When did you know that you wanted to work for NASA? What was it that influenced you to be a part of NASA?
I've always thought it was important to be part of something that improved life on Earth, and after working for Sen. John Glenn, I realized space was an area where I could make a positive difference. From the vantage point of space we can see what is actually happening to our planet and how we can better protect life here. And exploration raises our human potential, helps us understand our place in the universe, and unifies the globe.
Who were your role models while growing up?
My mom and dad. I definitely was influenced by my sister, who has always been my favorite person in the world. Sally Ride flew to space when I was a senior in college and that was the first time I thought about being part of the space program.
Has Sally Ride ever been a role model or influenced you in any way? How?
Sally was a personal and professional role model. As a woman who accomplished great things in what was once a male-oriented field, she inspired women everywhere. She also continued to work throughout her life to inspire
girls to enter science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) -- fields where they are under-represented. Sally also advocated for commercial access to space, a path we are pursuing now that will create jobs and allow NASA to focus on destinations where we've never been.
As a woman at NASA, how does it feel to hold such a high position in a male dominated field?
I am pleased to be the second deputy administrator at NASA and look forward to a time when that isn't a big deal. While women continue to make gains in supervisory roles in the aerospace field and more and more are becoming engineers and scientists, we still have a long way to go. There are still too many subtle barriers to women succeeding in these fields and I try to break down
those barriers every day.
Tell me about any programs that you are currently working on to promote girls in science.
I'm very proud of a website we've developed, Women@NASA, which tells the stories of a diverse group of women in many different types of professions at NASA. In their own words, they tell their life stories, their challenges, and how they entered the career field where they are now. I also regularly speak to groups of female students and women's groups to encourage
them to mentor those who will be the next generation of leaders, and have held leadership positions in Women in Aerospace and other professional groups that seek to expand visibility and access for women in STEM professions.
Do you remember what you were thinking and how you felt when Sally Ride’s first mission launched?
Sally’s flight made it possible for women to participate in space missions, and made NASA look more welcoming. I remember being extremely proud that a woman had finally made it to space and thinking maybe I should try that. Eventually I did train for a space mission. I haven't had my chance yet, but there's still time!
Do you believe that Sally Ride’s success influenced women’s opportunities at NASA? If so, how?
Definitely. Since Sally's flight, dozens of American women have flown in space, and set records with their achievements. The commander of the space station right now, Sunita Williams, is a woman. All across NASA, women hold or have held high level positions, including the head of our astronaut office, chief scientist, the director of our Langley Research Center, and our Chief Information Officer, among many others.
How do you think that Sally Ride changed NASA for both women and men?
Sally demonstrated that women could do the exact same things in space as men, and she helped open the door to greater diversity and acceptance of women as teammates and colleagues in many positions at NASA.
What do you think the future of NASA will hold for women?
I am confident that more women will continue to enter STEM fields. NASA missions will continue to inspire the next generation of leaders, and as more girls watch things like the Curiosity landing on Mars, they'll see themselves in the flight directors and mission controllers; they'll see themselves in the briefings NASA holds about science missions and the primary investigator is a woman, and in the current and upcoming classes of astronauts. We need the perspective and expertise of women, and it will be my ongoing mission to help us fill the ranks of aerospace with qualified female candidates.
If there is a manned space mission to Mars what is the probability that a woman will be a part of the crew?
Women will certainly have the opportunity to go to Mars. I think there is just as much a chance of that first crew including women as it will include men. I don’t even like to use the phrase “manned mission” – but prefer “human mission”. We want to encourage equality for all.
I've always thought it was important to be part of something that improved life on Earth, and after working for Sen. John Glenn, I realized space was an area where I could make a positive difference. From the vantage point of space we can see what is actually happening to our planet and how we can better protect life here. And exploration raises our human potential, helps us understand our place in the universe, and unifies the globe.
Who were your role models while growing up?
My mom and dad. I definitely was influenced by my sister, who has always been my favorite person in the world. Sally Ride flew to space when I was a senior in college and that was the first time I thought about being part of the space program.
Has Sally Ride ever been a role model or influenced you in any way? How?
Sally was a personal and professional role model. As a woman who accomplished great things in what was once a male-oriented field, she inspired women everywhere. She also continued to work throughout her life to inspire
girls to enter science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) -- fields where they are under-represented. Sally also advocated for commercial access to space, a path we are pursuing now that will create jobs and allow NASA to focus on destinations where we've never been.
As a woman at NASA, how does it feel to hold such a high position in a male dominated field?
I am pleased to be the second deputy administrator at NASA and look forward to a time when that isn't a big deal. While women continue to make gains in supervisory roles in the aerospace field and more and more are becoming engineers and scientists, we still have a long way to go. There are still too many subtle barriers to women succeeding in these fields and I try to break down
those barriers every day.
Tell me about any programs that you are currently working on to promote girls in science.
I'm very proud of a website we've developed, Women@NASA, which tells the stories of a diverse group of women in many different types of professions at NASA. In their own words, they tell their life stories, their challenges, and how they entered the career field where they are now. I also regularly speak to groups of female students and women's groups to encourage
them to mentor those who will be the next generation of leaders, and have held leadership positions in Women in Aerospace and other professional groups that seek to expand visibility and access for women in STEM professions.
Do you remember what you were thinking and how you felt when Sally Ride’s first mission launched?
Sally’s flight made it possible for women to participate in space missions, and made NASA look more welcoming. I remember being extremely proud that a woman had finally made it to space and thinking maybe I should try that. Eventually I did train for a space mission. I haven't had my chance yet, but there's still time!
Do you believe that Sally Ride’s success influenced women’s opportunities at NASA? If so, how?
Definitely. Since Sally's flight, dozens of American women have flown in space, and set records with their achievements. The commander of the space station right now, Sunita Williams, is a woman. All across NASA, women hold or have held high level positions, including the head of our astronaut office, chief scientist, the director of our Langley Research Center, and our Chief Information Officer, among many others.
How do you think that Sally Ride changed NASA for both women and men?
Sally demonstrated that women could do the exact same things in space as men, and she helped open the door to greater diversity and acceptance of women as teammates and colleagues in many positions at NASA.
What do you think the future of NASA will hold for women?
I am confident that more women will continue to enter STEM fields. NASA missions will continue to inspire the next generation of leaders, and as more girls watch things like the Curiosity landing on Mars, they'll see themselves in the flight directors and mission controllers; they'll see themselves in the briefings NASA holds about science missions and the primary investigator is a woman, and in the current and upcoming classes of astronauts. We need the perspective and expertise of women, and it will be my ongoing mission to help us fill the ranks of aerospace with qualified female candidates.
If there is a manned space mission to Mars what is the probability that a woman will be a part of the crew?
Women will certainly have the opportunity to go to Mars. I think there is just as much a chance of that first crew including women as it will include men. I don’t even like to use the phrase “manned mission” – but prefer “human mission”. We want to encourage equality for all.