Chat with Alexandra Swanson 2/11/97 How old were you when you wanted to start NASA? I think I was 13 or 14 when I seriously wanted to work for NASA. How come you decided to work for NASA? I decided to work for NASA because I was and still am interested in space and space travel. But, I also became fascinated by the advanced, high tech airplanes and helicopters that are flying around today, as well as those that are in development. What do you do in NASA?? I am a research engineer and I am involved with testing advanced designed of helicopters and tiltrotors in the world's largest wind tunnels at NASA Ames Research Center. Do you like woking for NASA? How long have you been working there? Yes, I like working for NASA. The work is scientific and challenging. And that's what makes it so interesting! I have been working here for 8 years now. How long does it take to be an astronaught? It takes time to become an astronaut. I'm not an astronaut, but I do know that it requires a technical education. Many of the astronauts (mission specialists) on the shuttle have advanced degrees, such as Masters Degrees and PhD's. Do you have any children? I don't have human children, but my husband and I own two adorable orange tabbies. I consider them our kids. Do you have fun? Yes, working at NASA can be fun. Especially, when you find the answers to engineering and scientific problems that no one else has figured out. What kinds of things did you do with your friends when you were in high school? It helped you to have friends who also excelled in school. Did you ever do drugs in school? No, I can honestly say that I NEVER EVER tried drugs. You see in school, my friends and I were the academic type. Thank goodness I did not have any peer pressure. But, I was also educated about the dangers of drugs, and I intellectually knew better to stay away from the stuff altogether. What kinds of jobs did you have when you supported yourself through school? Were these is your field or just to make money? Did you work when you were in high school? When I was in college, I worked as a summer intern in related fields to my aeronautical engineering degree. But, I also did various "odd" jobs on a part time basis to earn a little extra cash. Such as working in a fast food restaurant, delivering papers, cleaning homes, house and pet sitting, etc. What college did you go to get your degree? Did you like going to school? I'm in drafting class right as I speak. Have you ever taken a drafting class? Yes, when I was in college I took a drafting class. I found it very worthwhile, especially since I am an engineer. As a college student intern, I also took computer aided drafting (CAD) classes. I REALLY enjoyed doing design work on CAD systems. It's a totally cool technology! What kind of courses did you have to take in high school to get your degree in NASA. I took lots of math and science in high school. This included: algrebra 2, geometry, trigonometry, calculus, biology, chemistry, and physics. In college, I took even more math and science. This included: advanced calculus, differential equations, advanced engineering mathematics, chemistry, and physics. How did you come about getting a job with NASA, after graduating from college. And also which college did you attend? Getting good grades in high school and taking lots of science and math in high school prepared me for being accepted to my first choice university. I attented California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. I chose a major in aeronautical engineering. Cal Poly is well respected by many employers around the nation, including NASA. The engineering degree I received at Cal Poly prepared me for my career at NASA. What kinds of things do yo do now that keep your mind sharp? The work I do is typically challenging and that helps to keep my mind sharp. Also, I have opportunities to attend technical conferences to keep abreast of the research other people are doing. Sometimes, I attend training and educational courses. Are you ever going to change jobs to go in space? You know space still intrigues me, but for now I am happy with the work I am doing. But, who knows, someday I may change my mind. So long as you keep your mind open to possibilities, anything can happen. What kind of hobbies do you like to do during your extra free time? I've got lots of hobbies. I have lots of friends and enjoy spending time and socializing. Some of the activities my husband and I enjoy include: cross country skiing, mountain biking, snorkeling. I also have personal hobbies such as: gardening and needlepoint projects. Have you worked on any new prototype helicopters we don't know about??? Yes, we are working on advanced tilt rotor configurations. I don't know if you have heard of the XV-15 or V-22 aircraft. These are the cooling flying machines. They take off vertically like a helicopter, then convert the engines and propellers to an airplane mode and fly like an airplane. Bell Helicopters recently announced their intention to develop a commercial tiltrotor. Hopefully, you will see it flying by the year 2001. You might even get a chance to fly in one! I've heard of the V-22, but that will be convenient that now we can evelutionalize helicopters like that. Do you mean commercial instead of airplanes we can also fly in tiltrotors. I currently working on a small scale wind tunnel test stand that will allow us, here at NASA, as well as industry partners to test advanced designs of tiltrotor propellers. What other kinds of aircraft will use tiltrotor propellers? About how big is the wind tunnel? The largest wind tunnel at NASA Ames has a testing section that is 80 feet tall and 120 feet wide. It's big enough to put life size airplanes and helicopters. What experiments do you use with helicopters in the wind tunnel?? Wind tunnels allow us to simulate flight. By blowing wind over a stationary helicopter model, we can measure the forces of lift and drag on the helicopter. We can also measure the vibration and noise, as well as the stability or motion of the helicopter rotor. Oh yeah, sometimes we perform what we call Flow Visualization studies of the airflow around the helicopter rotor to get a better understanding of the vortices that are shed from the tips of the rotor blades. How fast does the wind get in the tunnels?? The wind tunnels I work at have speeds ranging from 100 to 300 knots. Can you tell me about how many people work at Ames Research Center? I believe there are roughly 4500 people who work on site at NASA Ames Research Center. Half of these are civil servants and the other half are contractors. Do you work with other engineers? Yes, I work with other research engineers. Some of the are aeronautical engineers like me. I also work with: mechanical engineers, mathematicians, computer engineers, model shop technicians, and scientists. Do you have a lot of female co-workers?? Do you work with other engineers? There are 3 other women engineers that I work with in my immediate area. Women are visible in engineering and scientific professions, but their numbers are still lower than men. But that's going change. :-) What happens if you fail or get too many wrong in a simulator test? Do you think kids in Special Education can succeed in college. Would you recomend everyone to go to college, and why? Yes, I think it would be wonderful if everybody had the opportunity to attend college. There are so many benefits to attending college. Many of the friends you meet in college are the ones you keep for life. College allows you to exercise and challenge your mind. It opens your mind to a whole world of possibilities. It prepares you with an excellent education so that you may graduate and find a satisfying AND well paying career. Have you ever worked on the internet in high school? Technology has come a long way. We did not have the internet when I was in school. You guys and gals are lucky!! :-) Alexandra, I am a middle school science teacher currently teaching in South Africa. I feel it is most important for my female students to realize they can reach the same levels of success in math and science as boys. What do you see as the most important thing I can do to get that point across to young girls so that they will pursue these fields in college? I know it may sound like a cliche, but it's true, a mind is a terrible thing to waste. One of the things that drove me to excel in math and science was my desire for independence and being able to financially support myself in a career that I found both technically interesting and of benefit to society. I felt it was very important that I have the skills to take care of myself, rather relying on someone else to take care of and support me. I remember junior high. It was a distracting time in my life. But I tried to focus on the importance of education. I did not worry about being too smart or smarter than some of the boys in my class. Intelligence is attractive, stupidity is not. How long do you think you will plan to work? I plan to work for as long as I can. What was your major in college? I received my Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Alexandra- Thank you for answering my questions. I've really enjoyed chating with you. Bye.! Bye Alexandra I have learned alot today. By Alexandria,It was very nice chatting with you. Thank you for the Birthdat wish.