La Vida Cooper
Class: 2003
[profile]

Employer: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

What sort of work do you do? I wear many hats depending on the need. I specialize in ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit—microchip) design. I am also heavily involved in research and technology development, collaborating with universities, industry and small technology businesses where appropriate. I am currently the principal investigator of a technology development program to produce novel transistor models for the extreme space environment. This work is the culmination of a lot of proposal writing and an effort to address deficiencies in current technology. I also provide electronic design/prototype support for new space instrument concepts that have the potential to become flight projects/missions.

What do you like about your job? I like that I have the freedom to pursue the many facets of electrical engineering, especially my favorite areas of ASIC design and technology development. I also like that I get to utilize my physics background. It comes in handy when interfacing with scientists and trying to understand the space science applications for the electronics I am tasked to develop.

Your dream job? My dream job would be to manage/lead a technology development organization, providing a vision for the next generation of technology and cultivating leaders from the ground up starting with their first day on the job. I would strive to create a culture of community and innovation in order to secure a true legacy that is able to stand the test of time.

Would you like to travel to outer space? No, I am fine right here on Earth.

Major at Notre Dame: I was enrolled in the Dual Degree Program. My major at Notre Dame was physics (BA) with a math minor, and I completed my electrical engineering (BS) degree at Johns Hopkins in 2003. I stayed at Hopkins for a master’s in electrical and computer engineering, which I completed in 2005.

Favorite professors: My all-time favorite professor was Dr. DiRienzi. He was very patient, very encouraging. He had a gift for explaining complex theories in succinct and simple way and he had great sense of humor as well. He is still a very important mentor to this day.

How did you choose your career path? After a career day lecture in the fifth grade I knew I wanted to be an engineer. Many different professionals spoke to us on that day but I was captivated by the engineer. Later that day when I had a chance to read a pamphlet detailing a job description, I was in love, just swooning over the concept of making any of my creative ideas and solutions a reality, in the physical world via the engineering discipline. That day I came home and told my mother that I had decided to be an engineer and from that day forward, every academic/extracurricular activity decision was made based on the premise of “how can this help get me into a good engineering program.” In high school I pursued the sciences, but I also pursued the arts, playing multiple instruments in the symphonic band, taking vocal lessons and starting my own jazz group; as a result I was able to secure a talent scholarship from Notre Dame to help with my tuition.

How did you feel to win a Black Engineer of the Year (BEYA) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Award? It is still a little unreal, but it definitely is an honor to be recognized as an awardee at the BEYA conference. In light of all of the talented awardees acknowledged at this year’s conference, it is truly humbling. Some of the other professionals receiving awards are notable CEOs, inventors, professors, distinguished military personnel and college/university deans, etc. I was nominated by a colleague for the BEYA STEM Modern-Day Technology Leader Award, and although I knew of the nomination, receiving an actual award was a complete surprise.

How did Notre Dame prepare you for life after graduation? I was exposed to and interacted with a lot of different people from a variety of backgrounds and countries, many of whom are still my best friends to this day. My experiences reinforced what my mother taught me about the value of compassion and patience. I also benefited from engaging in civil discourse within my academic classes and student clubs. It was good preparation for communicating ideas in the workplace that may be unpopular or not widely accepted but deserve to be brought to the forefront nonetheless.

Did you have any internships while you were at Notre Dame? Yes, I had an internship every summer starting with the summer before my freshmen year. They were really helpful in figuring out what I did and did not want to do. I fell asleep on the job at my first internship, which was a good indicator that I was not too interested in that subject area. The following summer I pursued an internship in a completely different area—and remained awake because I was engaged!

What do you miss about Notre Dame? I miss the buildings and the historic architecture. I miss the sense of tradition. Most of all I miss the civility and mutual respect that was shown to everyone; the real world is not nearly as kind.

Were you a resident or a commuter? I was a resident, and loved every minute of it. I enjoyed being close to my friends, professors and to Doyle Dining Room. The campus is really pretty and historic. It was an inspiring and calming environment to study and stay focused.

Read any good books lately? Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office: 101 Unconscious Mistakes Women Make That Sabotage Their Careers: This book is brutal but honest. It is a necessary read for any woman at any life stage; it is as relevant at age 13 as it is at age 100. It provokes a great deal of reflection, via a self test and it provides many lessons and tips for improvement and every lesson is applicable in one’s personal and social lives not just the office.
The Leadership Pipeline: This is a great book for anyone serious about learning how to develop as a leader or cultivate leaders within their organization.

Do you have any hobbies? I love language so I am studying Italian and Farsi in my spare time, and I hope to have some time to travel outside of the U.S. later this year. I am a self proclaimed “Foodie,” so I am usually investigating the latest restaurants and cafes in the Washington, D.C., area, whipping up a new recipe or hosting a dinner party for friends. I am still a big fan of the arts, so I attend various music, dance and film festivals throughout the region. I am also active within the community as a member of a non-profit organization that mentors students in middle school, high school and college and promotes careers within the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.