“People always tell me, ‘You must be the smartest guy.’ I tell them, ‘I’m not the smartest guy.’ We work with very smart people, but that shouldn’t be a barrier.
“You know the joke: ‘Yes, I am a rocket scientist.’ And that’s a great perception to have in terms of feeling pride about what we do. But that shouldn’t exclude people from wanting to work for NASA because they think, ‘I have to be the smartest guy or gal in my class.’ That’s why I try to tell students all the time: that measure of success in school doesn’t necessarily mean that that’s the only type of people we’re looking for.
“This is what makes America great. The opportunities are there and anything is possible. I’m a son of an immigrant, and I’ve had the most tremendous experiences at NASA. I think anybody can do what I’m doing.”
— Howard Hu, Orion Program Manager, Johnson Space Center
Image Credit: NASA / Josh Valcarcel
Interviewer: NASA / Thalia Patrinos