[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 4 - 09:32:27 ]
Hello to our early arriving chat participants! Today's Black History Month chat with John Hines from NASA Ames Research Center will begin at 10:00 a.m., Pacific Standard Time. Be sure you have read John's profile at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/hines.html before joining this chat.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 5 - 09:32:59 ]
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[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 6 - 09:33:37 ]
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[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 7 - 09:34:18 ]
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[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 8 - 09:59:19 ]
Hello and welcome to today's Black History Month chat with John Hines from NASA Ames Research Center. John manages the Sensors 2000! (S2K!) Program, which is within the Research and Development Services Directorate at Ames Research Center. He also manages the Advanced Technology Development Project in Biosensor and Biotelemetry development (ATD-B) for the NASA Headquarters Life Sciences Division. Additionally, John represents technology issues for the NASA Life Sciences Gravitational Biology and Ecology Program.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 9 - 09:59:38 ]
And now, here is John Hines to answer your questions.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 12 - 10:01:22 ]
RE: [McLean] What is telemetry?
McLean, telemetry is defined as the ability and technologies to transmit information from a distance. A radio station is an example of telemetry. It's also known as wireless communications

[ JohnHines/ARC - 14 - 10:04:10 ]
RE: [McLean] What are you monitoring with a telemetric hydrocephalus shunt monitor? Why is this monitor necessary?
Mclean, a telemetric hydrocephalus shunt monitor is a device to monitor the performance of a hydrocephalus shunt. Hydrocephalus is a neurological condition where fluid and pressure build up on the brain, and cause serious abnormal conditions. The shunt device allows the excess fluid and prssure to be drained away from the brain. The shunt monitor allows us to know how well the device is working, and the condition of the patient

[ JohnHines/ARC - 21 - 10:16:39 ]
RE: [Alexandria] Are you married,do you have a family
Alexandria, yes I'm married. My wife Laura and I don't have kids, but we have 2 cats, Nicky and Petey

[ JohnHines/ARC - 24 - 10:19:10 ]
RE: [Jerrica] How do biosensors and telementry technology help detect a disease in an unborn child?
Jerrica, biosensors and biotelemetry are used to monitor physiological and medical status of the mother and fetus by transmitting information such as temperature, blood pressure, (contractions), pH, Oxygen out of the body to external receivers. This way doctors can see how the patient(s) are doing without additional surgery

[ JohnHines/ARC - 26 - 10:21:30 ]
RE: [Alexandria] Do you enjoy your work? Is it difficult?
Alexandria, I love my work. It's quite excitind and rewarding, and I believe taht it's making a contribution to our lives and understanding of our bodies. Yes, sometimes it's difficult. It often seems like every day is the day of my grad school finals. new things to learn and understand, and new people to meet.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 28 - 10:22:50 ]
RE: [Jerrica] We noticed that you are the manager of the Sensors 2000, also manage the Advance Technology Project, and represent technology issues for NASA. How do you do all these things?
Jerrica, sometimes I wonder the same things myself. All of the work is somewhat related, and I have a great tema of people working with me. I also work about 12 hours a day.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 30 - 10:24:45 ]
RE: [Phillip] What kind of GPA did you get in high school? What did you do to prepare yourself for you major(s) in college?
Phillip, my grade point in high school was about 3.5 or so. I don't remember exactly, it's been a long time ago (I graduated from HS in 1967)

[ JohnHines/ARC - 32 - 10:25:42 ]
RE: [Theresa] Do you think Y2K will affect NASA?
NASA is doing a lot of work to get ready for Y2K. I think we've started soon enough to get it worked out. I certainly hope so.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 34 - 10:28:53 ]
RE: [Alexandria] Your M.S. in EE/Biomedical Engineering is this a degree in medical engineering?
My MS degree in Electrical and Biomedical was a mixture of both BioMed and electronics (circuit design) courses. When I was going to school for it, there was not a specific degree for biomed, so you kind of put your own plan together. Now there are specialty degrees, with many skills. Medical Engineering is probably more similar to clinical enginweering, where you work specifically for technologies used in hospitals. Some degrees are more theoretical, others are more applied

[ JohnHines/ARC - 36 - 10:30:58 ]
RE: [Jerrica] Did you enjoy your 23 years in the Air Force?
Jerrica, actually, my 23 years are combiuned AF and NASA experience. Of the 12 years on active military duty, nine of them were assigned to NASA, so actually it's more like 20 years with NASA and 3 directly in the Air Force. I learned a lot during those years and had a lot of responsibility, which has helped me greatly since then.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 38 - 10:33:37 ]
RE: [McLean] Have cell cultures been done at zero g? If so, are there any special challenges to cell growth in zero g that are not present in terrestrial cell culture?
Mclean, this is a good question. At zero-G, cell cultures are grown in what is called a bioreactor, which allows the cells to be grown and fed in the zero-G environment. These bioreactors are also use on the ground, in biotechnology applications. There are some specific issues when using these systems in space, due to the absence of gravity. This is sometimes good and bad.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 40 - 10:34:43 ]
RE: [Alexandria] Are you now living in Ohio?
No, I only lived in Ohio for about 1 1/2 years, in 1986 and 1987. The rest of the time since I left hmoe in Alabama has been in California.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 43 - 10:37:51 ]
RE: [Kettering] What is Sensor 2000?
Kettering, Sensors 2000! is an advanced technology development program which focuses on biomedical, biological, and spacefliught measurement systems research and development. We develop sensors, biotelemetry and instruments, and apply them to NASA and earth-based medical needs. Recently, we have also begun to work on astrobiology technologies, also. Look at our website (http://s2k.arc.nasa.gov) for more details.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 45 - 10:40:41 ]
RE: [Mary] John, what advice do you have for minority elementary students who are interested in future careers in science?
Mary, I would advise elementary school students to learn and study all of their basic skills in math and science, as well as learning to communicate (verbally and in writing). Don't take anything for granted, you'll never know when that knowledge will be helpful to you. Get very comfortable with using computers and the internet, becaues nearly everything is beginning to depend on it.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 47 - 10:44:41 ]
RE: [McLean] Astronomy and Biology -- what would you say to a high school student interested in pursuing a career in Astrobiology as opposed to an engineering or pure science/math degree?
Astrobiology is such a new and wide-open field, that nearly all science and technical specialties can fit into it. I'm now considered a partial astrobiologist because I'm involved in designing and building instruments and sensors which can be used to study and look for life in extreme environments. Some examples of other specialtise which fit include: astronomy, geology, chemistry, geochemistry, paleontology, biology, microbiology, genetics, physics, and many more. Taake a look at the NASA astrobiology website (http://astrobiology.arc.nasa.gov)

[ JohnHines/ARC - 49 - 10:47:11 ]
RE: [Kettering] How did you become a manager?
In 1977 I was lead engineer for a laboratory when the manager went to another job. I was asked toi become a temporary manager of that lab, and founbd that I had some aptitide for doing it. My subsequent jobs at NASA and the AF were in management positions, and when I came back to NASA in 1987, I was asked to start the sensors 2000! Program

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 52 - 10:49:12 ]
We'd like to remind you to share your thoughts about today's chat with us at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/qchat-surveys at the conclusion.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 53 - 10:50:16 ]
RE: [Kettering] Did your family approve of your career choice?
Kettering, yes, my family did approve of my career choice. They wanted me to do anything I wanted to do as long as I went to college and tried to be the best that I could be. My parents were both teachers (father in Physics and Mother in nutrition and dietetics). At one time I thought I wanted to be a photographer instead of an engineer, but they told me that with an engineering degree, I could have photography as a hobby. I think they were right.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 54 - 10:51:23 ]
RE: [AmberH6thgradeMSOC] Do you work with human or animal cloning?
Amber, I don't work on cloning directly, but some of the technologies i work on could possibly be used in those areas

[ JohnHines/ARC - 55 - 10:55:36 ]
RE: [Kettering] Where did you grow up and did that have an influence on your career choice
I was raisewd in Tuskegee Alabama, the homne of Tuskegee University, an Historically Black College/ University. Being from a small, educated community of black people in the south, I always had excellent role models, from the college president and faculty memnbers, to the doctors, to the sheriff and mayors, lawyers and businesspeople, and entertainers (Lionel Richie and Tom Joyner are classmates of mine from kindergarten thru college, for example). So I never had a sense that I couldn't do any thing that I set my mind to do. So yes, absolutely it had a definite influence on me.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 57 - 10:57:35 ]
RE: [AmberL5thgradeMSOC] What does the Byactor do?
Amber, the bioreactor is a chamber that allows cells to grow inside it, much as thay would do inside the body. It provides nutrients and oxygen, and a controilled environment for them.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 60 - 11:00:15 ]
RE: [MC] Why do you enjoy working for NASA and have you had mentors on your long road in getting there?
MC, I have had many mentors along the way, from many races, and many skills and disciplines. I enjoy NASA because of the technocal challenges and to opportunities to apply my knowledge and expertise to those challenges. Being a fan of such programs star-trek and mission impossible, working at NASA allows me to pursue a great many of my dreams

[ JohnHines/ARC - 61 - 11:02:24 ]
RE: [AshleyR5thgradeMSOC] What do you do as a manager in the Advanced Technology Headquaters of Life Sciences Division
I suprevise the design and development of techologies (mainly sensors and biotelemetry systems) which life sciences researchers and scientists use to accomplish their science objectives, in space and on the ground

[ JohnHines/ARC - 65 - 11:03:37 ]
RE: [MC] Does any of your work employ robotics, or is that an entirely different area?
Our sensors and instruments can be used as eyes, ears, fingers and other sensing elemeents of robitocs system. In order to control something you first have ti measure it, and that's where I fit into that area.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 66 - 11:05:57 ]
RE: [MC] In what areas do you look to continue your professional training?
Because of the emphasis on biology and astrobiology, I believe that I need to learn more in those areas. So I'm reading cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, spectroscopy, astronomy, and things like that. I'm also interested in the business aspects of applying and directing technology on a larger scale that at present. management of technology

[ JohnHines/ARC - 67 - 11:08:54 ]
RE: [MC] Ben Franklin kept a list of "rules" in his pocket, what would your list be?
* Don't take anything (or anybody) for granted, you can always learn something * stay focused, and disciplined * always be a human being, courtesy always works *learn something new every day, and share it * don't feel like you know everything, because you don't *don't build walls and fences, being locked in is as bad as being locked out etc

[ JohnHines/ARC - 69 - 11:09:25 ]
RE: [MrsMock/MontessoriSchoolofCorona] Thank you John, for chatting with my students. They have to return to class now. We will be looking for the rest of the questions and answers in the archive. Very interesting work you do.
It's my pleasure!!

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 70 - 11:09:48 ]
RE: [MrsMock/MontessoriSchoolofCorona] Thank you John, for chatting with my students. They have to return to class now. We will be looking for the rest of the questions and answers in the archive. Very interesting work you do.
Mrs. Mock, we're always glad to hear from you and your students online. Thank you for joining us once again.

[ JohnHines/ARC - 71 - 11:11:03 ]
RE: [MC] In what general discipline/departments at NASA would a person fit if they have an engineering degree and have completed medical school?
Space Life Sciences, Human Exploration, Astrobiology, Advanced Technology. Sensors 2000!, and many other areas

[ MC - 72 - 11:11:14 ]
Thank you for your time and consideration. You have shared generously.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 73 - 11:13:24 ]
At this time, we will be ending our chat with John Hines from NASA Ames Research Center. Please be sure to share your thoughts about today's chat with us at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/qchat-surveys.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 74 - 11:15:02 ]
We would like to thank John Hines for sharing his valuable experience with us time. John's expertise in his career has helped us learned a lot today. Thanks again, John!

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 75 - 11:17:38 ]
We hope you can join us for our next Black History Month Chat with Janice Everett from NASA Kennedy Space Center. This chat is scheduled for today at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Check the BHM chat schedule page at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/special/mlk99 to learn more about this chat. Also check our schedule of events page at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events to learn about other upcoming chats with NASA experts.