Well hello and welcome to this episode of Learn Everyday English, your roadway to English proficiency.
Glad to have you with me today.
We got a special guest in the studio today if you haven't noticed, kind of looks a little bit like me.
He's been on the program before but lucky to have him back we're going to be doing a couple of interviews and have these on, there's a fly buzzing around on the program but he's going to talk about his work activities as we say in English where he works.
He works kind of for a, say a real cool job or a real cool place, he'll tell you more about that.
But before we get started, just want to let you know, be sure to check out our webpage, Learn Everyday English webpage at www .learneverydayenglish .com.
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But without further ado, which means without waiting any longer, we're going to just jump right in to today's episode.
So I'm going to interview my brother, his name is Gerald, and he's going to tell you about his work activities, his work life, which I think you'll find interesting.
So Gerald, tell us a little bit about yourself, you know, kind of how you grew up.
I guess I know all about that since we're actually twin brothers, two minutes born, two minutes apart.
But just tell us a little about your upbringing and that sort of thing.
OK, we were born in a little town in Pennsylvania called Butler, Pennsylvania.
It's near Pittsburgh.
Don't remember much about it.
We moved when we were still small.
Our father was in the army, so we used to live in Nevada for a while, the army base.
And then we moved to Maryland, the state of Maryland on an army base there.
And then when he retired, we moved to Louisiana.
That's where our parents are from.
So we lived there about a year, staying with my aunt and grandmother.
And then we moved to Houston when we were about 12, I guess.
We were about in the sixth grade.
We moved to Houston, then grew up there in Houston.
Went to elementary school and high school, junior high and high school in Houston.
And then went to the University of Houston.
And that's where I studied engineering there, where we both went there.
And here we studied engineering also.
So that's kind of a quick synopsis, as they say, like a short information about our live lives.
Yeah, something we've been in Houston since the early 70s, if I remember, maybe like 1972.
And like Gerald said, we started sixth grade when we moved to Houston.
And I moved up here.
I live about one hour north of Houston in a city called Huntsville, but Gerald still lives in Houston.
So how do you like, you still like Houston?
What's your impression?
I know you've been there a long time, probably call it home.
But yeah, it's home.
That's the place I've lived the longest.
Now, I like Houston.
It's a big city. I think it's about the third or fourth largest city now in the United States.
The fourth largest.
The fourth largest.
And it's an international city.
You got people from all over the world living there.
You can find all types of different foods and restaurants.
I don't like cold weather.
So even though it's hot in the summers, I'd rather deal with the hot summers in the cold winter.
So yeah, I like Houston.
There's a lot of things that you're able to do, meet a lot of people.
So it's a nice city.
Let me kind of go back and touch on the high school.
Like Gerald said, we went to high school in Houston.
It was a private Catholic school, but it was a private, called a preparatory high school, which that means it prepared you to go to college.
So I think it was, in that respect, it was a good school.
And I think it did have an influence on what we decided to pursue as a higher education in college.
I got a civil engineering degree, and Gerald can tell you about his degree.
But how do you think the high school that we went to had an impact on your decision on what you wanted to study and major in in college?
Yeah, I think it had some influence.
I guess I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to study in college.
I really liked psychology and sociology, but you couldn't really do much with that degree unless you went further in your studies and maybe got a master's degree or PhD.
So I always liked electronics.
I guess when we were growing up, we used to build some radios and other different things like that.
We used to listen to the shortwave radio a lot.
So that was one of my interests.
So I guess maybe based on what we did in high school, the work there and just my interest in electronics, that's why I ended up deciding to go into electrical engineering college.
Yeah, and kind of the same thing happened to me in high school.
I wanted to actually study ecology in college, but we had guidance counselors that kind of helped you decide what to study.
And he told me, well, you may like to do that, but it's going to be more difficult to find a job.
And I think at the time, engineering was, you say, booming, which means there was a lot of jobs in engineering.
So he suggested looking at engineering.
So I decided to pick the closest field of engineering to the environment, like environmental engineering, and that fell under civil engineering.
So that's how I just made the choice to study civil engineering.
So in college, I know you were studying electrical engineering.
Would you say it was easy or pretty difficult?
How would you gauge that?
Definitely not easy.
Spent long nights studying and some of the classes were difficult.
I remember there was one upper engineering class on mathematics, and I still don't understand all that they were talking about.
It was really theoretical, a lot of calculations.
But yeah, it's difficult.
But if you study hard, you'll be able to get through it.
Yeah, I remember there was one class.
I think we were both in.
It was a physics one class, no, physics two, I think, about Gaussian surfaces.
And that was some stuff.
And I remember the first test, I think I got like a 32, and some people got 17, some people got zeros.
And yeah, I seriously thought about dropping, and I stayed in there.
I was able to get a C.
I was happy to get that and to get it get out of there.
But yeah, some of those engineering courses can be pretty difficult, pretty tough.
Well, to another question, if you had to do it all again, would you make the same decision and stick with engineering, electrical engineering?
Or I know we say it with an expression in English, hindsight is 2020.
That means once you look back into the past, you can see things maybe more clearly and differently, maybe make different decisions.
But at the time, when you're younger, you may not have the information that you need or know exactly what you want to do.
But if looking back, as hindsight is 2020, do you regret anything or happy with your decision you made to study engineering?
No, I don't think I would change anything.
I know when I was in an engineering program, there's another program that was engineering technology, like it was more hands -on, got to build things.
But it's not the same as having an engineering degree.
But I was thinking about doing that, and I guess I'm glad I didn't, because having an engineering degree, I guess, gives you more job opportunities.
If you only had a technology degree, maybe we'll talk about it.
I wouldn't have been able to get the current job that I have.
I needed an engineering degree.
I know we both graduated, I think, in 1985 from University of Houston.
So what was your first job after college, and did you like it?
Were you able to find a job kind of in the quote -unquote, we do this in the quote -unquote, in the electrical engineering field?
Because I know you weren't working at your current job that you're at now when you first started working.
So it took a little while for me to find a job.
But I ended up getting a job at this small engineering company, and they sold motors and motor controls and other devices for different plants and businesses to use.
So that was what they called an applications engineer.
So people would call our company and say they wanted some displays, counters, motors, and we'd help them pick out the right devices that they needed to fit the application that they wanted to do in their business.
It was actually pretty interesting.
I got to travel to different companies and look at the hardware that they were building and help them pick some of the products that we sold to use in their manufacturing applications.
And actually, I got to visit NASA one time.
They were looking for some of our counter to use in a laboratory there.
So I helped them pick that out.
So that was really interesting.
So I ended up working there for about two years.
So I think that was really, even though it might not have been considered the best job, it wasn't with a big engineering company, a big name company.
It gave me experience.
So because of that, I was able to get the next job that I got.
So it worked out well.
And I think that's kind of an interesting story about your next job, because I guess tell people where you work at now and how you were able to get the job where you're working at now.
Yeah, that is a kind of interesting story.
I guess now I'm working at NASA, the Johnson Space Center, down here in Houston.
So I've been working there 32 years.
It'll be 33 years in August.
So I'm just really thankful for that.
But I guess when I first graduated from college, I was looking for a job.
And I'd still go back to the University of Houston, to the barbershop.
And I just happened to mention to the barber that we would always go see that, hey, I finished and I'm looking for a job.
And so he said, hey, give me your resume.
So I gave it to him.
But I didn't hear anything for maybe like two years later.
Because I guess at the time, NASA was on a hiring freeze.
They weren't hiring any new employees.
But if you remember, this was a Challenger accident.
They started hiring more people.
So the barber that I gave my resume to had given it to someone who worked at NASA.
So it was like two years later, I got a phone call from someone at NASA saying, hey, we're hiring new people.
So you want to come in and interview with us?
And I said, yes. And so I went for the interview and luckily I got hired.
So I'm really thankful.
So I got my job at NASA through my barber.
You can say the rest is history.
And that proves you never know how you're going to find a job.
And so it's important how you talk to people, who you talk to, because you never know if you make a good impression, they can help you out down the road.
And you have no idea that that sort of thing is going to happen.
So you said you've been working for NASA almost 33 years.
So what specifically do you do there?
What is your typical day like in the engineer at NASA?
Because I think a lot of people, myself included, we think, wow, it's a kind of glamorous job, glamorous, like it sounds real good.
And, you know, you're a rocket scientist and it's real cool.
And but maybe dispel some myths people may have or kind of what is, what's it like to work at NASA and what do you do exactly?
Yeah, I mean, it's interesting just because you're dealing with items that get go up into space.
But, you know, it's just like any other job, you have to deal with people, managers, there's politics and time deadlines and pressure and all the things that you have in a regular job.
But so my degree was in electrical engineering, but I don't do electrical engineering work per se.
I do more what's called industrial engineering.
I work in the safety group for the International Space Station now.
I guess when I first got hired at NASA, I was in the safety and reliability group.
And I was working on the space shuttle program, the communications and tracking systems.
So our job was to basically make sure all of the safety requirements were followed and complied with to make sure, you know, we didn't cause any hazards that could kill or hurt the crew or damage the space shuttle.
Yeah, that wouldn't be good.
No, so it's really kind of an important job.
And so I did that for quite a number of years.
And then I started working with the Japanese Space Agency once the International Space Station program started getting bigger and bigger.
So they have a module that's on the International Space Station with other different parts of it.
So I was like the safety liaison, you would say, like the safety interface between the safety organization at NASA and the Japanese safety organization.
So I was able to go to Japan several times for different design reviews.
And so that was really fun.
And then we talk about in another podcast, I had an interest in the language and started studying that.
But so I worked with the Japanese Space Agency for maybe 10 years doing that job.
And I guess now I'm working with the safety review panels.
I guess we review all of the hardware that they want to fly to the International Space Station.
So we have different meetings, you could say, different reviews where we examine their hardware and they have to tell us, hey, my hardware could cause this type of damage or hazard to the crew and the space station and we just make sure that the hazards are controlled.
So the hazards most likely will not occur.
So basically a lot of what I do is review a lot of documents, review a lot of documents.
And another question I guess I have, or maybe other viewers may have, given the past year with the coronavirus, how has that impacted your work environment?
Are you working from home or are you working out of the office or?
Now, I guess probably like most other people, I guess they close down the Johnson Space Center only to people who are necessary.
So that's usually people who work in the Mission Control Center, have to support the International Space Station as it's orbiting the Earth.
So I've been working from home for about one year now and everybody in my group has been doing the same thing.
So it's actually not that bad.
I live about 30 miles from the Space Center, so I get to save on the mileage for my car and you can actually get the job done basically without any, it hasn't affected getting the job done by working from home.
So I'm really liking that.
So I don't have to get up quite as early.
I don't have to drive like two hours a day back and forth to work.
So it saves me a lot of time during the day.
I think that's a good point because I think a lot of companies now have realized that a lot of work that used to be done in the office, people can do at home.
So it may save them money, they don't have to rent as much space or buildings for offices and people can work from home.
And with all this technology we have in Zoom meetings, I think it's becoming very beneficial.
Well, so you've been working at NASA for quite a while now.
Well, next question is, do you have any plans on retiring or can you retire if you wanted to?
And do you have any plans on retiring anytime soon or do you just love what you're doing and just want to work till you're old and gray, as we say in English?
Well, now I guess I reached my official retirement of 30 years.
I guess once I got 30 years working there, I can officially retire because my age, I reached the age limit as well.
So yeah, it's a fun job, but I'm definitely looking forward to retirement.
So I'm probably planning to retire in about the next year, year or so.
I had a daughter who's in college, she was graduating like in May.
So now that she's finished with school, I can start thinking about exactly when I want to retire.
So I'm really looking forward to it.
Well, as a retired person myself, I highly recommend it.
So yeah, he tells me that quite often.
So yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to it.
And then what do you have any, what do you plan on doing?
Say once you do retire, do you have anything specific in mind or just play it, we say play it by ear in English, which means kind of like, just see what happens or do you have anything specific in mind?
Yeah, I guess as you know, I guess I've been taking some online classes through this Truett Seminary to get a certificate of ministry degree.
So I don't know, I don't have any detailed plans that maybe I'd like to do something as far as with my church or some ministry, but as you've probably seen, we both like to play music.
So I guess one of the things I'd really like to do is to go to nursing homes and hospitals and just play music for the people there.
And I also have a number of friends who are retired who play music.
So that's probably one of the big things that I'll start doing.
So between those two things, I think that will keep me busy.
And I'll probably get into other hobbies as well.
I like learning languages too.
So I'll probably do that.
That's a good point you bring up about maybe doing volunteer work, going to nursing homes.
There's always a need out there.
A lot of people retire.
They say, hey, I'm bored or there's nothing to do.
There's a lot of things to do.
And for example, every Wednesday I volunteer at an organization called Meals on Wheels where we deliver meals, lunches to the elderly, people that may not be able to get out.
So it's a rewarding thing and rewarding feeling just to give back to the community and help other people.
Well, a couple of final two questions.
Any advice for people thinking about getting into the engineering field?
Recommend it. I think it's a good career path.
Yeah, I think it's definitely a good career path.
I guess it's maybe common sense.
But just study hard when you're in school, specifically math and science.
So just keep working hard and maybe try to do studying on your own.
Maybe there's an area that's of interest to you.
So you just don't have to study what you study in school.
Go buy books and read them after school.
That's what we used to do.
Electronics and things like that that you're interested in.
Study hard and try to get good grades.
And it seems like there will always be engineering jobs that are going to be needed.
So that's, I think, a really good field to choose.
Well, that's a good point.
I can say engineering does provide you with a good career opportunity.
And there's usually you can find a job and then looking toward the future for future retirement purposes.
Not everything is about money, but you can be able to provide for yourself and your family.
So there's a lot of different options in engineering.
I was in electrical.
Gary was civil, but there's mechanical.
There's chemical engineering, industrial engineering.
And I think you can still go off into maybe like the ecology or medical, the medical field with your engineering degree.
So there's a lot of options.
Yeah, too. In my situation, I got a civil engineering degree worked for public works, which was engineering related.
But in the last 24 years, I worked for a solid waste management department.
So I really wasn't using my civil engineering degree specifically either.
But that piece of paper means a lot.
And I think the skills that you develop in engineering, like problem solving and reasoning and able to see a problem and come up with a plan on how to address it is applicable.
We say it applies to a lot of other different jobs.
And people know that you're an engineer, you're good at problem solving.
That opens a lot of doors, maybe to other areas that you may not realize.
And for example, my boss at Solid Waste had a degree in French, but he was excellent.
He ended up being the director of the department.
He was an excellent director, a good manager, good people person.
So just because you have a degree in say one area doesn't mean you may not be able to work and be successful in something similar or even maybe totally different.
So I think it's key, study hard.
And I think one of the big things is your character.
People know that you are dependable and honest and they can rely on you.
That'll go really far.
So it's not just book knowledge and how much you know, it's what kind of person you are really makes a difference.
That's a good point.
Well, I guess we're going to maybe wrap it up.
Gerald, thank you for joining us today in the studio.
Hopefully you found this video interesting, learned a little bit something.
If you have any maybe comments or questions about NASA or anything like that, just leave them in the comments below.
And again, be sure to check out our podcasts at Learn Every Day English.
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And be sure to check out upcoming episodes.
We're going to be doing a couple more interviews about different topics you'll find interesting.
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Hey, well, until next time, we'll see you later on Learn Every Day English.
Hey, goodbye. Aloha.
