\n<\/p>\n
Felipe Valdez is someone who took advantage of every possible opportunity at NASA, working his way from undergraduate intern to his current job as a flight controls engineer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Born in the United States but raised in Mexico, Valdez faced significant challenges growing up.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mom worked long hours, my dad battled addiction, and eventually, school became unaffordable,\u201d Valdez said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Determined to continue his education, Valdez made the difficult choice to leave his family and return to the U.S. But as a teenager, learning English and adapting to a new environment was a culture shock for him. Despite these changes, his curiosity for subjects such as math and science never wavered.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a kid, I\u2019d always been good with numbers and fascinated by how things worked. Engineering combined both,\u201d Valdez said. \u201cThis sparked my interest.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
While he pursued an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from California State University, Sacramento, guidance from his professor, Jose Granda, proved to be pivotal. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe encouraged me to apply for a NASA internship,\u201d Valdez said. \u201cHe\u2019d actually been a Spanish-language spokesperson for a [space] shuttle mission, so hearing about someone with my background succeed gave me the confidence I needed to take that step.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Valdez\u2019s hard work paid off \u2013 he was selected as a NASA Office of STEM Engagement intern at the agency\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston. There, he worked on software development for vehicle dynamics, actuators, and controller models for a space capsule in computer simulations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI couldn\u2019t believe it,\u201d Valdez said. \u201cGetting that opportunity changed everything.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
This internship opened the door to a second with NASA this time at the agency\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. He had the chance to work on flight computer development for the Preliminary Research Aerodynamic Design to Lower Drag, an experimental flying wing design.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After these experiences, he was later accepted as an intern for NASA\u2019s Pathways Program, a work-study program that offers the possibly of full-time employment at NASA after graduation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was the start of my career at NASA, where my passion for aeronautics really took off,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Valdez was the first in his family to pursue higher education, earning his bachelor\u2019s degree from Sacramento State and his master\u2019s in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the University of California, Davis.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Today, he works as a NASA flight controls engineer under the Dynamics and Controls branch at Armstrong. Most of his experience has focused on flight simulation development and flight control design, particularly for distributed electric propulsion aircraft.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s rewarding to be part of a group that\u2019s focused on making aviation faster, quieter, and more sustainable,\u201d Valdez said. \u201cAs a controls engineer, working on\u00a0advanced aircraft concepts like distributed electric propulsion allows me design algorithms to directly control multiple motors, enhancing safety, controllability, and stability, while enabling cleaner, and quieter operations that push the boundaries of sustainable aviation.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Throughout his career, Valdez has remained proud of his heritage.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cI feel a strong sense of pride knowing that inclusion is one of our core values, opportunities are within reach for anyone at NASA.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n