NASA’s First Deaf Engineer in an Active Crewed Mission Control Role

Johanna Lucht had no language skills until age 9 – other than mathematics.

By Kate Bartlett

Johanna Lucht was born in Germany where her father worked for the U.S. Defense Department. There were no language skills programs for the deaf available in her German town, although she intuitively understood mathematics. When she was 9, the interpreter assigned to Lucht was astonished to find that she had no language.  The interpreter taught Lucht American Sign Language, and Lucht’s education took off like one of the jet planes for which she would ultimately analyze data at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center. As a sophomore in high school, she was accepted to the University of Washington’s summer computer science program.  Not surprisingly, computer coding was a new language that fascinated her. As a junior in computer science and engineering at the University of Minnesota, Lucht applied for and was accepted to an internship at NASA, and she was hired in a full-time position after graduation in 2014.

The event…

In the interview with Ka-Yun Lau, Marketing Coordinator for Innovate Pasadena, Lucht expressed appreciation and admiration for the manner in which the people at NASA are actively involved in creating a work environment in which she thrives.  The focus is on giving Lucht whatever tools she needs to access her impressive skill set, something she would have all employers recognize as an investment in disabled people.

The event which captured considerable attention for NASA and for Lucht occurred on April 4, 2017, when Lucht became the first deaf engineer to carry out an active role in a NSASA control center during a crewed research flight. She was one of the engineers at Edwards Air Force Base evaluating and validating flight data to test improved flight efficiency resulting from use of a twisted flap.

The only one without a headset

Lucht was in the control room, but she was the only person without a headset.  Instead, she had an additional computer screen on which an interpreter used ASL to convey flight communications to Lucht for analysis. This particular experience was the culmination of a process begun when Lucht joined NASA. Assigned to run environmental testing with lab technicians, Lucht worked out an efficient communication system with the team.  The mission control assignment was preceded by intensive work with an interpreter to develop consistent terminology and signs for flight communications.

Three pieces of advice

Lucht closed the interview by sharing three pieces of advice gleaned from her experience.  First, imposter syndrome is a real thing with which she continues to struggle; she has learned to manage it by reminding herself that if people assign her work it means that they trust her and see something in her that she cannot see in herself. Second, it is necessary to find a way to be outside of one’s comfort zone; it is the only way to grow.  Third, one can be a confident swimmer only by swimming; one can even use an occasional lifeguard “rescue tube,” but then it must be set aside to swim independently.

Johanna Lucht’s story exemplifies what can be accomplished when talent and hard work are recognized and fostered without regard to “externalities.”

Watch the full interview between Ka-Yun Lau and Johanna Lucht below:

End of article.

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