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All aboard, NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover! Essays from @NASA's “Name the Rover” contest, along with 10.9+ million names you sent in through the “Send Your Name to Mars” campaign, were stenciled on three chips. They’re now secured to the 2,300-pound rover.
Meet Jennifer. Her path to JPL began in a bean field in Ohio. Her father was a farmer and engineer. Inspired by his stories about testing rockets, Jennifer pursued aerospace engineering at MIT. Jennifer leads the Mars 2020 team as the Surface Development Manager, ensuring Perseverance’s software and operations for the surface mission. She shares her enthusiasm, “I feel like my mind and spirit were created to do the work I do.” As a leader, Jennifer shares why she enjoys working at JPL, “My favorite things are the people and the missions. I absolutely LOVE being part of the team of diversely talented people this is required to build these complex systems...together we can accomplish much more than the sum of the parts. We multiply each other.” Inspired by Helen Keller’s life that people can contribute to society regardless of their differences, Jennifer shares her insight, “I advise people to do something they love and become excellent. If you are the best, everyone will want you to be on their team regardless of your gender, hair color, skin color, or anything else.”
One step closer to launch The sample handling system for NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover is in! The system will help collect core samples of Martian rock and soil. With less than four months until take-off, the rover reaches significant pre-launch milestones almost daily. https://lnkd.in/gs7NG2M
Meet Rosana. She's like an orchestra conductor, bringing together JPLers to perform a complex symphony of work in support of mission success. Rosana has always been excited about learning and after being exposed to computer science in college, changed her major. Rosana joined JPL in 1990 and she says her favorite thing about the Lab is, “You are always exposed to the latest’s trends. It is an incredible learning environment.” She loves working on missions and getting them ready for the launch and operations phases, “It is demanding and schedule is the biggest issue. Things need to be done and on time. It is truly rewarding to see a mission come together and successfully launch and transition to operations.” Rosana is inspired by the chemist Marie Curie, who didn’t let anything stand in the way of her studies. Her advice for other women pursuing careers in STEM, “’ Persevere and you will triumph.’ I found it to be true … keep at it, keep doing what you like and you are going to reap the results of your hard work. #WomensHistoryMonth
Meet Ramona. “You build them. I fly them,” is a running joke between Ramona and her husband, who also works at JPL. She has three roles at JPL: Deputy Mission Manager, Mission Systems Engineer, and Mission Operations System Lead for the Sentinel-6 and SWOT missions. Ramona joined JPL while at MIT through the Space Grant Program. “I couldn’t wait to interview at JPL. It blew my mind that we could still hear and get data from the Voyager spacecraft that had launched when I was a child.” She’s worked on many flight projects. “My favorite thing about my work is knowing that the spacecraft I am commanding and hearing from is actually in Space! I saw it on the ground before launch, and now it’s way out there.” Inspired by Astronaut Sally Ride she says, “Females shouldn’t be afraid of entering traditionally male-dominated fields like engineering. Gender doesn’t matter - ability does. If you enjoy math & science in school as I did, engineering is a challenging and rewarding career. I’ve been with JPL for nearly 30 years, and I’m still loving it!”
Joining millions of others across the world, JPL employees adapt to teleworking, new environments and new "co-workers." Got a productivity tip? Share it in the comments. Check out our Facebook stories for more JPL employees at work! #LifeatJPL
Meet Jennifer. She wears many hats. She oversees the development of Earth mission systems, science data, and information. Jennifer’s role models taught her the joy in building and fixing things that are valuable and tangible. She had her eye on JPL since she was young and worked to get her foot in the door, contributing to JPL’s success for 30 years. She describes the Lab in two words: high quality; “High-quality people; High-quality work products; High quality work environment.” She continues, “There is never a dull moment.” Rosa Parks provided a personal inspiration for Jennifer as she and her family experienced the turbulent times of segregation and desegregation. She describes Rosa Parks, "Integrity, dignity, strength. Stand up for equality. Don’t give in… Stand strong. Keep moving forward. Build on each little win, and eventually, the little wins build into a stockpile of achievements!” Jennifer shares that spirit with others, “Each challenge is an opportunity to grow, learn, and expand. Embrace each experience with a smile! It builds character, and makes you strong and wise!”
Meet Tracy. She’s ready for the final frontier! After Tracy’s mother introduced her to sci-fi, she wanted to pursue space, “I wanted to have an excuse to try to make the world look more like Star Trek!” She describes JPL, “I love that there is so much going on all the time...For a person like me who loves learning, it’s like being a kid living in a candy store every day.” Inspired by Hidden Figures, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson, Tracy shares her experience, “Groups like the Advisory Council for Women are important because they put people in touch with others who share similar perspectives. Of course, all women are not alike; but many of us do share some common experiences. It can be invaluable to have another woman as a sounding board for all sorts of issues.” Tracy advocates STEM, “I think careers in STEM are great options for everyone, regardless of gender, race, socio-economic status, etc. My advice is to focus on what interests you, find people who will mentor and support you, and use all the resources at your fingertips to keep moving ahead.” #WomensHistoryMonth
JPL women in cybersecurity shared their career experiences, challenges and journey on Lab last week. They emphasized the diverse paths to enter and excel in cybersecurity extend beyond IT/Tech and coding. There is a need for policy experts, communication, understanding social engineering, project management and more. Visit http://jpl.jobs to view our current opportunities. #LifeatJPL #WomensHistoryMonth
Do you have an appetite for Pi? If so, you may be ready for a slice of life at NASA JPL. Apply at jpl.jobs! #PiDay
