MICHIGAN POPS ALUMNI is proud to feature Emily Judd (‘19) as our first Pops blogger. Follow her journey from University of Michigan graduate to NASA’s newest engineer. We spend this first entry getting to know Emily!
MPA: Emily, tell us about your path to joining the Michigan Pops Orchestra.
Repping the horn section at Pops rehearsal
EMILY: In my undergraduate studies, I was a double major in music performance and aerospace engineering. Although I decided to pursue engineering as my career path, I wanted to continue being involved with music. And that was one of the great things about attending graduate school at the University of Michigan—the music program is very strong.
When I arrived, I looked online for non-music major opportunities on campus. I first joined the Campus Symphony Orchestra (CSO). We were playing Pavane for a Dead Princess, and Rotem was conducting for that piece. After rehearsal, he came up to me and asked if I would be interested in joining the Michigan Pops Orchestra as well. CSO only rehearsed once a week, and I thought it’d be a great opportunity to join a second ensemble. So I auditioned, got in, and stuck with it!
MPA: What was it like balancing Pops with your master’s program?
““I have figured out that if I don’t regularly participate in something musical, I am simply not as happy of a person.””
EMILY: I did have professors and advisors tell me multiple times that I should quit music because it was taking away from my engineering career. However, I have figured out that if I don’t regularly participate in something musical, I am simply not as happy of a person. Even though people may say that I shouldn’t be devoting so much time to music, I really do need this amount of time—music uses other parts of my brain and is a great stress break. I get to do something different from engineering and exercise my lungs.
Since moving out to Virginia, I haven’t been as involved with music as in school. Recently though, I went to a Virginia Symphony Orchestra concert, and again, I realized that I so need that music time, and I am very excited to be starting rehearsals with two community orchestras!
MPA: What is your current role with NASA?
Langley’s newest aerospace engineer!
EMILY: I am an aerospace engineer in the Space Mission Analysis Branch at the Langley Research Center! We take new mission ideas and turn them into more feasible concepts, which can then be presented to leadership. This summer, I have been working on cost estimate modeling and human exploration analysis. For example, at the beginning of the summer, I worked on a proposal for a new science satellite that is designed to orbit the Earth and collect atmospheric measurements. Based on previous satellites and planned upgrades for the new model, I can make predictions on how much the mission might cost. My branch engages in a lot of the behind-the-scenes support and analysis for the agency. Our work can directly influence the direction that the agency is taking and what projects move forward, which I think is really neat.
MPA: Tell me more about the Langley Research Center. What other projects are happening?
EMILY: Langley is the original NASA center. It started out as a NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) center, which turned into NASA under Eisenhower. We celebrated our 100th anniversary in 2017!
A model of the Orion Launch Abort System used in the National Transonic Facility
Inside Langley, we have a variety of wind tunnels to test model aircraft and spacecraft. Langley also does materials and structures work, like validating the heat shield for the Orion capsule, which will carry up to four astronauts for space travel to the Moon and Mars. We also deal with fluid dynamics and aeroacoustics, including how to make airplanes quieter and minimizing sonic booms associated with supersonic/hypersonic planes. We are working on new designs for supersonic planes that would create a sonic “thump” rather than a boom. These are just a few of our wide range of research projects.
MPA: What do you hope to achieve or learn at NASA?
EMILY: Considering that I started full-time two months ago, I am still figuring out what skill areas I want to develop and what direction I want to take for my career. However, I am coming in at a very exciting time for human exploration work because we are returning to the Moon with crew by 2024. So in my first five years, I will be working on missions to the Moon! We are following up on the Apollo program and aiming for a more sustainable approach this time as we target the lunar south pole. This new program is named Artemis for the goddess of the moon and twin sister of Apollo. The name is a nice nod to the Apollo program and the female astronauts that will be involved this time. I’m excited to see the fruits of our work in the next couple years.
MPA: What does a typical day at work look like?
EMILY: I do a lot of computer work in my cubicle on cost estimate models and human exploration, which includes research, reading papers, working on presentations, and meeting with coworkers to discuss our projects. It’s hard to say what a typical day looks like because, so far, I have experienced a wide variety.
First day on the job!
As a new hire, I have been going on tours to different parts of the center; recently, we saw a wind tunnel (specifically, the National Transonic Facility) for the transonic region, which is very tricky from an aerodynamics point of view. I was also on the planning committee for the Langley Summer Games. Center buildings competed against each other in cornhole, tug-of-war, water balloons, and volleyball, among other activities. It was a very fun event overall!
Some of the work that we do is also partnered with other centers or other groups across the center. A current project I have is partnered with the Advanced Materials and Processing Branch. I was able to go over to see the machinery and processes they use to analyze samples. Understanding the materials analysis helps me with my cost analysis and the overall study. I am also learning a lot of methodology. My mentor and I went down to Houston where the Johnson Space Center hosted the NASA Cost and Schedule Symposium. Essentially, all the personnel doing cost and schedule modeling met together to go over best practices, background data behind the models, updates, and future work. The symposium was a great learning experience, and it helped with networking with other people in the costing community across the agency and in the industry.
MPA: What was your most memorable moment from Pops?
Horn Island
EMILY: There are so many! Oh wow, I would say my favorite concert was Intergalactic Pops (Fall 2017). I’m a space person, and I play horn so John Williams, that is great stuff—my favorite concert for sure! I’d say my favorite Pops memory is Horn Island. The horns were a little persnickety, which made for good section bonding, and the camaraderie we developed as a section was great. Getting to know different people and making some amazing friends outside of engineering was also awesome. There were so many great opportunities from Pops that I am thankful for. The Pops Love is real!
Tune in soon for the next blog entry on Emily’s new life at NASA
Visiting the space shuttle Endeavor with the Michigan AIAA chapter!