Influences

When I was in second grade I wanted to be an astronaut. I probably got the idea from watching the Apollo missions on television. I started reading science fiction about then and have been fascinated with space and the future ever since. I was fairly good at math and science, although I was never a straight A student. I got interested in engineering because my best friend in high school was going into it and I didn't have a better choice. It turned out to be the right choice for me because I like to solve problems, which is what engineers do. Whether it is solving a crossword puzzle, figuring out a riddle, or working out how to locate Earth when Pathfinder is sitting on the surface of Mars, I get a lot of satisfaction when I find the answer.

What I Like About My Job

Besides getting paid for work I consider fun, the best part about my job is knowing that future generations will read about the explorations of a spacecraft that I helped to build.