Jennifer Rochilis

Mary Lyon Award

February 7, 2005

Jennifer L. Rochlis, class of 1994, we recognize your exceptional achievements and contributions in the field of astronautics, especially in human factors engineering and the interface between humans and robots.

At Mount Holyoke, you majored in physics and minored in astronomy. Then, to fulfill your dream of working in space science, you moved to MIT to earn a master's in 1998 and a Ph.D. in 2002, both in Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Your focus and determination were evident in the way you achieved your dream. Knowing that your undergraduate background was weak in engineering, you registered as a special student at MIT. Once you had studied the requisite material, you enrolled in the regular graduate program and excelled in the classroom and laboratory.

You demonstrated unusual initiative in developing a doctoral-research project on how humans interact with humanoid robots, and in demonstrating to NASA how a human operator could efficiently and safely control a robot from inside the space station. Your work focused on what information the astronaut needed to operate the robot, how to evaluate the human-robot interaction, and how to train astronauts to be teleoperators.

You were also one of only twelve women--out of 3,000 applicants--interviewed for the position of mission specialist for NASA’s 2004 astronaut class.

A valued employee in NASA’s Automation, Robotics, and Simulation Division since 2000, your unusual background in both human factors and robotic systems makes you an effective contributor. You have received a number of NASA awards for your work on improving the ways humans and robots work together in space. Your abilities to adapt, learn new skills quickly, communicate clearly, and work as part of a team have been a major benefit to NASA.

The Alumnae Association of Mount Holyoke College is honored to present to you the Mary Lyon Award.