Rae Anderson never set out to have a career with NASA, but the pursuit of opportunities around her interest in computer science led the Union City, Tennessee native to the agency that explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all.
In turn, Anderson's desire to expand her knowledge helped her become the first employee at NASA's Stennis Space Center - and one of five civil servants across NASA - to earn the highest distinction in the Safety and Mission Assurance Technical Excellence Program in the discipline of Software Assurance.
"I want to be good at my job, so early in my career, I set a goal of reaching this certification," Anderson said.
The program's level four certification demonstrates Anderson's dedication to growing her knowledge and skills to become an effective contributor to the agency's mission. As the subject matter expert for software assurance, Anderson serves as a technical lead for a team in the NASA Stennis Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate that supports the center's work with propulsion testing and autonomous systems.