent examples for me. I think from a very young age, I was always encouraged to just do my very best - it has been the motto that I try to pass on to my kids.
My father encouraged me to take the hardest courses in high school, but I chose to be in computer science all by myself. My parents really didn't say anything for or against it. They were really happy when I got my job with NASA. I would encourage any child to use a computer at a young age and have them watch educational shows like Bill Nye the Science Guy. My daughter is 6 and she has been using the computer since she was 18 months. She loves doing her own experiments in the sink. Going to science and medical museums as well as other museums and zoos will also encourage a child to be interested in math and science.

[ StaceyMorrison - 185 - 15:03:14 ]
RE: [CarolRusso/GRC] Yes. I was a Brownie, Camp Fire Girl, and a Girl Scout. It was a lot of fun learning new skills and being with other girls. It taught some discipline as you had to work to get merit badges but it was fun too.
I was a girl scout and I made it to Cadet rank. It was hard to stay in a troop very long because my dad was in the Air Force and we moved around a lot. When I wanted to be in a Senior troop, there weren't many girls interested. I decided to quit then when I was in ninth grade and do other things. I really enjoyed the campouts. Girl Scouts is really fun.

[ StaceyMorrison - 186 - 15:05:04 ]
RE: [CarolRusso/GRC] I love to read and except for a few TV programs like some movies and tennis, I spend time reading rather than watching TV. I love mystery books. I also read books while travelling on airplanes which I do a lot.
I also like to read. I read science fiction mostly. When I was younger I read fairy tales and Greek mythology. I also like fantasy books which are like fairy tales. I read about a book a week as well as various magazines and newspapers. It is more fun to imagine what you read than to have it projected on the screen for you.

[ StaceyMorrison - 187 - 15:06:07 ]
RE: [Janis] I have 2 sons aged 9 and 6
I have one six year old daughter. I also have a cat named Milo.

[ StaceyMorrison - 188 - 15:07:37 ]
Well, I have to go home now. It was nice being able to answer your questions. I hope you had a good time and will come back for other chats in the future.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 189 - 15:07:57 ]
We will now be ending our Virtual Take Our Daughters to Work Day forum. We would like to thank everyone for their great questions, and extend our thanks to all of our NASA experts for joining us for this special event.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 190 - 15:09:09 ]
We invite you to share your thoughts with us about today's forum. Visit our NASA QuestChat Information Center home page at http://quest.nasa.gov/qchats and use our online surveys to send your feedback to us.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 191 - 15:10:05 ]
An archive of this forum will be available online in a day or so. Once again, thank you for your participation. We look forward to hearing from you in the future!