I have had the pleasure of gaining most of my knowledge of the Orion Project from Wendy Buckles during my junior year of college. Her direct link to the project is one of inspirations behind this project. I asked her questions in order for her to create her own perspective!
Can you give a brief description of your academic background, along with your current career title?
I received my Bachelors of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Astrophysics at Penn State University. I received my Masters in Engineering degree in Space Systems Engineering at the University of Michigan. I am currently a Systems Engineer at Lockheed Martin Space where I have worked for the past 11 years.
What started your interest in space travel?
My interest in space travel started back in high school. I had a physics teacher who was very interested in space. His classroom was decorated in space photos and he talked frequently about it. I also had an interest in science fiction, in particular Star Trek :)
What has been the most exciting aspect of your job?
The most exciting aspect of my job has been having the extreme pleasure of working directly with the Men and Women at NASA. Working onsite at Johnson Space Center and getting to explore the various mock-ups of the space station, space shuttle, and Orion spacecraft was absolutely thrilling. And visiting the Kennedy Space Center is always exciting because most of the time I get the pleasure of seeing a rocket launch while I’m there which is always a special reminder of what I work on everyday.
Fun facts about you that I wouldn’t be able to find on LinkedIn :)
The very first rocket launch I ever saw in person was at the Andøya Rocket Range in northern Norway. It was absolutely captivating and ridiculously loud. I saw the payload I had worked on for 2 years in college launch on a NASA Terrier-Orion Sounding Rocket to take measurements of noctilucent clouds in the upper atmosphere. After that successful launch I took my first and only plunge in arctic ocean.