Erin Sholl, now the deputy chief of the Space Transportation Systems Division within the Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, had a career journey full of unexpected twists and turns. Despite struggling with math and science early on, her love and proficiency in these subjects grew over time. Initially planning to study chemical engineering, Sholl discovered a passion for physics at Pennsylvania State University and then switched her major to aerospace engineering.
Her connection to NASA solidified when she met a classmate who had interned at Johnson, sparking her dream career in space exploration. Sholl’s first role at Johnson was as a trajectory operations officer, where she spent six years working in Mission Control Center and supporting the International Space Station. Transitioning to the Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate provided her with a new and fulfilling challenge.
**Original Source:** [NASA – Unexpected Trajectory: Erin Sholl’s Path to Human Spaceflight Safety](https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/johnson/unexpected-trajectory-erin-sholls-path-to-human-spaceflight-safety/)