[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 5 - 11:30:45 ]
Hello and welcome to today's Women of NASA chat with Dr. Aprille Ericsson-Jackson from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center!

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 6 - 11:32:03 ]
In order to understand how spacecraft may behave during flight, Aprille conducts simulations on spacecraft designs. The simulations allow her to determine if any changes should be made to the construction and design of spacecraft, and how the propulsion systems will function. She also teaches engineering design and professional engineering courses at Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 7 - 11:32:55 ]
Please let us know when you have logged on for today's chat. Once we hear from you, we'll get started. Thanks for joining us today!

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 8 - 11:35:19 ]
At the conclusion of this chat, you will have the opportunity to let us know what you thought about it. Stay tuned for more information about our QuestChat feedback features.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 10 - 11:37:14 ]
Welcome, Jody! And now, here is Aprille Ericsson-Jackson to answer your questions.

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 11 - 11:37:53 ]
RE: [Jody-Jody/U.C.Berkeley] I'm logged on and have some questions for Aprille.
I'm here Jody. Please shoot away with your questions.

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 15 - 11:43:35 ]
RE: [Jody-Jody/U.C.Berkeley] I'm a senior Civil Engineering student at U.C. Berkeley and would like to know what job opportunities exists in NASA for such majors.
Well Jody, there are many. I share my engineering training with your discipline by doing my research in Large Space Structures. I worked for awhile at NASA Langley Research Center with the strucutres group. In additioon, when I was doing my research at Howard Univ. I got alot of help from the strucutres group at GSFC with modelling my structure on the computer. I used software like NASTRAN and GTSTRUDL; (strucutural dynamics s/w packages). You must remember that a spacecraft (s/c) is a structure that moves; therefore we must do careful analysis of how this s/c behaves while it is orbiting the body. Will this movement be stable or will the s/c vibrate too much therefore affecting the bodies motion too much.

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 20 - 11:51:22 ]
You should try do an internship. This will help you to figure out what you might like to do or not do your research and classes in. What do you like in your studies? The more you like it the better you will apply yourself.

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 16 - 11:47:20 ]
RE: [Jody-Jody/U.C.Berkeley] Can you give me some examples of some large space structures you have worked on?
My work has been on large and small strucutres. My Masters and Ph.D. research involved large structures i.e., 100mx100mx.01m . It was a square platform that was meant to represent a platform or base similiar a the space station. Smaller structures are the satellites XTE- X-Ray Timing Explorer, TRMM- Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, MAP- Microwave Anistropy Probe

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 21 - 11:52:06 ]
RE: [Lindy-lindy/VanTech] Hi
Hi Lindy, do you have any questions?

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 24 - 11:55:03 ]
RE: [Jody-Jody/U.C.Berkeley] I would like to work for NASA and would like to know what I should focus my studies on in particular. For example, I am planning to go to grad school after I graduate next year and I am not sure what I should pick as my emphasis of study to enable me to qualified for NASA.
Jody, You should plan a trip to one of the facilities. Find a faculty member that has a research grant with NASA and find out who their contact is at NASA. Than ask if you can meet with him/her sometime. This way you you will have a trip there with a person that can really show you the inside scoop. Maybe this is your future mentor for a summer internship or coop position.

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 26 - 11:57:43 ]
RE: [Jody-Jody/U.C.Berkeley] I like studying the propeties of materials and at one point I wanted to double major in materials science engineering.
There are so many projects at NASA that require expertise in this area. It is really a multidiscplinary topic. Marterial spans many disciplines and this it is an added plus if you can cross these disciplines and work with the engineerins that need you help about understanding the fatigue life of a strucutre or how much heat can a material withstand.

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 28 - 12:00:13 ]
RE: [Lindy-lindy/VanTech] sorry, I am late. I am a 15-year-old student. I began to be interested in science last year. I want to be a scientist,do you think it's still possible for me?I lost lots of time already
Lindy, You are only 15 years old. You have plenty of time. You can be anything you want because you have you whole life ahead of you. I didn't decide I wanted to be an engineer until my senior year of h.s. and then I had to cram Physics, Chemistry and all of my Pre-Calculus into one year. But I did it. And so can you!

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 29 - 12:03:03 ]
RE: [Jody-Jody/U.C.Berkeley] What are the qualifications that NASA looks for in order to be an intern? For example, what do you believe is a good enough gpa?
That is a hard question. Sometimes a student's gpa doesn't reflect their capabilities but I think at least a 3.0 would be a starting point. Remeber that is not a definite answer. Someone may look at the other qualites you possess, like are you working in school, have you worked on any other projects, what are your lower grades in, are your grades improving, etc.

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 32 - 12:04:30 ]
RE: [Jody-Jody/U.C.Berkeley] Lindy, you have the wonderful chance to explore every and any sceince you want. When you find one you like, you can focus more attention on that one by reading more books outside of school. That's what I did and I seriously love my major.
Jody that is a great suggestion for Lindy.

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 34 - 12:08:12 ]
RE: [Lindy-lindy/VanTech] well. I know a bit of everything, but i am not good at a specific subject. How can i find out what it is good for me to spend time on?
Just like I explained to Jody, look at what you like. When you like or are interested in something you are willing to work harder at it and usually you will do really well in that subject area. You have to figure out what interests you. I found that I really liked putting things together. I liked things that moved more than what just stood still. Therefore I choose engineering instead of architecture. But since I liked architecture I still work in the structures area but just with spacecraft that move instead.

[ Jody-Jody/U.C.Berkeley - 36 - 12:13:06 ]
Lindy, you could start by reading some books on topics such as Biology, Chemistry and our environment, or even Physics. Then, if you like what you're reading you can pursue more books. If you do not like the topic, you could try others. I would go to the library and ask a librarian what books are good for your age and reading level.

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 37 - 12:13:21 ]
RE: [Jody-Jody/U.C.Berkeley] I was planning on visiting Ames Space Center, (in Mountain View, CA) next week and taking a look around. How should I plan my trip? Should I call someone at the center first to meet people or should I just drop in and say hello and ask questions to available people?
You really should call first. If you just drop by the person you may want to meet could be on vacation. Also, NASA folk are pretty busy, we attend alot of meetings and are in hte lab or on travel. It is always a good idea to give that person a heads up that you are coming. If they are not going to be there they can have someone else show you around ( or show you the lab). You should speak to the coop person and any one from the university programs, or education office or even the Space Grant person.

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 41 - 12:18:42 ]
RE: [Lindy-lindy/VanTech] ok. I will try to find out. And, Aprille, you saw your profile, you were in basketball team in high school, and you did very well in school. It seems there is not enough time for me even to finish homework everyday.Therefore, i haven't joined any club in my school
Lindy, You have to make the time. I found when I played team sports I was very responsible about scheduling my time. I wanted to be good in all of the things I did so I just did it. It is not always easy but you must remember that colleges want to see well rounded people. These type of people do better in school. Its ok to be a nerd but you must do things that you like to help relieve stress. My motto is "Healthy Body, Healthy Mind"; therefore I still play Basketball, Coed Football and Coed Softball, a little tennis and cycling. I also walk or jog on Sunday mornings with a girlfriend.

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 42 - 12:19:41 ]
RE: [Jody-Jody/U.C.Berkeley] Thanks! I actaully do not have any more questions. Thank you, Aprille! You have been very informative.
Thanks Jody for joining us. Good luck in school this upcoming year.

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 44 - 12:23:41 ]
RE: [Lindy-lindy/VanTech] Jody, in my science class, i got the highest mark in physics. Maybe, I am interested in it.(not sure) ok, if I want to begin to study Physics,which there are lots of topic under,i still can't decide which one is best for me. That's what i call wasting time.
Congratulations on your high marks. If you not sure than stay general for now. Just try to get as much of the basics that you can get. You have plenty of time to decide what you would like to focus on in college. Most people don't decide on a major until they are sophmores. Even then some people change.

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 49 - 12:27:30 ]
RE: [Lindy-lindy/VanTech] Thank you for all of your suggestions. I had a good time with you.
Thank you very much Lindy. Please keep up the good work. I have little saying I use as my signature, "Shoot for the moon and even if you miss you'll still be among the stars."

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 54 - 12:30:04 ]
RE: [Lindy-lindy/VanTech] Thank you very much. I will remember it forever.
Wow that is a long time. But enjoy the rest of your summer and read read read!

[ Lindy-lindy/VanTech - 48 - 12:27:29 ]
bye bye

[ AprilleEricsson/GSFC - 51 - 12:28:47 ]
RE: [Oran/NASAChatHost] Thank you to Lindy and Jody for joining us today. A very special thanks to Dr. Aprille Ericsson-Jackson for joining us and sharing her expertise and advice with us!
Any time. I enjoyed the session.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 53 - 12:29:46 ]
We hope you enjoyed today's aersopace chat with Dr. Aprille Ericsson-Jackson from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. To learn about upcoming aerospace chats this month, visit the aerospace QuestChat page, at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/index.html.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 55 - 12:31:01 ]
To share your thoughts with us about today's chat, visit our QuestChat feedback page, at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/qchat-surveys/index.html. We hope you will join us again for our Sharing NASA QuestChats!