“Every career change I’ve made in the quarter of a century I’ve been with the agency, I think, ‘Wow, this is the best job I’ve ever had!’ It wasn’t until the last five years that I’ve come to realize it’s not necessarily the project, it’s about my attitude. And how I walk in and embrace the new task at hand. This is the message that I give during academic outreach opportunities when I represent NASA: it’s not just about the job.
“We work with so many smart people. The obstacles will be overcome. We will achieve our goal. During training, we learn that when failure comes into play, it’s due to human responses. It’s the soft touch which makes or breaks a project. I try to be that glue or conduit, ensuring not only that the research portfolio is healthy, but the team is healthy as well. Mentally, physically, financially healthy — so that we’re balanced.”
— QuynhGiao Nguyen, High Temperature and Durable Materials Lead for NASA’s Hypersonic Technology Project, Glenn Research Center
Image Credit: NASA / Bridget Caswell
Interviewer: NASA / Thalia Patrinos