Meet a NASA Glenn Employee: Mary Gibson
Thousands of talented, dedicated and passionate people work at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. They are rocket scientists and engineers. They are researchers and physicists and chemists. They are aviation specialists, public affairs officers, administrative assistants, security officers, logistics managers and more. With countless specializations in myriad fields, the people of Glenn share one goal: working for the public in support of NASA’s mission.
The diverse Glenn workforce is comprised of civil servants and on-site support contractors. Workers perform a large variety of different jobs at NASA Glenn. “My Job at NASA Glenn” is a series that introduces some of these workers. Learn about different employees and the interesting jobs they perform, and how their education prepared them to make unique and important contributions to NASA.
Mary J. Lobo
Job Title: Space Simulation Facility Manager
What that means: I am responsible for the utilization of the NASA Glenn Space Simulation facilities at Lewis Field including over 20 thermal vacuum chambers in the Electric Propulsion Laboratory and Research Buildings and the Plasma Interactions Facility.
What I do: I coordinate testing, maintenance and upgrades of the facilities and do long range planning to ensure our test capabilities align with the strategic plans of NASA.
The most interesting part of my job is: Learning about the many ways our facilities are used to study how components and systems function in space and here on Earth. When potential customers explain what they want to test in our vacuum chambers and why, I am always amazed at the applications.
My favorite project that I have worked, or that I am working on, is: Monitoring the reconfiguration of the cryogenic panels in tank 5. VF-5 was already considered a world-class vacuum facility because of its high pumping speed (the speed at which air or gas is evacuated from the tank), so rearranging the panels to increase pumping speed further is significant in the space simulation world. I have learned even more about managing resources, reporting, technical challenges and, of course, the challenges of staying on schedule.
The accomplishment that I am most proud of is: Proving that your background does not dictate who you can be or what you can do. I grew up in an underprivileged community where many people did not graduate from high school, let alone excel in college and have accomplished careers. I believe this wonderful opportunity to work at NASA is a result of my dedication to education and belief that there are no limits imposed on us, only those we place on ourselves.
A Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education helped me by: Teaching me to be a problem-solver. With a degree in mechanical engineering, I learned to attack any problem with the proper tools. Even though my job is not purely technical- it’s a combination of technical, managerial, communication and budget- I still use the same approach to challenges as I did when I worked in the engineering field.
Good advice for students, including STEM students, is: Be adventurous and learn as much as you can, about everything you can. Being well rounded is one of your greatest assets.
How do you “dream big?” I never back away from a challenge for fear of failure. For me, when things are the most difficult, they are the most rewarding. I have found that even if I don’t reach my goal like I planned, the experience leads me to another opportunity I would have missed.
Who inspired you to “dream big” and how or what did they do that inspired you? Neither of my parents have college degrees, but for as long as I can remember, they pushed me and my sister to “dream big” and accomplish the highest goals. Just like every parent, they wanted more for us then they had for themselves. There have been countless others who have inspired me though their achievements, but Mom and Dad have always been my biggest motivators.
What do you do to inspire others to “dream big?” I inspire others to “dream big” by making sure I share my story. I participate in local science fairs, speak at schools, tutor high school math and mentor students. At each opportunity I let them know that I am no different from them and that they can accomplish even more than me as long as they apply themselves and believe.
Meet More NASA Glenn Employees
-Edited by Nancy Smith Kilkenny, SGT Inc.
NASA’s Glenn Research Center