Archive of Debbie Martinez's chat on October 14, 1999

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 4 - 08:04:01 ]
Hello everyone! We are standing by in the chat room with Debbie Martinez from NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Debbie is a computer engineer and an aerospace specialist. Our congratulations to Debbie as she recently won the "1999 Latina Award in Science & Technology."

[ lizett - 5 - 08:18:50 ]
Hola, buenos dias a todos!!

[ lizett - 6 - 08:19:10 ]
soy de Mexico..

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 7 - 08:23:23 ]
RE: [lizett] Hola, buenos dias a todos!!
¡Bienvenidos!

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 11 - 08:26:49 ]
RE: [Jenny/Rebecca/Aimee] What do you do on your computer?
Well, many things. For instance...I work on spreadsheets for budget, I write requirement documents, telnet to main computers to work on programs, etc.

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 13 - 08:28:52 ]
RE: [lizett] yo quisiera poder platicar con personas que saben de tecnologia espacial ya que a mi me llama mucho la atencion ese tipo de investigaciones.
Realmente no trabajo directamente con tecnologia espacial sino aeronautica. Pero mucho de los conceptos que se investigan con nuestro simuladores pueden applicarse en el espacio, como por ejemplo "control systems".

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 14 - 08:29:47 ]
RE: [Jenny/Rebecca/Aimee] have you ever worked with Jeff Plecinia?(If that's how you spell it)
I do not know him.

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 17 - 08:31:34 ]
RE: [Jenny/Rebecca/Aimee] Do you speak spanish fluently?
Yes, I speak and write (most of the time) Spanish fluently.

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 23 - 08:34:27 ]
RE: [Tess] What do you like most about your job?
I like working on the different types of studies that researchers bring to our facility.

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 24 - 08:36:35 ]
RE: [kami/melissa/brittany/patrick] what kinds of things have you built
I help design the cockpits of our simulators - instrument panels, display system layouts, etc.

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 25 - 08:38:07 ]
EVERYONE: Thank you for all of your excellent questions!!! As you can see, they do not immediately appear on the screen after you type them in. They come to me first and then I post them as Debbie answers the questions that came before them. Please do not send in your question a second time, because I have at least 50 questions in the queue right now, waiting to be answered! THANKS :-)

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 26 - 08:38:10 ]
RE: [Jenny/Rebecca/Aimee] How did you feel when you won the 1999 Latina Award in Science & Technology?
It was very exciting for me to be among so many celebrities - especially Gloria Estefan who won the entertainment award.

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 27 - 08:40:02 ]
RE: [AnnaCarissaHalsteneStephanie] Do you have any kids, and do they like science as much as you do?
Yes, I have 2 children. A 6 yrs old boy who loves airplanes and anything to do with science, and a new baby girl - she'll be 3 months this Friday :)

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 28 - 08:40:53 ]
RE: [aysha] how did you like it when you became a computer engineer?
Yes, I enjoy being an engineer.

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 37 - 08:44:55 ]
RE: [RileeAllen] Does it feel strange to work around men?
Not really. I've got use to being the only woman around early on in college.

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 38 - 08:45:36 ]
RE: [ayshaedithleticiamaribel] Primero que nada,gracias por darnos la aportunida de conversar con tigo.
Es mi placer poder estar aqui :)

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 39 - 08:46:47 ]
RE: [lizett] cuanto llevas trabajando ahi?
Desde 1990 - 9 años, vaya que rapido pasa el tiempo cuando estas disfutandolo!

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 40 - 08:48:00 ]
RE: [AnnaCarissaHalsteneStephanie] How many hours a day do you work on your job?
I work a typical 8 hour/day job (40 hours/week).

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 41 - 08:50:13 ]
RE: [kami/melissa/brittany/patrick] What is it like being one of the few females to work for NASA?
I really don't think about that much. It has become second nature to me now. I guess the less you dwell on it, the less you notice it. Plus I work with a bunch of gentlemen which makes it easier :)

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 42 - 08:51:12 ]
RE: [Jenny/Rebecca/Aimee] How did you get motivated for this job knowing this field contains mostly males?
I enjoy my work so that is my motivation.

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 43 - 08:52:09 ]
RE: [kami/melissa/brittany/patrick] what do you have to wear in your job?
Oh, it's pretty casual around here. But we do dress up for demos, presentations, etc.

[ Aimee/Rebecca/Jenny - 44 - 08:52:42 ]
Thank you very much for answering our questions but we have to go to our next class.Bye.

[ aysha/edith/leticia/maribel - 46 - 08:52:42 ]
THANK YOU FOR LETING US CHAT WITH YOU ,ITS BEEN A HONOR TO TALK WITH YOU BUT WE HAVE TO GO HOPE TO CHAT WITH YOU AGAIN YOURS TRULY AYSHA,LETICIA,EDITH,MARIBEL

[ DianaandNikki - 51 - 08:52:42 ]
Thank you for your time. We had fun asking you questions!

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 55 - 08:55:47 ]
RE: [Jenny/Rebecca/Aimee] Was it always your dream to have this job when you were A child?
As I mentioned, I had many interest (archeologist, veterinarian, marine biologist, computer scientist, engineer, astronomer, astronaut) so I guess I'm lucky I finally decided on a couple :)

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 56 - 08:56:04 ]
RE: [Tess/Clara/Nicole/Ryan] Thanks for chating with us but we have to go to our next class. Bye. Adios.
Adios!

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 57 - 08:56:07 ]
EVERYONE: Debbie will be online for another 15 minutes and then she has to get back to her real job :-) Please hold off on sending anymore questions so that Debbie has a chance to answer the 30 questions that are still waiting in the queue. Thanks :-)

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 58 - 08:56:31 ]
RE: [kami/melissa/brittany/patrick] would you like to go to space if you were given the chance?
YES!

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 59 - 08:57:31 ]
RE: [Tess/Clara/Nicole/Ryan] Thanks for chating with us but we have to go to our next class. Bye. Adios.
Thank you so much for the great questions. I wish you all a great future! ¡Gracias por sus prequntas y les deseo exito en sus futuros!

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 60 - 08:58:20 ]
EVERYONE: When today's chat is over, please let the QUEST team know how we're doing on our chats by filling out the short survey at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/qchat-surveys Thank you! This will help us make these NASA chats the best they can be :-)

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 61 - 08:58:21 ]
RE: [AnnaCarissaHalsteneStephanie] Are you doing anything with the Mars mission?
Not currently. Maybe they'll want a simulator for that but I don't know as of yet.

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 62 - 08:58:49 ]
RE: [aysha/edith/leticia/maribel] THANK YOU FOR LETING US CHAT WITH YOU ,ITS BEEN A HONOR TO TALK WITH YOU BUT WE HAVE TO GO HOPE TO CHAT WITH YOU AGAIN YOURS TRULY AYSHA,LETICIA,EDITH,MARIBEL
You are welcome!

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 63 - 08:59:39 ]
RE: [DianaandNikki] Thank you for your time. We had fun asking you questions!
Me too. Take care!

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 64 - 09:01:53 ]
RE: [RileeAllen/Rachel] do you work mostly around men, or women?
Mostly men but I notice that every year that there are more women working around here so that is exciting!

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 67 - 09:03:58 ]
RE: [Melissa] Which is the most interesting project you've worked on?
I guess designing this new General Aviation simulator from scratch is were I'm learning the most so it's my favorite so far...

[ AnnaCarissaHalsteneStephanie - 69 - 09:04:46 ]
THank you for chatting with us. We have to go to our next class now. We appreciate it!

[ lizett - 72 - 09:04:46 ]
gracias por el tiempo que nos dedicas nos vemos despues!! cuidate...

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 73 - 09:05:38 ]
RE: [lizett] que estudiaste para ser lo que eres?
Un bachilerato en computadoras, pilota, y una maestria de ciencia en ingenieria de sistemas (modelos y simulaciones).

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 74 - 09:06:18 ]
RE: [KaMImELISSA] WE HAVE TO GO, IT WAS NICE MEETING YOU
Same here. Take care :)

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 75 - 09:06:37 ]
RE: [lizett] gracias por el tiempo que nos dedicas nos vemos despues!! cuidate...
Igualmente, fue un placer.

[ AnnaCarissaHalsteneStephanie - 79 - 09:13:58 ]
THank you for chatting with us. We have to go to our next class now. We appreciate it!

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 85 - 09:16:23 ]
RE: [AnnaCarissaHalsteneStephanie] Are your co-workers mainly male, or are there some female co-workers?
Out of 37 only 2 of us are female engineers.

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 86 - 09:17:34 ]
RE: [kami/melissa/brittany/patrick] Did you like science as a child?
Yes, I always found many fields of science very interesting - I guess that's why I couldn't make up my mind on what field to pick :)

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 87 - 09:18:02 ]
RE: [kami/melissa/brittany/patrick] what influenced you to be a scientist?
My interest in science and math.

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 88 - 09:20:20 ]
RE: [AnnaCarissaHalsteneStephanie] DO you hope that when your daughter grows up, that she will follow in your footsteps?
Whatever field she wants to pursue will be fine with me. I just want her to get a college education in whatever she picks.

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 89 - 10:20:51 ]
RE: [aysha/edith/leticia/maribel] Is being an engineer hard work for a women?
It is just as hard as it is for men. I don't think it's easier for one gender to learn than it is for another. We all have the same potential!

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 90 - 10:22:04 ]
RE: [AnnaCarissaHalsteneStephanie] THank you for chatting with us. We have to go to our next class now. We appreciate it!
You're welcome. Take care!

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 91 - 10:26:41 ]
RE: [kami/melissa/brittany/patrick] how long did you take shool to prepare for this?
Well, I'm still going to school just because I like learning new things especially if it helps me do my job better. But when I was hired by NASA I had a BS and that took me 3 years to complete - it usually takes 4, I took extra classes in the summer.

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 92 - 10:30:45 ]
RE: [lizett] Mi unico sueño desde pequeña ha sido el tener contacto con la NASA y con investigaciones realizadas, todo lo relacionado con la ciencia, entonces yo te pregunto que se necesitaria para poder llegar a ser como tu, para hacer lo que tu haces?
Primero tienes que escoger una area de ciencia que te gusta. Entonces conseguir tu educacion en esa area y sacar buenas notas. Luego aplica para un posicion con NASA donde tus conocimientos puedan ser utilizados. Te deseo buena suerte con tus metas!

[ Sandy/NASAChatHost - 93 - 10:31:13 ]
EVERYONE: TODAY'S CHAT WITH DEBBIE MARTINEZ HAS COME TO AN END :-( Thank you all very much for your fantastic questions! Be sure to fill out the short survey to let us know how we're doing with our chats (http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/qchats/qchat-survey) AND sign up for another chat at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/events. Thanks again for joining us today :-)

[ DebbieMartinez/LaRC - 94 - 10:34:44 ]
Well, I got to go now. You all had great questions. I hope you found my answers helpful. Take care and remember to do your best at whatever you like to do! ¡Gracias por sus prequntas y les deseo exito en sus futuros!