An Oral History

with

Susan “Sue” Dugas Dupuis

SSC History Project

Interviewer: Daphne Alford

2010
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An Oral History

with

Susan “Sue” Dugas Dupuis

This is an interview by the Stennis Space Center History Office. The purpose of this interview is to 

document the story of key personnel at Stennis. The interview with Susan “Sue” Dupuis is taking place on 

December 9, 2010. The interviewer is Daphne Alford. 

Sue Dupuis: Hello, my name is Susan Dugas Dupuis. That's S-U-S-A-N D-U- G-A-S D-U-P-UI-S. I am the NASA Procurement Officer at John C. Stennis Space Center.

Daphne Alford: Where were you born?

Sue Dupuis: I was born in St. Martinville, Louisiana.

Daphne Alford: Would you like to tell me about your personal background, marital status, 

children, parents?

Sue Dupuis: I surely would. That's really who I live for, is my family, and that's why I have 

worked for all these years. I am married to John Dupuis from Lafayette, Louisiana, for 41 years.

We have three children. The oldest is Michelle Dupuis Bordelon. She is married now, and they 

have two children. And then, our middle son is Jason Charles Dupuis. He is also married now.

He is in the military, career military. And our youngest, our third son is David Dupuis, and he 

was also in the military and just recently got out of the military. And I am really proud of my 

family. They have done well. My husband retired from the Naval Oceanography Command here 

at Stennis Space Center, and he was also a defense contract auditor previously to that. My 

daughter is a schoolteacher, middle school, and doing a great job. I am really proud of her. Their 

first child, Lily, is our oldest grandchild. In the past four years, we have five grandchildren now.

Our middle son Jason is a West Point graduate, and he is currently for the second time deployed 

in Iraq. And as of December 7th, he took his first command of a company.

So we are very proud of him for that. And our youngest son, David, just got out of the Marine, 

and he is looking for a job so if anybody has a job for him. And like, as I said, we have five 

grandchildren, ages range from 4 years old to 7 weeks.

Daphne Alford: Good, congratulations.

Sue Dupuis: Thank you.

Daphne Alford: What about your educational background? Where you graduated from college,

graduate degree?

Sue Dupuis: I graduated from what was then called the University of Southwestern Louisiana, 

currently called the ULL, University of Louisiana Lafayette. And I got an undergraduate degree 
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in sociology, social welfare, also history. I love history. And I have a graduate degree from

Florida Institute of Technology, a master's in business administration.

Daphne Alford: That's where your procurement started? How did you become interested in

procurement?

Sue Dupuis: I first was introduced to the procurement function when I was employed with the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture at Michoud Assembly Facility in eastern New Orleans, 

Louisiana. I was the procurement clerk and started buying small things, and that really interested 

me. And then, my husband, when he was as defense contract auditor with the Department of 

Defense, was collocated at a place called National Space Technology Laboratories (NSTL). He 

was stationed out of Michoud, but he was at NSTL, that's what it was called. And my husband,

this was in 1978, he told me that they had an opening for junior trainees in the procurement 

office and that made me interested in that because it was a career development profession. And 

then, prior to working, I guess I have to go back in my NASA history. I worked at Marshall 

Space Flight Center. I really started my federal career with NASA at Marshall Space Flight 

Center, and I was a clerk. I was very happy, had a graduate – I mean an undergraduate degree, 

and I put my foot in the door, and I was a clerk. And I was involved, which I didn't realize the 

significance at that time, in a source evaluation board process at Marshall Space Flight Center.

So we moved back to Louisiana, worked for USDA for a while in procurement, and I put my 

application in for a position at NSTL. And I mentioned participating on a source evaluation 

board, and I think that's how I got hired there. So that's where I have been off and on with my 

career in procurement.

Daphne Alford: OK, you did talk about other jobs. Would you like to mention other jobs you 

have held prior to NASA?

Sue Dupuis: Prior to NASA, my main occupation was in the banking industry. I worked in 

banks for about three to four years. I was the loan officer. I was head teller and really enjoyed

interfacing with the public. That's the background which really helped me to get hired by NASA.

That compounded with having a degree, I think, that kind of helped also.

Daphne Alford: And that was my next question. How did your prior work experience help you 

to land a position with NASA?

Sue Dupuis: I was very excited to even get a GS-2 clerk typist, just to get my foot in the door.

And I think I was very lucky. I took a test, as an entrance test, and with my background, of

course, in banking and GS-2 probably didn't require that much experience. As I progressed in my 

career, the education really helped and just hard work and a good work ethic I think.

Daphne Alford: So your NASA career began at Marshall?

Sue Dupuis: Yes.

Daphne Alford: What year was that?
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Sue Dupuis: 19-- I am sorry, I don't remember.

Daphne Alford: That's OK.

Sue Dupuis: I think it was '74, 1974/75. We had really moved after I graduated from college in 

Lafayette, Louisiana. I moved with my husband to Las Cruces, New Mexico, because he was 

with the Army as an intern. So we went to Las Cruces, New Mexico, and he was as an intern 

transferred to Huntsville, Alabama, which was the Army in missile command, I believe. And 

that's where we were living in Huntsville. And I got work with the banks, and that's where I got 

hired for Marshall. So that's kind of my chronology there.

Daphne Alford: All right, now what was your first impression of Stennis Space Center, the test 

site?

Sue Dupuis: The first time I came to NSTL – driving, getting off of Interstate I-10 and heading 

down the road to the Visitor Center, I was very impressed. Of course, I was going for an

interview so I was very nervous. But it was just awesome, and I think anybody that comes to this 

site is just flabbergasted at how much there is. And at that time, it was earlier on in the '70s. Just 

stopping there and looking at the pictures in the Visitor Center and crossing the bascule bridge 

and finding my way to the Butler Complex, I was just really, really impressed and excited, 

hoping that I would get the job.

Daphne Alford: What significant event or events can you recall while working here at the 

Stennis?

Sue Dupuis: Oh, there were so many significant events. When I was working those first few 

years, of course, Jerry Hlass was the center director. And I recall when Mr. Hlass retired, and 

Roy Estess became the center director. Those were very significant events.

And after that, when NSTL became an actual NASA Center, I remember that significant event, 

standing in front of Building 1100 with Senator Stennis and many people on the platform. That 

was a very significant event. Also, when I first started, the reason they hired me and another 

young gentleman, NASA was beginning the single engine testing of the space shuttle main

engine. They were cluster testing, and they wanted some new blood, so to speak, in the 

Procurement Office. And that was a very significant event, and it was just awesome speaking to 

the engineers. So I thought that was a significant event, switching to a center. Of course, 

throughout the many center directors were

significant events. Personally, I think a significant event to me was that I was really the first,

maybe the second professional administrative female in a professional series. The only other 

person was Yvonne Loveless. She was the HR manager. And so I was the first female in the 

professional series. And my co-partner Don Coney was an African-American male. So we were 

novelty in 1978. So I think that was pretty significant also earlier on. Of course, Katrina, many

people have spoken about Hurricane Katrina in 2005, was a significant event that we were very 

resilient and survived it.

Daphne Alford: What are some of the major changes you have witnessed while working here at 

Stennis?
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Sue Dupuis: I guess the significant event that changes NSTL being a center, that I guess you 

could consider that a change. Many of the different leaders in NASA, there were many changes.

And as NASA administrators changed, and for many years, we had one Center Director Roy 

Estess. So that was a stable environment there. But we see many center directors, many different 

philosophies of operating. It did change, and you just had to be flexible and change. Also, the 

changes in the infrastructure were awesome. I have seen this center grow with many resident 

agencies, buildings going up. We didn't build new test stands, but we are currently building a 

new A-3 altitude test stand, which was the first time since the '60s. So that's a big change. I know 

Ken Human, he is now our associate director. Ken and I knew each other from way back when 

he was, what we call, the junior lawyer and then became chief counsel. Ken, for the past few 

years, had transferred to Johnson Space Center. So three to four years, when he came back just

recently he mentioned to me how many new buildings there were he missed at that time. And 

just compound that by 30 years, the number of buildings and infrastructure that was a big 

change. And the people, too, and the times and the generation, many changes – for the good, too, 

the center is a great center.

Daphne Alford: We are going to talk about your job now. And you are the procurement officer?

Sue Dupuis: Yes, a procurement officer. I am really the NASA Senior Procurement Official for 

the center, for Stennis Space Center, just as other centers have procurement officers, really 

directors of the contract office. But our title is procurement officer.

Daphne Alford: In the office of ...

Sue Dupuis: Office of Procurement within Stennis Space Center. 

Daphne Alford: What are your responsibilities?

Sue Dupuis: As the procurement officer, I am responsible for the overall comprehensive 

contract management program for our center for buying, procuring the supplies and services, 

whatever is needed to support the mission of our center, whether it's our main mission as Rocket 

Propulsion Testing as well as supporting all other resident agencies here. And it is our 

comprehensive program, from the small purchases up to awarding half-a-billion-dollar facility 

support contracts. Our support contractors are our partners, our team members, and they also are 

support the mission. That's kind of, in a nutshell procuring. Also, we have many, I have to

support, not have to, but I am an advocate of the small business program here and all NASA, and 

we make sure that the socioeconomic programs are complied with. So that's in a nutshell.

Daphne Alford: So how long have you been in this position?

Sue Dupuis: I have been in this position about five years as procurement officer.

Daphne Alford: And your career in procurement began back in the 1970s?
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Sue Dupuis: In procurement, in 1978. And for a while, I left NASA to become a full-time 

homemaker to be with my little ones. And Mr. Hlass called me back while I was home, and he 

said, "We are doing some new things. We are building the data acquisition center with this major 

E-Complex." And he said, "Sue, all of your mentors have retired, and we need some procurement 

expertise so I am really worried." And so I said,

"OK, I will come back temporarily for three months." And three months went to six months. And 

I said, "Wait a minute here, I am not earning any kind of benefits or anything." And so Hlass 

said, "Well, OK, how about part time? You could be home with your kids if you come back part 

time." So I was part time for about three years or so and then eventually became full time. And I 

had a variety of positions from contract specialist, contracting officer, team lead, division chief, 

so the whole gamut. And I was fortunate enough to be selected as the procurement officer. I have 

to count on my fingers how many, I would say about between 10 and 15. I don't remember.

Daphne Alford: You did talk about other NASA\Stennis positions. So how did all of that work 

experience help you in your current job?

Sue Dupuis: I mentioned my functional experience. I also was a Federal Women's Program 

manager; one I think I was the third one for this site. And other positions in the Toastmasters

organization, which is a great speaking, public speaking organization. I was the area governor in 

many positions. That type of, I call it, management experience really helped me in the delegation 

and getting things done. And all of the – just building on a foundation, I had very good mentors 

when I first started with NASA. These were retired military, and they basically took us under 

their wings and taught us. So I had a good foundation and a good understanding of basic 

procurement. And education, I worked on my master's while I was working. So in the evenings, I

worked on my master's. And I think education and just always willing to help and learn more and 

just being diversified, and that's the great thing with our center and our office. We are small 

compared to other centers. So we, just as a matter of survival, we have to cross-train and crossutilize people, which means we do just about a little bit of everything. And we learn how to do it

well and efficient versus just being pigeonholed into one, managing a major support contract. So 

I have climbed buildings with construction, from that to handling and negotiating and awarding 

contracts, so it all built up.

Daphne Alford: So would you like to mention some of your mentors?

Sue Dupuis: Bill Goodridge was the first procurement officer. I haven't seen Bill in a long time.

He lives in Picayune. He helped me a lot. He was very strict and always encouraged learning, 

training, getting certified when you can. And also, some of the names you may not recognize

because they are long gone but, John VJ [sp], William “Bill” Fuller, and some of the Chet

Lawless and Hoot Schmerbauch. And then, as the years went by, I did like Kim Stone, she was 

the procurement officer. She gave me some good advice. Becky Dubuisson, I know I am 

forgetting some folks. I didn't have really one that followed my whole career. We just helped 

each other out and gave advice. Marina Benigno has given me some good advice. And of course, 

Jerry Hlass, I keep in touch with him. Also, Roy Estess gave me some good advice. Practically, 

he was very pragmatic and told me about the real world and how things work and to understand 

the old saying "if you can't change something, work with it. But if you can, do the best you can 

to change it." And I did my best to do that. And I see the diversity here at the center compared to 
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when I first started when folks thought I was a secretary when I sit in the meeting, and I was 

really a contract specialist. Now I just see it's just so wonderful to see the diversity of the center.

Daphne Alford: Are there other factors that have contributed to your job success?

Sue Dupuis: I credit my husband. My husband was so supportive. In my earlier years, when I 

was at the lower grade level, he was on the road a lot. And I worked hard, brought things home,

but I was there for the children. And he supported me in my job. It was a teaming arrangement.

We took our turns when the kids get sick, and he was always just so supportive even when I was 

working on my graduate degree. And we were both proud of each other. So I have to credit my 

husband. I have to credit the Lord in hard times when challenged with a lot, both professionally 

and personally, I credit the Lord for blessing me, and my family support and friends.

Daphne Alford: Can you describe your work environment and the people you work with?

Sue Dupuis: Procurement is never a slow-paced occupation. Even when I started as a junior 

contract specialist, our work environment is very fast paced and lots of work. I have seen it 

quadruple, even more than quadruple in the workload that our procurement office has. So really,

everyone in our office is well diversified. I mentioned about cross-training people. Our folks are 

very educated. In the professional series, it's called the GS Series 1102, Procurement 

Professionals. You have to have education; you have to have an undergraduate degree to even be 

in 1102. And if it is not in a business degree, you have to have 24 hours of business. So right 

there tells you that education is a foundation. And then you have continuing learning education

to state certified. So, all of the individuals in my office are certified. We are very proud of that.

We are one of the No. 1 centers where all of them are level certified. And so the office is 

dynamic. We re-organized the office, I am very proud of that. I didn't do that right away. I don't 

believe in changing, when you are get in charged, you kind of, see how things go. And we 

strategically align with the strategic goals of NASA. Our organization is organized that way to 

better service the customer. We are a support function, customer oriented. I am hoping we do 

satisfy the customers. I think we do. So we have a great organization. I am proud of them, good 

people.

Daphne Alford: Would you like to talk more about some of the changes that have taken place in 

your department?

Sue Dupuis: I mentioned earlier about diversity. That has definitely been a change. When I first 

started, I was, again, the only female, and it was all white males in the office. Then we hired a 

black, an African-American male. We had two African-Americans and myself. And as the years 

went by, diversity was there. I am very proud of my office ... When we hire people, it's the most 

highly qualified, and I have to say that my office is one of the most diversified offices in

different cultures and everything. And I am really proud of that.

Daphne Alford: So what do you foresee for the Office of Procurement in the future?

Sue Dupuis: We are gradually changing from just core procurement. When I first started, I was 

yet to understand the basics, and you still do for a good solid foundation to be really a subject 
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matter expert. But technology changes, and we now have a lot of systems and applications that 

we have to deal with. And we have to be well-rounded business managers. It's not just knowing 

the procurement function, we have to be streetwise and know what's going on in the political 

arena and being well versed in NASA, too, in all the strategic direction of NASA. And that way, 

when we are well informed, we go out there and really extend our services to the requirements, 

organizations and have preplanning. And when we collaborate with the organizations, it works 

smoothly, and we get the respect of the technical organization. And we demand respect also

because of our level of education. I would say more than half of my office has master's degrees.

And so they are well educated, and we have different generations from me being a baby-boomer, 

we have, I guess you call it Next Gen and whatever the newest one is. So we have got them 

going.

Daphne Alford: About how large is your department now?

Sue Dupuis: I have 26 civil servants, and we do have some contractor support. I don't want to 

forget our contractors. Right now, we have about six-contractor support that have collocated us 

in supporting us. So we have doubled, I would guess, from the very beginning. We still need 

more.

Daphne Alford: So what is a typical day for you? What is that like?

Sue Dupuis: Well, now we don't have any children at home so I don't have to worry about that 

anymore. And my husband has retired, so he takes care of me. So he sends me off to work. And 

as soon as I get into the office, well, maybe even before I even get to my office, some folks 

would stop me at the elevator and start talking as long as I can discuss it openly. And then I get 

to my office, and my secretary, well, I don't call her . . . she is not a secretary, she is a 

management support assistant. She usually is there before me, and she gives me my schedule.

And we look and see what we have on the schedule, and meetings, just balancing the meetings 

and getting e-mails. Oh, I guess on an average 250 e-mails a day. So you really have to stay 

tuned to who is sending e-mails, and I have to filter them for my center director and all of it, just 

to make sure. So just working with my division chiefs, they are responsible for handling the 

workload and a lot of personnel issues. We have been hiring a couple of folks. So that takes time.

Personnel matters take a lot of your time also when you are a supervisor. And so that's just 

supporting different teams. And it's always dynamic. We always have special procurements

ongoing, and I provide advice. A lot of times, senior managers call me, and I am quite candid 

with them. That's my job. I would be remised not to tell them, "Don't do this; do this," or give 

them the guidance and advice.

Daphne Alford: Can you elaborate on some of the projects your department is working on?

Sue Dupuis: Currently working on?

Daphne Alford: Yes.

Sue Dupuis: Well, for the past two and a half years, we have been really focusing on the 

construction of the A-3 altitude test stand, and we have a multitude of contracts there. And all of 
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them are fixed price, I would like to add, which is an area of focus, too, the types of contracts 

and all. And so we have been working on a lot of that, a lot of challenges and working with all 

technical people there. We are just following a lot of unknown territory. So there is changes and 

all, frustrations that we, I think we maintain that balance. So a lot of construction, I noticed in the 

past few years, and I project more construction even in the infrastructure. We also have in the 

past a couple of years major source selections. We call the Source Evaluation Board. And 

depending on the dollar amount, we were awarded new contracts, IT contracts, laboratory 

services. It's a very sensitive area because you really are dealing with human lives also. In the 

procurement world, you have to take that all into consideration. But we are fair. We follow the 

rules because procurement is – when you say officers, procurement officers, contracting

officers, officers mean compliance. And we have laws and regulations but, yet, we are still 

compassionate when there is a change of contractors and trying to keep that continuity of 

services and workforce. So we have a lot. We just announced our last source evaluation board on 

our test operation contracts, always looking at dynamic, strategic planning actions. So that's 

basically what we have been working on. I would be remised not to mention NICCPS, the 

facility; also one of the tenants at the Army Ammunition Plant. We are working a lot of that, the 

National Information Critical Center Processing that we took over as management from the

Navy. So that's a lot of activity as well as the transition of the Army Ammunition Plant to NASA 

management. We are also supporting that also. So that's another future change.

Daphne Alford: So, is the A-3 Test Stand the largest project you are working on now?

Sue Dupuis: From volume wise, yes. But dollar wise, we have other procurements that are 

significant dollar figures. But I would say yes. And also, another major priority is supporting the 

J-2X Engine testing. We have a lot of test stands – A-1, A-2 test stands facility modifications in 

the construction area. There is just a lot of . . . I hate to say one is of more priority than the other.

We have multiple priorities. Test stand is really up there, but the J-2X testing supporting the 

project directorate and also in the institutional area, a lot of facility upgrades.

Daphne Alford: Is A-3 Test Stand the largest project you have ever worked on?

Sue Dupuis: The A-3 Test Stand, in aggregate, is not the largest dollar project throughout my 

career. But currently, it is one of the major efforts that Procurement Office is working on, the 

construction of the A-3 altitude test stand. It's a diversified contract that we have. So it's very 

complex. We also have other ongoing procurements dollar wise that are comparable. But right 

now, we have support to the J-2X program, a lot of A-1, A-2 facility modifications to

accommodate a major project, supporting NASA as well as our project directorate.

Daphne Alford: All right, can you tell me some of the procurements that you and your 

department acquired that were vital to Stennis?

Sue Dupuis: Some of the procurements that were vital to Stennis, actually, they are all vital.

When procurement acquires services and supplies, we are meeting the minimum needs of the 

government. In other words, for example, we are not buying Cadillacs. We are buying a 

Chevrolet. I mean we are the taxpayer. Critical facility operation support, I mean meeting the 
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basic needs of human beings, on-site supporting, from custodial to cafeteria services, major 

support contracts, test operations, rocket propulsion, building a

new test stand, buying new state-of-the-art types of components and values that have never been 

bought before nor manufactured like these huge tanks that have volumes, gallons of capacity that 

take major undertakings for transportation to the test site that have never been done before. So 

yes, it's vital to the test program, rocket propulsion test program, yet, institutional procurements 

also are vital for a viable healthy center.

Daphne Alford: Can you tell me the process and the lessons learned about these procurements?

Sue Dupuis: The procurement process is very standard. I mean there is a basic of procurement, 

pre-award, award and post-reward. In other words, you are preparing to buy something you get a 

package from the requirements organization. And then you solicit, and you award the contract,

and then you administer the contracts. So that's the process. It sounds simple, but there are a lot 

of steps in the preplanning and the post planning, even closing out contracts. The lessons learned 

throughout the years even working with NASA headquarters, we have a good relationship with 

our counterparts, the Procurement Office at headquarters. We have learned to really work closer

with the requirements organization, getting out there and visiting with the organization to see 

what's coming down the pike, so that we can appropriately plan our resources and help them, 

assist them when they need help. We have a lot of changeover personnel in the technical

organization. We have seen some attrition in our office a little bit before Katrina and after 

Katrina. So we really have to be very proactive to know what's coming down the pike so that we 

can plan and supply those services to our customers. So that's lessons learned. And my lessons 

learned is now I tag up with my colleagues, and I find out things when you are sitting one on one 

behind closed doors that maybe I wouldn't hear in an open forum. And I act on that directly or 

indirectly. So that's lessons learned I think.

Daphne Alford: You mentioned earlier in the interview about the Small Business Program, can 

you tell me the Office of Procurement roles in the NASA Small Business Program and the 

Mississippi Enterprise for Technology?

Sue Dupuis: NASA's overall role is to respond to public law. It's public law, socioeconomic 

programs. Every federal agency has mandates. Our role here, and my responsibility, is to ensure

that we support the NASA Small Business Program and evolve throughout the years. There has 

always been set aside for small businesses.

And throughout the years, there are subcategories of small businesses and actually goals that we

need to achieve that we basically negotiate with NASA headquarters, the goals that our center 

has to achieve and hopefully exceed. So, my responsibility is to ensure, first of all, that we

expand the small business participation. It's law. If you have two or more small businesses 

sometimes, you have to set aside for small business. So supporting that Small Business Program, 

also supporting our prime contract, large contractors, large businesses, who have subcontracting 

plans. They also have goals.

So we have to ensure compliance there. And also outreach, what I mean by outreach is actually 

going out to the community and informing potential business opportunities as well as how to get 

business with NASA and the government. We have a small business specialist that we support 

their activities in these outreach activities. And so far, the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology, 
10

our relationship with MsET is that we collaborate with them and inform small business forums.

Their charter is to have small businesses, incubator type small businesses and technology 

transfers. So it's a collaborative effort with MsET to get those small businesses going and 

helping each other, sharing our best practices and outreach activities.

Daphne Alford: What do you foresee for NASA's and Stennis' future?

Sue Dupuis: The United States of America will continue with the space program. Our country –

I am very patriotic because I have children that are in the military, my husband was in military –

and our nation is so resilient that woe to anybody who steps on the toes of the big giant, the 

United States of America. And one of the areas where we exceed is the space program and being 

in the forefront. So it may change NASA's mission, may change somewhat, but the exploration, I 

think, will always be there to some degree with the understanding and empathy toward the nation

and the environment and the economic situation of the nation. But I think NASA will stay. It 

may change names, but you will always have a space program. And as far as our center, the John 

C. Stennis Space Center will stay. As long as there is next exploration program in outer limits of 

space, there needs to be some type of mechanism to get spaceships out there, whether it's rocket

propulsion with propellants or nuclear energy or whatever. But this center is going to be here for 

a long time.

Daphne Alford: Will this facility continue to be an effective means to the economic

development of this region?

Sue Dupuis: Absolutely. That's another area. It is an economic engine for the community as 

evidenced by after Katrina. Stennis was here like a little island, and it kept things going. We do

employ a lot of individuals, highly-paid individuals, and the economic impact to the local 

community is significant. And every year, we have an economic impact report that we process 

and publish that shows dollar impacts. I think it's going to expand also. We are taking over

management of the Army Ammunition Plant, more attendants coming in and also the focus for 

NASA and also in the future is commercial customers. We have to be flexible and go with the 

tides of the nation.

And so, we have commercial partnerships. There's that economic engine also there.

Daphne Alford: Do you think NASA is in demand?

Sue Dupuis: I think as long as we "advertise" NASA, what NASA is doing for the country, 

NASA will be in demand. Spin-offs of NASA technology are outstanding. We just have to make 

sure that we have the media in those venues to inform the public. For example, I just heard 

recently that there is – I don't know, the pill or medicine for osteoporosis. The last STS crew or

the second to last crew, when they returned to earth, their bone structure was better than it was 

even before they left. They were taking some type of pills and certain exercises. So they are 

thinking that will be a good spinoff for cure for osteoporosis. So things like that, where the 

normal individual citizen sees a benefit, NASA will be in demand.

Daphne Alford: Retirement. When will you retire and are you looking forward to it?
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Sue Dupuis: I am going to retire at the end of the calendar year 2010, December 31st, 2010, and 

I am looking forward to it. My husband, as I mentioned earlier, is retired, and he has spent a lot 

of his career helping me, and now it's time for me to be with him and enjoy a new phase in our 

life. I am nervous for leaving my NASA family because I have worked for many years, and I do 

plan on staying active. I have already told Myron Webb that I am retiring, but I am going to 

volunteer for the INFINITY Science Center, which is a great new future entity, and just stay 

active in the midst of people and my fellow coworkers and all. But I am going to come back and 

visit. I am looking forward to my retirement.

Daphne Alford: Overall, how many years did you work for NASA, including Marshall, how 

many years was that?

Sue Dupuis: I would say about 30-31 years because I think I was with the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture for two years. So I think I have a total of around 33 years as of August of 2010. So 

it's third of a century. It has all been with NASA – the 30-31 years have been with NASA.

Approximately 33 years with the federal government.

Daphne Alford: Is there anything I didn't ask that you would like to add to your interview?

Sue Dupuis: From the very beginning, you have asked very good questions. I have been very 

proud to work for NASA. I love NASA. I had my ups and downs like everybody in our careers. 

But I am very, very . . . I think I am pleased with where I have

landed with NASA. It's been my choice to stay at the center, and I do love Stennis Space Center 

and NASA. And that's it.

Daphne Alford: Very good, great!

Sue Dupuis: Thank you.