What I do

My job involves helping extraordinary teams of people achieve impossible tasks, by understanding their exceptional accomplishments, and motivating them to accept more impossible tasks. I first conceived this job description several years ago after I spent some time listening to my co-worker describe how he was given an impossible assignment, he accepted the challenge, he succeeded, and he can't wait for another one. I mentioned this to a prestigious older co-worker (who has been working at NASA for 40 plus years and was the manager of the Division where I work) when he started explaining why NASA's mission has always been to accomplish the impossible.

Others would describe my job responsibilities as assisting ELORET's Senior Management with decisions relating to its contracts with NASA Ames Research Center, directing a team of contract scientists that work in NASA's Thermal Protection Materials and Systems Branch, and contributing to some technical materials scientist work.

My career path

I first worked as a contract employee to ELORET for NASA in the mid 1980's during high school, where I developed and printed real film images from a Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) used for materials science research experiments (now everything is digital). Then while I was earning my B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, I helped ELORET move, assemble, and service some TEM equipment.

Much of my technical work at NASA involves Arc Jet testing of materials used to protect space vehicles from re-entry heating conditions. This includes some testing done on a tile-based material called Silicone Impregnated Reinforced Carbon Ablator (SIRCA), which was used on NASA's recent Mars Pathfinder and Mars Exploration Rover missions, and an ablative material called Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA), which was used on NASA's Stardust mission. I have also done some work with a NASA researcher, Frank Milos, on Integrated Vehicle Health Monitoring (IVHM). We helped develop rice-grain-size sensors imbedded with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology that can be placed in Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) to sense over temperature situations. These sensors can be scanned to determine the "health" of the material. Other projects I have been involved with include designing the shape and packaging of the first few prototypes of a 3-D scanner used to document damage to shuttle tiles.

Although most of my career has involved contract research work for ELORET at NASA, I spend a few years designing and developing ozone water treatment systems for industrial applications. I also spent a few years developing products for an outdoor equipment manufacturer.

A few years ago, I earned an Executive M.B.A. from Santa Clara University. Since then I've become responsible for managing ELORET's intellectual property and am becoming more involved with ELORET's management decisions.

A typical day

This involves helping the team of ELORET researchers work efficiently and effectively in the NASA system. As the Task Manager and Associate Site Manager, I look for opportunities to bring in other funding for the Space Technology Division, the Thermal Protection Materials and Systems Branch, and for ELORET. I attend meetings. I write about previous research work, and sometimes I find time to complete small research projects.

What I like about my job

Contributing to the leading edge effort to explore other planets is extremely rewarding. My management job allows me to interact with people who are contributing more, and it is exciting to be on a team with so many people who are passionate about making decisions based on good science. In consumer driven industries, many decisions are inspired by market research and disguised as scientific innovation. I enjoy working with so many technically competent people in an industry where almost everyone has a solid understanding about fundamental scientific principles.

Advice for a student

If you are thinking of becoming a business person in a scientific or technical field, become capable in a technical skill first. It is much better to develop the technical skills before formally earning a business degree. It is very difficult to go the other way.

Pursue your passion - if this is travel, sports, or the arts, continue to do that throughout your education and career. It can often lead to a career path. I feel so fortunate to have spent a lot of time being paid to pursue my passions. This may lead to career opportunities like mine -- that don't feel like work. Furthermore, being the best at something requires passion. So, find things you can be passionate about. Pursue them, and embrace opportunities that involve your passions.