NASA Science Live: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage

TL;DR

NASA Science Live honors National Hispanic Heritage Month by highlighting the diverse roles and valuable perspectives of Hispanic American employees at NASA.

Transcript

Welcome. Welcome to another virtual episode of NASA Science Live. In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we want to reinforce our commitment to equal opportunity, diversity and inclusion. My name is Raquel Villanueva. My last name originates from a town's name in Spain. It was brought to La Paz Bolivia where part of my family still resides. ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🙈 Diversity is seen as a strength at NASA, and the agency celebrates the valuable contributions of its Hispanic American employees.
• 🥹 The employees featured in the video hold various roles, including engineers, scientists, project managers, and multimedia specialists, showcasing the diversity of career paths available at NASA.
• 🏑 Hispanic Americans make up 6% of the workforce in science and engineering, and supporting representation in STEM fields is crucial for the future.
• 👾 NASA employees with Hispanic heritage work on a range of projects, from studying the solar system and developing space technologies to disaster risk reduction and outreach efforts.
• 👯 Education is essential for pursuing a career at NASA, and the agency encourages young people from all backgrounds to consider science and engineering fields.
• 💍 NASA's commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equality is reflected in its efforts to engage, educate, and reach out to the public through multimedia projects and communication initiatives.

Questions & Answers

Q: What does Sabrina Delgado Arias research and how does it contribute to practical applications?

Sabrina Delgado Arias researches the use of ICESAT-2 data, which provides 3D profiles of the Earth's surface. Her work helps create awareness about the data's various applications, such as studying sea ice, vegetation height, and inland water data for practical purposes like monitoring floods and droughts.

Q: What role does Diana Trujillol play at NASA and what is she currently working on?

Diana Trujillol is an aerospace engineer working at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She is part of a team that works on robotic arms for Mars missions. Currently, she is involved in the Mars 2020 mission, specifically focusing on collecting materials on the surface of Mars to investigate the possibility of past life.

Q: What is Lucas Paganini's role at NASA and what was his most memorable project?

Lucas Paganini is a program scientist at NASA Headquarters, overseeing the science content and execution of space mission and research programs. One of his most memorable projects was the discovery of water vapor on Jupiter's moon, Europa. This finding has significant implications for the search for life beyond Earth, and NASA is planning a future mission called Europa Clipper to gather more information about the moon.

Q: What does Yajaira Sierra-Sastre do at NASA and what is her current project?

Yajaira Sierra-Sastre is a project manager at NASA's Glenn Research Center. She is currently leading the development of shape memory alloy tires for future Mars rovers. These tires are made of materials that can conform to rocky terrains and withstand the harsh conditions on Mars, enabling the rovers to traverse long distances and collect samples.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The video celebrates the diverse roles and backgrounds of Hispanic American employees at NASA.

• It features individuals working in various positions, such as aerospace engineer, project manager, program scientist, multimedia specialist, and more.

• The employees discuss their work, career paths, and the importance of representation in STEM fields.