Cj Giovingo on Systems, Storytelling & Mars

Cj Giovingo (they/them), systems engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, joins for a beautiful conversation about the intertwining nature of systems and creativity, their experience with the ultimate remote work—landing a spacecraft on another planet while working from home—and the invaluable power of telling your story.

Cj Giovingo is a Systems Engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California where they’ve worked since 2014. They are currently a member of the Mars 2020 Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL) Systems team which just landed the Perseverance rover on the Red Planet on February 18th of this year. Prior to their current work in space technology, Cj had a career in environmental and union organizing, skills that transferred surprisingly well to being a systems engineer.

Outside of work, Cj and their wife live as Faculty in Residence on the University of Southern California campus where they serve as mentors, advisers, and advocates for the first-year students in their residential community. In July 2019, Cj joined the National Board of Directors for Out for Undergrad, a non-profit aimed at helping high-achieving LGBTQ+ undergraduates reach their full potential.

Connect with Cj on LinkedIn
Check out Cj on the Mars 2020 Meet the Martians page

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests and do not reflect any official policies or positions of any employer or affiliated organizations.