What do you do for a living?

[GenKreton]

I'm starting graduate school in September for my masters/doctorate in mechanical engineering, focusing on heat and mass transfer and fluids and aerodynamics. My paying job will be for NASA again working on designing orbital replacement units for the International Space Station. Most likely my grad school research will be addressing the problems of softening a Mars landing in a very sparse atmosphere.

It sounds like we have a huge base of different experineces here

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by GenKreton

Most likely my grad school research will be addressing the problems of softening a Mars landing in a very sparse atmosphere.

Is that with 4 Frontiers by any chance? http://www.4frontierscorp.com/

[GenKreton]

Originally Posted by trebuchet03

Is that with 4 Frontiers by any chance? http://www.4frontierscorp.com/

If I go to Tufts University, like I think will happen, I will be working under a grant directly from NASA to produce public research. Dr. Matson of MIT and Tufts is running it. So it's not for the four frontiers , but they, and anyone else, can use it.

If I go to UWash, I have no idea what I'll be doing...

[RH77]

It's complicated...

Essentially, a prescription drug is found under a microscope.

4-6 Years later, patients are provided the drug free of charge and compensated for time and travel.

An Independent Ethics Board approves the study in each location tested, the patient signs a consent for treatment, and the testing begins. Treatment is assigned in a double-blind manner, so I (or the doctor) doesn't know if the treatment is the Study Drug or approved drug.

Advantages for the patient: regularly scheduled visits to the doctor and fine-tuning of treatment.

My job: As a third party/impartial observer, I oversee the collection of accurate medical data (translate charts into numbers and database coding), ensure Patient rights, maintain enrollment, Inspect/maintain regulatory documents, and report findings, etc.

Based on the data, about 3 years later the FDA says yes or no to the drug's approval and the public can be prescribed the drug. By that time, I've moved on to another study and the process continues.

I have to travel around my "Region" to the doctors conducting the tests (about 8 sites, every 6-weeks). Right now I'm working on a new Breast Cancer treatment. I like my job -- good stuff and the variety is good. The travel is tough sometimes...

In a nutshell, it's how a drug is approved in it's 10-year average time-span of research.

RH77

[cfg83]

WaxyChicken -

I am a computer programmer in my full time job. The fancy name at work is a "Software Engineer", but I don't use a slide rule, . I also have been doing programming for an architecture professor at UCLA over the years, mostly working on this program :

http://mackintosh.aud.ucla.edu/heed/

CarloSW2

[jwxr7]

I'm an EET working as a lab tech at an electric machine R&D facility. I do mostly mechanical stuff though. Machining, winding, and building motor/generator prototypes for all types of uses. We've been doing work on wind generators, hybrid drives, traction motors, secret defense stuff and other less interesting stuff. Lots of more efficient designs for motors already out there.

[johnpr]

that program sounds great, when i buy a home this year i will definately have to use it.

[metroschultz]

I work for the United States Post Office as a "Big Truck Technician"
My job is to perform maintenance and repairs on over the road cargo vehicles.
Semi's and Trailers
Long Box Cargo Trucks 11 Ton carrying capacity.
I work nights b/c most of the trucks are working during the day.
Sometimes when the shop is overloaded and my section is ahead in our maintenance schedule I work on the smaller local delivery trucks [Mail Jeeps] [even though they are not jeeps anymore]
And I rarely have to work on the staff cars.[but those techs call on me for consult sometimes b/c I have lots of real world diagnostic experience]
I've been working on cars and trucks since 1974
Been earning a taxable living at it since 1977
as for hobbies, I work so many hours during the week I have little time for other things,
BUT
when I can get away I like to fly kites
and Play with my Grandson
But for extra cash I get older cars and repair them for resale
most of them I get for free
I have to register them in my name before I can sell them, so over the years I have owned over a hundred different cars.
18 have been Geo Metro's
I like keeping the cars on the road.
It is my little way of saving the environment one auto at a time.
Enough about me, time for some others to speak up.
Schultz.

[johnpr]

^^ wow ^^ sounds like you keep very busy and sounds like you have rewarding past times (both financially and emotionally)

[hondaworkshop]

I've been production artist, graphic designer, illustrator, animator, and web developer for a small advertising and marketing group for the last 10 years.