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NASA Spotlight: Christina Hernandez, NASA Mars 2020 Rover Instrument Engineer

“I was in love with the beauty of space. It was my introduction to appreciating the beauty of complex, chaotic things—black holes, giant gas planets, or killer asteroids—that got my imagination riled up.“ -Christina Hernandez

Christina Hernandez, a space enthusiast and self-proclaimed nerd, is an aerospace engineer at our Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California where she works as an instrument engineer on our newest rover mission – Mars2020. The Mars2020 rover is a robotic scientist that is launching to the Red Planet next year. If you would like to launch to the Red Planet as well, you can Send Your Name to Mars along with millions of other people! Christina’s job is to make sure that the instruments we send to the Martian surface are designed, built, tested and operated correctly so we can retrieve allll the science. When she isn’t building space robots, she loves exploring new hiking trails, reading science fiction and experimenting in the kitchen. Christina took a break from building our next Martian scientist to answer some questions about her life and her career: 

If you could go to Mars, would you? And what are three things you’d bring with you?

Only if I had a round trip ticket! I like the tacos and beach here on Earth too much. If I could go, I would bring a bag of Hot Cheetos, a Metallica album, and the book On the Shoulders of Giants.

If you could name the Mars2020 rover, what would you name it and why?

Pilas, a reference to a phrase my family says a lot, ponte las pilas. It literally means put your batteries on or in other words, get to work, look alive or put some energy into it. Our rover is going to need to have her batteries up and running for all the science she is going to be doing! Luckily, the rover has a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) to help keep the batteries charged!

What’s been your most memorable day at NASA?

It’s been seeing three of the instruments I worked on getting bolted and connected to the flight rover. I’ll never forget seeing the first 1’s and 0’s being exchanged between the rover compute element (RCE), the rover’s on-board brain, and the instruments’ electronics boxes (their brains). I am sure it was a wonderful conversation between the two!

It’s a long journey to get from Earth to Mars. What would be on your ultimate road trip playlist?

Metallica, The Cure, Queen, Echo and the Bunnymen, Frank Sinatra, Ramon Ayala, AC/DC, Selena, Los Angeles Azules, ughhhh – I think I just need a Spotify subscription to Mars.

What is one piece of advice you wish someone would’ve told you?

Take your ego out of the solution space when problem solving.

Do you have any secret skills, talents, or hobbies?

I love reading. Each year I read a minimum of 20 books, with my goal this year being 30 books. It’s funny I increased my goal during what has definitely been my busiest year at work. I recently got into watercolor painting. After spending so much time connected at work, I started looking for more analog hobbies. I am a terrible painter right now, but I painted my first painting the other day. It was of two nebulas! It’s not too bad! I am hoping watercolor can help connect me more to the color complexities of nature…and it’s fun!

What’s a project or problem that you would love the ability to tackle/work on?

I would love to work on designs for planetary human explorers. So far, I have focused on robotic explore, but when you throw a “loveable, warm, squishy thing” into the loop, its creates a different dimension to design – both with respect to operability and risk.

Thanks so much Christina! The Mars2020 rover is planned to launch on July 17, 2020, and touch down in Jezero crater on Mars on February 18, 2021.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

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Ocean Photography by Japan’s Ryo Minemizu

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Various depictions of Joan of Arc | (Artist names in captions)

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Go follow the gorgeous Raquel freestyle

https://www.instagram.com/raquelfreestyle/

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me at age 12 listening to anti-capitalist industrial music: I don’t get the lyrics but sounds cool :)

me listening to the same music now:

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gimme sammich

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Ann Peebles performing “I Can’t Stand The Rain” live in 1974

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Metamorphic Owl Cold-painted Bronze Franz Bergman Austria, early 1900’s

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Are You An Empath?

Traits Of An Empath…

Empaths can experience their gifts differently, especially depending on when (or whether) they realize that they are significantly different from the average person.

In addition, empathy (like all traits) comes by degrees, so some empaths will notice more signs while others may only spot a small handful. However, if you’re a true empath, there’s a good chance you’ve had most of these experiences at least once in your life. The MORE signs you have, the higher the possibility of leading a debilitating life unless you are able to harness each for the valuable asset it is.

Think of the following list as a kind of empath test; if you’re asking “Am I an empath or just sensitive?”, canvassing these traits may help you to clarify your self-conception.

1. Empaths are highly sensitive and emotional.

Empaths are very open, easy to trust, and very responsive to emotional experiences (moreso of other’s than of self).

This sensitivity means you can experience the highest highs, but it also curses you with the lowest lows, and with a propensity to be deeply hurt by fractured relationships. If you’re an empath, you may go through a wide range of emotions every day, both because of your own responses to life and because of what you pick up.

2. Quite often are introverts and need alone time.

While you likely love intensely and genuinely care for people, your propensity to take on their emotions means that alone time is essential. Indeed, most empaths recharge when they’re on their own, rather than deriving energy from social situations (like extroverts do).

So, if you have higher than average levels of empathy, there are probably many weekends when you’d rather curl up at home with a good book than accept an invitation to a party.

3. Unfortunately are easy targets for manipulators.

Your empathy means that people may sometimes take advantage of you. Consequently, they may manipulate you into a position where you meet their emotional needs and get very little out of the relationship yourself.

For example, you may notice that you often attract narcissists (who are at the opposite end of the empathy spectrum) and victims (who need to be “rescued” by compassionate individuals). Consequently, empaths need to be careful about who they let into their hearts.

4. They have great intuition and keen senses.

One of the most obvious empath traits is the ability to pick up on subtle cues way earlier than most people. So, you might notice a potential romance between two friends before anyone else does or you may pick up indications of danger very quickly. Plus, you probably have a talent for taking calculated risks.

This intuitive sharpness is one of the great benefits of empathy and gives you an edge in many areas of life.

5. They take on other people’s feelings and issues.

Being an empath makes you susceptible to muddling your emotions with those of others. For example, you might take on the bad moods of colleagues and end up fighting with your partner. Or, you may passively absorb the views of a group that do not typically represent your values.

Creating and maintaining boundaries between yourself and others is a vital part of living with enhanced empathy, allowing you to identify what’s really yours.

6. Empaths tend to be incredibly creative.

The heightened emotions and experiences of empaths gives them an enormous wealth of material to express in creative ways. If you’re an empath, it’s likely that you are frequently inspired because of what you feel.

Some empaths are traditional artists, musicians or writers, while others are actors, dancers, or physically expressive in other ways. In many cases, creative acts help empaths release pent-up emotion in a healthy, productive way.

7. People say they are great listeners.

Unsurprisingly, the friends and family of empaths often report that they are fantastic listeners. This is because being a truly good listener requires putting yourself in the other person’s shoes; no one is better at doing that than someone who intuitively picks up emotions.

Empaths are often wonderful at putting a loved one’s feelings into words, making them feel understood, respected and less alone. Consequently, empaths often gravitate towards jobs that involve listening (e.g. counseling and teaching).

8. They hate to say no.

Due to being able to feel other people’s disappointment, desperation and sadness, empaths really hate to have to say no. This means they often take on way too many commitments! Unfortunately, this is usually all so that they can meet the need of their friends, family members or co-workers. If you’re an empath, you’re also so used to doing emotional labor for other people that you may just automatically expand this to induce general favors, even if you’re already over-burdened.

9. Empaths are inspiring of others.

In general, you’ll benefit greatly from the inspiration a deep empath offers. The wealth of knowledge and experiences one exudes vastly outshines their closest rival. They are the doers of society. It’s said, if you want a job done, give it to an introvert. This is generally because they have already considered all probable outcomes. They most often will inspire you to be your absolute best.

10. Often suffer from fatigue and anxiety.

There are many positive effects of kindness on health. However, if you’re an empath then the level of kindness you extend to others may be downright exhausting. You can be so busy trying to carry other people’s emotions, listening to their issues and helping them solve their problems that you become physically fatigued or emotionally strung out. As a result, empaths are susceptible to chronic fatigue syndrome and to mental health issues likes anxiety and depression.

11. Easily overwhelmed by environment.

Even once you understand your empathy quite well and have learned techniques to separate your emotions, it’s very easy to tip back over into being overwhelmed again.

For example, if someone you love is in distress, you might be utterly swamped by their sadness. Meanwhile, if you’re in a large crowd then the proximity of so many minds and emotions can feel too much to bear. These are some of the many reasons why empaths need time alone.

12. Empaths love to be surrounded by nature.

Everyday life tends to be hectic and noisy, so it’s no wonder that empaths thrive in nature. If you have a high level of empathy, being out in wide-open spaces can feel wonderfully quiet and replenishing. In fact, many empaths cite being by the ocean or going for walks in the country as necessary ingredients of their self-care routines. As well as offering peace and quiet, time in nature can give you a sense of release.

13. They are chronic daydreamers.

One of the less obvious empath signs is consistent daydreaming. This is often associated with the vividly creative imagination of the empath. Consequently, this allows you to contemplate an endless range of scenarios (especially scenarios that are highly emotionally evocative).

In addition, daydreaming can feel like a way of escaping everyday life. So, many empaths will turn to the power of their creative minds. This can help to distract them from the overwhelming emotions of others around them.

14. Empaths often neglect themselves.

Empaths can become so focused on the needs and feelings of others that they effectively begin to “tune out” their own needs. In extreme cases, this can lead to self-neglect, leading you to become physically or emotionally unwell. To live a full, happy life, someone with high levels of empathy needs to deliberately spend time noticing their own thoughts and feelings. A daily mindfulness or meditation practice can help with this, cultivating a habit of self-reflection.

15. Empaths cannot harm others.

It is not in their nature to harm others with the rare exception of self defense and even then their emotions go on massive overload becoming quite debilitating and depressive.

16. The Worst places for an empath

- Hospitals, Planes, Trains, Buses, Large Groups, Violent and Traumatic movies, Angry offices

17. Perceived as being lazy

Empaths can’t bear to do something if their heart and soul aren’t in it. For example: Someone working in a shop selling junk food and alcohol an empath will loath it. Co-workers and managers may be nice, however the job was ultimately hurting and not benefiting people or the world. An empath would most likely give up this job or not take it in the first place. Some people might interpret this reluctance to do certain jobs as laziness.

18. You have vivid or lucid dreams and often wake up feeling as though you never slept.

Sleep seems so fleeting most nights, yet when deep sleep happens vivid dreams. Sometimes these dreams are remembered and other times not, either way your body is drained upon waking like you’ve never slept.

19. Your life is filled with an array of déjà vu moments, synchronicities, coincidences or patterns.

You feel like you’ve been somewhere before and quite often in great detail. These can occur over great time differences and totally difference locations.

20. You use physical stimuli as a means of escape.

The use of alcohol, drugs, video games, sex, etc. helps the mindful escapism, yet afterwards guilt about this form of escaping weighs heavy. Overcoming this crippling habit is tough and few actually succeed.

If you are considered to be sensitive or a true empath and sometimes criticized for having a few, many or all of these empathic traits, take heart. These things make you who you are and you should not be ashamed of them. Of course, it’s always a good idea to be aware of the effect we have on those around us and try to correct any flaws that harm ourselves and others. In conclusion, this must come from a place of fully accepting ourselves as who we are with the same genuine enthusiasm and desire we show others rather than from fear of what others think of us as we try to please everyone else.

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He just… accepted it. I’m cracking up.

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David Byrne in a Japanese liquor advert in the 80s…

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Solar System Textures (Moon’s)

Europa (moon of Jupiter)

Callisto (Moon of Jupiter)

Ganymede (moon of Jupiter)

Io (moon of Jupiter)

Rhea (moon of Saturn)

Enceladus (moon of Saturn)

Dione (moon of Saturn)

Iapetus (moon of Saturn)

Tethys (moon of Saturn)

Triton (moon of Neptune)

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teaching