Music
My name is Judy Ballance.
I work at NASA Marshall
Space Flight Center in
Huntsville, Alabama. I'm
the deputy director of the
Science and Technology
Chief Engineers Office in
the Engineering Directorate.
When I grew up, I could
never imagine working for
NASA. Growing up on a farm
and doing farm work and
going to school, I always
knew I wanted to continue
learning. I was always
curious and I always wanted
to learn more, to do more.
But I never really thought
about working for NASA at
that time. I graduated from
high school, and I worked
my way through junior college
in medical lab technician
and worked at the hospital
for several years. And I went
back to school at night because
I loved math. I was curious,
I wanted to learn more. And
so I went back to college at
night and after I had finished
my third quarter of calculus,
I decided maybe I need to major
in something that requires
calculus. I ended up in engineering,
electrical engineering,
and I co-oped for the Army
here on Redstone Arsenal. And
that was exciting. When I
completed my college degree,
I went to work for a NASA
contractor -- McDonnell Douglas
at the time. And I worked several
SpaceLab mission for McDonnell Douglas.
NASA was not hiring when I
graduated from college because
there was a hiring freeze. But
when they opened the freeze up
and started hiring, I decided
to apply and see if I could get
a job with NASA. And I did, and
I've been here for 25 years. As
a chief engineer, I make sure
what they are doing meets the
requirements and is technically
correct and that the requirements
that they are working to can be
verified. Working in the science
area is very exciting because
anything in science, all of that
knowledge, goes back to the public
sector. And it benefits everybody
in society. One of the things that
I think is most important that I've
learned in career is to do the best
job I can. I have always tried to
live up to my commitments and do
what I say I'm going to do. I think
that's very important and builds
trust with other people. My parents
are the greatest influence in my
life. They never had the opportunity
to get a high school degree much
less a college degree. They had to
quit high school to work on the farm
and help their families. I grew
up with a large family -- seven
brothers and sisters -- and they
always worked hard to provide us
everything we needed. My parents
taught me that all work is meaningful
work. That every job is important in
life. Whether your cleaning the
bathrooms or working in the field,
or picking cotton, no matter what
you are doing, do it to the best of
your ability and do a good job.
I think it is important for girls
to do a good job, to be willing to
try again if they fail. You may not
end up in the career you start with,
and that's ok. It is ok to change
your mind. Go to school, get an
education, and then find a job and
work. If that's not what you really
like doing, it's ok to go back to
school and go back to whatever field
that you love. You don't always
know in the beginning what you
are going to like. You don't always
know where you are going to end up.
So it is ok to change your mind. It
is ok to go back and get another
degree and go back into another
field. Don't ever stop learning.
Learning is very important. Even if
you are learning things at home,
things in your hobbies, or things at
work, just keep learning and stay
curious. Be proud of what you are
doing. Be proud of your job. Be proud
of yourself. Be proud of your family.
And be proud that you are doing a good job.