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Welcome to our Virtual Take Our Daughters to Work Day Forum. You may post a question at any time today, Thursday, April 22, 1999. Our featured mentors will log on throughout the day to answer posted questions. Check back throughout the day to see your questions answered. This Forum is moderated so you will not see your question posted immediately. Please do not repost your questions. Questions will be posted each half hour on the 12 and 6 beginning at 8:00 a.m. Pacific Time / 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

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Our featured mentors today are listed on the profiles page at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/TODTWD99/schedule.html Please research their work prior to posting your question to ensure your have composed thoughtful questions. You can post a question to a particular mentor or to the group in general. Our mentors will do their best to accomodate as many questions as they can in the time they have available to log on.

[ KimHubbard/NASAAmes - 63 - 08:08:44 ]
RE: [SallyAnne] Do you think it's hard having children and a career? What do you do to make it workable?
Hi SallyAnne, I think the hard part about having children and a career is the challenge of maintaining your priortities and finding time to do all the things your want or need to do.

[ KimHubbard/NASAAmes - 64 - 08:12:43 ]
RE: [Steph/UplandsHigh] How is it having twins and working? Did you take time off when they were young? Do you ever think you would like to be home all the time with them?
Hi, Working with twins is not too bad most of the time. I have very good child care and fairly flexible working hours so that if I have to stay at home to take care of a sick child I can do that. I only spent the first three months with them at home. Sometimes I think it would be nice to be at home with them all the time but I think they'd get a little bored with me all day when they have all these playmates at daycare.

[ JoyceDever - 65 - 08:16:51 ]
RE: [Sabrina] Ms. Dever- Has the effect of sun of space materials changed as the ozone layer has depleted and do you need to make the aircraft different now? Would this apply to space aircraft and commercial aircraft?
Hi Sabrina, My area of expertise is with spacecraft orbiting outside of the Earth's atmosphere and thus the depletion of the ozone layer does not affect the UV from the sun. However, I would guess that aircraft (inside of the ozone layer) and scientific balloon experiments (which are within the ozone layer) may have their UV durability requirements increased because of the changes to the ozone layer. Good question!

[ KimHubbard/NASAAmes - 66 - 08:18:38 ]
RE: [Isabella] For those of you that have children, what strategies can you give working mothers on balancing both raising a family and pursuing a career?
Hi, It helps a lot if your spouse does his share of things such as housework, cooking, picking up the kids, etc. Also it's important to work somewhere that has flexible working hours or allows you to work from home if your job is suited to that. Another thing is that you have to be well organized and have set some priorities to keep you focused. However, don't forget to re-evaluate your priorities every now and then since they will change.

[ KimHubbard/NASAAmes - 67 - 08:22:54 ]
RE: [Valerie] Hi Kim- Do you like your work on the Science Desk? It doesn't seem as exciting as what you did before? Why did you switch?
Hi, ScienceDesk my not be as exciting as doing a SpaceShuttle experiment but it is interesting. I enjoy having the opportuninty to work directly with other NASA scientists and developing a internet-based application which hopefully will make their jobs easier to accomplish.

[ RoseGrymes - 68 - 08:27:24 ]
RE: [Jocelyn] Hi Mrs. Grymes - What does outreach do? Do you have to be working in that particular field before you can go into outreach or can you move into it from other areas?
Hi Jocelyn, The Life Sciences Outreach Program does a wide variety of projects, from developing CD learning tools to publishing a newsletter for young readers to sponsoring teacher enhancement programs to attending conferences to maintaining internet sites to......well, a lot of stuff. We even sponsored two underwater missions of a facility called the Scott Carpenter Space Analog Station; a very simple underwater habitat that can host a crew of 3. Check it out on-line at the URL I've provided. Some of the people I work with started out in a Life Sciences discipline (cell biology, immunology, physiology, veterinary medicine), others have engineering backgrounds, others have experience in technical writing, teaching, public communications, etc.

[ JoyceDever - 69 - 08:28:01 ]
RE: [Isabella] For those of you that have children, what strategies can you give working mothers on balancing both raising a family and pursuing a career?
Hi Isabella, this answer also addresses Sally Ann: As a working mom of 2 young girls (almost 4 and 9 mos.), I have found various ways to balance career and family. My job allows flexible hours, so I can get home at a reasonable hour, or I can have a day off each week working a compressed schedule, and I have been able to do some work from home via a computer with a modem. I am fortunate to have my mom to babysit, too! Right now I work part-time taking Family Leave (It allows employees to take up to 480 hours of leave without pay within a year after the birth of a child), and I like the balance of working 3 days a week and having time home with the children :) I really enjoy being a parent, so having a good balance between family and career is very important to me!

[ JoyceDever - 71 - 08:31:19 ]
RE: [Isabella] I am wondering your thoughts on whether we should continue with this Take Our Daughters to Work Day initiative. It seems like some people think we are excluding boys.
Hi Isabella, Regarding Take Our Daughters to Work Day, NASA Glenn has amended this to Take Our Children to Work Day for children/grandchildren of employees ages 9-15. This way the boys are part of it, too!

[ KimHubbard/NASAAmes - 82 - 08:34:39 ]
RE: [KimHubbard/NASAAmes] Hi, ScienceDesk my not be as exciting as doing a SpaceShuttle experiment but it is interesting. I enjoy having the opportuninty to work directly with other NASA scientists and developing a internet-based application which hopefully will make their jobs easier to accomplish.
Also I switched projects mainly because I was offered the opportunity to do so.

[ LisaShore - 83 - 08:35:03 ]
RE: [SHHigh] Do different people do ascent and descent?
Hi SHHigh. Sometimes the same people work ascent and descent. Flight controllers usually get certified for descent operations and then ascent. Ascent is considered to be the most time critical so it's last in the training flow. Once you get certified for ascent then you can work both parts of a flight.

[ RoseGrymes - 84 - 08:35:52 ]
RE: [Gabby] How will the astrobiology research help us in the immediate future and how is it being utilized for the general public?
Hey there, Gabby, Applied research is generally focused on providing a direct benefit or solving a particular problem--good stuff, but with some contraints applied to it. Basic research, by its nature, is an open ended effort. The results always lead in dozens of new directions, many of them ripe for applied research, but you never know exactly which directions those will be when you start. Astrobiology basic research inquires into the origins of life, and will tell us about our planet (how it came to be formed, it's geologic history, what was SO right about it for life to originate) and ourselves (how do self-replicating systems emerge, how are they organized, how does life survive extreme conditions, how has life on Earth shaped the planet and been shaped by it). Astrobiology also asks, "Is there life elsewhere?" How can we look for it, how will we recognize it? And finally, Astrobiology is the study of terrestrial life beyond planet Earth; what is our future off our home planet, how will Earth-life adapt to microgravity (in low Earth orbit on the International Space Station, or in transit to exploring Mars) or to exploration outposts on other planets.

[ KimHubbard/NASAAmes - 85 - 08:37:12 ]
RE: [Janine/Sebastapool] Was any of your work on the wireless remote network instrumental in the wireless technology we see today with computers and phones?
Hi, Actually we used some of the same wireless technology products that are used today with computers and phones.

[ RoseGrymes - 86 - 08:39:14 ]
RE: [MrsComers] What type of background do you need to be successful at Outreach? What is attractive about it?
Mrs. Comers, My reply, #68 in the list, to Jocelyn has some of this information. What do you need to be successful? Passion for sharing the adventure of science with .......well, whichever audience you're addressing. And skills and experience in communicating; in writing, in images, in personal presentations--different people have different abilities in all those areas, and they are all required contributions.

[ LisaShore - 87 - 08:40:47 ]
RE: [MrSmithsclass] What's happening with STS-93? Why is it always being delayed? When will it really launch?
Hi Mr. Smith's class. Right now STS-93 is still scheduled to launch on July 9. It has been delayed because of some problems with getting the Chandra satellite ready to launch. It may get delayed again because of some possible problems with the booster that is attached to the satellite. The booster is called an IUS and is the same kind that was on a Department of Defense satellite that didn't make it into the right orbit a few weeks ago. They want to make sure that the same thing won't happen to Chandra.

[ RoseGrymes - 88 - 08:44:21 ]
RE: [Carla] Mrs. Rose Grymes - Why did your husband encourage you to pursue your career? What made him so insightful?!
Hi Carla-- It's actually Dr. Grymes, although also Mrs.; but you can call me Rose. I think my husband encouraged me because he knew personally how important his studies, his work, and his contributions meant to him; and it never occurred to him that I was any different. He loves me, and wants me to have all the best things that he could wish for anyone. Working, learning, understanding, making a positive difference--he just feels those things are fundamental to everyone, and never sees a difference between men and women. I think maybe he got some of that thinking from seeing his mother work while he grew up. She was a teacher; and a great teacher! I guess he always saw women as contributing and positive and intelligent.

[ LisaShore - 89 - 08:45:24 ]
RE: [Bella] Lisa Shore please answer us. Do you come to NASA and the VMS for training? Do you work with Julie Mikula? We chatted with her. Do you think the portrayal of entering and exiting orbit in Armegedon was realistic?
Hi Bella. I've never been to the VMS or met Julie. We do most of our training right here at the Johnson Space Center, but occasionally some of our folks go out there for testing. I didn't think Armageddon was very realistic but it was very entertaining. They did some of the filming here in Houston and it was fun to pick out places I recognized.

[ RoseGrymes - 90 - 08:48:45 ]
RE: [Sabrina] Rose Grymes - Did you get frustrated when you wanted to go back to work and you didn't get a job right away? How old is your daughter now? How do you spend time with her?
Good morning, Sabrina, Yes, I sure did get frustrated. While I was looking for a position, after staying home with my daughter for about 4 years, I was terribly disappointed when I wasn't inundated with offers. I bought an answering maching to make sure I wasn't missing all those dozens of calls, only to find that there weren't any calls! But thinking about NOT working again really made my mind up that I WOULD--no matter how long it took to find the right job. It kind of turned my attitude around to being even MORE determined. My daughter is 14 now, and the question is really more how does SHE spend time with ME. She's pretty busy herself, with school and other activities, and she's becoming more and more her own person, and a little less my little girl. It's a time of her finding herself and her way, through her academics, her chosen activities, and her friends.

[ LisaShore - 91 - 08:52:39 ]
RE: [Dominic] Do you think knowing other languages would help you in your desires to be an astronaut? How would extracurricular activities have helped you?
Hi Dominic. I think knowing other languages could do nothing but help anyone to become an astronaut. The space onboard the Space Station will be very limited and lots of countries are going to want to send someone. I said extracurricular activities would have helped because the astronauts of the future are going to have to be more well rounded than ever. When we send a crew to Mars the total trip time is going to be 2 and a half years. It will be very important for everyone to get along. Imagine spending two years with your class and no one else.

[ KarenCrandall - 92 - 08:54:37 ]
RE: [maryclaire] for Karen Crandall: When did you think "you can't' and what did you do about it? When did you think "you can" and what did you have to do to achieve it?
Mary Claire, I got married shortly after I graduated from high school and had to put college on hold for awhile. When I got back, math and science was really hard. I struggled for a whole year before I realized that if I worked with my teachers I could learn almost anything! So if school is hard for you now, talk with your teachers and see if they can help you see what's keeping you from understanding the material. It's usually something really simple!

[ RoseGrymes - 93 - 08:57:28 ]
RE: [MrAmato] You said in your profile, "Once I realized how much I wanted it, I KNEW I would." Do you think that is what make successful people achievers? Do you have to want something so bad in order to really achieve great things? Do you think you might set yourself up for failure when you set your expectations so high?
Mr. Amato, Sorry it took a while to answer your question, I almost didn't recognize the quote, it's been a long time since I wrote that profile. But, ....ta-da..I guess it really is me because after going past your question a couple of times I always came back to it, and just couldn't resist it. Then I checked back on my profile and figured out it really WAS for me. Well, I'm not sure I can speak for success and achievement in general; but I know that in my academic and in my working life I have experienced some of the negatives that can affect women in school and in the workplace. And through those times, a determination to succeed has been important in getting my through. I've had to accept in my own life that there can be things we desperately want, and yet can't have. That there ARE circumstances beyond our control. So, I'd make two provisions to encouraging determination; 1--recognize what you can affect, and what you can't (pretty hard to do, but a good goal...), and 2--be flexible in your definition of success (what I'm doing now is quite different than my image of my career 10 years ago, and my current position is entirely self-created, by my choice, and one with which I'm very happy).

[ LisaShore - 94 - 09:07:00 ]
RE: [WoodsideElem] Lisa Shore - How do you make up "what ifs" Have they ever happened on a mission you were working on?
Hi Woodside Elementary. We make up the "what ifs" by figuring out which critical parts of the shuttle have the possibility of failing. Some things are considered so reliable that we assume they will never fail. Even the failures that we simulate are very unlikely to happen but we want to be ready in case they do. The worst failure that ever happened on one of my flights was during an entry shift. We had to wave off the landing for the day because of bad weather so we told the crew to re-open the payload bay doors. There was a problem getting the doors open which meant that we would have to land within 3 hours because of thermal cooling concerns if they couldn't fix it. The crew used a back-up procedure and got the doors open after about 20 minutes so we were able to stay in orbit. We were busy planning that unscheduled entry until we knew everything was going to be alright.

[ LisaShore - 101 - 09:15:27 ]
RE: [WoodsideElem] To Lisa - Do you still want to be an astronaut? Can astronatus wear glasses?
I still would love to be an astronaut. Astronauts can wear glasses. Commanders and Pilots have to have better eyesight than Mission Specialists. I think your eyes have to be 20/100 or better without glasses or contacts.

[ LisaShore - 102 - 09:24:48 ]
RE: [UplandsHS/kim] To LIsa Shore - Do you work with the astronauts? Do you have favorite ones? Who was the youngest astronaut?
Hi Kim. Yes I do get to work with the astronauts, mostly the commanders and pilots. We have to make sure that we know what to expect from each other during the ascent and entry. It would be really hard to pick a favorite, but it's probably Eileen Collins right. She's a great commander and is very easy to work with.

[ LisaShore - 106 - 09:28:40 ]
RE: [LisaShore] Hi Kim. Yes I do get to work with the astronauts, mostly the commanders and pilots. We have to make sure that we know what to expect from each other during the ascent and entry. It would be really hard to pick a favorite, but it's probably Eileen Collins right. She's a great commander and is very easy to work with.
I'll see if I can find out who was the youngest astronaut.

[ LisaShore - 107 - 09:30:47 ]
RE: [Megan] Lisa Shore How many missions have you been on?
Hi Megan. I've lost count but I think it's around 30.

[ RoseGrymes - 108 - 09:33:20 ]
RE: [MrsGoresclass] What types of obstacles have you had to overcome because you were a women in male dominated classes in school or when you first started your career?
Hello from NASA to Mrs. Gore's Class! Well, when I started graduate school, I had an inkling of interest in astronomy; this was years before I ended up at NASA. I signed up for a beginning class, and found I was the only woman. If my interest or commitment had been higher, I would have been determined and would have persevered; but I was 'just kinda interested' and dropped the class. I think that's a subtle influence; when women are in the minority, sometimes the environment for learning appears to be unwelcoming and uncomfortable. Later, when I was applying for a technical position after receiving my Ph.D., I was asked during several interviews completely inappropriate questions, like "Do you plan to have children, because we really don't want to hire you if we might lose you to a pregnancy leave. We had a woman here who had a difficult pregnancy and delivery, and she was a great worker and we were very supportive, but we don't want that situation again." !!!!! Now, do you think they asked men applying for that job to take a treadmill test, and guarantee they'd never have a heart attack? Did all applicants have to pass a driving safety test, and promise never to have an accident? Nooooo--just women were singled out for this stupid invasion of privacy. Those attitudes are out there. We have to keep pushing back the barriers.

[ RoseGrymes - 109 - 09:36:49 ]
RE: [Rachael] Do you ever feel that you are missing out on your children's life by having a career? Do you feel that the are being denying the benefit of having their mother around more?
I'm really glad that I was able to be full-time with my daughter when she was very young. I went back to work when she was 5. But a lot of women aren't able to make that choice, either for economic or career progression reasons, and for many women it wouldn't be the right choice, for their own reasons. There's no single right way to be a parent. I think that being the best mother means, first, being the best person that I can be. I think that my daughter benefits in very real ways from seeing my commitment to the world outside our home, in addition to seeing my commitment (and her father's) to the world inside our home.

[ LisaShore - 110 - 09:43:05 ]
RE: [Graciella/OR] How many missions have you worked on? Have you ever had any problems? What types of things make NASA delay a launch? Thank you for answering our questions.
Hi Graciela. I think I've worked around 30 missions. Most of the problems that we encounter concern mission success rather than safety. We've had a few flights where things didn't work out quite the way we thought they would. The people in Mission Control are very resourceful and usually can find a way to work around any problem that we run into. Before the Challenger accident there was one flight that had a engine during the launch. They ended up going to a lower orbit than they planned because of that. I was working STS-95 when the drag chute door fell off at liftoff. We had people working that problem the entire flight so that by the time we deorbited we thought we could handle anything that might go wrong. NASA usually delays launches for bad weather at the launch site or at one of our abort landing sites. Sometimes it's because something onboard the orbiter just doesn't look right. It may turn out to be that just a sensor was bad but we don't take unnecessary chances. We have a whole book of rules that says what we have to have to be go for launch.

[ LisaShore - 112 - 09:47:36 ]
RE: [SHARON/JOSHUA] WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR EYES? DO YOU HAVE ANY CHILDERN? WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WRITER? WHAT'S YOUR FIRST SHATTLE CALLED?
Hi Sharon/Joshua. If this question is for me.... My eyes are brown. I don't have any children unless you count all my animals. My favorite writer right now is Frederick Pohl. My first flight as the ascent FDO is STS-93 which is going to deploy the Chandra satellite.

[ LisaShore - 113 - 09:50:50 ]
RE: [PJHFrenchclass] How many languages are necessary to know on the space station? How many languages are taught by NASA?
Hi there. Russian and English will be the primary languages onboard the International Space Station. Only English is necessary but it would help to know both. It will vary based on who's onboard. NASA is currently teaching Russian and Japanese but many people take classes outside of NASA.

[ LisaShore - 114 - 09:55:56 ]
RE: [MrsGoresclass] What types of obstacles have you had to overcome because you were a women in male dominated classes in school or when you first started your career?
I don't remember any obstacles in school. I occassionally run into a some male chauvanism at work but I don't feel I've been denied any opportunities because of it. It's hard to argue with a job well done. When I first started as a controller they thought I might be too quiet, but I showed them that I can handle any situation they might throw at me in a sim.

[ LisaShore - 120 - 10:09:10 ]
RE: [Stenna] Where you involved when the Challenger blew up? What caused that?
I was still in training when the Challenger blew up. It was caused when one of the solid rocket boosters (SRBs) burned through it's casing. It shot a flame out the side of the SRB that made the big orange propellant tank blow up. The SRBs are put together in pieces. The reason it burned though was that ice had formed in one of the seals between the sections of the SRB. When the ice melted it left a gap that the hot gases could get through. They changed the design of the SRB so that can't happen again. We also won't launch if it's too cold.

[ KimHubbard/NASAAmes - 134 - 10:22:22 ]
RE: [Sarah/SacredHeart] Kim Hubbard, why did you join the Air Force? What were the benefits?
Hi Sarah, I joined the Air Force because I had a 4-yr ROTC college scholarship which paid full tuition and had textbook reimburshment. Accepting the scholarship obligated me to serve a minimum of four years as an Air Force Officer. I actually served for nearly seven years because I enjoyed the work I was doing. The main benefits I received in the Air Force was receiving a great deal of job responsibility right of college, the chance to work with some interesting people, and getting to move to California.

[ KimHubbard/NASAAmes - 135 - 10:28:17 ]
RE: [Sabrina] KimHubbard - Do you think the all girls high school was good for you?
Hi Sabrina, For me, an all girls school was a good experience. I was encouraged to take whatever classes I was qualified for. However, when I attended public coed schools, I still received lots of encourgement and attention. Whether a school is coed or single-sex, I think what matters that you're in an environment where you can pursue a variety educational opportunities.

[ RoseGrymes - 136 - 10:30:53 ]
RE: [Felicitas] Rose Grymes - What strategies will you give you daughter so she can be successful? Do you think preschool was early for you to leave her and go back to work?
Welcome, Felicitas, My daughter has tremendous strength of character, and she ALWAYS maintains her opinion, her perspective, ...it can be incredibly frustrating (for me) to always have to discuss (or argue) any point. But....even though it's hard sometimes, practically, to never get my way just because I'm the Mom, it's really good for HER to learn to present her opinion and 'win' the debate. I think there is some special talent or strength or perspective in every child, and nurturing that becomes a parenting strategy for their success.

[ RoseGrymes - 137 - 10:34:44 ]
RE: [Claire] Rose Grymes - What type of actress do you want to be? Are you really pursuing this?
Well, Claire, I like attending musicals, but I think I would be better in straight comedy/drama; my talent in singing and dancing doesn't compare with the community theater I've seen. I really haven't pursued this since college, and I guess time will tell. The thins we really want to do, we find some way of doing. The longer I use the excuse, "I just don't have time right now", the more you should suspect that I'm not a serious as I think. Right now, it's just a daydream....but we won't really be able to right it off until I retire, and then I won't have work as an excuse! I DO think that all public communications have some aspects of 'acting' to them, including politics. One has to think about how to present oneself, and one's message, and that includes an awareness of speaking style, connecting with your audience, remembering lines (speeches), and improvising under pressure. All the world's a stage!

[ RoseGrymes - 138 - 10:40:31 ]
RE: [Sabrina] KimHubbard - Do you think the all girls high school was good for you?
Sabrina, I also went to an all girl high school. For me, it was a very good environment. I was shy (who isn't?). In high school, all the activities, discussions, sports, intramural committees, student government bodies were led by girls. We saw ourselves in every leadership position, and I think that helped integrate an image of women as obvious and natural leaders. The teachers expected their students to excel in their classes, and the excellent students were always girls (by definition, since ALL the students were girls). So, we also got used to thinking of ourselves as academically talented, and taking that for granted. And I think it was a little easier not to have to think about how we appeared; it's never great to be awkward or to do/say something dumb or to have a bad hair day, but it's a little easier at 15 to get through those things without feeling that the boys are watching. Silly, I guess, but that's how I remember feeling.

[ MargueriteSyvertson - 143 - 10:57:13 ]
RE: [Isabella] I am wondering your thoughts on whether we should continue with this Take Our Daughters to Work Day initiative. It seems like some people think we are excluding boys.
Isabella--I know your question was posted much earlier today. I started the Daughter's day program at JPL several years back (the second year it was held nationally), and we got a lot of questions about why boys weren't included. The following year we began including boys (after all, the whole day is about providing opportunities, not excluding people from them). What we do at JPL is feature women speakers who talk about their careers: it's important for everyone, both girls and boys, to understand the many accomplishments of women in space and here on Earth.

[ MargueriteSyvertson - 144 - 11:01:01 ]
RE: [Sarah] Do you think its right to allow boys to go to work with their parents?
Sarah, I think everyone should get to go to work with their parents, as long as it's safe (would you want to go work on a high rise builidng construction site? Maybe you would!). When I was growing up, my dad let me go to work with him on weekends and in the summer, and I used to play in his office with his models of supersonic airplanes and lifting bodies, things that were designed to help figure out how to design the shuttle (his office was up at Ames Research Center). It was a great experience and certainly the reason I'm at NASA. If we don't let boys go to work with their parents, that's as weird as letting boys go but not girls. Everyone should have the opportunity. So far I've seen both boys and girls here at work today.

[ MargueriteSyvertson - 146 - 11:05:52 ]
RE: [Nicky] Are there as many men as women in your science field? At your office do women have as much authority as men?
Nicky, The Earth Group I work with (at one time called the Earth Girls), currently consists of five women and 1 guy (you can see where the Girl part came from. Sue Digby, who will be on-line later, is part of this group. We all do Earth Science Outreach, and each of us brings something different to the table. Sue is a fantastic scientist, Tom knows a lot about museums, parks, and the outdoors (and USC!), and, well, the group named me the politician, which could be good or bad. I work with both male and female scientists and engineers. There are more men in technical fields here than women, but that seems to be changing slowly. In radar science, there are a lot of women scientists and engineers, almost more than male technical types. In most of the fields, though, most of the managers are men. We're hoping to change that!

[ DianHardison - 147 - 11:06:49 ]
RE: [Fran] to Dian Hardison Do you ever get called to help disarm bombs in any things outside of NASA? What type of jobs could you get if you didn't work for NASA?
Hello all! Sorry to take so long to get back to you. I was at a Toastmasters meeting for the Take Our Daughters to Work Day, coaching students in public speaking. Toastmasters is a valuable experience in not only speaking, but critical thinking and listening, and I highly recommend it. Ah-hah, I see a number of questions about explosives. Everyone is into blowing things up, eh? That's okay -- that's one of the reasons why I enjoyed getting into chemistry and physics so much, because I liked things that go "BOOM!" Learning to disarm bombs is a skill very specific to the military and to the specially trained police bomb squads. It takes about a year to learn the basics of the different types of explosives and the safest way to handle them, and many more years of experience to discover all the different ways that people can put them together. It is no longer the incredibly dangerous job that it was back in World War II, for example, when the discipline was first developed, precisely because we have so much experience. At NASA, my job is more to KEEP things frmo exploding! The rocket fuels, of course, are nothing but slightly inhibited explosives, and the blast of a rocket is a "controlled" bomb. If you ever see some of the History films of the early days of rockets, you'll see that some of them WEREN'T controlled. So we develop special procedures and tools to handle the fuels, be they hypergolic, cryogenic, or solid, so that they don't go off prematurely. As for youngsters and other unqualified people getting their hands on bombs, yes, that's a big problem. People who don't know what they're doing usually end up killing themselves, or losing their hands and eyes. After all, gasoline is a powerful explosive in vapor form. Your more powerful fireworks are extremely dangerous, and can easily be made more so. Almost anything in your house can be made into a weapon. The trick is to study the basics well enough so that you DON'T kill yourself, or burn your own house down. Trust me, those people who have used explosives against others and not been hurt themselves were simply pure lucky. If I were that lucky, I'd've won the lottery by now. Twice! If someone you know is fooling around with "home-made bombs," stay FAR away from them, and tell someone IMMEDIATELY. It only takes an over-pressure wave of 3 psi to blow the walls down, and 5 psi to turn your insides to jelly. (That's Explosive Ordnance Disposal talk for "You ain't catching ME fooling around with amateurs!")

[ KimHubbard/NASAAmes - 156 - 11:11:16 ]
RE: [Sarah] Kim Hubbard: What's your favorite thing to cook?
Sarah, I like to cook all sorts of things. One of my favorite things is shrimp gumbo. I also like to bake cakes and other desserts. I'm very eager to try out the boston cream pie (which is actually a cake) recipe that I found in one of my magazines. It may end up being my daughter's cake for their fifth birthday.

[ DianHardison - 158 - 11:16:30 ]
RE: [Nicky] Dian Hardison: What classes did you take in college? Why did you chose the field you are in? How can a persom in your field further their career?
Hi Nicky, and everyone else who asks that question (dratted computer won't let me check more than one!): All engineers start in college with the "Big Three" -- Chemistry, Physics, and Calculus. You'll need preliminary sciences and math in high school, of course. In your second year in college, you start to specialize a little, with such courses as Thermodynamics and Fluid motion. By your third year, you're working on "your" field, since there are at least a dozen different kinds of engineering, from ecological to civil. (What's the difference between mechanical engineers and civil engineers? Mechanical engineers build weapons, and civil engineers build targets.) With a math and/or science related degree, you can do absolutely anything you want to. Most jobs have special requirements that you will be trained on after you're already hired. Since they're now paying you, going back to "school" isn't so bad. About the only job I couldn't do is in the computer field, since everything I learned about computers is decades obsolete!

[ DianthediehardHardison - 159 - 11:27:20 ]
RE: [Isabella] I am wondering your thoughts on whether we should continue with this Take Our Daughters to Work Day initiative. It seems like some people think we are excluding boys.
In re the Take Our Daughters to Work initiative, it was originally started because boys were ALWAYS getting to go to work with their fathers, and girls were NEVER invited. This was supposed to help even out the odds. Too many people, even today, don't think that "girls" can do everything that boys can. When I was talking to a class once, one girl wanted to be a "storm chaser" -- a field meteorologist -- and her father made fun of her for it. I straightened him right out, I'll tell you! Sometimes we find, when both boys and girls are included in a Work Day, that the boys tend to push the girls into the background, defeating the whole purpose. So I think it's all right to include boys -- so long as all the adults make VERY sure that the girls get treated completely equally. Remember, a man of quality is not threatened by a woman for Equality!

[ MargueriteSyvertson - 160 - 11:30:18 ]
RE: [Sabrina] Mi Ms. Syvertson - How did you finally decide what you wanted to do? Did your parents get upset when you kept changing your mind?
Sabrina, well, my mom passed away when I was in high school, so it was just my dad when I went to college. I first majored in engineering physics, but it didn't appeal AT ALL to me, so I looked for the most fun major within engineering, and that was geology. So that's what I chose. It was great fun (and hard work). My parents were never that mad at me for not being driven at a single goal--when I was young, my mom made sure I took ballet, ballroom dancing, clarinet, girl scouts, spanish (for a Very short time), church school...so I was already a jill of all trades. And still am!

[ DianthediehardHardison - 161 - 11:31:13 ]
RE: [Alfonso/joshua] Are there any more asteroids? How many galaxies are in our Solar System? What is in a asteroid? What is in a galaxy? Can a asteroid destroy a galaxy?
There are more asteroids in our solar system than we've been able to count -- thousands, and we're finding more every month. Our solar system consists of our sun and nine planets, counting Pluto as a planet. There are hundreds of millions of stars in our local galaxy, the Milky Way, and hundreds of millions of galaxies making up the universe. You need to find a good elementary science book with pictures in it to give you an idea of how things are arranged.

[ MargueriteSyvertson - 162 - 11:33:31 ]
RE: [Karen] Marguerite - Do you think that the weather predictions are more accurate now? What has NASA research done to help with this?
The more accurately we can measure weather, the better our predictions are. They are certainly better now than a decade ago. NASA designs and builds and "tests" weather instruments that end up being used by the Weather Service, and AIRS is one of those instruments. We'll measure temperature (get your metric conversion charts out!) every 1 km in altitude to 1 degree celsius accuracy: translated that's nearly every 1/2 mile up to about 1.8 degrees fahrenheit accuracy....from space! It's never been that accurate, and while we don't like to exaggerate, you might see weather predictions go from 5-7 days out to 7-10 days!

[ MargueriteSyvertson - 163 - 11:35:30 ]
RE: [Nicky] Marguerite: What does the Earth group do?
Our Earth Group does Earth Science Outreach: we work with training teachers, developing student activities, assisting museums, designing displays, giving talks to the public...anything to get the message out about what NASA does in Earth science. Much of the El Nino data you saw on TV came from NASA, and my colleagues worked with TV and the media to make sure the information got out and was accurate (and interesting).

[ DianHardison - 164 - 11:38:09 ]
RE: [Shania] Dian- Do you know about nuclear bombs or is that a really different field? Do you know Jessica Stern who chatted with us last year? She was the one they made the movie, The Peacemake after.
Yes, part of my Navy training was in nuclear bombs. They're actually exploded the same way conventional warheads are, with the same kinds of triggers -- it's only after the "nuclear" part goes supercritical that you get the big difference! I'm sorry, I don't know Jessica Stern, and I haven't seen the movie. Did you like it?

[ MargueriteSyvertson - 165 - 11:38:37 ]
RE: [Shania] Marguerite Syvertson - Were you ever a weather reporter? Do they really know that much or are they more of an actor/actress
I haven't been a meteorologist or a weather broadcaster, but it would be a fun career to try (maybe later). I don't know any personally, but my colleague Tom is working with Dallas Reines (KABC) in LA this weekend at a weather conference. Many have degrees in journalism, not weather; many do have meteorology degrees. You can probably tell the difference by whether they work a lot with schools (probably science) or make a lot of jokes and not much else (well, probably not even a journalist). Most of the ones in LA now are real meteorologists, but we're also the #2 TV market in the country (NY is #1, darn).

[ MargueriteSyvertson - 166 - 11:42:19 ]
RE: [MrThompson] Marguerite - Do you think you had an easier life or harder with a powerful father like you did? Do you think kids have to work harder when their parents give them focus or do you think kids who have to take initiative have to work harder?
To be honest, I think you have to work hard no matter what. At my school, it made no difference that my father worked for NASA (nor should it have). ( I think if my dad were Bill Gates that might be different!) You have to have initiative and work hard to be successful in your field. Michael Jordan would tell you that, as would Sally Ride, Madeline Albright, Katie Couric. Parents should work (and play) with their kids to encourage them and provide them with a safe and secure environment, and my parents did that. I was pretty lucky to have my parents, no matter what they did for work.

[ MargueriteSyvertson - 167 - 11:52:06 ]
RE: [MargueriteSyvertson] To be honest, I think you have to work hard no matter what. At my school, it made no difference that my father worked for NASA (nor should it have). ( I think if my dad were Bill Gates that might be different!) You have to have initiative and work hard to be successful in your field. Michael Jordan would tell you that, as would Sally Ride, Madeline Albright, Katie Couric. Parents should work (and play) with their kids to encourage them and provide them with a safe and secure environment, and my parents did that. I was pretty lucky to have my parents, no matter what they did for work.
At the risk of responding to myself... Parents can be a little overwhelming to their kids, though, when they don't consider what a child is really interested in. If, say, my parents wanted me to be an actress, and I had HUGE stage fright, I would have gone through a lot of stress trying to make them happy. There needs to be a balance between encouraging kids and forcing kids. But, on the other hand, parents can "encourage" kids into areas that the kids wouldn't normally go to, but may find out they like. I wish I had stayed with ballet, but at age 12 I wanted out more than anything. Oh well!

[ RoseGrymes - 168 - 11:55:08 ]
RE: [Sarah] Do you think its right to allow boys to go to work with their parents?
Hi, Sarah. Sure, it's great for boys and girls to see their parents working, and to visit lots of different workplaces so that they can imagine themselves in all kinds of different careers. Surveys and statistics on attitudes show us that boys generally have no difficulty imagining their futures doing anything they want, while girls tend to view their horizons as more limited. That's what we try to change by focusing some time and attention on girls during events like TODTWD.

[ RoseGrymes - 169 - 11:59:06 ]
RE: [Nicky] Rose: What is a typical day like in your shoes
I do a lot of work at my computer, but even though it's computer based and text based it's very interactive. Dialogs like what you and I are doing now, and e-mail exchanges. Also a lot of face-to-face meetings. What I work on is very creative--brainstorming ideas for classroom activities, CD's, videos, websites, public presentations--and also very detail oriented, when we go from brainstorming into development. Then I review, edit, comment, and generally help shape each project. I also do a lot of management; keeping projects on track, checking budgets, worrying about whether the people working with me are happy, productive, in the best situation for them.

[ DianHardison - 170 - 12:04:09 ]
RE: [Mary] For Dian Hardison - Is your work dangerous? Why have there been so many explosions lately at gas plants and now kids getting their hands on making bombs? How easy is it for things to explode?
Yes, Mary, a lot of the work we do out here is fairly dangerous. That's one reason why Kennedy Space Center is surrounded by a guarded fence and you have to go through several safety orientations before you get a badge to work out here. (We also have an "unofficial" security force -- since this Space Center is also a wildlife refuge, we have plenty of alligators, snakes, and wild boars.) We take our safety precautions very seriously, and when accidents do happen, there is a great deal of investigation into how and why it happened and what can be done to keep it from ever happening again. Explosions at gas and chemical factories are usually a result of a mistake or carelessness. Properly designed equipment must meet certain specifications, and have a safety factor, to handle the chemicals and processes that it's intended for. If the equipment is allowed to deterioriate or rust, or a worker turns the wrong valve or allows the wrong chemical into the wrong container, disaster can result. I think young people have always played with explosives -- my grandfather used to talk about burning his fingers on home-made sparklers and stealing sticks of dynamite from road gangs. It's just that now there are so many more children, and so much better communications, and so much more information readily available. I can't emphasize enough that explosives, by their very nature, are UNPREDICTABLE. People who know what they're doing DON'T play with them. It takes years and years to become, for example, a certitifed fireworks technician. If you want to learn about bombs, learn your chemistry thoroughly, and do simulations on the computer. DON'T touch even the smallest amount without QUALIFIED supervision, any more than you would stand around with a lit match while you were putting gas in the car. There's no such thing as a "safe" amount of explosive.

[ DianHardison - 172 - 12:20:22 ]
RE: [Dawn] What kind of summer work is available for 14 young women (at Kennedy Space Center) for those seriously interested in becoming an astronuat. If nothing, what kind of summer work would you suggest for a serious student. No reason she can't start building a resume now!
There are summer jobs at KSC in many of the offices, but they really aren't much preparation for becoming an astronaut, though you do get a good feel for the launch vehicles. Any of the other Centers are good choices, too. The best preparation for becoming an astronaut is to get at least one and preferably two science degrees, some flying experience, some hands-on laboratory experience, some mechanical skills (assembly in orbit is the up-and-coming thing), and be in good physical condition. The wider the variety of work experience, the sooner she'll discover what she really likes and is good at -- and that means a better job no matter which direction NASA goes!

[ KarenCrandall - 173 - 12:37:30 ]
RE: [Sabrina] For Karen Crandall- What is a Co-Op program at a University?
Sabrina, a co-op program at my university involved spending quarters in school and then working at a company for a quarter doing work I thought I might like to do when I graduated. NASA offered such a program and that's how I started at Glenn (back then it was Lewis) Research Center. Besides learning more about what I was studying I got paid too!

[ KarenCrandall - 174 - 12:43:52 ]
RE: [Felicitas] Karen Crandall-What is the high speed research project? Can you tell us more about a supersonic aircraft? When would we use it and how would it be better than what we use now?
Felicitas, the High Speed Research Program was to help the aeronautics industry develop the technology to make a decision as to the feasibility of building a commercial supersonic airplane. That means that you and I could buy a ticket for not much more than we pay for airplane tickets to Japan today and fly there in HALF the time. The project was a neat idea but the aircraft manufacturers decided they weren't ready to make the decision and NASA canceled the program late last year. So you and I will have to wait a little longer to be able to afford a "fast" plane ride to Japan or China or Australia.

[ JoyceDever - 176 - 12:47:16 ]
RE: [MrsComers] For Joyce Dever - How has the research on the way the sun reacts to materials been used to give us information on how the sun harms our skin? Is your research used for other areas besides space materials?
Hi Mrs. Comers, My research has not related to the effects of sun on skin. I can tell you that on Earth, UV radiation of wavelengths below 300 nm is filtered out by the Earth's atmosphere; but in space, the wavelengths below 300 nm (which are not filtered because there is no atmosphere) can cause significant damage to the chemistry of polymers. Therefore, the radiation chemistry of materials in space is very different from radiation damage to skin.

[ KarenCrandall - 177 - 12:48:12 ]
RE: [Sabrina] Ms. Crandall - Will we have a supersonic aircraft soon?
Sabrina, we have supersonic airplanes today. The British/French Concorde is one. Military aircraft are the most common though you and I can't hop on one of those and fly anywhere without being in the military or having the RIGHT connections. Unfortunately, the High Speed Research program was canceled late last year so we won't have another commercial supersonic plane for awhile, maybe not till 2015 or 2025. Hey, maybe you could work on the next project if you're interested!

[ KarenCrandall - 178 - 12:52:19 ]
RE: [CARMEN] For Karen Crandall: What does your daughter want to be when she gets older? Do you think it's good to get married when you are so young?
Carmen, my daughter said she wanted to be a singer. But between you and me, I think she should study hard and be something else. No, I don't recommend getting married SO young but when you think you're in love... I've told my kids to make wiser decisions and take advantage of all of the opportunities that come their way. Once you're married, you have many more responsibilities and fewer options. But, never think you're stuck if you don't like the situation. You ALWAYS have options if you think and work hard enough.

[ KarenCrandall - 179 - 12:57:20 ]
RE: [Shannon] Karen crandall Do you like basketball?
Shannon, yes I like basketball and I like watching my daughter and her team play too. Even though they are only 5th graders, they play like a team and enjoy learning the game.

[ JoyceDever - 180 - 13:02:02 ]
RE: [Marissa] For Joyce Dever-Do you think the sun and it's harmful rays has really changed in the last few years? What types of evidence does your work show to support this?
Hi Marissa, In space, the output from the sun varies over an 11-year cycle, so every 11 years there is a "solar maximum" which means that there are a large number of sun spots (solar flares) resulting in increased intensity in the output of radiation from the sun. This does not affect the UV radiation on Earth, but in space, it does cause increased damage from radiation to materials - especially from x-rays, electrons, and protons which result from solar flare events. I have not done research on the changes in UV intensity from the sun that reach the Earth and I do not know if there have been significant changes.

[ KarenCrandall - 181 - 13:07:22 ]
RE: [Isabella] For those of you that have children, what strategies can you give working mothers on balancing both raising a family and pursuing a career?
Isabella, balancing children and career is never easy because both would use up 110% of your time. It's finding the split that satisfies your needs and yet doesn't leave the children lacking in feeling loved and provided for. I've enjoyed working at NASA because it has allowed me to pursue my career while working parttime. That flexibility combined with the liberal leave programs has made my family life much more sane and manageable. In that NASA beats private industry hands down.

[ JoyceDever - 182 - 13:08:44 ]
RE: [SallyAnne] For Mrs. Dever- If your mother couldn't take care of your daugter, would you still work?
Hi SallyAnne, If I didn't have my mom, I think either my husband or I would stay home with the kids. However, if this didn't allow us to have enough money to live on and save up for the kids' educations, I would look for someone I trust to watch the kids on a part-time basis to be sure we would have a good financial future and still have career-family balance.

[ KarenCrandall - 183 - 13:08:55 ]
RE: [Isabella] I am wondering your thoughts on whether we should continue with this Take Our Daughters to Work Day initiative. It seems like some people think we are excluding boys.
Isabella, here at Glenn Research Center it is Take Your Children to Work Day. So the boys have no reason to feel left out.

[ JoyceDever - 184 - 13:10:58 ]
RE: [Nicky] Are there as many men as women in your science field? At your office do women have as much authority as men?
Hi Nicky, In my job there are definitely more men than women, but the number of women is increasing. I am treated as an expert in my field and with great professionalism.

[ JoyceDever - 185 - 13:13:27 ]
RE: [Nicky] Are there as many men as women in your science field? At your office do women have as much authority as men?
Nicky, regarding "authority," there are not very many women as managers in my field, but this is also changing (although it will definitely take a while!) Women in management positions are not treated differently than men in my observation.

[ JoyceDever - 186 - 13:22:22 ]
RE: [NICKY] JOYCE DEVER: What is a typical day in your shoes like? What kinds of tools have you made? What do you like best about your job?
Hi Nicky, For a typical day in my life on days I'm at work, see my profile - although I now have 2 children, it's quite similar. On days that I'm home (currently Monday and Friday), I take my older daugher (almost 4) to pre-school in the morning and run errands with the baby. Then we have an afternoon together taking walks, reading, playing (and I try to sneak in a few chores...) I haven't made "tools" in the "toolbox" sense, but I have done research which has allowed others to better understand the space environment. What I like best about my job is the variety: working with other people to solve challenging problems, working on the Women's Advisory Group to keep this an enjoyable and "family-friendly" place to work, and doing outreach (presentations to students and e-mentoring like this :)

[ JoyceDever - 187 - 13:35:14 ]
RE: [Jocelyn] I would like to know if Joyce Dever thinks the all girls high school is a good idea.
Hi Jocelyn, I do think that the all-girls high school is a good idea. It's not that I think co-ed education is bad. Advantages of the all girls high school: I feel that girls need extra encouragement to succeed, especially in the teenage years. Statistics have shown that boys are more often called on by teachers than girls, for example. Also, there is not the competition to look beautiful to impress the boys. That aspect of social life was removed from the school setting allowing the students to concentrate on their studies, not on getting the attention of the boys in the class. Women make good friends with each other and an all-girls education fosters developing these friendships. I still keep in touch with some of my high school friends. Myself included, I know a number of women who have felt their all-girls education was a great benefit to their self-image and self-confidence. On the down side: I'm not sure there is always as much interest in technical subjects in all-girls schools, so advanced science courses (beyond basic Biology, Chemistry, Physics) are sometimes are not included in the curriculum due to lack of interest. As I raise my daughters, I would send them to an all-girls high school if I felt the curriculum encouraged a wide variety of career choices.

[ JoyceDever - 191 - 14:50:45 ]
RE: [Nicky] Joyce Dever: what kinds of things does the Women's advisory Group do? Are there only women in the group?
Nicky, the Women's Advisory Group is connected with the Equal Opportunity Office and provides a forum for discussion of women's issues and devises actions to take regarding these issues. We sponsor a program every year for Women's History Month and select recipients of the Glenn Federal Women's Program Awards (to those who encourage advancement of women at Glenn) Right now all members are women, but this has not always been the case. Anyone willing to be involved in addressing the concerns of women at Glenn is invited to participate. We also sponsored Take Our Children to Work Day which invited the boys to participate also.

[ JoyceDever - 192 - 14:55:27 ]
RE: [Nicky] What can a women do to further their career in your field, does that go for men too?
Nicky, As an engineer, I write and present papers on my research, get involved in technical committees, and keep up with new developments in my area by searching the literature (space environmental effects on mateirals). I develop and maintain contacts at outside companies to get my work recognized and respected outside my own organization. Annual training in my technical area also helps. These career building activities apply to men and women equally in this field