Transcripts of Cynthia_Simmons_Women@NASA-MASTER_youtube_hq

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) (music) end