Interested in hearing opinions about this

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the hiring practices at NASA, specifically regarding a woman's selection for a position involving cooling liquid nitrogen to near absolute zero, despite her lack of a science degree compared to Physics majors. Participants explore potential reasons for this decision, including qualifications, experience, and the nature of the job.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions why NASA would choose someone without a science degree over Physics majors, suggesting that experience in the lab might be a significant factor.
  • Another participant humorously speculates about possible favoritism or over-qualification as reasons for the hiring decision.
  • Concerns are raised about the financial implications of hiring someone with a degree versus someone without, with suggestions that cost might influence hiring decisions.
  • Some participants note that many NASA employees work for contractors, implying that the nature of the job could be less technical than assumed.
  • There is a suggestion that without knowing the specifics of her role, it is difficult to assess her qualifications compared to Physics majors.
  • One participant emphasizes that lab work can involve routine tasks, which may not require extensive qualifications.
  • Another participant concludes that without further information, it is unproductive to worry about the implications of her employment on others.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the reasons for the hiring decision, with no consensus on whether her qualifications are adequate or if the job requires a Physics degree. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the implications of her employment on other applicants.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge the lack of specific information about the woman's job role and qualifications, which limits the ability to draw definitive conclusions about the hiring practices at NASA.

Xyius
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Hey all!
Just wanted to hear some thoughts about this.
My girlfriends sister currently works at NASA. I am not exactly sure what she does, something with cooling liquid nitrogen to temperatures at almost absolute zero. The thing is, she doesn't have a science degree. In fact she was picked over Physics majors who applied for the same job after college. (She was a womans studies major.) She however did do lab work in astronomy in college and was a TA for an astronomy class.

My question is, why would NASA pick her over Physics majors? Could it be solely based on her experience in the lab? I feel like a student with a Physics degree must have the same if not more lab work. I feel like the job must not require an extensive knowledge of physics otherwise they would have picked someone with a degree in Physics.

Don't get me wrong, I think its great she works for NASA. But I keep imagining myself in the Physics majors shoes who also applied for that job. (I AM a physics major, not done with school yet though :p )
 
Physics news on Phys.org
She slept with her boss?

On a more serious note, the only thing that could come to my mind is over-qualification? It happens
 
when i hire guys to run a crew they want to be paid well. i can hire monkeys to pick up garbage and pay them peanuts.
 
Yep, DS seems to have it I think.

Why hire someone who expects to be paid highly for the work after a degree when you can get someone to do the same job, for a lower cost? Especially if the job isn't technical.
 
Many of the people that work at NASA actually work for contractors. She possibly has a technical job.
 
Xyius said:
Hey all!
Just wanted to hear some thoughts about this.
My girlfriends sister currently works at NASA. I am not exactly sure what she does, something with cooling liquid nitrogen to temperatures at almost absolute zero. The thing is, she doesn't have a science degree. In fact she was picked over Physics majors who applied for the same job after college. (She was a womans studies major.) She however did do lab work in astronomy in college and was a TA for an astronomy class.

My question is, why would NASA pick her over Physics majors? Could it be solely based on her experience in the lab? I feel like a student with a Physics degree must have the same if not more lab work. I feel like the job must not require an extensive knowledge of physics otherwise they would have picked someone with a degree in Physics.

Don't get me wrong, I think its great she works for NASA. But I keep imagining myself in the Physics majors shoes who also applied for that job. (I AM a physics major, not done with school yet though :p )
This is idle speculation. Find out what her role is. Then we'll figure out if some Physics major is better qualified.
 
It's hard for me to find out exactly what she does, I do not get much chances to talk to her and my girlfriend doesn't really know either. All I know is she works at Colby Labs at the NASA in Washington and she uses liquid helium to study things at very cold temperatures. :\
 
Xyius said:
It's hard for me to find out exactly what she does, I do not get much chances to talk to her and my girlfriend doesn't really know either. All I know is she works at Colby Labs at the NASA in Washington and she uses liquid helium to study things at very cold temperatures. :\

Dave's right, there's no way to know if she's under or even over qualified for her job. There's a lot of routine, tedious tasks involved in lab work. Her job could be something like:

Take samples from point A, move them to point B.
Repeat until quitting time.
 
Last edited:
Xyius said:
It's hard for me to find out exactly what she does,

Right, so it is folly to judge or worry. Unless and until things change, she's not taking anyone's job.
 

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