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Matt McGill: As a student in atmospheric science and having a degree in atmospheric science
with a focus on developing remote sensing instrumentation, their aren't very many places
you can pursue that line of work, and Goddard is one of the preeminent places
for earth science, atmospheric science, and instrument development.
I'm Dr. Matt McGill; I'm a research scientist in the Earth Science Division.
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I am currently and have been since the inception a member
of the Goddard Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Advisory Committee,
and I also support D&I activities for 600 and 610.
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A very wise person said,
"look, don't forget people don't check who
they are when they come through the gate each day." You come into the center with your
demographic and all your baggage, and people come to the center with
all the problems and frustrations of life outside the gates, they can't leave that at the gate.
they can't leave that at the gate. But we, you know we tend to forget
that especially on the science side, we tend to forget that people come here with all that
baggage, and the, "who they are" in the real world.
That is important and
having a strong D&I/EEO presence at the center,
their is one way to try and remind people that their
are problems and frustrations that people are faced with outside our offices.
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Well personal research experiences, I've had many we'd develop, I've been
able to develop many remote sensing instruments here, including one that
operated on the Space Station for almost three years.
In terms of learning experiences I think the thing I've learned the most
and I try to convey to others is that,
trusting and empowering a team is the key to success.
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I think that D&I/EEO does impact our mission success, not necessarily
in like a flight project mission success way, but in the overall center or agency
in what we call "mission success." And I think I've seen that
apply a lot to the younger folks. They can participate in the
D&I/EEO activities, the advisory committees, and as a result they
become known to management early on. You present as part of those activities,
you talk to management, you work with them, so later on when those employees
have to interact with center management for proposals, project,
whatever is going on they become known, "oh yeah I know you," and
theirs a comfort level then, both ways, and I've seen that help in many cases.
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Well the Goddard culture does present a lot of hindrances
and a lot of help, its true. Their are many hindrances,
you know: bureaucracy, too many rules, "I.T." Security, all that
stuff that we all deal with. As far as help, I think it usually
comes down to personal connections. Once folks are
here, if you develop personal connections and get known, then
those other folks help you overcome institutional biases or challenges
or anything else and you're able to succeed on your own merits, but it's usually
through personal connections or they help, and you get that here at Goddard if you
seek it out. We have mentors often,
I think on the science and engineering side, and,
but the personal connections, once people know your capabilities, your abilities,
that overcomes a lot.
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Compared to other centers I've visited, I think Goddard is unique. One
thing that Goddard has is simply a vast array of disciplines; you
can do almost anything here on this center. We have every sort of engineering, every sort of
science; project management. So I think there's a, just a vast
array of disciplines you can get involved with the projects here at Goddard.
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Be involved in the D&I/EEO activities on center, the
advisory committees. We have a hard time getting people to
especially on the science side, we have a hard time getting people to step away from their
computers and participate in these activities but the
ability to meet people across the center, learn that theirs a bigger center here
and again meet management, become
familiar with management, that is a huge benefit
especially for younger employees. Getting them to recognize
the value of that and take time out to participate in it is a challenge,
so if you can do it, if you have the opportunity, do it.