Europa

Cassini is such a fantastic mission. It not only acquired a wealth of data that led to numerous discoveries, but also raised a new generation of planetary scientists, including myself.

"Math is going to be the basis for all the science and engineering that you will have to do in the future."

Remain open to opportunities that present themselves and then embrace them and continue to learn and grow.

In our line of work, Earth is another planet, the one we know best.

"There is no substitute for persistence. You must get all the training you need, and you must do well at it... that's a given."

While serendipity has a role in being in the right place at the right time, a person can do a lot to maximize the chances of that happening.

The most exciting moments are the 'aha moments' when a scientific problem that you've been wrestling with suddenly falls into place and begins to make sense.

"Science and math are part natural gifts and part practice. You don't have to be a genius to be successful."

Don't be afraid to push yourself and learn new skills, yet don't be afraid to ask for help and collaborate.

Just be committed, be passionate about it, and you will find a way to be involved in space exploration.

Engineering can be daunting initially and requires a lot of work. But if you work hard, it will all pay off in the end and you’ll have one of the coolest jobs in the world, in my opinion.

If you are doing something that makes you happy, you will work hard at it and you will be successful.

"Modeling satiated my creative and exploratory sides, but getting my education and pursuing engineering helped me become mentally stronger, more rational, and generally more content with my life."

"There will be times when you don't think you are doing the right thing, but don't make any hasty decisions. Just hang on in there."

Remember, I started before there were any spacecraft!

Be bold. Search out people who work in your area of interest.

Be tenacious. If you know you want to do something, go and find someone who will help you do it.

"Always try different things, and be open to an evolution of your interests."

"I design high-level concepts for how we’ll launch and fly our spacecraft."

"My first personal connection with outer space occurred during the arrival of Voyager 2 at Neptune."

No human had ever seen this landscape before. And for a period of maybe 20 minutes, half hour, we were the only ones to see this alien world.

Don't be afraid to try new areas. I was in the Earth sciences remote sensing area for 15 years before venturing out.

I'm really excited to be a part of the spacecraft that will be learning about a place where scientists think there could be some form of life.

James Frederick “Jim” Bridenstine was sworn in as NASA’s 13th administrator on April 23, 2018.

Get a good grounding in one area and then look to broaden as you gain experience.

"My job is to be the top advocate for planetary science in the federal government."

Get lots of good chemistry, physics and math background in college.

Eric pioneered the use of stereo HDTV, IMAX, and digital cinema technology for the visualization of planetary surfaces and atmospheres.

Just because it isn't always easy doesn't mean you can't do it and do it well.

Look for ways to help to make things happen.

"Be open to many possibilities! I started out interested in studying planets, but it took me a while to pivot to planetary science."

Having a dream is a must. Having a plan is an excellent idea, but you also have to be willing to jump at unexpected opportunities.

The words I truly believe have helped me succeed the most are 'please' and 'thank you.'

Don't worry about your exact path, but keep in mind where you want to end up.

"Most people think of the movie 'Men in Black' when they hear [my job title]."

Study lots of math. Math is the language of science.

I never had this overwhelming fascination with space — rather, I just slowly gravitated toward it.

"The great thing about being at NASA is that there are jobs for all types—whether it's engineering, science, finance, communication, law."

I study volcanoes—how they erupt, and why—and what they tell us about the interior not only of the Earth, but other planets and satellites across the solar system.

The wonder I had as a child for understanding the natural world around me still motivates me today.

There is way too much exploring to be done for a 40-hour week.

Most of my heroes have succeeded against the odds in some way.