1 00:00:00,186 --> 00:00:07,196 [Allison:] My name is Allison Wolff and I work at NASA. 2 00:00:07,786 --> 00:00:16,336 I have the coolest IT job at NASA, because what I get to do is take these ideas 3 00:00:16,426 --> 00:00:20,866 that these really smart people have and make them a reality. 4 00:00:21,756 --> 00:00:27,726 I manage a program called IT Labs, and in the IT Labs what we essentially do is research 5 00:00:27,756 --> 00:00:30,836 and development of Information Technology. 6 00:00:31,596 --> 00:00:40,616 We will look at new technologies, computer systems, network improvements, cool applications 7 00:00:40,616 --> 00:00:45,376 or software, and we'll test them out and we'll see if these are things 8 00:00:45,426 --> 00:00:48,516 that we can use across the agency. 9 00:00:48,516 --> 00:00:54,366 We even get into some of the newer technologies like mobile applications, testing out things 10 00:00:54,366 --> 00:00:59,706 like iPads and iPhones and Androids, so it's a pretty broad scope 11 00:00:59,746 --> 00:01:02,006 of what we do but it's all very exciting. 12 00:01:03,216 --> 00:01:05,396 [Antja:] My name is Antja Chambers and I work at NASA. 13 00:01:06,686 --> 00:01:09,916 I work in the Portable Life Support Systems group. 14 00:01:10,886 --> 00:01:15,416 That is a very long term for I work with the backpack that goes on the back of the suit. 15 00:01:15,666 --> 00:01:19,886 The backpack provides the cooling water, the breathing air supply and return, 16 00:01:20,306 --> 00:01:25,676 as well as any other communication and power that the space suit would need 17 00:01:25,676 --> 00:01:27,736 or that the astronauts would need while they are in the spacesuit. 18 00:01:28,616 --> 00:01:30,806 The spacesuits in general are cool. 19 00:01:31,756 --> 00:01:36,296 There's so much- basically the spacesuit is like its own separate space ship. 20 00:01:36,296 --> 00:01:41,256 It has to keep the astronaut alive, it has to in very extreme environments. 21 00:01:41,536 --> 00:01:46,766 The vacuum of space is probably as extreme as they can come, and so I think it's just 22 00:01:46,766 --> 00:01:52,516 so cool thinking you that have this mini space ship that is meant to sustain life. 23 00:01:53,486 --> 00:01:55,846 [CJ:] My name is CJ Kanelakos and I work at NASA. 24 00:01:57,356 --> 00:02:03,026 I am a mechanical design engineer and I work on Robonaut, Robonaut 2 actually. 25 00:02:03,386 --> 00:02:06,476 Robonaut 2 is a fully dexterous humanoid robot, 26 00:02:07,036 --> 00:02:10,976 and that just basically means it looks similar to a human. 27 00:02:10,976 --> 00:02:13,756 It's about the same size as a human, 28 00:02:13,756 --> 00:02:17,856 it can work in the same workspace or the same area as a human. 29 00:02:18,226 --> 00:02:24,496 We currently have a Robonaut 2 on the International Space Station but it's a torso 30 00:02:24,496 --> 00:02:30,996 and up, so it's just from the waist up and to the head, and we are currently building, 31 00:02:31,306 --> 00:02:33,886 designing and building legs for Robonaut 2. 32 00:02:34,026 --> 00:02:39,456 I love that my job is challenging and it's engaging, it's really fun, 33 00:02:39,576 --> 00:02:44,126 getting to build the robots is cool, you know after we have our parts manufactured and we get 34 00:02:44,126 --> 00:02:47,516 to put them together and then you turn the robot on for the first time and you get 35 00:02:47,516 --> 00:02:50,606 to see it move that's really cool, you know we designed all these parts, 36 00:02:50,676 --> 00:02:54,216 we put together these bearings, these motors, 37 00:02:54,216 --> 00:02:57,136 and all of a sudden It moves and looks like a robot. 38 00:02:58,406 --> 00:03:05,686 [Allison:] Growing up I did not consider math or science or technology to really be my thing. 39 00:03:06,066 --> 00:03:09,926 In fact I was sometimes a little intimidated by it. 40 00:03:09,926 --> 00:03:16,956 I was very surprised to learn that not only did I really enjoy Information Technology 41 00:03:16,956 --> 00:03:20,236 but that I kind of had a knack for it. 42 00:03:20,236 --> 00:03:25,956 Which was a big surprise to me, considering that my background was, was art and writing. 43 00:03:26,546 --> 00:03:32,766 [CJ:] When I was in sixth grade I had a math teacher that really saw my potential for math 44 00:03:33,496 --> 00:03:37,646 and she's the one that got me into the accelerated math programs. 45 00:03:37,646 --> 00:03:43,126 When I was in high school though one of my friends introduced me to our engineering team, 46 00:03:43,306 --> 00:03:48,546 I went to an all girls private school, and so we had an all girls engineering team. 47 00:03:48,546 --> 00:03:55,026 I found out engineering can be kind of a combination of art and science and math. 48 00:03:55,026 --> 00:04:01,166 As a young female that liked to, you know, draw and paint and to do more artistic kinds 49 00:04:01,166 --> 00:04:04,646 of stuff, engineering was a really good combination of those things. 50 00:04:04,946 --> 00:04:06,096 [Antja:] I'm an Air Force brat. 51 00:04:06,096 --> 00:04:12,906 My, we've lived everywhere, probably moved every three or four years, I was born in Germany, 52 00:04:12,906 --> 00:04:17,476 I went to Japan, lived in England, and then my dad finally retired in San Antonio, 53 00:04:17,596 --> 00:04:23,106 and so I think that my exposure to a lot of the air shows, exposure to the aircraft that are 54 00:04:23,106 --> 00:04:28,876 on Air Force bases kind of sparked my interest in kind of heavy machinery I guess you can say. 55 00:04:29,166 --> 00:04:33,886 It eventually grew to a genuine interest in space. 56 00:04:34,046 --> 00:04:39,296 I participated in the High School Aerospace Scholars program, which is or was then sponsored 57 00:04:39,296 --> 00:04:43,236 at Johnson Space Center and still is, and is still an ongoing program 58 00:04:43,486 --> 00:04:47,936 where basically my junior year I got a chance to spend a week at NASA and work with other teams, 59 00:04:48,026 --> 00:04:52,526 which I think truly opened my eyes to wanting to actually finally go to NASA. 60 00:04:54,076 --> 00:04:57,626 [CJ:] I really didn't know how technology influenced people's lives, 61 00:04:57,626 --> 00:04:59,596 I really didn't think that much about it. 62 00:04:59,836 --> 00:05:04,146 It wasn't until I got here and started learning about the applications of Robonaut two, 63 00:05:04,146 --> 00:05:09,866 I was like 'wow, there are really are a lot of applications, even for the things we do at NASA, 64 00:05:09,866 --> 00:05:13,726 but just in general there's a lot of really cool applications for technology 65 00:05:13,726 --> 00:05:16,926 that just make a huge difference in peoples' lives.' 66 00:05:16,926 --> 00:05:22,076 [Antja:] Some fields feel like there's not a lot of women present, engineering is one included, 67 00:05:22,396 --> 00:05:27,186 and so we need all the girls we can get and we have plenty of women that work at NASA 68 00:05:27,466 --> 00:05:31,506 and so don't use that as an obstacle ever for whatever you choose to do in your life. 69 00:05:33,086 --> 00:05:38,056 [Allison:] It's easy to feel pressure to do, to fit one mold or be one thing, 70 00:05:39,616 --> 00:05:43,186 and I don't think you have to be. 71 00:05:43,186 --> 00:05:46,196 I think, I think you can be a lot of things. 72 00:05:46,446 --> 00:05:58,106 I'm a mom, I'm also an art nerd slash IT geek, I love sports still, so I guess I'm an athlete, 73 00:05:59,606 --> 00:06:06,006 and I'm a lot of things and I enjoy being all of those things. 74 00:06:06,006 --> 00:06:09,466 And it's fun, it's great. 75 00:06:11,316 --> 00:06:14,186 [Antja:] I always say to definitely give it a chance. 76 00:06:14,286 --> 00:06:15,526 I know that it's hard. 77 00:06:15,686 --> 00:06:19,786 If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. 78 00:06:21,366 --> 00:06:23,296 But it's really worth the effort. 79 00:06:23,976 --> 00:06:29,036 [CJ:] Stay motivated, turn to your family and your friends and to your faith 80 00:06:29,156 --> 00:06:32,276 for help, and just don't give up.