My name is Cynthia Simmons and I am Instrument Project Manager in the Flight
Projects Directorate here at Goddard Space Flight Center and specific work
Project Management over in house instruments and the mission I am working is ICESat,
Atlas.
(Music)
When I was a young girl, I thought I would be a write. Then I thought I was going to be
a Physcian a Neuro surgern, when I became an engineer
I thought I wanted to be an astronaut and I was actually on that path
when I was in the military. I never imagine, in my time
or my experiences
that I would be given the opportunities that I've been given to work
all these incredibile missions, I never dream that
The first day when I was
actually a civil servant, it was like walking on cloud nine
those all the words that are used a lot, but
I was in a dream world for a long time.
Originally I am from St. Louis Missouri, that's where I was
born and raised. My mother
moved us from the city, because she wanted education opportunities.
We're extremely poor, I remember
many times, but we didn't know it at the time because it looked like this was
the thing you should do. We would be eating hot dogs, that ever kid loves to do,
and my mom had a hot cup of Lipton tea and a slice
of white bread that she toasted and then she was dipping it in
She would sweeten, we thought we want that, but she would say "no, you need to eat
hot dog". What I later learned she didn't have money for
enough food for herself.
What I feel most grateful for and most
excited about what I've done here. I've been able to
participate in a lot of different mission and not only
size, but scope of science and where they are going
into space, what are they doing and I was able to participate in the design
as well as leading teams who are designing.
No matter what your path of life is
no matter the circumstances any time alone the life
don't let that define who you are
and how you react and use that to
enjoy life. I have learned in all these experiences that it's really important
to learn how to love life
appreciate what you have, to learn how to enjoy every moment
appreciate every opportunity
seek the next opportunity, make sure when you, I always say when I open a door, I want to make sure
that there is at least two doors behind there, and if I only find one
because you aren't all knowing, look for window. So you have at least two
paths on to the next thing.
Don't let where you are right now, constrict where your vector
has to go in live.
(music)
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