[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 1 - 08:26:00 ]
Hello to our early arriving chat participants! Today's bilingual Virtual Take Our Daughters to Work Day chat with Estella Hernandez Gillette from NASA Johnson Space Center will begin at 9:00 a.m., Pacific Daylight Time. Be sure you have read Estella's profile at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/bios/ehg.html before joining this chat.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 2 - 08:26:23 ]
Once the chat begins, Estella will attempt to answer as many of your questions as quickly as she can, but PLEASE be patient. Today's chat will be MODERATED to help Estella keep up with our questions. This means that only a few questions will be posted to the chat room at a time. Don't worry if your questions do not appear on your screen immediately during moderation. They will be held in our chat queue and posted as Estella answers those ahead of you.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 3 - 08:27:37 ]
Remember to enter "Your Handle" in the box provided before posting messages to the chat room. Once you've done this, please let us know that you have logged on for today's chat.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 4 - 08:28:01 ]
At the conclusion of today's chat, we ask that you take a few minutes to let us know what you thought about it. For your convenience, you may use our online feedback forms at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/qchat-surveys. We look forward to hearing from you!

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 7 - 08:52:55 ]
Bienvenidos welcome to today's bilingual Virtual Take Our Daughters to Work Day chat with Estella Hernandez Gillette from NASA Johnson Space Center. Estella is a Mexican immigrant who came to the United States when she was 2 years old. She continues to volunteer in various outreach efforts, including tutoring Spanish speaking students.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 8 - 08:53:15 ]
And now, here is Estella Hernandez Gillette to answer your questions.

[ EHG/JSC - 13 - 08:59:59 ]
RE: [Dianne] Me podría usted decir que pensaba de la NASA antes de entrar al campo de la NASA?
Realmente, yo no sabia mucho de la NASA antes de entrar. Yo estaba en High School cuando la NASA empezaba--pero me di cuenta despues que gradue y vine a aplicar. Yo queria trabajar para el gobierno federal y la NASA representaba un futuro para mi, como secretaria.

[ EHG/JSC - 14 - 09:01:57 ]
RE: [Dianne] Qué le recomendaria a una joven que está pensando en convertirse algún dia en astronauta?
A cual quier persona--le recomendiendo que estudien mucho, que estudien la matematica, la ciencia, cursos tecnicos que sean relativos al programa espacial. Existe ya mucha referencia sobre de esto, empezando con los libros que el astronauta mexicano Rodolfo Neri ha escrito...

[ EHG/JSC - 19 - 09:09:25 ]
RE: [Dianne] Cúal fue la primera vez que se montó enun cohete espacial?
La primera vez que un norteamericano monto al espacio fue el 20 de february de 1962 en vuelo Mercury 6. Ese astronauta fue John Glenn, quien tu debes reconocer como el mismo John Glenn que volvio a volar al espacio en octobre del ano pasado.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 20 - 09:13:01 ]
We'd like to remind you to visit our Take Our Daughters to Work Day event schedule at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/TODTWD99/schedule.html to learn about other upcoming chats today.

[ EHG/JSC - 21 - 09:13:36 ]
RE: [Angela] I was wondering how your qualifications and efforts have helped the studies you are involved in and was it harder for you because you are a women?
I believe in giving back what was given to me as I "grew up" here at NASA. I have mentored many young people, have told them about what works or doesn't work as they make their way through the Johnson Space Center. I believe that it was my ability to learn English well, as well as my ability to keep my original Spanish language that has helped me. I believe that we must do the job we are paid to do well, make our own opportunities by learning as much as possible, knowing our organization, understanding the people we work with and for. There are so many things I share with others. As to your question about "being harder for a woman"--it depends on what field you choose. For me, it wasn't hard because I was in an environment that was mostly for women, as far as my original profession--as a secretary. For women who have broken into the non-traditional female professions, engineering, science, etc., I believe it has been harder. There is a credibility issue to deal with. But, I also believe that if learn the skills of the trade well, you learn about the people you work with and for, etc. (the same as above), you can break down those perceptions others may have and do just as well, female or not! Our female astronauts have demonstrated that quite well!

[ EHG/JSC - 25 - 09:15:39 ]
RE: [Dianne] En qué tipo de ciencias usted se especializa?
Mi trabajo es administrativo. Yo no soy personal tecnica. Pero las disiplinas que los astronautas han tomado cuando estaban en la escuela incluyen matematica, ingenieria, medicina, biologia, astronomia, "physics", astrologia, geologia, o sean materias que exploran conceptos tecnicos.

[ EHG/JSC - 27 - 09:18:00 ]
RE: [Dianne] Cuál ha sido su misioñ más peligrosa?
No entiendo si te refieres a mision peligrosa mia, or de algun vuelo espacial de la NASA? Pero, si te refieres a mi, mi trabajo es tratar con la gente, asi es que no coro mucho peligro. Si te refieres a los astronautas, ellos si corren mucho peligro. Nuestro programa todavia es muy exploratoria y cada vuelo significa gran peligro. Pero nosotros hacemos todo para asegurar que cada vuelo se ha checado maximamente tocante a la seguridad.

[ EHG/JSC - 29 - 09:19:53 ]
RE: [Lillian] Do you think that someday we will have cars like in the Jetsons?
I do believe that whatever a person visualizes there it's possible to make it real. Once upon a time, long time ago, we had a comic strip named "Buck Rogers" that was pretty much like the Jetsons is today. A lot of what the Buck Rogers series showed is what we are doing today. It just takes a creative brain to apply today's technology and come up with tomorrow's technology to come up with rockets, flying cars, etc. That's why we need creative people!

[ EHG/JSC - 30 - 09:22:15 ]
RE: [Ellie] How did Estelle get up into space? Or how did she get into the space work?
Estella is not an astronaut! So, I have not been into space. I am on the Astronaut Selection Board, so I get to help pick the new astronauts. I am an administrative manager--I deal with the "people" issues that occur here on earth and at the Johnson Space Center. I have never had a desire to fly into space, although I love flying in an airplane. It takes many types of workers to run a space program and I happen to be one of those that likes to stay in the background and make sure that we keep making folks interested in what it is we do at NASA so that one day you might want to join us in any one of the many types of jobs we have here!

[ EHG/JSC - 31 - 09:22:57 ]
RE: [Dianne] Qué fue para usted lo más difícil para poder pasar el adiestramiento?
Necesita que me digas que es "adiestramiento"...

[ EHG/JSC - 42 - 09:38:52 ]
RE: [loretta] you said your grandma was an inspiration to you why was that?
My grandmother was an inspiration to me because it was she who spearheaded the effort for us to come to the United States from Mexico. We were poor, had just a few dollars, had no vehicle, there were many of us, yet she had the courage to spearhead the effort! And, and she grew older, and I grew older, I realized how wise she was. She had no education, hadn't even finished grade school, yet she was wise. When she died at age 85, she was still mowing her own grass with a manual lawnmower (no power), doing her own flower beds (and could grow anything!), and had raised not only her own children, but her son's 3 children. I learned much from her but I didn't realize how much until I grew older--and wiser--and really gained an appreciation for her. Her name was Damiana--in her memory my husband and I named our second son Damian, after her.

[ EHG/JSC - 43 - 09:41:40 ]
RE: [amiller] When did you first decide to get involved with these types of studies?
I didn't take all of the technical courses I mentioned. I was mentioning them as the type of courses that students can take whenever they are thinking about a career as an astronaut. In my own preparation for an administrative career, I took some math and science courses, but they were only the required courses. Actually, though, I learned later, when I was in night college courses, that I should have taken more technical courses--I really liked them, once I became an adult. And, I even did well. I wish someone had encouraged ME as a young woman to take more technical courses. I didn't have the confidence to do so, so I didn't. That's why some of us "grown up" women are stressing to some of you who are just now growing up to go after those courses--don't under estimate your ability!

[ EHG/JSC - 45 - 09:46:01 ]
RE: [MrThompson] Hi Estella - What are your thoughts on requiring students to learn in the English language, ESL classes, and immersion classes? Thank you
I strongly encourage ESL students to learn English. I do believe that immersion is best! I came to this country at the age of 2. I entered kindergarten at the normal age, but it was 4th grade before I could actually speak English! I started school in a school in which almost everyone could speak Spanish, so English wasn't really emphasized. But, that held me back a lot and I was making bad grades. Then, my parents bought a home in another neighborhood, one in which most of the residents were second and third generation Mexicans and most of them spoke good English. It was then that I realized how bad my English was! But, I think I've always wanted to be one that wants to be included. The kids made fun of my lack of English skills, they laughed. So, I made a concerted effort to learn, my teachers noticed, and I made English my favorite subject! My grades went from C's and D's and C's in conduct to A's. All I needed was someone to encourage me and show me that I was capable! So, I do believe immersion is most important! We learned Spanish -- the correct one -- at home and never have forgotten it!

[ EHG/JSC - 48 - 09:48:48 ]
RE: [MrThompson] What languages would you say are the most important as second languages to English in the Space Industry?
We actually have opened a language lab for our astronauts, employees, and visiting foreign space program employees. We had so many languages represented at our Center that our training office and technical reps decided that we needed to have an area in which people could have formal training, as well as as-needed, video/audio training. We have learning materials in German, Russian, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, for sure--and, of course, English. We keep improving our learning lab as we partner with new countries, like we just did with Brazil.

[ EHG/JSC - 49 - 09:51:49 ]
RE: [MrsMock/MontessoriSchoolofCorona] I will be entering the questions for my students who are occupied with Earth Day activities today. Some have provided questions for me. Nicholas and Reed (3rd and 4th) wanted to know: who are your customers?
Our customers are ourselves (the employees), other agencies, academia, industry, and pretty much the world! We are a very visible agency, but sometimes not as visible as we would like to be. Because of this, during the last 4-5 years, we have made a concerted effort to let our external customers--like your--know who we are and what we are about. We have an annual Open House for the public (last year we had over 100,000 visitors) for one day (August 28 this year), an Inspection Day(s) (for industry to come see how they can partner with us), and we have an American Heritage Week (where we learn about one another's heritage, but appreciate the fact that we're all American), and a Safety and Health Day for our employees.

[ EHG/JSC - 52 - 09:54:12 ]
RE: [MsBealesclass] Can you tell us more about how astronauts choose what they get to take with them on missions? Do they get lots of requests and is it really up to them or does someone else decide? What is the wierdest thing an astronaut brougth with them on a mission? Thank you Estella for answering our questions.
The astronauts do get to choose what they take into space in what is called the PPK (Personal Preference Kit). The items have to be small, the bag they carry these in is about the size of a snack-size Zip-Lock bag. They can take 20 items. But, they can also fly things for favorite organizations, schools, etc. That's much bigger. The weirdest thing I remember someone taking was a deflated soccer ball that an astronaut flew for his daughter's soccer team. Maybe that's not so weird anymore, but it was for me then!

[ EHG/JSC - 53 - 09:57:11 ]
RE: [MrsMock/MontessoriSchoolofCorona] Andrea (3rd)quiere saber: que es Equal Opportunity Program?
Equal Opportunity es igualdad en oportunidad. Quiere decir que mi trabajo es asegurar que cada persona que trabaja aqui tiene la misma oportunidad de aprender, de avanzar, y de progresar en su trabajo. Tratamos de asegurar eso con proveer situaciones que las personas puedan lograr, como clases aqui en el trabajo, pagamos los estudios si la persona quiere estudiar en universidad, tenemos programas para que aprendan, y en la organizacion les decimos a los jefes que les den a las personas "practice opportunities" que son oportunidades en un nivel chico para que la persona practique y luego pueda hacerlo en un nivel grande cuando la oportunidad se presente.

[ EHG/JSC - 54 - 09:58:50 ]
RE: [Angela] what allowed you to become who you are as far as science is concerned?
As far as science is concerned, that played very little in who I have become. But, I have gained a better understanding as I have worked in this environment where so many of our folks are in the science and engineering environment. If I am to push our space program and to try to create new work force members for our future needs, I need to understand how science applies and to translate it into something others who don't quite understand it can.

[ EHG/JSC - 57 - 10:01:20 ]
RE: [Oran/NASAChatHost] We will now be ending our chat with Estella Hernandez Gillette. We would like to thank everyone for joining us today. Our very special thanks to Estella for her very thoughtful responses to our questions, and for sharing her personal and career experiences, and expertise with us.
Oran-- Thanks for setting this up for me today! I really enjoy "chatting" with our folks who take the time to sign on. I hope everyone learned a little something new through this interaction. Roger and out, everyone!

[ EHG/JSC - 58 - 10:01:53 ]
RE: [Angela] Thank you so much for being an inspiration and taking time out to answer our many questions!
My pleasure, Angela!

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 60 - 10:03:08 ]
Check the Virtual Take Our Daughters to Work Day events schedule page at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/TODTWD99/schedule.html to learn more about today's upcoming chats. Also check our schedule of events page at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events to learn about other upcoming chats with NASA experts.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 61 - 10:05:14 ]
A final reminder to share your thoughts about today's chat with us at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/qchat-surveys.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 63 - 10:05:42 ]
RE: [MrsMock/MontessoriSchoolofCorona] Thank you y gracias de MSOC.
Adios, Mrs. Mock!

[ MrsMock/MontessoriSchoolofCorona - 64 - 10:27:49 ]
Adios, Oran! :-)