Women of NASA Langley Profiles
Linda S. Bangert
![[Linda S. Bangert's photo (2/98)]](larc-LBangert.jpg)
My NASA title is "Aerospace Technologist" and my degrees are in Aeronautical
Engineering, but I would characterize what I have done as "Aeronautical
Research Engineer" and now a "Program Manager", so take your pick! My specialty
is understanding the effects of integrating the propulsion system with the
aircraft. I did this by testing airplane models in wind tunnels and simulating
the jet engine exhaust with high-pressure air.
At first, most of my work was on military fighter and attack airplanes in
the "transonic" speed range, which means near the speed of sound (the speed
of sound is about 761 miles per hour at sea level). Then I did some testing
of a future supersonic passenger airliner at take-off and landing speeds.
Now, I am the Deputy Program Manager for the Quiet Aircraft Technology program,
which is working to reduce airplane noise. Quieter airplanes are a benefit
to the communities near airports, the people flying on the airplanes, and
for any business which uses airlines, since many large airports currently
have flight restrictions because of aircraft noise.
Part of what made the job of a research engineer so interesting is that
it had many phases which required different skills - planning a project,
conceptual design of the test and wind tunnel model, testing the model,
reporting of the results, and planning follow-up work. At any given time,
I'm probably did some of each of those things on several different projects.
I really enjoyed the variety that this type of work offers. Now those planning
and organizational skills are serving me well as part of the team of people
managing a large research program.
I've always been interested in airplanes, probably because my father was
a flight instructor in World War II and a private pilot afterward. I actually
started college intending to get a degree in astronomy, but discovered that
meant working all night, so I switched to aeronautical engineering. The
cosmic joke is that the electricity requirements for a large transonic wind
tunnel I first worked in meant working all night as well! I always loved
all sorts of science, but thought of math as "just a tool". My best subject
was always English, and I think that it helped me a lot, because good communication,
written and verbal, is so important no matter what your job is. Also, being
good at English left me the time I needed to work harder on the math. None
of the career guidance tests I took in high school said that I should be
either an astronomer or an engineer, but I ignored them and did what I wanted
to do. However, it wasn't until late high school when I attended an "Engineer's
Night" program that the local engineering societies hosted, that I discovered
there were so many different types of engineering careers.
I was lucky enough to be in junior high and high school at a time when all
sorts of opportunities for women were opening up. It was an exciting time
when we were encouraged to believe we could do anything and have it all.
The realities of balancing work and family are a little trickier than we
were led to believe, but with a little flexibility and some careful thought
into what is really important in life, it can be done. Workplaces are also
becoming more flexible to make that balance a little easier to achieve.
It can be intimidating to be the "first woman" to do something, and there
are still many times when I find that I'm the only woman in a technical
meeting. However, I've found that if you do your job well and try to get
along with your peers, you're accepted as part of the team.
When I find the time, I also enjoy reading mysteries and science fiction
and playing in a handbell choir.
AUGUST 2000 |
