Chapter 3, Question 1

As Sally Ride was finishing up her Ph.D. in Physics at Stanford University, she noticed an ad in the college newspaper for a job opportunity at NASA and out of 8,000 applicants, she was one of thirty-five people chosen. Obviously the biggest reason she got it was the Ph.D. in Physics, but other characteristics that got her the job were her analytical and critical thinking skills. Ride was chosen as capcom for the first and second shuttle flights, which is the person who handles all ground-to-staff communication. Due to her communication skills, she became an icon at NASA, helping address the United Nations and putting together the report for NASA, Leadership and the American Future in Space. Being the first woman in space, Ride also took the time to write several children's books encouraging girls, for the most part, to develop their interests in science, leadership, writing, and communication skills.