Check out your Company Bowl for anonymous work chats.
Meet Annmarie (She/Her/Hers), Project Scientist for Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2, and 3. Annmarie earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering Science at Caltech before moving to Iowa for a job as an assistant professor. She later returned to California with a role at UCLA before joining JPL in 1999. About the Lab, Annmarie says, “I love how we have such a broad range of expertise. You can gather a team with the expertise (and usually enthusiasm) that you need to make it happen…I feel like our work is making a contribution to the most pressing environmental problem of our generation and it is technically challenging, which is fun!” She emphasizes the need for diversity and inclusion in STEM, sharing, “There is so much evidence that a wider range of ideas and solutions are found when you have a diverse team!” On Pride, Annmarie says, “Pride means being proud and unashamed about who I am. It also means being proud to be part of the larger LGBTQIA+ community, and investing energy to support our community and push for change where needed.”
Meet Stephanie (They/Them/Theirs), Harness Engineer for Europa Clipper. Their role is to make sure all the electronics on a spacecraft are properly connected. Simply, they say, “It’s a lot like organizing the cables behind your entertainment center...but for spacecraft!” Stephanie joined JPL as a co-op student before being hired full-time in 2016. “During one of my co-ops I was placed in the harness engineering group, and I kind of fell in love with [it]. Harnessing is quirky and not really like other engineering fields…My job is really cool because I get to interface with every component of the spacecraft.” Stephanie's favorite things about working at JPL include wildlife, the open campus, and connecting with others. Stephanie shares, "Pride means being my authentic self in all aspects of life. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, we celebrate Pride yearly as a way of remembering those who fought for our rights. This year we've learned that celebration needs to include a focus on the struggles the Black community faces so we can stand as allies for racial justice.”
Meet Cj (They/Them/Theirs), EDL Systems Engineer for Mars 2020. Space has always been a passion of Cj’s, “…I knew I had to try to honor that passion and align it with my career. As it turned out, the skills and lessons I’d learned about myself along my early career path had set me up well for systems thinking and it was a natural fit.” Cj’s favorite things about JPL include the people and solving complex problems. They say, “I love the challenge of balancing that mix of the technical and the personal and that no day looks the same as the one before… but it’s the drive, passion, and humor of the people that make it so enjoyable to come to work each day.” Taking inspiration from the LGBTQIA+ community, they say, "I feel grateful to the generations of Queer people who fought in big and quiet ways to make space for us now to live our lives openly.” What Pride means to Cj, “Pride is also, and has always been, a call to action to fight for those among us who have been silenced or oppressed and to create a safe and brave space for their voices to be heard.”
The journey of 314 million miles all comes down to the last few inches. See how the Mars Helicopter Delivery System will get Ingenuity safely to the surface of the Red Planet, where it will try the first experimental powered flight on another world.
Meet Hared (He/Him/His), Thermal Systems Engineer for Europa Clipper. Hared’s path to JPL started with his interest in fluid mechanics and heat transfer. While at UCLA, he took Spacecraft Design courses and later he connected with a hiring manager at JPL through the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). Hared shares what he enjoys about JPL, “It would have to be how welcoming and supportive the employees are around here…There is so much diversity and novelty in the work we do. It stays refreshing and new.” He continues, “The JPL Spectrum community has exposed me to some incredibly talented scientists and engineers that are part of the Lab and queer community...I always get inspiration from their success and work ethic.” What Pride means to him, “It means being true to yourself, your background, your history, your struggles, and your achievements. These past few weeks are a reminder that Pride is about remembering, celebrating, and respecting all those who have fought for our rights in our queer history, this includes Black and Trans leaders."
Meet Sidney (She/Her/Hers). She is a User Interface Developer focused on spatial computing and 3D visualization. After exploring various career paths she earned a Bachelor’s in Game Development before entering the video game industry. As an innovative problem solver, Sidney worked as a freelancer and at a virtual reality startup before joining JPL in 2017. She says, “Working on fringe problems gives me life,” and her favorite things about working at JPL include her colleagues and working for all of humanity. Sidney shares, “I love my job...Being able to go look at the bigger picture and see how the things I am working on will impact humanity is really fulfilling.” When it comes to diversity and inclusion, she says, "A diversity in backgrounds leads to a diversity of ideas, likewise, if there is a gap in diversity then there is likely a gap in understanding." What Pride means to Sidney, “Pride is a celebration of who you are. Without shame. There are too many places where LGBTQIA+ people still have to put on a mask to exist, Pride is how we work to end that.”
Meet Diana, Information Systems Security Manager. She's been part of the aerospace community since she was in the military, before joining JPL. During her military career, she worked in IT but was always interested in Cybersecurity. She enjoys it because it is such a vast field that is always evolving. Diana says her favorite thing about the Lab is, "The diversity of the employees!... Diversity and inclusion in STEM are so important, not only for women but even more so for LGBTQIA+, especially in leadership. When you see leaders whom you can identify with at your employer, the brighter your future seems." About Pride, she says, "To me, Pride means living an authentic life, even at work which is still hard for so many people. One of the many reasons I love working at JPL is that I can bring my whole self to work," continuing she emphasizes, "This month not only highlights the importance of being an ally but also shows the importance of unapologetically standing up for equal rights, as well as firmly standing alongside and in support of the Black community not only at JPL but period."
Thanks to our employees who "Dare Mighty Things", we are excited to announce that JPL is no. 23 on @Computerworld’s Best Places to Work in IT list 2020 and ranked no. 5 for Diversity overall! #BestPlacesIT #LifeatJPL
At the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, managed by Caltech, we are bound by a shared idea to explore, dream, and innovate. Diversity and inclusion are mission-critical values. Space should be a place of wonder for everyone but is not always welcoming for some. We support our Black colleagues and community. Through our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) we strive to provide employees a voice—to educate, inform, and enrich our culture for all. As we are fearless in doing the impossible to benefit humanity, we must also be fearless in taking action, respecting our employees’ experiences, acknowledging their hurt, and being a catalyst for change. We commit to do more. For now, we want to acknowledge the pain experienced by our Black colleagues. Our LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group, Spectrum, has asked us to continue a Pride Month campaign that focuses on unequivocal alliance and support for our Black communities. We're grateful to our Spectrum members for allowing us to continue to share their stories. #PrideMonth
Manufacturers were selected to make our #COVID19-specific ventilator, VITAL. It’s simpler and more affordable than traditional ventilators, freeing the latter for more severe symptoms. Its design can be used in field hospitals. #InThisTogether
