[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 1 - 21:26:24 ]
Our special guest this afternoon is Rose Grymes from NASA's Ames Research Center, just south of San Francisco, CA. Rose is the assistant director of the NASA Astrobiology Institute where she is responsible for assisting the director in planning, advocating, implementing, controlling, reviewing and reporting on the institute's science, technical objectives and milestones.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 2 - 21:27:06 ]
Did you know... Rose feels the most exciting aspect about her job at NASA is being involved in making the future of humans in space a reality. She has a young daughter who has been fortunate to join Rose on some of her work excursions.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 3 - 21:40:34 ]
Rose will be in the chat room and ready to take your questions at 1 pm, PDT (3 pm, EDT)... Be sure to read her bio BEFORE the chat begins. Thanks!

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 6 - 13:02:37 ]
RE: [EPACHILDREN/SEATTLE] Hi! Earth friendly and cool kids from EPA in Seattle will be joining you in a moment. We're glad to have this opportunity to chat with you today.
We look forward to chatting with you today also! Rose Grymes will begin taking questions in just about 5 minutes...

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 7 - 13:02:53 ]
Hello, everyone. I'm looking forward to chatting with you all today. Let's see if my fingers can keep up with your questions, and if my typos increase as the hour progresses.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 11 - 13:06:20 ]
RE: [ModineGunch] Please explain what an NIA?
It's actually NAI, which stands for NASA Astrobiology Institute. Astrobiology is combines many different science disciplines, such as astronomy, geosciences, and biology. It looks for answers to the three questions that can be framed as, "How did life originate?", "Are we alone?", "What is the future of life on Earth, and beyond?" The Institute is a collection of, currently, 11 research teams located at over 30 academic and research organizations in the US. We have one foreign partner, the Centro de Astrobiologia, in Spain.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 12 - 13:07:28 ]
RE: [Joshthephyso] why do they keep canceling the shuttle launch
Check out http://spaceflight.nasa.gov for all the latest updates. Last I heard there were high winds at the Cape, which caused the most recent delay.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 14 - 13:09:05 ]
RE: [hillary] why did you choose to be a doctor? do you ever want to be anything else besides a doctor?
I'm a Ph.D. doctor, not the M.D. kind. I started out in college as pre-med, and was thinking about being the M.D. kind. I took a lot of different courses, and fell in love with the beauty of microbes, so I became a bacteriologist. As that field progressed, I became interested in understanding genetics and focused on molecular biology; which is the field I studied while working for my Ph.D.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 20 - 13:13:45 ]
RE: [EPACHILDREN/SEATTLE] How many shuttles have you launched this year?
Check out http://spaceflight.nasa.gov for details on all the Shuttle launches and the contruction of the International Space Station.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 21 - 13:15:02 ]
RE: [Maya] Hello Rose. I would like to know what factors led to your career choice to work with NASA.
I've always been interested in space exploration, and was an avid reader of science fiction (still am!). When I had completed my postdoctoral study, there was an opening at NASA Ames Research Center. The job allowed me to take a positive step in my career, and run my own lab. That's why I joined.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 22 - 13:15:38 ]
RE: [ModieGunch] Is it fun working at nasa
It's a blast. Being able to participate in 'chats' like this is part of the fun. Being involved in planning our future in space is great.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 24 - 13:17:16 ]
RE: [ModieGunch] when are we going to land on mars
Well, before the loss of the two Mars missions earlier this year (Mars Climate Orbiter and Mars Polar Lander) the plan was to send robotic missions to Mars and bring back samples in 2008 and 2010. Now, those missions will probably be delayed. Humans on Mars? Earliest possible would be 2018, and it's not likely that we will begin mission planning for such an event until we have the robotic missions going safely and routinely.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 25 - 13:19:02 ]
RE: [SamanthaAge12] Hi Dr.Grymes- Thank you for letting us ask you questions. I am wondering when you got interested in astrobiology? Wasthat what you wanted to purse at NASA or did you discover your interest once you were there?
You're welcome. I've always been interested in space exploration, and was an avid reader of science fiction (still am!). I started workind directly in this area about a year ago. So that answer is yes to both parts of your last sentence. I've always been interested, but I discovered this opportunity specifically a little more than a year ago.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 28 - 13:22:22 ]
RE: [Craigandhisdaughter] How long has NASA had an astrobiolgy institute? Is this a fairly new area?
The announcement of opportunity that led to research proposals, which were peer reviewed for selection as Members of the Institute, occurred in 1997-8. The current 11 Lead Teams are received their first funding in July of 1998. They have almost completed two years of supported work. Before this concentration of research within the Institute, there was an Exobiology Program (and there still is a very strong one), and there are also individual grants for research in the Astrobiology Program. In addition to NASA, the National Science Foundation has a LExEn program, which stands for Life in Extreme Environments. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency, NOAA, studies life in the extreme environment of hydrothermal vents at mid-ocean ridges, which is also an aspect of astrobiology.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 29 - 13:22:56 ]
RE: [SamanthaAge12] Hi again Dr. Grymes - Will you ever move to Director. What is difference between Assistant Director and Director?
The Assistant Director does all the work.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 32 - 13:24:47 ]
RE: [Sherrie] What type of arrangement do you have for your daughters? Do you ever feel guilty about not being home? Could your still do your job and work parttime or telecommute?
My daughter is 15, and in high school. I telecommute occasionally; most often I telecommute to the office when I'm away from it on business trips. My husband is the best; he's always been a 100% involved parent and partner, and that's been a tremendously important part of managing both our careers.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 33 - 13:27:06 ]
RE: [ModieGunch] My Father told me that when he was my age, he fully expected to live in space by the time he was 30. I am 11 years old. Do you think there is a chance for me to live in space during my lifetime?
If you're committed to a career as an astronaut, there's certainly a chance for you to live and work in space.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 36 - 13:29:43 ]
RE: [Sherrie/WHS] How does molecular biology and astrobiolgy relate?
Astrobiology covers a wide variety of science disciplines and the technology tools that support them. Molecular biology is one of those disciplines. For example, molecular biology is concerned with unraveling the evolutionary history of genetic variation, the origin of new species, transfer of genes vertically (through generations) and laterally (by gene sharing or symbiosis). Understanding the history and divergence of life on Earth is an aspect of Astrobiology.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 37 - 13:30:23 ]
RE: [Nicole/YMCA] Could you work for a biotechnic company and get paid a lot more money. Does NASA have a set government rate that they pay?
Yes, we have a set range of salaries. Maybe I could make more at a biotech company. Probably could. Think I should?

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 42 - 13:33:56 ]
RE: [Maya] I'm very impressed with your lifestyle- hobbies, family, time to enjoy the family, and your career success. How did you manage this?
Well, when you're writing biography information you usually don't describe your very worst day. You think on the bright side. I'm no superwoman. I go home from the office each day leaving dozens of things undone, I often regret not finding enough time to congratulate the people I work with on their successes (small and large), and there are more days than I'd like to admit when the cupboards bare and we eat Chinese (like last night). As I answered in another question, my husband's great, and we've always been equal partners in work and in parenting....and in life.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 43 - 13:34:11 ]
RE: [Ashley] Have you ever been in space?
No. Bummer. Have you?

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 44 - 13:35:11 ]
RE: [SallyandMargy] have you ever felt like you are not doing your job as a parent
Daily. Do you think you're parents are doing the best job they can? Do you think THEY think they doing the best job they can? Do you think they think YOU think they're doing the best job they can? Whoa, I'm getting dizzy.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 46 - 13:37:11 ]
RE: [JessicaandJenna] Hello, How are you today? Do you like your job? Is your job fun? What is your name? Are we on the internet? We are two sisters.
I'm fine today. Even better since one of my colleagues in the office gave me an Easter Egg. Chocolate is wonderful for the outlook. I DO like my job. Sometimes I wonder why, but I do. My name is Rose Grymes. My bio information is on-line here, if you read it you will know more about me and what I do at NASA. We ARE on the internet, you and you and me.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 49 - 13:39:06 ]
RE: [Ameera] Are there any new advances that you are able to share with us about space exploration?
There are so many new things, big and small, that we're learning everyday. I would recommend that you sign up to receive e-mail updates from http://science.nasa.gov. They have wonderfully written and researched stories about advances in space exploration on almost a daily basis. Check out their homepage after our chat.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 50 - 13:39:39 ]
RE: [EPACHILDREN/SEATTLE] HI! We're back! How does it feel to be floating in the space shuttle with no gravity?
I bet it feels wonderful. All the astronauts I've talked with, or heard speak about their experiences, say so.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 51 - 13:40:21 ]
RE: [Brianna] Do you live in the city that you work in.Or did you have to move?
I live nearby, about a 15 minute drive.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 55 - 13:41:30 ]
RE: [Brianna] What kind of experiments are done in space?
Wow, there are so many. There are experiments that relate to biology, materials science, Earth observation, studies of the sun and the solar system, infrared astronomy, physics, human physiology, chemistry--what interests YOU most?

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 56 - 13:41:38 ]
RE: [RabobKelsey] Can you read this message?
Yes, I can see and read your message loud and clear! Glad you're here today!

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 59 - 13:42:18 ]
RE: [SallyandMargy] when did you first start your career
Kindergarten. I think we're all life-long students. I'm still learning. What have YOU learned today?

[ SallyandMargy - 60 - 13:44:59 ]
we have learned to speak up and speak out at take your daughter to work day

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 61 - 13:45:29 ]
RE: [Rae] Is it hard for you to stay confident in a commonly mens job? Has your working enviroment improved over time?
I don't think I'd agree that my job is one that would commonly belong to a man. No man held it before I did. But I think I know what you mean. I have faced the 'it's a man's world' problem on several specific occasions in my career. It's not hard to stay confident, I was born and raised that way. I believe the working environment's improving over time, but not as fast as it should. The day you ask a man in my job how he stays confident in a job that's usually held by a woman is the day we will have finally found equality in the workplace.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 62 - 13:46:38 ]
RE: [SallyandMargy] we have learned to speak up and speak out at take your daughter to work day
That's a big accomplishment. One of the lessons life taught me that I use every day is that my opinion (and yours) is as valuable as anyone else's--but no one will know it exists if you don't speak up.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 65 - 13:47:24 ]
RE: [KatieandJody] can you read this?
Yes, I can!

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 66 - 13:48:04 ]
RE: [JessicaandJenna] Why does this take you so.so . so Longgggggggg?
Good question! The reason is, there are more than 100 kids logged into the chat room asking questions!

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 70 - 13:49:07 ]
RE: [Maya] I would really like to know how you feel about women's progress in the sciences. Did you ever feel like you had to show "male characteristics" ?
Sometimes it's the opposite that's limiting. MY characteristics are being forthright, speaking up, being direct. I remember a situation that made me very uncomfortable because a supervisor I worked for wanted me to be a den mother to his lab team; and laid that on me specifically because I was a woman. He wouldn't have, and didn't, expect the men working in the same position to take that same soft-touch approach, but he expected it from me.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 72 - 13:50:14 ]
RE: [Nicole/YMCA] I wonder if it is hard to keep qualified people like yourself at Ames since the area has gotten so uncontrolled with money from all the start up companies. Do you think that at the other NASA centers, the salaries are more inline with the cost of living? Does NASA base it's salary scale on the location of the NASA center?
There are adjustments based on locale, particularly in the SF Bay Area and in DC. And yes, I think that being located amongst the start-ups in biotech and hi-tech is a challenge. But none of those companies does what NASA does, so we still have that edge.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 73 - 13:51:24 ]
RE: [epa/children/seattle] Are you and your daughter participating in " take your daughter to work day?"
My daughter has participated over the years in lots of ways. Often she came to work with me, sometimes with my husband, and a couple of years ago we found a friend who hosted her in their law offices all day. What have you done for Take Our Daughters to Work Day, in addition to keeping me company on-line?

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 74 - 13:53:17 ]
EVERYONE: THERE ARE ONLY 10 MINUTES LEFT in our chat today with Rose. Please don't send anymore questions as there are still 60 in the queue. Rose will answer as many as she can in the remaining time (or until her fingers give out!!!) Thank you to everyone for being patient :-)

[ Nicole/YMCA - 75 - 13:54:02 ]
Thanks so much for your time - this was cool. Gotta go for now.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 76 - 13:54:53 ]
EVERYONE: Please let us know how we did in our chat today by filling out a short chat survey at -- http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/qchat-surveys -- Thank you :-)

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 77 - 13:55:52 ]
RE: [SallyandMargy] can you explian what your job exacally is?
You can find more information about the NASA Astrobiology Institute at http://nai.arc.nasa.gov. The Director does a lot of travelling, presenting information about the Institute and astrobiology at meetings, and developing partnerships with international colleagues and other federal agencies. I do everything else; we have 450 Members at 30+ institutions, with 11 Lead Institutions. I keep the funds flowing to them, stay in contact with their research accomplishments, advocate the Institute's programs to our sponsors and to the American public, and work out the details of the partnerships, international collaborations, science symposia, and educational materials. I'm responsible to keep the staff challenged and motivated (there are about 15 of them), and to keep us moving forward in creating a community of scientists nationwide, and create an environment (using technology; computers and telecommunications) for them to collaborate with each other as if they were right next door.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 80 - 13:56:28 ]
RE: [RabobKelsey] Do you enjoy what you do or would you rather do something else?
I actually LOVE what I do. Am I crazy?

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 81 - 13:56:52 ]
RE: [epa/children/seattle] I'm spending the day at my dad's office learning alot about women in trades and having lots of fun.
What kind of trades?

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 82 - 13:57:00 ]
RE: [SallyandMargy] Gosh I am sorry that you are so busy. Don't respond to this. I just wanted to say bye
Bye

[ epa/children/seattle - 83 - 13:57:00 ]
Thank you so much for spending time with us. This is a wonderful opportunity to chat someone like you in NASA.

[ Lynn - 85 - 13:57:00 ]
hello I am 10 yrs old. How long did it take for you to get where you are today and did you have a lot of hard times getting there?

[ JessicaandJenna - 88 - 13:57:32 ]
I Hope You Have A Great Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have to go in 5 min.( It is 1:55 ) BYE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 90 - 13:58:31 ]
RE: [LynnSpokane] what do find most interesting in your job?
I'd have to choose two things. Talking with the scientists, and hearing about the amazing things they're studying and finding out AND talking with YOU.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 91 - 13:58:54 ]
RE: [RabobKelsey] Is there anyone else that I can talk to that doesnt have as many people chatting with at once like you?
Today is a very busy chat day for all of the experts volunteering their time. However, NASA Quest offers several webchats per week to all kinds of people working at NASA. Check out our chat schedule at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events -- Hope to see you again!

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 92 - 13:59:49 ]
RE: [Lynn] hello I am 10 yrs old. How long did it take for you to get where you are today and did you have a lot of hard times getting there?
It took me as long for me to get here as it took for you to get where you are--my whole life. Hard times? No more than anyone else. I studied hard, and I like my job because I actually ENJOY doing the best I can at it, every day.

[ Maya - 93 - 13:59:58 ]
Dr. Grymes, I would like to thank you for being so delightful. I am a senior in college studying biological sciences (currently working on a project about women in the sciences) and you have helped me a lot. I'm very impressed. Thank you.

[ Ameera - 94 - 13:59:58 ]
thank you for your time

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 95 - 14:02:39 ]
EVERYONE: Rose is working on answering the last 5 questions right now and then we have to let her get back to work! THANK YOU to all of you for coming to the chat room today! We hope you leave inspired and that you've gotten a few more ideas on what you can do with your life! From the entire NASA Quest Team, Rose and myself, we wish you all the best :-)

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 100 - 14:04:06 ]
RE: [Petra] Why do we (the human race) believe that for there to be extra terrestrial life on another planet, there has to be oxygen and water?
We think there has to be water--in a nutshell, this is because the chemical reactions of life (using energy, making the building blocks of cells, tranmitting genetic instructions from one generation to the next) require liquid water as part of the chemistry. Oxygen would be necessary to support many, but not all, forms of Earth life. Oxygen is very volatile; it is used up in many common chemical reactions. So, we think that finding oxygen in the atmosphere of another planet MIGHT indicate that there was life on that planet. So, oxygen is a biosignature, a trace of life, a byproduct of life.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 101 - 14:06:27 ]
RE: [epa/children/seattle] What IS astrobiology? Do you look for life in space?
Astrobiology covers a lot of science disciplines, from astronomy to biology to chemistry to geosciences to molecular biology....... There are three fundamental questions that define the field of astrobiology, "How does life originate?", "Are we along?", "What is the future of life on Earth, and beyond?" We DO look for biosignatures, traces of fossil or existing life.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 102 - 14:13:49 ]
RE: [Joanna] How did you get interested in astrobiology? Was there a specific reason you wanted to work in this field?
My background is in Cell and Molecular Biology, and I had worked at that to get a Ph.D., as a postdoctoral student, and as an independent laboratory scientist. Five years ago I made a career switch, and used my background and interests to support science communication and education more directly than when I worked at lab science. I did this for the Life Sciences organization of NASA, which is the same group that employed me as a scientist. Last year I added working with the NASA Astrobiology Institute. That expanded my learning curve to include astronomy and geosciences, and I wanted that expansion.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 103 - 14:16:00 ]
RE: [Brianna] WHY did you want this job?
After spending the last 5-6 years focusing on science communications, I wanted to move back toward science research again. But this time I'm primarily involved not in my own individual research on one topic, but with supporting and advocating the work of the 450 NAI members on hundreds of topics. It was a challenge, both in the science learning it required and in the management required; I'm responsible very directly each day for a group of 15 talented, wonderful staff (don't tell them I said such nich things about them. It'll go to their heads.)

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 104 - 14:16:26 ]
RE: [SallyandMargy] Do you think that staying busy helps you stay organized? Or do you think it would be better if you had more spare time?
Yes, I think you're right, it does. It helps because I have to prioritize what's important right off.

[ RoseGrymes/ARC - 105 - 14:16:56 ]
RE: [Sandy/NASAChatHost] EVERYONE: Rose is working on answering the last 5 questions right now and then we have to let her get back to work! THANK YOU to all of you for coming to the chat room today! We hope you leave inspired and that you've gotten a few more ideas on what you can do with your life! From the entire NASA Quest Team, Rose and myself, we wish you all the best :-)
A round of applause for Sandy, who's kept us all on-line and in line!