Interviews Galore

I had an interview yesterday with a guy from the Euro Space Center in Belgium, so if you ever head out that way look for a plaque with my name and picture on it :0P

In the process of giving the interview I realized I had a bunch of articles and such that I was quoted in from my stint at the press site for STS-135 that I have not yet posted yet, so here goes...

This picture taken in the shuttle simulator during STS-134 is the one that the company has been providing to the press.  It can be found online on Boeing's flikr site, attached to an article/radio interview that I did for KIRO radio out in Seattle, and for my Boeing "twitterview", which you can find on the BoeingDefense twitter account and which was also advertised on Boeing's Facebook page.

Here is the transcript of the twitterview:

 BoeingDefense Boeing Defense

In 5 we'll Twitterview #Boeing shuttle pgm engineer Rachel Wiedemann @BoeingDefense w/ Qs sent Thurs #nasatweetup #csatweetup #spacetweeps

Q. Rachel, what do you do on the shuttle program?

A. I work with the tiles and thermal protection – it’s very hands-on. Repairs, fabrication, design.

Q. How did you become a shuttle engineer?

A. I’ve always done well in math and science, and I’ve been passionate about space since I was a child. It was a natural career choice for me

Q. How is it being a female engineer?

A. My workgroup has a lot of female engineers. I don’t see gender as a component of teamwork.  Engineering is intelligence-based, not gender-based.

Q. What is the coolest part of working on the shuttle?

A. It’s the space shuttle! It’s iconic and I get to be around it every day.  I saw STS-121 land mere feet away and it was just incredible to be so close.

Q. What do you consider to be the biggest accomplishments of the shuttle program?

A. The space station, advances in medicine, improvements in technology.  Benefits from the space shuttle are countless -- things that have helped our daily lives.

Q. What do you like the best/worst about your job?

A. Worst is working to very strict timelines -- not impossible, just stressful.  Best is I don’t have to sit at a desk all day -- I get to talk with people and work interactively.

Q. How do you feel about the shuttle program ending?

A. It’s sad. It’s been a big part of my life. I’ve loved working w/ the shuttle; now I have to find something else.

Q. What will you do when the shuttle program ends?

A. I don’t have plans yet. I’d love to stay with #Boeing, but I want to stay working with anything space-related.

Q. What’s your advice for young people who want to be space engineers or astronauts?

A. Don’t forget your passion. Pursue opportunities that you’ll enjoy doing.  Internships, clubs, math and science -- find all the things you can do to get the experience and make it happen.

BoeingDefense Boeing Defense

Thanks to #Boeing space shuttle engineer Rachel Wiedemann & to everyone who sent questions! Go Atlantis! #shuttleandbeyond

Also, I was recent sent this is a picture that was taken during STS-134 by one of the Boeing Communications representatives while I gave a TV interview for a local station.