In the latest installment of our Five Questions series, we feature a super smart guy with an engineering Ph.D., a knack for infrastructure planning, and a preference for flip flops. Get to know MELE General Engineer Jase S.
What is your role at MELE and what did you do prior to joining our organization?
I am a General Engineer in NA-911, the NNSA’s Office of Infrastructure Planning and Integration. I support various infrastructure planning efforts, including co-leading an Integrated Infrastructure Planning (IIP) sub-team that has developed and implemented a prioritization methodology for line-item infrastructure construction projects across NNSA. Prior to joining MELE/NNSA, I was pursuing my Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.
What was the most challenging part of earning your Ph.D. in civil engineering?
I think for me the most challenging part was inconsistent progress. Nothing in research is ever certain, and many potential solutions end up not working out. Sometimes I would get some momentum and would make a ton of progress within a few weeks and feel like finishing was just around the corner, and then it would feel like I didn’t make any progress for months and I would never finish. But I found that I learned just as much from the failures as I did the successes, and it just required perseverance.
What is your favorite and least favorite aspect of working remotely?
My favorite aspect of working remotely is the flexibility to work wherever. It has allowed me to stay in Dallas with friends and family while getting to work and contribute to the nuclear security enterprise. I get to work with a team full of fantastic people spread across the country that I wouldn’t have met or worked with otherwise. My least favorite aspect of working remotely is that I don’t get to see my teammates in-person regularly.
Who was your childhood hero and why?
Both of my parents. They have both supported me and pushed me to grow my whole life, and I am forever thankful for them. As a stay-at-home mom of 3 boys, my mom showed me what endless patience looks like, and she was constantly sacrificing her time to take care of us and drive us from place to place. My dad has always been an example of exceptional work ethic to me, and I always loved hearing about my dad’s work and travels. He inspired me to pursue engineering, although he never pushed me toward it.
It’s the heart of summer, so this is a pressing question. Flip flops or Crocs? You can only choose one. Explain your answer.
Flip flops. I don’t have anything against Crocs, but during the heart of summer, I want maximum foot freedom.
