Daydreams of flight gained a sharper focus recently as Edwards Middle School students learned of potential aerospace careers during the school’s recent Career Day.
Several employees from NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, co-located on Edwards Air Force Base, were among presenters who explained their jobs to students, encouraging them to consider aerospace careers while working hard in school.
Students paid rapt attention as rocket scientist Trong Bui told of his research work on several projects at NASA Dryden, including his investigation of aerospike rocket engine nozzles.
Engineer Jessica Lux-Baumann detailed her job of setting up Dryden’s mission control rooms for research flights like the two successful X-43A scramjet flights in 2004.
The visual arts were in focus as NASA Dryden’s lead photographer, Jim Ross, spoke of the possibilities in his specialty, aerial photography. While a volunteer student donned a flight suit and helmet, Ross explained difficulties encountered in trying to hold a camera up to the eye to photograph NASA’s advanced aircraft during research missions while wearing such gear in the back seat of a high-performance jet.
There was no shortage of eager response during question and answer times that followed each presentation.
Career days are designed to encourage students to consider and work toward the many future possibilities in the work-a-day world. Edwards Middle School is a NASA Explorer School and was recently named a California Distinguished School.
PHOTO EDITORS: Publication-quality photos with captions to support this photo release are available for downloading from the Internet at: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/newsphotos/.
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Dryden Flight Research Center
P.O. Box 273
Edwards, California 93523
Phone 661/276-3449
FAX 661/276-3566
Alan Brown
NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
(661) 276-2665
alan.brown@dfrc.nasa.gov