Author: Miriam Rich

Mark Simons, Systems Engineer

Mark Simons once found himself sitting in a circle at his then 8-year-old daughter’s yoga class. Participants went around and introduced themselves, explaining what they did for a living. Realizing that no one in the room would be likely to know about systems engineering, Simons thought quickly about how to …

Vitech: Best of 2018

As one year turns into another, we are looking back to see what compelled our attention in 2018. What were the ideas and stories about systems engineering that caught our eye? Where were we challenged to re-think certain assumptions we held, and how did that change us? Where did we …

Thinking about space laundry for a trip to Mars

How do you do laundry on a nine-month trip to Mars? Answer: You don’t. At least, scientists have not yet figured out the answer to this challenge—one of space travels interesting problems. A water-based solution is out of the question—water is heavy and expensive to ship, and what water one …