Kerrie Flanigan
Kerrie A. Flanigan
Quality Assurance Technician
ASRC Federal, AS&D
Women In Metrology Survey Answers...
1. Please provide a short biography?
I’ve been an aerospace quality inspector for almost 20 years. Prior to aerospace, I was in assembly work for a few small electronics companies.
2. What was your journey like to get you to where you are now? Was there a particular challenge you had to overcome?
This is how it happened with me. I didn’t specially sign up for metrology work but the company I work for is adding more and more metrology options for completing our work. Plus, it’s fun to learn new things so why not learn this and make my job that much easier.
3. What is your favorite aspect of your role in metrology?
As an inspector, metrology takes away any gray areas. It gives me exact measurements that I can pass on, whether it’s in a discrepancy report or pass into production. It helps production engineering with their dispositions, as well.
4. What is the most critical aspect of your role?
Eventually, we will be sending people into space in our capsule. My job helps ensure that the parts we use to build this space craft match the requirements to get them safely into space, while in space, and then back home.
5. Who was one of your mentors as you pursued your education and career?
In one of my non-aerospace jobs, my quality manager was Ms. Jones. If it weren’t for her, I would not be where I am today. She took a chance on me, a young inexperienced woman with no education other than high school. I like to think she’d be proud of me and how far I have come. What I do today, I do with her in mind. She was tough and smart and always told it like it was. She crawled her way up in a man’s world and made it her own.
6. What advice would you give to others who are considering a STEM career?
Find a mentor you can look up to. Pay attention in math classes and use the technology! Don’t be afraid to look dumb. There are always things you won’t understand or know about. It is not a weakness to not know everything.
7. When did you get your first chance to work in the Metrology field?
Using calipers counts, right? Then somewhere around 20 years ago.
8. Describe the value that your efforts have delivered for the systems, products and processes.
If you look at what I wrote for #5, that is why I do what I do. My contribution protects and safes spacecraft for human flight. I take that very seriously.
