Women of NASA Web Chat

Date: October 14, 1997

Featuring: Susan Bowley AST-Manned Systems - - Life Science Division in the Space Physiology Lab.

Keith NASA Chat Host: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 10:55AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Plese Review Susan's Bio at button

Maxine: : . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 10:58AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Did you make it into the Fire Dept?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:08AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Hi Maxine- Well I haven't done the Fire Dept. thing because I ended up moving out of the town that had volunetters. My latest thing is to try working on an Ambulance as an EMT...

Sarah: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:03AM PDT (-0700 GMT
Do you think that women who take math as career's should not have to deal with discrimination?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:12AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Hi Sarah- Yes - but unfortunately, you will always have to deal with some sort of discrimination around you - whether it's because you're a female or because you have blond hair!

Andrea:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:09AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Do you have to have a masters degree to work at NASA? If no then what?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:14AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Andrea- No you don't need a Master's Degree to work here...just usually a B.S. degree...

Shimira:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:10AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Do you have children?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:15AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Shimira- No I don't have any children - but I want some - I love kids!

Sarah:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:14AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Are you pleased with your accomplishments?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:17AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Sarah- Yes I'm pleased with my accomplishments - but I'm always thinking of new ones!

Katie:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:12AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
How did you choose a universities to goto?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:17AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Katie- I chose the Universities because 1. my father was a professor at UCONN (free tuition) and it was close to home 2. Stanford was close to work and a really good school 3. Virginia is a really good school and had the program that I wanted...

Tasha Grade 5:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:16AM PDT (-0700 GMT
Have you ever met any astronauts?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:19AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Tasha- Yes I've met about 4-5 astronauts...I heard Sally Ride speak when she was still an astroanut then I've heard a few more speak in the auditorium here at Ames...they showed us alot of pictures from the Shuttle - it was really COOL!

Maxine:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:18AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Do you have any roll modles or sombody you idolize?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:20AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Maxine- I'd have to say my biggest role models are my parents - after them it would definately be Xena, Warrior Princess!

Sarah:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:19AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Do you believe in extra-terestrial life?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:21AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Sarah- Yes I do believe in ET's...although, I don't believe they would look like us!

Andrea:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:21AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
what influenced you to do this job for nasa?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:23AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Andrea- Well - I came here to Ames for a tour (the public one) and thought it was so cool to see these really large wind tunnels - the biggest ones I used at school were just the size of a room. After the tour I was so excited about working here...and of course I've always wanted to be an astronaut!

Roni:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:22AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
How long is your work week?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:24AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Roni- I probably work about 45 hours a week here...

Tasha Grade 5:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:23AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Did u always want to work for Nasa?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:25AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Tasha- I wouldn't say I always wanted to work for NASA - I had never been to visit a NASA site before I came to work here at Ames. I can say when I was younger, I had alot of books on space and always thought it would be neat to travel in space.

Roni:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:24AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
What did you want to be when you were growing up

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:28AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Roni- I'd have to say I'm still "growing up". When I was younger, I was really interested in science (Chemistry, Physics, Geology, etc.). I grew up in a rural area where there was alot of nature around me and things to explore. I was interested in French and Physics when I was in High School. I was going to follow Physics as a career in college, until I talked with my father about the difference between Physics and Engineering. After that, it was easy to choose Engineering.

Maxine:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:26AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Did you know anyone on the Challenger?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:30AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Maxine- No I didn't know anyone on the Challenger. I remember I was in college when it blew up...everyone was so shocked...

Sarah:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:27AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Susan do you like Science fiction Do you like Star Trek?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:33AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Sarah- Yes I like Science Fiction and Star Trek priya patel: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:28AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
why did you choose math and science and how does it help you at your job?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:33AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Pirya- I chose to follow science because it was more challenging than the other subjects in school, and it seemed like there were a lot of things that were still unkown. I use my education every day at work

Tasha Grade 5:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:29AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
do u think that we will have ships in space like star trek?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:33AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Tasha- Of course I think we will have ships in space like star trek - because I think anything you can dream of or think of can be created!

Sarah:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:31AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
do you think that there going to be women astronauts on the mission to mars?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:34AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Sarah- Yes I think there will be women astronauts on the Mars missions...
priya: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:33AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
was it hard to accomplish being a worker at NASA, did you have any difficult obstacles ahead of you?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:34AM PDT (-0700 GMT) Priya- There were alot of obstacles to getting to work here - but I'm very persistant and never give up...

Roni:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:34AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Someday do you want to fly in a space ship or go to the to mars

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:35AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Roni- Absolutely - I would love to fly in space and go to Mars - and lots of other planets too - don't you?!

priya: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:38AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
do you believe in extraterrestrial aliens, I do?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:38AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Priya- Yes I believe in ET aliens - but I don't think they look like us...

Maxine:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:38AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
At NASA are you at the forefront of technology? IF so what kind?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:40AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Maxine- Well...I think the research that I work on is at the forefront of technology....I currently work in a biomechanics lab here...and I think the years of work that has gone into alot of the projects is very much at the forefront...

Katie:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:40AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Could you please tell me what the annual salary is a year?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:41AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Katie- Hmmm...annual salary...I think engineers out of school are starting around $31,000 here and go up from there....you can see that it's not the money that is attractive to working here....

Roni:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:41AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Have you ever had any mistakes in your work? If so what were they?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:43AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Roni- Well...I make alot of mistakes...that's why I always check my work or have someone else check my work - to make certain that the final result is error free...

Roni:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:41AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Did Men see the mistakes as weakness?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:45AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Roni- I wouldn't say that men saw my mistakes as weaknesses - but they probably did - what's important to me is that I learned from my mistakes...
priya: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:42AM PDT (-0700 GMT). . . [60 ]
do you believe that other planets in our solar system have a earth like atmosphere?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:45AM PDT (-0700 GMT) Priya - No I don't believe other planets in our solar system have an earth like atmosphere...we are just at the right distance from the sun...

Sarah:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:44AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
How will people survive on Mars for two or more years?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:47AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Sarah- Well...I'm no expert on how to survive on Mars, but I would guess that the people would either live underground or in very complex structures...they will have to grow their own food and somehow get water...not to mention enough exercise to maintain their bones...

Maxine:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:45AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
What will the astronausts do on a ship for such a long journey?

Sarah:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:45AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Wont they get depressed being away from home for so long?

priya: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:46AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
how do you measure intracranial pressures in humans?

peter: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:46AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Are the Engineers at NASA designing any new Space Crafts?

Katie:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:47AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Why are there no Women on the panel on TV when mars is in teh news

Keith NASA Chat Host: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:48AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
EVERYONE: Please be aware that there are ten minutes left

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:47AM PDT (-0700 GMT) Ok... Maxine- I would guess that the astronauts would be running experiments during their journey, or monitoring the ship....as well as reading alot...

Sarah - I would think they would get depressed from being away from home so long...from what the astronauts say that is the worst part about being up in space...they miss their family...

Priya- the intercranial pressure was measured using 2 different methods, 1. used a sound wave to measure the expansion of the skull 2. the other method used the change in vibration of the skull after being stuck (kinda like listening to a bell) Peter - I don't really know about new space crafts...other than new satelites and the new craft that replaces the shuttle...I think there is alot of that being done at other centers

Katie - That's a good question, I don't know why there are no women on the panel...there may still not be alot of women astronauts out there...

Roni:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:49AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
does your job ever interfear with your social life?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:55AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Roni- Well...I try to balance my job and social life...it makes me more effective at work if I take some breaks... Maxine:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:51AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Susan: what is your favorite planet? Why?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:45AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Maxine- I like Jupiter - because it's the biggest I guess...and it has that cool looking eye...

Keith NASA Chat Host:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:52AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
5 Minutes to go! Please wrap-up your questions

Maxine:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:55AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Thank You for your time

Sarah:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:55AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Thanks, will you do this again?

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:55AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Thanks for all your questions! I had fun - make sure you come visit NASA sometime soon! Sue

Tasha Grade 5:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:56AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Thank you. you were veryy nice

Susan Bowley: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:56AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
I hope to do it again soon...are you all from the same place?

Keith NASA Chat Host:: . . . . Tue, Oct 14, 11:56AM PDT (-0700 GMT)
Thank you to Susan for joining us today. Thank you to all of you for your great questions.