Kenwyn Long
Physicist
NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio
What I do at NASA
I am a physicist working on space radiation
damage to solar cells. There are radiation belts outside the Earth composed
of very energetic particles that can really zap solar cells. We are designing
shielding for these cells to protect them from damage while allowing enough
sunlight through for the cells to convert to electrical energy to power
the spacecraft.
What I like to do outside of NASA
I like to hike, bike, cross country ski
anything outdoors, which is a welcome change after being on computers
and in labs all day. I also like to read (anything from historical novels
to fashion magazines), and keep in touch with my two adult children. One
is a political scientist, the other is an accountant, but they both enjoy
science and love hearing about the latest Hubble and Chandra Space Telescope
discoveries. My husband is a family and substance abuse counselor; hes
also wowed by all the stuff out in space!
Why I became a scientist
Ive always wondered how things worked,
and was never satisfied with "just because
" as an answer. Getting
a chemistry set for Christmas when I was eight really got me started on
the idea of science as exploration and enjoyment. I had to get over the
prevailing attitude that existed even when I was in college that "real
girls arent supposed to be scientists or engineers". Today Im
glad I didnt let that stop me from doing what I really wanted to
do!
If I could redo high school, I would
have
I wish I had taken more mathematics in high
school. Courses like physics and college math, especially calculus, are
much easier if youve had enough trigonometry and geometry
in high school.
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