Team - Elizabeth Citrin

What do you do as SDO Project Manager?

As SDO Project Manager, I am responsible for the entire mission, from the building of the satellite, to overseeing that the technical requirements are met, to making sure that everything is running on cost and schedule. I pretty much spend most of my time in meetings - that's where I find out how things are going. But when the hardware starts being put together, that's when I get out of my office and onto the floor - where the action is!

What do you like most about your job?

My favorite part of my job is getting to work with a lot of different people. There are over 300 people working on SDO, 200 of whom work here at Goddard alone! It takes many different talents and skills to accomplish a successful mission. I feel privileged to work with the best.

When did you decide you wanted to work for NASA?

I decided I wanted to work for NASA when my college roommate got an internship here. I would listen with envy as she talked about her work on spaceflight missions. Since then, all I've wanted to do is work for NASA.

Where did you go to school and what degrees did you get?

In college, I got my undergraduate degree in Economy from Duke University and I received my Masters in Computer Science from Johns Hopkins.

What was the first job you ever had?

The first job I ever had was as an accounting clerk for an electrical utility. Back then, we had to do EVERYTHING by hand, now we do (almost) everything with computers!

How did you come to actually work for NASA?

I started at Goddard after college with a contractor working on LANDSAT 2 and 3. I worked for several different contractors, on GSFC missions, until I ended up working on the Hubble Space Telescope with a company called OAO Corp. At that point, there was a government opening and I applied. That was my first job as a civil servant, and what an exciting job it was! I worked on Hubble through its launch and first servicing mission.

How long have you been working for NASA?

I have been working at NASA since 1981. One of the best things about NASA is that you work in any field, from graphic design to computer science, from astrophysics to engineering. The opportunities are endless.

SDO Project Manager

Undergrad: BA in Economy, Duke University

Masters: Computer Science, Johns Hopkins