Carmel Jones


Although I wasn’t sure just what type of engineer I wanted to be, at an early age I knew that I wanted to be one when I grew up. It has always fascinated me to figure out how things worked, what contributed to making them work, and why things function the way that they do. My interest in engineering stemmed from attending enrichment programs within my county during the summers while I was in fourth to eighth grades. Through participation in these programs, I was able to start honing my math, science, English, foreign language, sports and technology skills at an earlier age than most of my counterparts. Of all these activities, my interest and curiosity was always peaked within the technology field. I quickly excelled in this field and it became my favorite because it challenged me to think outside of the box, provided me firsthand experience with developing and creating projects, and introduced me to problem solving. It’s amazing, but I can still remember to this very day working on my first project – building a model rocket. Although it didn’t launch just right, I remember being proud when it ignited and took off from the ground. From that point on, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-related activities and projects became a priority in my life, and I set a personal goal to become an engineer. My goal was achieved when I graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) in May 2003. Today, I am an Aerospace Quality Engineer within the Safety and Mission Assurance (SMA) Directorate at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

Aside from becoming a part of the NASA family in July 2004, one of the proudest moments of my life came upon graduating from FAMU. When I graduated, I became the fourth generation within my family to complete studies at FAMU. In addition, my graduation marked another important achievement: I became the first female engineer within my family’s history. My family has continually strived and believed in educational excellence, but in over 50 years and through the many generations that preceded me, I was the first female engineer! Not only had I fulfilled my goal of becoming an engineer, I set a new record as well! I was ecstatic! Prior to my obtaining my engineering degree, it seemed as though engineering was a man’s field within my family. It felt great to break this perception and accomplish something that no other woman in my family had. While I was growing up, my family members tried to persuade me to pursue nursing, education (teaching), or business administration, but none of them appealed to me. This moment is one of the most fulfilling in my life because it was something that I earned on my own. No one gave it to me. I had to work hard and persevere to obtain it. It was also a moment that I could give testament to those that said that “I would not amount to anything” because I was raised in an “unbalanced” family that I could do anything that I put my mind and effort to. Keep reading →