[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 4 - 08:53:07 ]
Hello everyone! Today's chat with Narottam Bansal, will begin in about 15 minutes. Please be sure to read Narottam's bio before the chat begins. It can be found at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/aero/team/bansal.html Chat with you soon...

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 5 - 08:54:04 ]
RE: [Deb-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] Good morning. Ypsilanti COPE is standing by ready to begin when you are.
Good Morning! So glad you could make it to yet another chat :-) How many kids will be chatting with you today?

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 7 - 08:59:35 ]
RE: [Deb-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] There are three young men who will be chatting from my classroom.
Great! Stand by as we'll begin in about 5 minutes...

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 8 - 09:05:47 ]
Good Morning! Welcome to today's chat with Narottam Bansal. Narottam works at NASA's Lewis Research Center in Ohio. He works with a group of researchers to develop materials that can withstand extreme environmental conditions. Hello Narottam!

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 9 - 09:06:12 ]
Welcome kids! I look forward to your interesting questions. I hope I will be able to give you satisfactory answers.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 12 - 09:09:13 ]
RE: [Deb/Jimmy/Nick/Dane-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] We're very glad to have this opportunity! Could you please tell us what a typical day at your job is like?
I am glad too. A typical day is attending meetings, making some composite matetials or testing them.

[ Deb/Jimmy/Nick/Dane-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE - 13 - 09:09:59 ]
What role does computer technology play in your work? Do you use simulations?

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 15 - 09:11:20 ]
We use comuters in modeling the composites. I o not use simulations in my work. But other group here does that.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 16 - 09:13:48 ]
RE: [Dane-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] How do you make composite materials? I have seen the inside of a fiberoptic cable. Do you use fibers of glass like that?
Good qustion Dane.We make composite materials by putting continuous cramic fibers in other ceramic materials and pressing them at high temperatures. Yes the fibers we use are like the glass fibers.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 19 - 09:17:35 ]
RE: [Deb-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] You mention other groups using simulations. Please tell us about how the work your group does fits with the work of other groups at NASA Lewis.
We measure the strength and other properties of the composite materials. People in other groups try to predict these properties using theoretical models and see how the two match.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 21 - 09:20:46 ]
RE: [Dane-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] What advantages would ceramic material have over metal for the High Speed Civil Transport's environmental barrier?
We are developing ceramic composite materials which can be used at higher temperatures than the metals. Also, ceramic are much lighter in weight than metals. When the engine can be operated at higher temperature, it increases its eficiency.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 23 - 09:23:25 ]
RE: [Nick-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] How do you conduct your testing?
We conduct fferent type of testing. One particular test is the high temperature tensile strength where a bar of the composite is subjected to stress until it fails. These tests ae also caried out in various atmospheres such as, air and ineret gas.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 26 - 09:26:12 ]
RE: [Jimmy-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] How did you get interested in your job?
Well that is a long story. I always wanted a career related to science and technology. I took a lot of courses in Science and Math which prepared me for my job at NASA.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 28 - 09:27:34 ]
RE: [Deb-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] How do you communicate with other members of the High Speed Civil Transport design and testing team?
We comunicate via different methods such as telephone, e-mail, or meetings.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 31 - 09:29:20 ]
RE: [Dane-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] Have you ever made mistakes in your job? How do you solve your problems?
This is the ineresting part of a research job. You ae allowd to do mistakes. Yes we do mistakes. In research everything you try does not work out he wa you want. So failure is the part of a research job.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 33 - 09:32:28 ]
RE: [All-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] What is the most satisfying aspect of your job? The most frustrating or challenging?
The most satisfying part of the job is that you can try your own ideas, sometimes crazy ideas. As I said earlier, your idea may not work out. But that is part of the job. If he idea works, you get a kick out of it.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 35 - 09:35:03 ]
RE: [DaneandNick-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] What do you think your next project might be? How long do you plan to do this work before you retire?
Right now I plan to continue to work on these composite materials. The next project will be also ceramic materials related. I plan to work on thermal barrier coatings. I will continue to work until at leat another 15 years.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 37 - 09:36:40 ]
RE: [Deb-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] What changes do you see happening in your field over the next ten years?
I expect that some advanced ceramic composite matertials will be deveoped which will meet the requirements for use in the engines. Hopefully that should happed within the next 5-10 years.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 39 - 09:38:41 ]
RE: [JimmyandNick-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] How ould you compare universities in India, Canada, and the US?
Well the quality of education is about the same in all three counries. In India the facilities available are not as good as here. But it also depends a great deal on the student

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 42 - 09:41:08 ]
RE: [Deb-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] You raised your sons in the United States. What differences do you think they experienced being raised here instead of in India where you were raised?
I believe they got better opportunites here. In India it is very competitive to get admission in proessional colleges because of the demand and supply. Here there se so many colleges and universities to choose from.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 43 - 09:42:38 ]
RE: [JimmyandNick-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] Do they have scholarships for college in India?
There are not as many scholarships for college education in India as here.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 44 - 09:43:45 ]
RE: [Jimmy-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] What do you plan to do after you retire? Do you have hobbies?
After I retire, I will like to travel differnt countries. I eally do not have a specific hobby.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 45 - 09:46:06 ]
RE: [Deb-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] What advice would you give to middle school students about how they might plan for their education and careers?
I will say that concentrate on your studies. Take your school seriously. If you want to go into technical career, plan on taking science and math courses. Stay focused.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 46 - 09:46:18 ]
EVERYONE: THERE ARE ABOUT 10 MINUTES LEFT IN TODAY'S CHAT. Send in a few more questions for Narattom and then we'll have to let him get back to his real job!

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 49 - 09:48:18 ]
RE: [Deb-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] You mention that the quality of education received depends a great deal on the student. Can you please tell us more about what you mean?
What I mean is that the instructors does play a role, but if the student can stay focused, one can get good education in any setting. You guys are asking very intelligent questions.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 51 - 09:50:19 ]
RE: [Deb-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] I hope you don't mind the questions about India. Some of the students had the opportunity to meet Arun Gandhi (grandson of Mahatma Gandhi) when he visited our school in October. we studied a lot about India, and they are still very curious. :)
Really I do not mind questions about India. I also met Arun Gandhi at a friend's house while I was at Rensselaer in Troy , NY.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 52 - 09:51:47 ]
RE: [All-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] What is the most exciting moment you have had in your career?
It is realy difficult to answer this question. I cannot think of any most exciting mment in my career.

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 53 - 09:52:23 ]
RE: [All-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] Thank you for the compliment about our questions. (The motto in our classroom is seek questions more than answers.) Now, it's our turn to compliment you. Congratulations on your NASA medal for exceptional scientific achievements!
Thank you very much.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 55 - 09:53:36 ]
RE: [All-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] We are going to have to close. Thank you so much for talking with us!
Thank youso much for joining us today. You asked some really terrific questions. We look forward to chtting with you again.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 56 - 09:54:35 ]
Thank you Narottam for taking the time out of your busy schedule to chat with us today! We hope you can come back and chat with us again :-)

[ Narottam/NASALeRC - 57 - 09:55:42 ]
RE: [All-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE] We are going to have to close. Thank you so much for talking with us!
Bye kids. You asked vry intelligent questions. Good luck in whatever you decide to do. I really enjoyed chatting woth you all.

[ All-Mrs.Regal/YpsilantiCOPE - 58 - 09:56:43 ]
We'll be back. Happy holidays to you! Ypsilanti COPE is logging off.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 59 - 09:57:59 ]
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