Meet: Wendy Johnson

Aerospace Technician,
NASA Langley Research Center

Who I Am
I am an aerospace technician with NASA Langley Research Center. I have worked at NASA Langley for 13 years. I have been working in the High Speed Research Program for the past two and a half years. I am one of the qualified technicians working on this project. As an aerospace technician, I am involved in building up the model, putting in the instrumentation, and installing the model in the wind tunnel. Once the model is installed in the tunnel, then you are involved in being one of the controller operators, operating the animations.

When we put the model in the tunnel, it's as though the model is flying in the atmosphere. I have to control different automated stations like the pressure or the temperature, all the different parameters that are being used to simulate a real airplane in flight.

My Career Path
I've always been interested in math and science. After I graduated from high school, I decided to major in mechanical engineering technology. I graduated from Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia. As a mechanical engineering technology student, you take a lot of math and science. I applied to work at NASA Langley Research Center. I heard from them about a month later and was hired a week later.

Why I Like my Job
I enjoy every aspect of my job. I get to work with different people from Boeing and McDonald Douglas.

As a Child
I have always had a knack for taking things apart and putting them backed together. I tried my hand at fixing things around the house.

Advice
I would encourage students interest in doing technicians work to study lots of math and science. If you are clever with you hands then this would be the right job for you.

Future Goals
I enjoy what I am doing now, but I am planning to return to school to get an advanced degree next year.

Personal
In my free time, I like being creative. I like music, gardening, interior design, drawing, and cooking.