Women of NASA
Virtual Take Our Daughters To Work Day
QuestForum Archive

Date: April 26, 2001

Featuring: Fanny Zuniga, Michelle Amos, Carolyn Krumrey, Joyce Dever,
Cathy Sakas, and Alex Score
NASA Experts from various fields

Thursday Apr 26 2001  The host's featured url: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/TODTWD01/schedule.html#forum

[ YWAC - 3 - 08:12:57 ]
Good morning everyone! The Forum will be posting some of your questions shortly. This is Rachel and Ann-Mary and we are the moderators. Glad to be here!

[ Alex/GraysReef - 1 - 06:46:30 ]
I will be logged in all day long. I am looking forward to interacting and answering questions.

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 2 - 07:25:03 ]
Good Morning! I am glad to be a part of this forum. I look forward to a good dialog throughout the day and to answering questions that come my way. So send them on!

[ YWAC - 6 - 08:18:26 ]
RE: [Cathy/GraysReef] Good Morning! I am glad to be a part of this forum. I look forward to a good dialog throughout the day and to answering questions that come my way. So send them on!
Hello! Thanks for being a part of this Forum.

[ VTODTWDMentor - 9 - 08:24:51 ]
Hello. This is Michelle Amos from the Kennedy Space Center in FL. I will be checking in and answering questions throughout the day. I hope you all enjoy the Forum.

[ VTODTWDMentor - 16 - 08:51:55 ]
RE: [KatiefromMcGehee] For: Michelle Amos How did you get started on being an Electronics Engineer? Is that what you thought about being when you were young?? From: Katie From McGehee
Katie, When I was young, I'd love to watch my dad fix things around the house. I was always in his way! However, I didn't decide to be an electrical engineer until my senior year in high school. That is usually too late to decide on what to study in college because you want to take high school courses that will help prepare you for the college curriculum. But in my case I knew I wanted to study the sciences so I prepared in high school by taking Trigonometry, Calculus, Biology, and Chemistry. When I was a senior,my brothers were studying electrical engineering in college. They convinced me that I was smart enough and would be successful as a female in engineering.

[ YWAC - 17 - 08:56:56 ]
If you have questions for a particular expert, please address the question to that person. Thanks.

[ VTODTWDMentor - 18 - 09:03:06 ]
RE: [GretchenfromMcGehee] Michelle Amos- Hey! I read your profile, and i saw that you went to college in Louisiana! That's where I'm from! It sounds like your job is very fun!! do you ever make any electronic things for yourself at home? I think that would be sort of cool to make some electronis things at home... maybe an electronic bed maker. Yeah i know that sounds a little weird, but it could happen. What gave you the idea of being an eletronic engineer? Write Back!
Gretchen, you have the imagination of an engineer! Our jobs are fun and creative just as you have expressed in your question. I haven't designed any components for my house, but I purchase many electronic items to make my life easier at home. As an engineer, I understand many of the specifications on electronic devices, so I can make smart buys. At home my husband (also an engineer) and I have networked our 2 computers to the television. This allows us to show our digital pictures (stored on the computer) on the TV to friends and family.

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 20 - 09:06:37 ]
RE: [Katiefrom] Did you enjoy being a pliot for the Deep Worker 2000?
Good Morning! I am ready to answer up to five right now. So fire away! Thanks.

[ VTODTWDMentor - 22 - 09:11:55 ]
RE: [Morgan] TO MICHELLE AMOS Is it hard to keep up with the constantly changing technology and applying it to your job? How did you know that you wanted to be an electrical engineer? Do you find your job rewarding?
Morgan, the most rewarding thing about being an engineer is that you are "ever learning". We become better or improve our skills and thinking as we learn new information. My job is very rewarding at KSC because I help design equipment that allows other engineers to communicate with each other when they are processing space equipment and preparing the shuttle for launch and landing.

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 23 - 09:20:22 ]
RE: [Cathy/GraysReef] Good Morning! I am ready to answer up to five right now. So fire away! Thanks.
Hi Katie, When I was asked if I wanted to be trained to pilot the DeepWorker 2000 I was elated. I had been on this job for only a month when I was asked! Needless to say I was thrilled and jumped at the chance. Piloting the DeepWorker has been a dream come true. When I was a child, I became interested in ocean life at a very early age and knew that I would do something with the ocean throughout my life. By using the DeepWorker to explore the ocean bottoms, I can stay down for over four hours at a time. With SCUBA gear I can only stay down for an hour at a time. I also use the sub to explore the reef at night which is much safer than on SCUBA gear. At night I turn out all the lights on the sub, and sit in the darkness for only a few minutes. In a very short time my eyes adjust, and I see the lights that many sea creatures make on their own called bioluminescence. It is awesome to see the eerie green light the microscopic dinoflagellates (tiny animals with two whiplike structures that help them move) and the larger ctenohphores (most look like transparent blobs the size of grapes with eight rows of tiny hair-like structures called cilia extending down from their "north pole" spot and reconnecting at their "south pole" spot). Anyway, it is incredible to see those creatures, as well as all the fish and sometimes even sharks the lights on the sub attract when they are burning.

[ VTODTWDMentor - 24 - 09:22:43 ]
RE: [NaNciEJasMine/Miami] So Michelle~*~after all these years in studying technolgy,what keeps you interested in it?~
Miami, technology changes every month! It's exciting. It's new. It changes our lives and improves our way of thinking. As engineers, we use this newfound knowledge and technology to benefit human life. At NASA, we get to see how our discoveries help make life better for everyone. Better quality of life is the motivator.

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 31 - 09:50:23 ]
RE: [EricafromMcgehee] Did you understand my last question? I have another do you like being a Marine Biologist? What does Gray reef look like? About how long do you work a day? Are you paid well for what you Do? do you have any regrets about your choice of caereer? I wish I could do what you do. It would be better than sitting in school all day. I have my heart set on either a Marien Biologist or a Cartiovascular Surgent. What sports do you like to play? You seem like the sporty type. Please write back.
Hi Erica, I love being a marine biologist. Studying the plants and animals in the ocean and estuaries are fascinating. Gray's Reef is what we call a live bottom habitat. It's not a tropical coral reef with big brain corals; although it does have smaller hard corals called ivory bush coral. The reason it's called a live bottom is because of the vast array of sponges and soft corals. The sponges and soft corals come in many different shapes and colors, and they in turn attract thousands of small bait fish which in turn attract larger fish right on up to sharks and manta rays. We do see Spotted and Bottlenose dolphins and Loggerhead sea turtles as well as Cownose rays and Eagle rays. I love what I do and am paid quite well, considering what teachers with my degrees and years working in the Savannah, Georgia area make. (Of course there is always room for a salary increase just in case my boss is reading this!) I am quite happy with my career choice. I travel a bit and get to SCUBA dive and operate a one person submersible occasionally. The sports I love are sea kayaking, sailing, and diving. The team sport I love to play is volleyball. I started playing that in middle school. I also love to run, which I started doing on a team in the fifth grade many years ago. I think staying active is one of the most important keys to good health. Thanks for your questions!

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 32 - 10:16:59 ]
RE: [EricafromMcgehee] what types of work areas do you like to work in? Such as subarienes.
Hi (again) Erica! I love working with the submersibles. The term submarines is used for larger vessels that can hold many people and are shaped like a torpedo. The sub that I use is shaped like a kettle, and it holds only one person. I love the thrill of climbing inside, and once the hatch closes and a partial vacuum is drawn to seal it I know I am on my way to an incredible adventure. The last time I dove in the sub I explored a sea mount in the Middle Grounds of Florida, which is in the Gulf of Mexico near the Big Bend area where Florida's peninsula meets the panhandle. That area is heavily fished and is being considered for protection. My job was to explore a structure that on the sonar screen looked like a tower in 120 feet of water. I dove the sub and had to be told the headings to take to reach it. The current was so strong and the light so dim that I almost hit it before I realized that I was beside it. I quickly repositioned the sub and was able to literally fly the sub up and down until finally landing it on the top. It was really cool to see all the fish, sponges and corals and algaes that covered the mount. I shot nearly an hour of video tape of it so that everyone else could see it and to have a visual record of it. When I surfaced three hours later I found out the the chief scientist of the mission named the sea mount Mount Sakas after me. I was ecstatic!

[ Alex/GraysReef - 34 - 10:24:44 ]
I am ready to answer as many as I get. I will be logged on for a while now.

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 35 - 10:25:24 ]
RE: [Payton] Have you always wanted to do the job that you do?
Hi Payton, From the time I was three years old when I first became aware of the ocean and its creatures I knew I wanted to be a marine biologist. Throughout my childhood I lived near the ocean and would go to it as often as I could. Of course that meant nagging my parents, but they were fairly agreeable about going. I was always collecting things in jars and after a few times of bringing them home only to watch them die due to lack of oxygen I decided it was better to leave them right where I found them and just look at them there. That has been my policy ever since, and it is an incredible experience to become as much a part of another animal's environment as you can so you can really understand how they live. By using SCUBA gear and a submersible you are in their environment, not quite one of them, but as close as a human can be. Good question, thanks for asking.

[ Alex/GraysReef - 38 - 10:34:41 ]
RE: [YWAC] We see the term SCUBA quite often; what does it stand for?
SCUBA stands for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. This development provided divers with free movement underwater with a portable (SCUBA tank) air supply. Surface-supported diving has several advantages such as unlimited air supply but limits the divers movement.

[ YWAC - 42 - 10:42:14 ]
RE: [Alex/GraysReef] NOAA is the acronym for the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA is responsible for all U.S. weather and climate forecasting, monitoring and archiving of ocean and atmospheric data, management of marine fisheries and mammals, mapping and charting of all US waters, coastal zone management, and research and development in all of these areas. NOAA is the largest part of the Department of Commerce and manages the US operational weather and environmental satellites, a fleet of ships and aircraft for oceanographic, surveying, fisheries, coastal, and atmospheric studies, twelve environmental research laboratories, and several large supercomputers.
That's really interesting.

[ Alex/GraysReef - 45 - 10:53:37 ]
RE: [Mera] Hi Alex! What is your favorite part of being a marine biologist? Also, what's your favorite animal to observe or study? My favorite marine animal is the nudebranch.
I love learning about the ocean. After my first SCUBA dive I knew I had to help protect such a treasure. We still know very little about our oceans, and many places are still left unexplored. I think there are so many things left to be discovered. I like being a marine biologist so I can try to protect some of these places and learn more about the role and connection they have on our daily lives. I have many favorite marine animals. I enjoy seeing the Royal Sea Goddess (a nudebranch) in Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary around this time of the year, but my favorite is the Loggerhead Sea Turtle. We see loggerheads at Gray's Reef year round. We have been placing satellite tags on these animals to see where and how far they travel. Our goal is to learn more about the male loggerheads, since after they hatch on a nesting beach they never come to shore again and we still know very little about them. More information on our tracking of loggerhead sea turtles can be found at www.graysreef.nos.noaa.gov.

[ Alex/GraysReef - 46 - 11:10:58 ]
RE: [Alexandra] My name's alex too! so, what do you do on a typical day? I go to school and my favorite subject is science. Did you like studying about atoms and cells?
The beauty of being a Marine Biologist is that there is no typical day at work. Off-course I have to take care of some daily paper work and e-mail correspondence, but when we get a chance to go to Gray's Reef there is no typical day. I help out on all types of research projects from collecting ancient fossil remains found at Gray's Reef which were deposited during Pleistocene Epoch when Gray's Reef was exposed to counting reef fish, tagging loggerhead sea turtles, and exploring deep waters with a one person submersible DeepWorker2000. It sure is a great job!

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 47 - 11:12:56 ]
RE: [Jenniferfrommcgehee] how did you get into this job?
Hi Jennifer, I knew from the time I was three years old that I wanted to be a marine biologist, so I read everything I could find on anything relating to the ocean and its creatures. When I graduated from high school, I enrolled in a school that had a good marine biology program. Years later I returned to school, and received a master's degree in science education because I knew at that time that I loved sharing my experiences and knowledge with others. I was asked to apply for the job I am presently in at Gray's Reef. I was flattered that the manager at Gray's Reef knew enough about my work to want me to join his staff. As part of my job, I get to do research and explore the reef, and I get to make educational modules that include video programs and CD's. I enjoy what I do very much and am always looking for other ways to get the message across to different audiences that the ocean is in trouble because of what we as humans have done to it, and we are the only ones that can fix it. Thanks for asking your question!

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 53 - 11:21:20 ]
RE: [Ferrah] Have you ever been stung or bitten while you were underwater?
Hi Ferrah, I have been stung and bitten while underwater. I have been stung by jellyfish and fire coral, which is not a coral but really a hydroid colony. I have also been stung by a medusa anemone. I couldn't feel the sting with my fingers even though I knew it must have been stinging me. In order to feel the sting I touched my lips which are very sensitive to its tentacles and man, was I surprised! It really stung! I felt like my lips were on fire. I wouldn't recommend doing that without knowing that you would not be permanently harmed. (In other words don't try this at home!) I knew this particular animal had toxins in its tentacles, but that they weren't too harmful; I was very surprised however that my lips were so sensitive. I have been bitten by many fish usually small ones. They seem to be the most aggressive. I am glad the aggressive ones are small! I have seen sharks, but have never been approached by one. They see me and swim away which is fine with me. They are beautiful creatures, and I do enjoy watching them. Thanks for your question!

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 54 - 11:27:58 ]
RE: [Jerome] How safe is the Deep Worker? Are you protected from sharks, ocean whales, and other dangerous marine creatures?
Hi Jerome, Using the DeepWorker to explore the ocean and to observe its creatures make our missions very safe indeed. I have observed large fish and sharks and sea turtles while in the sub. I haven't seen a whale yet from the sub, but look forward to the day I do. I was in a fish blizzard with so many fish attracted to the lights of my sub that I couldn't see to steer. I had to turn out my lights and let them go away before I could turn them back on and move. It was very interesting to see so many fish. Thanks for your question!

[ Alex/GraysReef - 55 - 11:32:16 ]
RE: [Polly] Alex, What measures would you wish to implement to ensure to protect the marine animals?
Polly, that's a very good question. I would like to see a world in which a sustainable use and protection could be combined. Many people have different views on what that means. I would seriously look into the roles that Marine Protected Areas have and how the fisheries status affects the whole ecosystem. Most important of all, educate people on the values of the various marine organisms and teach an ethical approach to conservation and protection.

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 56 - 11:38:55 ]
RE: [Jerome] You how do you feel about the exploration of the Titanic?
Hi (again) Jerome, I think the Titanic was such an important part of our maritime history that we needed more information about it and what happened to it as it sank. By actually seeing it resting on the ocean floor those kinds of questions can be better answered. Seeing the Titanic after all these years was exciting. I'm sure it brought back many memories for some who had relatives on board the ship. I think exploration of wrecks and the ocean floor is very important, but in the case of the Titanic it is also a question of ethics. It has served as a grave and a memorial for the hundreds of poor souls who could not find space aboard a life raft. Good question!

[ YWAC - 64 - 12:06:42 ]
RE: [Alex/GraysReef] Our sea turtle research in ongoing and is used quite often for educational and outreach purposes. One of our roles at Gray's Reef is to conduct long term monitoring studies of the animals found in the sanctuary including fishes, invertebrates, and sea turtles.
What's the most interesting part of the sea turtle research?

[ Alex/GraysReef - 65 - 12:12:30 ]
RE: [Jerry] What were your interests in high school? How does that affect your work today?
I was always interested in science. The person who made me appreciate the biology world was my high school biology teacher, Mr. Zinzi. I owe my early passion for biology to him for making it so exciting and rewarding.

[ Alex/GraysReef - 66 - 12:15:15 ]
RE: [Barbara] What is your favorite aspect of your work?
I like all aspects of my job. Even the difficult ones when dealing with hard problems or controversial issues. I believe in what I do and work becomes part of your daily life. I especially like being out at Gray's Reef and diving. Being underwater and observing the marine animals is always exciting.

[ YWAC - 68 - 12:19:28 ]
Hey everyone! These questions are fabulous... keep sending them in!

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 69 - 12:19:56 ]
RE: [JenniferfromMcgehee] does your job talk up the whole day? how long does it take?
Hi Jennifer, Most of the time I work Monday through Friday 9 AM to 5:30 PM. However there are many days that I also work for a few hours at night if I am asked to give a talk about Gray's Reef, or anything else relating to my work. When I am on a scientific cruise, like the one I will be on all next week, I work 12 - 16 hour days. We will be doing many different things on that cruise that will require a crew to be on the deck around the clock. We'll be deploying current monitors as well as water quality monitors. We'll also be deploying fish traps and bottom grabs, to collect the small organisms called infauna that live in the sand and sandstone bottoms. Thanks for your question!

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 70 - 12:23:55 ]
RE: [Barbara] What is your favorite aspect of your work?
Hi Barbara, My favorite part of my work is observing the small animals that live on the ridge tops of the reef. Creatures like Arrow Crabs and Regal Sea Goddesses (beautiful little sea slugs) are incredibly intricate once you get right up on them. They have subtle colors that can only be seen when you are very close to them. The other part of my job I like very much is telling people about what I see. That way I get to relive my experiences every time I talk about them. Thanks for your question!

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 71 - 12:32:43 ]
RE: [Diane] Who are your role models? Have their changed since your were younger?
Hi Diane, When I was young my role models were Dr. Sylvia Earle, Dr. Eugenie Clark and Jacques Cousteau, and they still are! Of course, Jacques Cousteau is dead now, but his legacy lives on through his society and through his Jean Michel Cousteau. I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Sylvia Earle through my work here at Gray's Reef. She is the one who made it possible for me to be a submersible pilot. I think role models are important. When you can't find someone who does the same thing you want to do, you can find inspiration from others who have followed their dreams or as some say their bliss. In other words, find a way to make what you want to do happen. Thanks for your question!

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 72 - 12:40:03 ]
RE: [Tara] What are your suggestions for a person interested in pursuing marine biology as a career?
Hi Tara, I would suggest reading as much as you can about anything connected to marine biology. Watch programs on television that are about the ocean and its creatures. Enroll in classes that are about marine biology and oceanography. Also volunteer at an aquarium and with any organization that deals with marine biology and marine conservation. Here in coastal Georgia, many young teenagers have gotten a start in a marine science career by working with sea turtles on a volunteer research project. Many students work in the summer at our local environmental education center that has marine education programs. Find out what is available in your area and go to it! Good question!

[ Cathy/GraysReef - 73 - 12:45:16 ]
RE: [Keri] What are your greatest aspirations?
Hi Keri, Wow, that's a big question! I want to see as much of the ocean bottom as I can. It's hard to believe that there is so much we don't know about the ocean. At this point we know more about what is in outer space than we do about our own planet's oceans. I want to do my part and contribute as much as I can about it. One way to do that is to keep exploring new areas and writing and talking about it. Thanks for your question!

[ VTODTWDMentor - 74 - 13:06:09 ]
Hi, I will be logged on all afternoon. Please send some questions my way.

[ FannyZuniga - 77 - 13:07:47 ]
I forgot to identify myself. This is Fanny Zuniga at NASA Ames. Let me know if you have any questions for me. Thanks, Fanny

[ YWAC - 81 - 13:17:55 ]
Just so you remember, Fanny will be taking questions in both English AND Spanish.

[ FannyZuniga - 82 - 13:18:17 ]
RE: [Juanita] Hay algo diferente por ser una latinoamericana en su trabajo?
Si, no hay muchas latinas en mi trabajo. La mayoria son hombres Americanos en MI trabajo. Yo se que pienso, comunico y actuo diferente que la mayoria. Eso es bueno porque yo tengo diferente ideas y conceptos que ellos y asi puedo contribuir al grupo. Yo pienso que Es bueno tener personas de diferente cultura y razas para que todos puedan contribuir diferente ideas.

[ YWAC - 83 - 13:19:27 ]
Para las personas que hablan espanol, Fanny respondera en ingles y tambien en espanol.

[ FannyZuniga - 84 - 13:21:26 ]
RE: [MeghanfromMcGehee] Did you always want to be involved with NASA, or did you want to be something else as a child? If so, what occupation did you want to have?
Hi Meghan, As far as I can remember, I always wanted to work for NASA from about the age of 2 or 3. I was just fascinated with the lunar landings back in those days and that's all I wanted to do. I sometimes thought about being a doctor, because I like to help people. However, my passion for airplanes and space travel didn't compare to anything else I sometimes thought about.

[ FannyZuniga - 85 - 13:23:42 ]
RE: [TaylorfromMcGehee] hi, I read about you and I was wondering if you try and make the simulators hard for the astronauts? Is it frustrating when something goes wrong? Why did you start working for Nasa? ~Taylor~
Hi Taylor, The astronaut pilots who fly the shuttle are very good pilots. We try and make things very difficult for them in the simulator to simulate emergency situations. When everything works perfectly, the pilots fly the simulator with no problems. However, there are lots of things that can go wrong with the shuttle so we try and create as many problems as we can for the pilots so that they'll know what to do when a real emergency occurs.

[ FannyZuniga - 86 - 13:26:21 ]
RE: [KatefromMcGehee] I was wondering if anyone has ever gotten sick on one of your simulators (Kate from McGehee)?
Hi Kate, Yes, some people do get sick in the simulators. I had some visitors last summer in our simulator and we had to stop once because someone got sick. She couldn't wait til we got out, and got sick right there in the cab.

[ KindyfromMcGehees - 95 - 13:45:54 ]
To all of the scientists who participated in this chat format, thank you. You left an impression upon each of the students who read your responses. It was wonderful to read all of the biographies. The girls will not forget this experience.

[ FannyZuniga - 124 - 14:54:31 ]
RE: [Albert] Fanny, did you find differences in various ethnic / racial grouS through PHD studies?
Hi Albert, There are very diverse groups at the university. You can find all kinds of ethnic groups there. That's why I enjoy going to college the most. There are many types of people there with many different backgrounds.

[ FannyZuniga - 125 - 14:57:10 ]
RE: [ERC/HeidiBoyette] Fannny, Thanks for taking the time to encourage all youth to achieve their dreams! Question: Are there already models of informational technologies/intelligent software that exists in Aeronautics? If so, in what projects are the resources located?
Hi Heidi, there are all types of research going on in information technologies and intelligent software. There are some projects here at NASA Ames that are trying to make airplanes smarter by recognizing their health and addressing any problems. There is still a lot more research to do in this area.

[ FannyZuniga - 126 - 14:59:47 ]
RE: [payton] what did you want to be when you were little?
Hi Payton, When I was little, I always wanted to design and fly a space vehicle. I would always pretend I was working in a laboratory and making a new spaceship. Then I would pretend that I was flying it. That has always been my dream.

[ FannyZuniga - 127 - 15:01:47 ]
RE: [DaltonfromMcGehee] Hi. My name is Dalton. In my 6th grade experience, I've been studying space. A lot. When I read your profile, I thought, "Wow, it must be quite a difficult thing to do, put together a space shuttle." How long does it take to put together one part of the shuttle?
Hi Dalton, Well, I guess it depends what part of the shuttle you're building. There are currently 4 shuttles. Each one took a few years to build. They are constantly being reused now. That's why it's important to make sure they fly well so they can be reused over and over again.

[ FannyZuniga - 128 - 15:03:10 ]
RE: [VictoriafromMcGehee] Do you help send things aboard the shuttle to the astronauts in the space station? If so, does it ever get lost while you were sending it?
Hi Victoria, I've only sent one instrument aboard the shuttle. They take very good care of everything that goes on the shuttle. I'm sure they rarely lose hardware since it takes a lot of money to build it and make sure it's safely secure on the shuttle.

[ VTODTWDMentor - 129 - 15:52:50 ]
RE: [Mitch] What is the most amazing sight that you have seen?
The most amazing thing I have ever seen was the corals spawning in the Flower Garden Bank National Marine Sanctuary. It was truly a remarkable site.

[ VTODTWDMentor - 130 - 15:59:57 ]
RE: [KatiefromMcgeheeschool] How long have you wanted to be a Research Biologist? (this is to mrs. Alex)
I have always been interested in the biological sciences. I always loved the ocean and once I started diving and seeing the underwater world with my eyes, I knew I was going to be a marine biologist. There hasn't been any doubt since. I enjoy learning about the marine world and the challenges that come from doing research underwater.

[ VTODTWDMentor - 132 - 11:16:45 ]
RE: [KrOpKiDs] Joyce~ what inspired you to become a specialist for NASA?
Hi Everyone! I was fortunate to have a job opportunity with NASA when I was in college and I loved working here so much that I got a full time job after graduation and I have been here since.

[ VTODTWDMentor - 133 - 11:23:31 ]
RE: [ERC/Janine] Joyce - What was your most challenging research project for NASA? Have there been any projects for which you were not able to find resolution? What happened next, if you ran into such a difficulty?
Hi Janine, I think the Teflon degradation problem on Hubble has been my most challenging project to date. We are still trying to find answers to how Teflon degrades in space - it's like a puzzle. We have some answers enough to think we know what the final picture looks like, but the missing pieces will fine tune our theories even more. I am working on some tests to determine what wavelengths of ultraviolet light are most damaging to Teflon to add more data to solve the "mystery." Many times, not just for Hubble, we find that our theories are wrong - we thought that soft x-rays were the reason Teflon was getting brittle. Then we tested Teflon in the laboratory exposing it to the same amount of x-rays that have been measured to occur in space - we found that the damage was not nearly as bad. So, we looked to other aspects of the environment to find answers to what damages Teflon. When we can't find an obvious answer, we just keep looking at alternative possibilities.

[ VTODTWDMentor - 134 - 11:25:18 ]
RE: [ERC/Judy] Joyce Dever - What have you been working on since the repairs to the Hubble were made?
Hi Judy, I am still studying materials retrieved from Hubble in December 1999, but I am also doing tests on other types of polymers (polyimides and fluorinated polyimides, among others) for a sunshield for the Next Generation Space Telescope which is hoped to be launched around 2009.

[ VTODTWDMentor - 135 - 11:32:10 ]
RE: [ERCJane] Joyce, Is there any application of your work in the area of effects of UV Radiation on Hubble materials (teflon) to polymers here on Earth - especially man-made fabrics etc.?
Hi Jane, You never know when an Earth-based application may arise from space research. At one time I was asked to consult for a company who had plastic banners advertising their business all around the country. In the colder locations, the plastic banners underwent degradation and cracked whereas the banners were fine in the warmer climates . It was determined that the ink curing process (involving UV) may have embrittled the banners causing them to degrade when in cold conditions. So you never know when a terrestrial problem will benefit from things we have studied for space.

[ VTODTWDMentor - 136 - 11:35:00 ]
RE: [ERC/Linda] Joyce - what materials other than Teflon have you tested for embrittlement problems?
Hi Linda, I have been studying polyimides, such as Kapton and others, for degradation when exposed to space effects. Embrittlement is one form of undesired degradation, but we also look for loss of tensile strength, discoloration, and changes in surface texture as concerns for thermal control materials in space.

[ VTODTWDMentor - 137 - 11:40:47 ]
RE: [KAREN] Joyce, Did you take your daughter to work today? Is she interested in a Science Career? If so, what science and why?
Hi Karen, to answer two of your questions: first, I have only worked with Kevlar fabric as a means of protecting my hands/arms from risk of glass shattering while changing UV bulbs from one of my test facilities which uses pressurized UV lamps. I have not studied radiation effects on Kevlar fibers. However, there are new polymer films being developed all the time and I am testing some newer polyimides and fluorinated polyimides for companies interested in their durability. Second, my daughters Megan and Sarah (5 and 2) are too young to participate in the TODTW Day program - at Glenn, attendees need to be between 9 and 15. However, my husband has brought Megan to the NASA to meet his officemates and see his labs. She was most interested in meeting his friends. Right now she has an interest in how things work, but not so much in science - I'm trying, though...

[ VTODTWDMentor - 138 - 11:50:05 ]
RE: [payton] what did you want to be when you were little?
Hi, when I was in grade school I knew I wanted to go into a science-based career. I remember that when I was choosing my high school 9th grade classes, I told my mom that I absolutely would not consider taking home economics then because it meant I wouldn't be able to take science until 10th grade. I wanted to take as much science as I could in high school, and, of course, that continued when I went to college! My bachelor's degree is in chemistry.