Name: Sheila M. Wall
Formal Job Classification: Aerospace engineer
Organization: Code 542, Mechanical Systems Analysis and Simulation Branch
What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard’s mission?
Prior to making any physical models of any proposed designs, my role is to create a mathematical representation of the design and perform structural analysis to determine if the design is capable of withstanding launch environments, thermal loads, minimum frequency requirements and stability of optics in various environments. With results from my mathematical model, also known as a finite element model (FEM), determining design inadequacies and performing trade studies can be done in a timely manner in comparison to building multiple engineering units.
During the development of the instrument, I also support the environmental testing of various instrument components and the actual flight instrument, prior to Observatory level environmental testing. I help to support Goddard’s mission by improving instrument designs prior to manufacturing which helps reduce cost and schedule.
What are some of the projects you have worked on at Goddard?
I was one of the structural analyst on The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, formerly called GLAST, which launched June 11, 2008; more specifically, I was part of the Anti-Coincidence Detector (ACD) structural analyst team.
I was also a structural analyst for the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) instrument, an instrument on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission, which launched June 18, 2009. One of LOLA’s missions was to provide guidance to possible safe Moon landings by creating a topographic, or 3D, map of the Moon’s surface.
I was also the lead structural analyst for the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS), the single instrument of the Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) mission, which successfully launched on Sept. 15, 2018. One of ICESat-2’s missions is to investigate the changes of the polar ice sheets on Earth over time and how this affects sea level rise.
I am currently the lead structural analyst for the L’Ralph instrument for the Lucy mission. Lucy will launch in 2021 and will reach five Jupiter Trojans to study how planetary systems are born and evolve.
What inspired you to become an aeronautical engineer?
When I was a sophomore in high school in 1987, I heard about and saw pictures of the first African-American woman to be admitted into the astronaut training program. I wish I could find the words to express how seeing someone that looks like you, achieve goals that you didn’t even imagine before, changes your perception of the world. If you can imagine, my mind didn’t even dream of becoming an astronaut until I learned of Mae Jemison.
As a teenager, I remember dreading that all too common question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I honestly didn’t have a clue. I knew I excelled in math and science and I wanted to be able to financially take care of myself, but did I dare tell anyone that I wanted to be an astronaut?
One afternoon, after track practice, my track coach asked me what I wanted to study in college. For the first time, I actually vocalized my dreams to someone — I wanted to be an astronaut. He suggested that I begin with engineering so I started researching engineering.
Around this time, my father was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer. Although my family is very supportive, being the youngest of six children, I knew that if I was going to pursue college, I would have to finance and pursue my college education myself. So, with the help of my sister who is three years older than me, I applied to several colleges. I had applied to Harvard and got as far as a family interview, but Harvard was just not financially possible.
I redirected my college dream when, in March 1990, I received a full academic scholarship to The Ohio State University to major in aeronautical engineering. I shared the good news with my father in our last conversation before he lost his battle to cancer. Although it was a difficult time, I was grateful that I could share with him my wonderful news and perhaps put him at ease that we would be OK.
Attending my college orientation alone, I knew the journey would be arduous but with hard work and persistence, I succeeded.
So thanks to those that do not know that they were a guiding light for a child growing up in Columbus, Ohio, with knowledge of only the streets of her neighborhood until they showed her more.
How did you come to Goddard?
After college, I worked at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, in the structural analysis branch. Although I enjoyed getting hands on experience, I wanted to work for NASA. A few years into my career at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, I attended several job fairs where NASA was present, sent out numerous resumes and finally found a job with NASA as a structural analyst.
What happened to your dream of being an astronaut?
Once I learned more about the physical aspects of being an astronaut, and started working as an aerospace engineer, my dream realigned to being an engineer at NASA.
What do you enjoy most about being an engineer?
As an adult, two of my hobbies are putting together LEGO sets and hot air balloon jigsaw puzzles. Creating my mathematical models, 3D numerical representations of the instruments, is one of my favorite aspects of my job. I feel like I’m creating my very own jigsaw puzzle or elaborate LEGO set.
What are some of your favorite projects you have worked on at Goddard?
I have been lucky and fortunate. I was there in the beginning of every project that I’ve worked on at NASA, and was able to see them all make it to launch. I even got to see ICESat-2 launch in person. I can’t say one is my favorite over another. They are all winners to me.
I will cherish forever seeing my first launch, ICESat-2. I also cherish being able to touch and work with instruments that will launch to the outer belts of Jupiter, such as my current project.
What goes through your mind when you are trying to solve a problem with an instrument?
I create a fault tree to methodically determine what caused the problem. With such complex systems, often times a failure can be caused by multiple contributing factors. Based on the complexity of the problem or the stage of the project when the failure occurs, we may create a review board of experts.
Initially, I think about whether or not I have seen or heard of this problem occurring before on another project. I also try to document all problems so the mistake or inadequacy doesn’t occur again in the future.
I will also share my experience with other branch members that aren’t on the same team so that they could possibly avoid running into the same issue. Sharing knowledge is a great trait of working at NASA. Our team camaraderie helps make many of NASA’s projects so successful.
As a mentor, what is the most important advice you give?
There can often be multiple solutions to one problem, so be open-minded when trying to solve an issue. Open-mindedness not only helps with problem solving, it also helps with team building.
Also, do not be afraid to ask for help or to admit when you do not know an answer. These multi-million dollar projects can become overwhelming, but knowing that we as a team can solve these problems together will ease your mind.
What honors and awards have you received?
In April 2013, I received the AETD Excellence Award for Engineers for the Structural Thermal Optical Performance (STOP) analysis performed for ATLAS, the instrument for the ICESat-2 mission. The award was granted to acknowledge the amount of effort it took to produce optical sight errors for hundreds of cases, which represented various orbits around the Earth.
You mentioned that you enjoy building LEGO sets. What is your favorite LEGO set to date?
I own over 22 LEGO sets, which range from NASA inspired sets such as the space shuttle to various types of cars including a Ferrari and Aston Martin to name a few. Although I love the uniqueness of each set, I show a slight favoritism to the space shuttle. It was my very first LEGO set I purchased, as an adult.
What is your favorite TV show?
“Survivor.” Approximately 20 people are put on an island, and one by one the team votes them off. It is very exciting to me to see how they figure out how to survive both the physical and personality challenges. I enjoy seeing who survives when the odds are against them.
Although I worked pretty hard to get where I am, I think a little bit of luck together with hard work and determination describes my life well.
If you could meet Mae Jemison, what would you say to her?
I would thank her for her journey and for allowing me to use her reality to initiate my dreams. I have not met her, but I hope to someday.
By Elizabeth M. Jarrell
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center