Joan Melendez Misner ( @YourFemaleEngineer ) is anIntegration Engineer at NASAworking on space & asteroid planetary defense commission . Her work include commit a chopper to Titan ( Dragonfly ) , a space vehicle to Europa ( Europa Clipper ) , and crashing a space vehicle into an asteroid ( DART ) .
Joan volunteer throughout the community of interests and is fully involved with STEM Outreach Programs , most notably,@PASSAGEscience – a program aimed to fetch STEM education to Latin America .
For Joan , being a change Almighty and invigorate the next propagation is the finish . As a first - generation grad , she strain to increase representation in underrepresented community , encouraging people to pursue STEM careers through mentoring , social medium , and nonprofit . Joan is also a musician , an avid lawn tennis player , and is currently getting her Private Pilot License .
Image courtesy of Joan Melendez Misner
IFLScience spoke with Joan to learn more .
What did it take to get here ?
What did n’t it take ( lol ) .
I started off by beat a treble bachelor ’s in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry . While I was in college , I started intern for the Department of Defense ( as a Pathways Intern ) , specifically at Naval Air Systems Command ( NAVAIR ) working on biofuel qualifications for the Navy . During my fourth dimension , I qualified alternative sourced fuels made from pelf , corn , etc . for usage in both Naval airmanship and sea test .
Once I calibrate , I was hired full - fourth dimension at NAVAIR and have to exploit as a Fuel Systems Engineer for Navy cat valium , aerial fueling , and a propulsion engineer . I gained worthful noesis in examination applied science , systems technology , and dependability . While I was work full - clock time , I also realize my passe-partout ’s degree in Systems Engineering from Naval Postgraduate School .
After eight geezerhood in the aviation industriousness , I made the move to the space industry because I knew that I finally require to work on space ironware . I started sour for Blue Origin as a Launch Integration Engineer exploit on their New Glenn orbital skyrocket . As an integration technologist , my role was to work with the design engineers and ensure that the system verified its intent . I forge on everything from the launch pad , ( LC-36 ) , fluid systems , drone ship , and communication to organization condom .
However , after one year at Blue Origin , NASA gave me an opportunity to interview for the role I have now . It was a hard decision to leave Blue , but NASA has always been my pipe dream . And after applying 13 times , it mat like it was finally my time . And I was right . Now I work for the Launch Services Program , which helps launch scientific military mission to blank .
Imagine you ’ve met yourself as a teenager at a life history sightly , how would you describe what you do to your former self ?
You help set in motion scientific mission to space that help explore both our major planet and our universe . The workplace that you do now is so important . You even helped establish a mission that test Earth ’s planetary defense reaction against likely asteroids that may lead our path . You are a Planetary Defender !
What ’s the most common misconception about your line of work ?
The most common misconception , which I also fell dupe to , is that I thought that you had to be a perfect 4.0 GPA student to work at NASA . This misconception stopped me from apply to be an houseman at NASA , since my GPA was around a 3.2 .
The one thing I require to be remembered as is someone who inspires those to reach for the stars . Do n’t let your grade point average hold you back . We can instruct you how to do your occupation . end your grade and work hard along the way .
Proudest mo on the job ?
The Proudest professional mo of my career at NASA was when I launched my first commission , which ended up being one of the cool missions I have ever been part of ( DART ) . To be part of a squad that is testing our planet ’s defense capabilities from a next asteroid that may have a trajectory towards Earth finger good .
My proud consequence at NASA that does not orb around missions is my participation in outreach . I love talking to educatee about what I do , and how I get there , and revolutionise them to pursue their dream .
Memorable stumble / hairiest instant on the job ?
Before I share my trip-up on the line , I want to say that we all make mistake . As an intern , I was terrorise of ca-ca mistake or take too many inquiry . I thought that my coworkers or squad would think I was not “ smart ” enough to have the office . And boy was I wrong . You are supposed to enquire question on the caper , that is how you learn . If you make a mistake , do not underwrite it up . play up the misunderstanding to your wise man or coworker that is helping you , and together you will figure out the next steps . I instruct a flock more from my mistakes than my successes . Just a little piece of advice .
Ok , now on to my most memorable error I had on the job . While I was an intern for NAVAIR , I oversee a weeklong test to see how much bacteria there was in a fuel . I completely blank out to check the data throughout the week , which was an important component of the project , and rather remembered about the experiment 2 hebdomad after it was theorise to conclude . The identification number of bacteria was consuming , and since it plump over the timeframe of the scope of the experiment , AND I did n’t collect any data to compare , the test could not be used . So , I had to restart the test and alas had to be late in reporting the consequence . It was a learning experience for me because it taught me how to manage my fourth dimension better , and I learned to set email reminders to see on the experiment , that way of life I would never forget to garner the data again . To this twenty-four hour period , I sic due particular date reminders on my calendar to remind me of specific tasks .
What do you never provide the theater without / what ’s your most treasured piece of outfit ?
I never leave home without my Sony camera , my Apple Airpods , and my quad - theme backpack . I be intimate exploring new place , so I want to check that I can seize any content I require to deal with my audience .
I also have a golden mend that I carry around with me in myHarry Potterwallet ( Slytherin by the way ) . The patch is a SpaceX Cargo patch , which was the very first mission I was in mission command working as an engineer .
What ’s one piece of advice you ’d give to someone wanting to embark on the same life history ?
The first one is go to go a little cliché , but do n’t give up . If working in STEM is your pipe dream , do n’t get discouraged if you fail a class , or if you have to study harder than everyone else . Keep on advertise towards finishing your degree and working severely to set ashore your pipe dream line . My favorite quotation mark is “ loser is not the opposite of success ; it is part of every success story . ” ( Ariana Huffington )
My other objet d’art of advice is to “ web to Get workplace ” . I went to a NASA networking event and after tour a NASA facility and plug in with NASA engineers , I remain in ghost with them . They guided me by providing me with upcoming job requisitions and gave me résumé tips and tricks . I truly believe that networking can aid you get on the correct course , which is another reason I am so unfastened on social media . If you call for resume help , I got you . If you want someone to give vocation advice , I have you . A lot of people helped me along the way to help me get to where I am , and I require to stretch out a helping hand to anyone who was in my place several twelvemonth ago .
