Technology Today

Colonel Eileen Collins, an SwRI advisory trustee and the first woman to pilot and command a NASA spacecraft has been on tour across the U.S. with her new documentary, “Spacewoman.” She stopped into the podcast studio to talk about the film based on her book, “Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars.” As a NASA astronaut, Collins was part of four space missions, including serving as commander of the Return to Flight Mission following the Columbia disaster of 2003.

Listen now as Col. Collins discusses her path to NASA, the varied effects of space travel on the human body, how she overcame doubts and fears to venture back into space after tragedy and the documentary that dives deep into the darkest and most triumphant moments of her life.

How do geological processes impact modern life? You can think of faults and fractures deep within the Earth’s crust as the planet’s “plumbing system,” carrying fluids, minerals, gas and oil to our cities and communities. Even rechargeable technology relies on access to these valuable natural resources. In recognition of Earth Day, we’re learning about the breaks, bends and forces that shift underground rock layers, making our access to resources possible.

Listen now as SwRI Structural Geologist Dr. Adam Cawood discusses faults and fractures, how Earth’s “plumbing system” works and why a diamond mine discovery in the late 1800s inspired his career path.

SwRI’s DARWIN® reliability and safety software analyzes aircraft components for fracture risk, improving safety in our skies. The visualization tool provides insight into potential structural problems before a malfunction occurs. DARWIN takes aircraft data and converts it into a picture of fracture risk, analyzing when a break could occur and pinpointing potential fracture “hotspots.” The software has supported aviation safety for decades and now, it is flying into new frontiers.

Listen now as SwRI engineer and DARWIN developer Jonathan Moody discusses the catastrophic engine failure that led to the software’s development, how it works to keep aircraft and passengers safe and DARWIN’s rise outside of aviation.

When critical equipment fails, from a chain hoist to an aircraft part, operators want to find out what went wrong. Normal wear and tear, before a failure occurs, can also prompt tests to determine remaining service life for a part or system. A materials science and failure analysis engineer can investigate, digging deep to uncover the root cause of a failure or identify a potential malfunction. This expertise prevents loss of equipment or in extreme cases, loss of life.

Listen now as SwRI materials science and failure analysis engineer and metallurgist Dr. Mirella Vargas discusses what is revealed during a thorough analysis, down to the microstructure of metals and materials.

Episode 87: Superheroes, Anime and STEM by Southwest Research Institute