Interview: Meg Tuma, Scientist and Mentor


In the course of doing my job, I frequently get to work with a lot of very smart people, among them Margaret L. (Meg) Tuma, Ph.D., one of the engineers ("rocket scientists") at Marshall Space Flight Center.


What do you do at Marshall Space Flight Center?
I’m the project lead for the Ares I Integrated Vehicle Ground Vibration Test. That’s a mouthful – and means I’m responsible for the modal test on the new Ares rocket. We need to understand the natural frequencies and damping of the Ares V vehicle in order to adequately control the vehicle during ascent and flight. My responsibilities include getting the test rocket hardware from each of the rocket component elements (First Stage, Upper Stage, Upper Stage Engine, and Orion), coordinating transportation to MSFC and the Test Stand, getting the Test Stand (4550) ready for testing, the hydrodynamic stands (ie big shock absorbers), stacking the hardware, conducting the test, and disassembling the vehicle.




What degrees do you have? B.S. Physics, M.S. Physics, Ph.D. Electrical Engineering
Did you pursue these degrees with space in mind? Always in the back of my mind, but not my ultimate goal. I really didn’t think I had a chance to work at NASA, so when I got the opportunity, I jumped on it!


When did you know you wanted to work in a scientific or technical field?
In high school. I always liked math and science and in high school was challenged in physics and calculus and realized that’s what I wanted to pursue in college.


How did you make the switch from research to management?
I was in the NASA Professional Development program in 2000-2001. During that year, I worked at JPL, a University, and HQ. These experiences broadened my horizons and made me realize my talents would be put to better use if I shifted from research into project management. It was a fairly smooth transition. Although, I miss research from time to time. I still work on one of my inventions in my “spare” time. It’s a miniature light bulb (aka a “light bulb on a chip”) that can be used as a calibration source for spectrometers on satellites or remote terrestrial applications.



What's the biggest difference between science and engineering?
Engineering is much more applied. Science is a broader field trying to understand nature at its core (forces, electricity, etc.) Engineering takes science and applies it to make things work.



What advice would you give to young women interested in pursuing STEM careers?
Study study study! In groups if you can find a good study group. Take an internship or summer job in the field you are pursuing to “test drive” it. It’s much easier to change a major to match the career you’re interested in. Get a mentor. This is really important. There are several mentoring programs. One is MentorNet – an online mentoring program.



You participate in a mentoring program through the University of Akron. What can you tell me about that experience?
It’s wonderful! Each year I’m paired with one or more students and meet with them in person monthly usually at a social event (bowling, touring a museum, etc) and via email on a weekly basis. In fact, I’m still in contact with students I mentored 10 years ago! I was able to help them with class choices, provide career advice, and just listen to their problems when they needed to talk. I like helping others so I find it very fulfilling. I’m also a charter member of MentorNet – an online mentoring program where I’m paired with a graduate student in the US and we communicate via email a few times a month. My current mentee is in California and had a side project working on research for microwave popcorn. It was very interesting. I’m also involved in the “Adopt-A-Physicist” program. Twice a year I get paired with 2 or more high school classes from across the US and communicate via email. They ask lots of questions! Like, what made me decide to go into my current career, my favorite class, most interesting work experience, toughest work experience, etc. I was mentoring 3 classes during the Ares I-X launch, and they were tracking the progress and stopped their school work to watch the launch. It was neat to share that excitement with so many young students.



In addition to technical knowledge, what skills have you found the most valuable in your career?
People skills! It is so important to understand how to manage a team and understand your team’s personal dynamics.



What's been the coolest moment in your career so far?
Ares I-X launch. Followed by aero flight tests. And riding in the vomit comet.


Where do you go from here?
The moon! Still trying to be an astronaut. Hopefully we’ll have a replacement vehicle for the shuttle to take us there.

Psychology and Space

The following links are the result of a text exchange with the irrepressible Dr. OZMG on counseling in the space biz. As usual I provided too much information, but what the heck.

• A rather old (1982?) Johnson Space Center paper on "The Psychology of Human Orbital Factors."
• The Association of Aviation Psychology, which presumably covers regular aviation and aerospace.
• The International Journal of Aviation Psychology, which I believe is the official journal of the AAP above.
• Here's that psych book I recommended earlier, and which I might add to my Christmas list for science fiction research/writing purposes: Choosing the Right Stuff: the Psychological Selection of Astronauts and Cosmonauts.
• Another book in the same category: Space Psychology and Psychiatry.
• ABC News Article: "Feeling Low Up High: The Lonely Astronaut."
• Psychiatric News Story: "NASA Addresses Mental Health of Mars-Mission Members."
• National Academies Press book: Safe Passage: Astronaut Care for Exploration Missions.
• APA Online article: "Psychology Keeps Astronauts Well Grounded."
• NASA Astronaut Health Care System Review Committee February - June 2007 Report to the Administrator (this was the report requested after the Lisa Nowak affair).
• Astronauts with a psychology degree or some connection with psychology:
  --Dan Tani (like me, a Glenbard East High School graduate)
  --Nicholas Patrick
  --James Pawleczyk
  --Thomas Reiter (European Space Agency)
  --Gerhard P. J. Thiele (ESA)
• A NASA Flight Surgeon with the Constellation Program...also an Illinois guy.
• I mislabeled this for Dr. OZMG earlier, but it's a newsletter out of JSC that happened to focus on employee mental health, on the ground and in space.

Potpourri LX

The Ballad of Bill Arcenaux? As Dr. OZMG would put it, "Furreal."

The Supreme Court reversed a ruling by Sonia Sotomayor and the 2nd Circuit Court, which ruled that a group of white firefighters were denied promotions because they passed a firefighter test while minority candidates did not. This won't affect her future career on the high court, but it is interesting to note for future reference.

Father Dan pointed this out to me, though he cited the original Orlando Sentinel story. Another hatchet job by the Sentinel. Is it possible to sell newspapers without sensationalism? Apparently not.

One thing I wish NASA pushed harder was what they (and by extension we, the American taxpayers) plan to do on the Moon. Here are some thoughts by Dennis Wingo and others. I don't always agree with Dennis, particularly on the Constellation architecture, but he has some interesting thoughts regarding the Moon.

The International Space University and Singularity University's opening ceremonies will be on Ustream.com this evening. I presume they'll save the stream after the live feed.

The New Nine: NASA has selected this year's class of nine astronauts. They don't say if those astronauts are to fly for the Constellation Program or Shuttle, just "future space exploration." Frustrating.

A Swiss team is unveiling a solar-powered airplane. Cool! Kinda hard to fly at night, though...

Another Space Education Moment

I first heard about Teachers in Space at the 2006 International Space Development Conference. They're essentially a nonprofit run by the Space Frontier Foundation that will set aside slots for teachers to travel into space on one of the any-day-now suborbital space tourism outfits. The concept sounded pretty cool. As the "Vision" part of their web site describes it:

Imagine thousands of astronaut teachers, in schools all across the country, sharing their spaceflight knowledge and experiences with millions of students. This vision could become a reality within the next ten years.

What I've liked about the space tourism movement/industry is the way it democratizes spaceflight. After all, what is more likely or easier: joining the Air Force, becoming a pilot, and picking up three or more college degrees, all for the hope of going into space while competing with 500 other super-competent people, or just getting rich enough to buy a ticket? There are many routes to becoming rich in America, and a surprising number of them don't require a college education. And if you manage to put $40,000-a-year teachers into a space tourism rocket and let them come back and talk to their students about their experiences--well, heck, you've "infected" a whole new generation of space geeks! And these kids will have a different expectation of spaceflight than those of us raised under the Aura of the Astronauts.

Don't misunderstand me--I greatly admire our astronauts. I see someone like Story Musgrave or any of the Shuttle astronauts who come to Marshall, and I read their resumes and feel like an absolute slacker. They really ARE our best and brightest. But if future Americans are going to have the opportunity merely to go into space as paying passengers, they don't NEED to be our best and brightest, merely damnfool enough to plunk down the coin to go. And that would include me. The only future that would allow an English major like me to get into space would be one where I can go as a passenger, not as some sort of pilot, scientist, or technician. So I think Teachers in Space is a good idea. Maybe I ought to become a teacher. I might have a better chance than the getting-rich route!

Ad Astra and good night.