12-17-96 Carol Davies chat

Did anyone see the Mission to Mars program on Discover channel last night?
There is so much going on with the moon and planets right now.
Life on Mars? Ice on the moon? and now oxygen on Ganymede?
It's amazing what we are finding out about our own Solar system! It would
be really neat to have a Lunar Colony, a Martian colony, and maybe someday
an outpost on Ganymede!

What exactly does a Research Specialist do? How long have you been working
as one?

A research specialist is a general term for someone who does research:
i.e. trying to solveproblems that haven't been done before. For example,
how to make grid points move and adapt to a shock wave.

Carol- What exactly does a Research Specialist do?
What type of research are you doing now? Is it anything to do with Mars?

The research I'm doing now is to do with the X-33 (to replace the Space
Shuttle) and the X-38, aemergency crew return vehicle (from the Space
station) 
However, I did work on a mission to Mars, designing a vehicle that could
use aerobraking to enterthe orbit.

How is it going, with the X-33? It looks (and sounds) really interesting.
Is there any resource for itat Ames?

The X-33 just had it's preliminary design review. We are now working on
the next phase. 

Is there any type of emergency crew return vehicle now or is this new?

The X-38 is new: there is no emergency return vehicle now. It could be
used in case there is a problem in the Space Station and the crew has to
come back quickly.

What is new, with the X-33 and the X-38?

 One interesting thing that is happeneing now is that an ex-colleague
(female) is now telecommuting and she and I are working together,
generating a grid around the latest X-33 vehicle shape. She is at home in
Maryland.

 I assume you are speaking about the ISS?

Yes, the proposed Space Station: a return vehicle must be viable before it
is manned. 

When will this project with the emergency return vehicle be finished?

Right now two members of our group are in JSC discussing the next part of
the X-38 project. Itmay be a joint project with ESA (Europe)

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Hi we are from Dewitt Clinton High School in New York City. How did you
feel being the onlywomen around all of those men?
Do many men work with you Carol?
Do you think you still have to prove yourself more in your field because
you are a women?

Hi Dewitt Clinton High School! I have been among 'all these men' for a
long time, so I'm quiteused to it. However, now I'm getting older, they
often refer to me as the 'branch mom'! 
In my group, there are 30 men and one other woman.
I still think sometimes I have to prove myself. Each time a new manager
comes in. But it's not like
it used to be. 

Carol, when you were getting your job, I imagine there were a lot of very
qualified applicants. What do you think made you stand out from the crowd?

Computers were just beginning to be used in science research and I had got
into computerprogramming just as it started. as a result, I had a skill
that was much in demand.

What is the average age of the 30 men and one women on your group? 

Most of the men are around 30 yrs (that's why they call me the group mom!)

So it sounds like not very many young women are going into this field. Is
that right?

What influenced your career choice? 

I was good at math and then got into computer science, and I was always
fascinated by space. 

What were your feelings towards the men during your studies?

In my college, there were an equal number of men and women in our math
class, and thetop two students were women (not me!) so, it was just fun.

I'm in a Women Study class for the first time in this school, how can we
find out about careers open to young women like us?

ALL careers are open to you!

Did you experience sexual harassment?

 No, I've never experienced sexual harassment, fortunately.

Are most of your clleagues male or female?

My colleagues are almost all male.


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What do you do on a daily basis?

Carol submited a A Day in the Life entry that chronicles a typical day.
You can find that linked from her bio.

During the day I work on my computer (I have a Power Mac on my desk) and
an SGI workstation in the next room. I spend a lot of time looking at the
screen!

What was the most interesting topic you have ever done research for? Have
you been doing a lot of research on the new information NASA is getting
from Mars? 

The one I found fascinating was the first research I really did as the
lead person, and that wasabout particles burning (ablating) off of the
Galileo (Jupiter Mission) heatshield. We wanted to find out if these
particles would cause the probe to burn up too quickly on entering the
Jovianatmosphere.

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Are you really, now currently at Ames? I think I'm pretty lucky - I'll be
taking a tour there, this afternoon at 1:30!

Carol, your job must be rapidly changing with technology. Presuming you
have the same job, what do you think you will be working on in 25 years?

Do you travel around telling people about your story, telling them how far
you and women have come since you first started working in the U.S? ( Like
you did in your biography)

I don't give talks about my career, although I have started writing my own
biography so my kids can have a record. I do give technical presentations. 

Have you worked in any other fields that NASA has, or is this the only
one?

How did you become interested in NASA?

I been with NASA since 1968, except when I was in Singapore for 4 years,
and there I was at the university.

I am disappointed that few women are in this field and I don't know why it
hasn't changed that much.

I was lucky about the NASA job. I was in the right place at the right
time.

Do you trvel a lot with you job, or do you mainly stay in one place?

I have travelled a little, usually about once a year to a conference. I've
been to Hawaii twice,to the east coast (NY and Boston) and to Montreal
plus lots of other places. 

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Should we send a manned mission to Mars? What do you think?
Mission to Mars - 

Absolutely! The things we spend money on now will be forgotten in 10 years
-but mars will stay. (Dinosaurs are perfect evidence that we either have
to evolve or die) ;-)

If you decided to send a manned mission to Mars, are there any great
dangers of somethinghappening to them while they're there? Is it safe
enough to send a manned shuttle to Mars? I think you should consider this
possibilites if you haven't already.

The Mars mission could be done remotely (maybe) so
should we risk people? We can do it! I think we should have a manned
mission, but I'm notvolunteering!You are right about the dangers, and yes,
NASA is certainly thinking about this. 

Have you ever had the chance to meet an astronaut or to go inside a space
shuttle?

I have only been at meetings where there are astronauts, no real one on
one discussions. I have been to Kennedy Space Station and had a tour of
the Shuttle.

We read that Shannon Lucid was interested in manning a flight to Mars. Do
you think this will happen in her lifetime?

It could happen. We have the technology. We just need the desire of the
people who wouldbe prepared to support a mission. (Apollo and the moon
visits happened because the money was there)

Have you ever been interested in becoming an astronaut and go exploring
through space?

 No, I haven't really wanted to be an astronaut. I quite a coward really:
I used to be scared to fly, although not any more.

Are than many astronauts who would be intreseted in going on a manned
mission to Mars if NASA ever decided they wanted to send one? 

If NASA decided to send a manned mission to Mars, would the astronauts
chosen to go have to go through special trainig before they could go? (
Training differnt from all the astronauts have to take.)

The astronauts would need to be good repairmen! Also, they would ned to be
in great shape. After 6 months in Space, they would arrive on Mars and
have to face gravity again, this time without NASA personnel there to help
them out of the spacecraft, and with no hospital check up.

When do you think there will be footprints on mars? (Perople on mars)

It could be within 10 years if there is public support.

We could get there in 6 months.Stay there for 1-18 months, and then 6
months back again.The important thing is launching in the right 'window'
for alignment between Earth and Mars.

WOW! That's no time at all! Is that a one-way trip or return ticket?

What is the estimate cost of such a mission. I remember President Bush
wanted to do it and the estimate at that time was something like $500
billion dollars!

Off-hand I don't know how much. I know we're trying to do things 'cheaper,
better, faster'!

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How long do you think you will continue working until you retire?

I work because I love it. So, it will be a decision my husband and I
willmake together. We both want to travel more.

Do you think you could work like your friend and do some work at home?

I could do some work at home, and have done sometimes, but I like the
interaction with my colleagues.

Do you think you could work part time instead of retiring?

I  do work part-time now!

How many hours do you work now?

I work between 20 and 30 hrs a week.

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What do you think should be done so more girls go into these careers. Does
it bother you that most of the people you work with are men and younger?

I don't have the answer to your question about inspiring girls. We have
people at NASA who have started programs to encourage girls and science.
These web chats are my contribution: and I also volunteer at the schools.
I have given talks at schools too.

How did you become interested in NASA? Did you have any role models to
inspire you?

I don't remember any role models that inspired me, but I did have some
wonderful mentors once I started working here.

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