As this system supervisor for individuals, tradition, and fairness, “individuals whisperer” Edward Victor Gonzales helps guarantee individuals’s wellbeing, consolation, and security.
Title: Edward Victor Gonzales
Title: Program Supervisor for Folks, Tradition, and Fairness
Group: Heliophysics Division, Science and Exploration Directorate (Code 670)
What do you do, and what’s most attention-grabbing about your function right here at Goddard?
As this system supervisor for individuals, tradition, and fairness officer for heliophysics, I’m answerable for individuals’s wellbeing, consolation, and security. What’s most attention-grabbing to me is the huge variety throughout Goddard.
How did you come to Goddard?
I went to school late in life; however, by no means graduated. After high school, I began at Mount San Antonio Group School in Walnut, California; however, I needed to work full-time when my then-girlfriend became pregnant. I began within the mailroom of a world legislation agency, steadily working my means into the director of the help employees. I laboured there for 15 years, usually staying in a single day. I couldn’t attend nighttime college, and there were no online studying choices at the time.
In 2001, Warren Christopher, who was the managing associate of the legislation agency and later grew to become secretary of state within the Clinton administration, wrote me a suggestion that helped me get a job at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California as an enterprise administrator. Apollo 13 impressed me enough to need to work for NASA. After acquiring the job at NASA JPL, I took just a few lessons at Pasadena Group School.
In 2009, I was sent to NASA Headquarters to work in the workplace of STEM training. After two years, I returned to JPL to work on minority-serving applications.
In 2014, I returned to Headquarters for a fellowship to work within the Minority College Analysis Instructional Applications. After a year and a half, I returned to JPL to handle underserved, underrepresented undergraduate applications.
In 2018, I got here to Goddard to do outreach for NASA Goddard’s heliophysics division. Three years later, I grew to become the range, fairness, inclusion, and accessibility officer for heliophysics, and now, my present function as an individual, tradition, and fairness officer.
Because of the individuals, tradition, and fairness officer, what are your duties?
First, I observe. There are quite a lot of cues and issues that occur on the planet that others, together with management, can typically miss. We have to be acutely aware of these items. We have to be respectful and kind—all the time.
When one thing occurs on the planet that impacts a colleague, I ensure that to test in with them day by day. On a broader scale, when one thing occurs on the planet that impacts a specific tradition, I test in with that exact group.
I additionally go to underserved, underrepresented nationwide conferences throughout the nation. On the American Indian Science and Engineering Society convention, I talked about employment alternatives at NASA. It was necessary for these college students to see somebody who looked like them. I’m half Native American and half Latinx [a gender-neutral term for those with Latin American heritage].
In August 2024, the NASA administrator appointed you to the NASA Advisory Council. What do your duties there entail?
The council has 5 committees: aeronautics, human exploration, science, STEM, and expertise. I’m a member of the science committee. My plan is to debate the cultural function all of us play at NASA.
What abilities do you utilize in talking with underserved, underrepresented communities?
I take a look at the waters and the temperature of management. I’m very energetic with the staff. I’ve got open-door coverage.
As well, I feel I’m extremely culturally conscious. At conferences, I attempt to costume, communicate, and act approachably for the scholars who attend.
Most significantly, my mobile phone isn’t to be seen. When interacting with somebody, I’m very observant of the opposite individual’s physique language, which helps me perceive the opposite individual higher. Typically, physique language slightly more than phrases will inform you what it’s good to hear. My spouse calls me an “individual whisperer.”
What does cultural consciousness imply to you?
Know your viewers. I don’t take into consideration how I do issues; I give attention to how the subsequent era will do issues. I attempt to communicate their language. And pay attention; it is crucial to pay attention.
Usually, once I go to a nationwide convention, college students will method me with a résumé. However, at a Native American nationwide convention, the elders could method me with a pupil and a résumé. You will need to tackle the elder first and ask permission to talk to the coed. Additionally, you’ll say that the coed might convey information discovered at Goddard again to their reservation as a substitute for claiming that the coed might depart their reservation. I additionally all the time acknowledge the tribe related to the place I’m talking about.
Every time we ship a staff to a nationwide convention, we ship people who find themselves culturally conscious of that exact group’s tradition.
I additionally conduct cultural consciousness coaching at Goddard.
What are your hopes for Godard’s DEIA applications?
I need to proceed to create a pipeline of future staff that’s extra various, stuffed with nice concepts and options, with a protected and welcoming setting for them.
What recommendation do you give college students?
The trail to NASA will not be linear. You need to discover your path.
You’ve talked about how DEIA is actually about kindness. How do you outline kindness? How do you train it?
Kindness, in my humble opinion, is about grace, integrity, and understanding. And the willingness to find out about others and their cultures. To comply with disagreements, a well-mannered dialogue is needed to create that understanding.
Instructing begins within the residence; dangerous conduct, lack of awareness and racism are taught traits. We should do higher and lead by instance. To deal with others how we need to be handled.
Who’re your mentors?
One is Christopher Gardner, whose life was portrayed in “The Pursuit of Happyness.” I not too long ago introduced Christopher Gardner to Goddard to do a keynote speech, and he even stayed with me. I met him as a result of I noticed his film, learned his e-book, and contacted him.
I train this lesson to college students: Everyone seems to be if you take the time to be taught what’s necessary to them. If there’s somebody you need to meet, the community should attempt to meet them. All you need to do is ask. However, first, analyze them in an effort to discuss with them about themselves and their work. If they are saying no, then you may transfer on to the subsequent individual.
Gardner instructed me to give attention to my plan A as a result of plan B will not be good. If you’ve got a plan B, then you definitely shouldn’t put the whole lot you’ve got into plan A. Tread ahead as if there’s nothing that you could fall again on.
Another mentor is José Hernández, the primary Hispanic astronaut. I proposed to my spouse while staying at his apartment. He instructed me to search out my “sure” and to by no means surrender. He utilized the astronaut program 13 occasions earlier than he was last chosen.
What are the subsequent massive issues in your bucket checklist?
I need to see the Northern Lights and proceed with my journey. I simply misplaced 70 kilos and need to lose 20 extra. I gave up meat for about six months and now eat hen and turkey; however, I do not eat pink meat. I additionally train and now really feel nice.
I need to proceed to attend concert events across the nation.
By Elizabeth M. Jarrell
NASA’s Goddard House Flight Heart, Greenbelt, MD.
Conversations With Goddard is a group of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard House Flight Heart’s proficient and various workforce. The Conversations have been printed twice a month on Common since Could 2011. Learn previous editions on Goddard’s “Our Folks” webpage.
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Sourcing information and pictures from NASA.gov/information
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