[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 2 - 09:59:38 ]
Hello and welcome to another Women of NASA QuestChat! March is Women's History Month and today we are pleased to have as our guest Patricia Cowings. Patricia studies how people adapt to space and she develops methods to help them adapt faster. She has developed experiments for shuttle missions and was the first female scientist trained to be an astronaut.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 3 - 10:01:34 ]
Dr. Pat will be ready to answer your questions at 1 pm Pacific (4 pm Eastern). Be sure to take time to read her bio BEFORE coming to the chat-- http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/bios/pc.html

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 4 - 10:25:50 ]
Also, if you can't make it to the chat room at 1 pm, but still would like Dr. Pat to answer your questions, go ahead and post them now. The questions won't appear in the chat room until the chat begins.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 5 - 12:26:35 ]
Ms. Fawn Study Group-- Thank you for your questions! They'll appear in the chat room as soon as the chat begins at 1 pm Pacific.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 7 - 13:01:18 ]
Hello everyone! Dr. Pat is standing by and is ready to take your questions!

[ PatCowings/ARC - 12 - 13:06:54 ]
RE: [Fawn] I would like to find out how the astronaunts are able to stay fit, in the low gravity enviornment.
It's hard work. They exercise for several hours a day. But keep in mind, you get more exercise rolling over in bed - in the 1-g of Earth, than an astronaut can get in an hour on a treadmill.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 13 - 13:09:20 ]
RE: [Gary] How do they eat and drink in space?
In the old days, astronauts ate food that came in something like a toothpaste tube--imagine, turkey paste (ugh) and you get the idea. Now, the shuttle crews enjoy foods much more like microwave dinners in the supermarket. You can even eat soup with a spoon --if you're very careful. Surface tension makes the liquid stick to the spoon.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 14 - 13:10:27 ]
RE: [Randall] How can I become an astronaunt and go to space?
If I could answer that one with absolute certainty--then I WOULD BE an astronaut :-). One thing's for sure - advanced degress in the sciences seems to give you an edge.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 20 - 13:13:30 ]
RE: [kurtshreffler] is it a fun job being a physiologost?
What I am is a psuchophysiologist, not a physiologist. That means I study the relationship between HUMAN behavior and physiology. Fun? Last year I got to put electrodes on the chests of two Mir Space Station commanders (cosmonauts)--that was fun. Seriously, I love pushing the envelope of training these guys to be all that they can be.--Improving their ability to adapt to space.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 21 - 13:14:08 ]
RE: [PatCowings/ARC] What I am is a psuchophysiologist, not a physiologist. That means I study the relationship between HUMAN behavior and physiology. Fun? Last year I got to put electrodes on the chests of two Mir Space Station commanders (cosmonauts)--that was fun. Seriously, I love pushing the envelope of training these guys to be all that they can be.--Improving their ability to adapt to space.
Oops-- I spelled that wrong. Its Psycho-physiologist

[ PatCowings/ARC - 22 - 13:15:32 ]
RE: [Erin] Hey Pat, i was wondering if you ever use you training in human neurophysiology any more?
Sure - psychophysiology is an application of neurophysiology.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 24 - 13:16:12 ]
RE: [Laura] When you were young did you want to be Physiologost? Or a scientist?
I wanted to be Lt Uhura from star trek.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 28 - 13:18:58 ]
RE: [Erin] What were your emotions when you found out that you were chosen to be the fisrt women scientist to become trained as an astonaut?
Really? I thought - I'm worth it. Then things got tough and some people got tougher (mean)--still I found out I could handle them and the job too. Why didn't I get to go for real? Probably-because I'm a psychologist. NASA atronauts didn't seem to see the POINT of studying behavior. Now-a days, attitudes have changed.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 29 - 13:19:57 ]
RE: [Sara] You mentioned that you study how people adapt to space. Could you have a degree in Biology and do this? Are there many opportunities to work for NASA with a degree in Biology?
Have you ever heard of ASTROBIOLOGY?? It's a whole gigantic field. Look it up on the Ames Web sites under space life sciences.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 31 - 13:21:34 ]
RE: [MrsFaulkner] What advice can you give to girls who want to be successful in areas where there aren't many girls?
Don't worry about the past. Don't worry about what people think. Do YOU want to work in that area? Would it make YOU GLAD and Proud?? Heck with the rest of the world girl--- GO FOR IT!! If you don't try, you'll never know if you could have made it.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 35 - 13:24:21 ]
RE: [Sara] What exactly does the training for an astronaut involve? What percent of the trainees actually get to go into space? Also, do you see NASA changing the 20/20 vision requirement any time in the near future?
There hasn't been a hard requirement for 20/20 vision for a LONG time. If you're a pilot or commander, of course, you SHOULD be able to see well. But scientist astronauts ??? I suspect that all physical requirements will change one day. A person who is paralized from the waist down, or even a double amputee - is NOT handicapped in space. Don't need your legs us there.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 36 - 13:25:00 ]
RE: [Sarah] do you have any regrets?
I'm not dead yet. Ask me again on my death bed :-) Seriously, I'm still growing....

[ PatCowings/ARC - 37 - 13:28:52 ]
RE: [MrsFaulkner] Can you describe one of your experiments that went into space?
Yes, briefly. Using a trainin method called AFTE, I teach a crewmember BEFORE the flight to control his heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, etc. I teach them to recognize what it FEELS like and what's HAPPENING to them, physiologically, when they are in stressful environments. I tech them to mimic their own optimal, resting physiological levels whenever they want to. This gets rid of motion sickness, low blood pressure, psychological tension, and even insomnia.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 39 - 13:30:58 ]
RE: [Erin] Where did you go to college at?
Erin I went to a lot of schools. My freshman year I went to a junior college in New York. After that, I went to the State University of new York at Stony Brook to get my BA. I got both my MA and Ph.D. at U.C. Davis and I did a research intership at the Rockefeller University in New York.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 41 - 13:34:21 ]
RE: [Sara] To study what you do, how humans adapt to space, what are some good majors for a senior in high school to look into?
Psychology - (which is a very BIG field) - specifically - 1. Human learning theory (how does Johnny Learn) 2. Psychosomatic Disease - how does stress HURT your body 3. Hypnosis - altered states of consciousness Physiology - Human anatomy, autonomic nervous system. And read PLENTY of science fiction, to keep it all in perspective

[ PatCowings/ARC - 42 - 13:35:00 ]
RE: [Becca] how old are you now?
None of your beeswax -

[ PatCowings/ARC - 46 - 13:36:28 ]
RE: [Erin] Are there alot of women in your field?
The majority of people is the Space Life Sciences Division here - including the Division chief and the Head of Life Sciences in Washington--are women. After all, this is LIFE Sciences - why not women?

[ PatCowings/ARC - 47 - 13:37:32 ]
RE: [Erin] What is your favorite part of your job?
Playing with the crews. Talking to them. Learning from them. Don't get to do it as much as I want.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 48 - 13:41:22 ]
RE: [MrsFaulkner] Do you also do testing on astronauts on the ground, in training? If so, what sorts?
Most of what I do IS on the ground (or at least on Earth). I don't find out the results of the flight experiments - i.e., did I help them? - until they get back. But the MOST fun of preflight training is riding on the Vomit comet--doing zero-g flights. I become WONDER WOMAN and I can FLY!! It's fun--if you don't get sick - and of course, I don't.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 49 - 13:42:07 ]
EVERYONE: There are about 15 minutes left in our chat with Dr. Pat today. When the chat is over, please let us know how we've done today by filling out a short chat survey at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/qchat-surveys Thank you!

[ PatCowings/ARC - 52 - 13:45:37 ]
RE: [Axelle] Do you have to make any hard choices
Not really. When I got married - the guy was my lab partner so HE understood why I needed to work. No hard choice there. When I wanted to become a MOM, My body said OK. My son has seen for of the world and astronauts by the time he was 9 than MOST folks in a life-time. He's not left out of my life - he's PART of it. I do what I love and love what I do. It's getting harder to get funds (story of my life) but sometimes I think I'd take out a second mortgage on my house if it would let me pay for the research. (then I come to my senses :-)

[ PatCowings/ARC - 53 - 13:48:55 ]
RE: [Sara] What are the requirements to become an astronaut then?(besides a strong science background)
Strong science background. CAN-DO Attitude. The right demographics mix (what ethic group are they looking fo this year?). Being in the right place at the right time. SHEER LUCK!!!. Persistance. Yada yada yada

[ PatCowings/ARC - 54 - 13:50:12 ]
RE: [Erin] You said in your bio that you travel alot when training astronauts, what was your favorite place to travel to?
Japan. The people were SO polite. Russia was too cold and you couldn't get a decent pizza. Texas - does bad things to my hair.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 57 - 13:54:27 ]
EVERYONE: You asked some terrific questions today. Thank you very much for doing your "homework" before coming to the chat! Pat will try to answer the remaining few questions and then we have to let her go back to work.

[ PatCowings/ARC - 58 - 13:55:35 ]
RE: [Sara] You have been very helpful. That astrobiology stuff looks very interesting...I never even knew that was out there. Thank you so much...one final question though. If you could give one piece of advice to the graduating high school class of 2000 what would it be? thanks again!
This is your life. Nobody elses. Make the most of it. And above all--HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ PatCowings/ARC - 59 - 13:56:31 ]
RE: [Erin] Pat thank you for taking your time to talk to us!! Your information will be a great help to us all.
You're welcome Erin - anytime

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 60 - 13:56:48 ]
ALSO: Be sure to fill out the short chat survey for us at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/qchat-surveys AND sign up for another Women's History Month chat at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/chats

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 61 - 13:58:53 ]
Today's chat with Dr. Pat will be archived later this afternoon. You will find it by going to the Women of NASA chat archives and it will also be linked to from Dr. Pat's bio. Thanks again and we look forward to chatting with all of you again very soon :-)

[ PatCowings/ARC - 63 - 13:59:45 ]
RE: [Sara] What exactly can one do with training in neurophysiology?
Neurophysiology is a BIG field. You can TEACH. You can be a therapist. You can be a scientist like me and try to figure out the buring question "Just HOW MUCH CAN you do with neurophysioloy??"

[ PatCowings/ARC - 64 - 14:02:40 ]
RE: [mentone] Hi Dr Cowings. We are chatting to you from Mentone, Australia and we would like to know what your body feels like when the rocket lifts off to go into space.
Not so bad really. On Shuttle you only pull about 2 g and then, for only a few minutes. It VIBRATES a lot and, I IMAGINE it's scary--but no astronaut will tell you that. (But I have their HEART RATES on tape).

[ PatCowings/ARC - 65 - 14:04:14 ]
RE: [Sandy/NASAChatHost] Today's chat with Dr. Pat will be archived later this afternoon. You will find it by going to the Women of NASA chat archives and it will also be linked to from Dr. Pat's bio. Thanks again and we look forward to chatting with all of you again very soon :-)
Am I done yet? Sorry for the bad spelling....

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 66 - 14:05:29 ]
RE: [PatCowings/ARC] Am I done yet? Sorry for the bad spelling....
You are now done! Thank you!!!