Deborah Buscher is ‘all in’ when it comes to work and volunteer efforts
2014-04-09
For Women’s History Month, Johnson Space Center is honoring a few women employees whose character, courage and commitment have helped shaped them into the people they are today.
For Deborah Buscher, branch chief of the Human Interface Branch, growing up in Florida with the magnificent backdrop of space shuttle launches meant that while she didn’t actively pursue working for the space program—it stayed in the peripheral of her thoughts.
“It kind of just worked out that way,” Buscher said. “I always saw launches as a kid, so I always thought it was something cool. When an opportunity presented itself … I kind of jumped on it.”
Twenty-three years later, the rest is not just history—it’s an ongoing legacy that Buscher protects as she works with different programs while advancing technology.
“I have been in avionics and software through various projects—X-38, Orion, and then lots of small government-furnished equipment projects,” Buscher said. “My group does all of the imagery systems, audio systems and displays and control systems for the (International Space Station) and Orion. We do a lot of (research and development) in those areas, too.”
Through the achievement of a Space Flight Awareness (SFA) Honoree Award, which she received for developing the software for the Ku-band File Transfer and Portable Audio Data Modem projects for shuttle, Buscher made it back to Florida to see a night launch. It ended up being one of her favorite memories while working at Johnson Space Center.
“I got an SFA and got to go to a night launch back in the mid-90s,” Buscher said. “The flight I got to see was the first flight of that software.”
But aside from the glitz of seeing human spaceflight in action, Buscher also enjoyed working on the X-38 project for almost seven years.
“That was amazing,” Buscher said, “to get to see from beginning to end what you build to fly.”
However great her accomplishments at work, there’s no rest for Buscher outside of work. Laughingly admitting that she “stays busy,” Buscher makes it a point to give back to the community whenever she can.
“I’m big into my sorority, even this many years later,” Buscher said. “I’m a collegiate advisor for the chapter at Stephen F. Austin (University), and an officer in the alumni group. I do a lot of volunteer work. I’m big in my church.”
For Buscher, volunteer work is immensely important, as she tirelessly works to “help others who maybe haven’t been as fortunate as I have been in my life. I go on mission trips pretty much every year with my church. I’ve worked in orphanages in Siberia twice (and) worked in some church camps in Washington state. Up in Maine I’ve worked in what’s called their United Methodist Economic Ministry, (helping) out in that area with a food bank and clothing and that kind of thing.”
Buscher’s also done the same kind of volunteerism in Mexico. But what really stood out for her were the two mission trips to Russia.
“The first trip was a construction trip, where we worked on refurbishing (painting, general maintenance) an orphanage for deaf children,” Buscher said. “The second trip was to a different orphanage, where we taught classes and did crafts with the students. Both were great experiences during very different times in Russia’s history. The first trip was in the mid-90s, within only a few years of the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was very interesting to see, for the first time, and meet with people who were once considered (our) enemy. The second trip was made in the early 2000s, and it was great to see Tomsk start to come alive with small businesses and the people there start to discover capitalism. As with all mission trips I have been on, I feel like no matter how much I gave of my time, I gained so much more from the experience—new friends, new life experiences and the ability to help others in need.”
Whether in her private or professional life, Buscher doesn’t do anything halfway.
“I’m one of those people who believes in giving it your all … you give a 110 percent to whatever you’re working,” Buscher said. “There’s been many times in my career where I’ve worked nights, weekends … whatever it took to get the job done.”
Her hardworking outlook has certainly helped her as a female in a male-dominated field—though Buscher has never felt held back at JSC.
“I think we’ve come a long way,” Buscher said of women getting equality in the workplace. “I’ve been blessed with lots of great opportunities. I don’t know if it’s because of me personally, but maybe we’ve come a lot further than people think.”
For the next generation of up-and-coming JSC team members, she has simple but deep words of wisdom to offer after 23 years.
“Always be honest,” Buscher said. “Give everything your best effort.”
Catherine Ragin Williams
NASA Johnson Space Center
For Deborah Buscher, branch chief of the Human Interface Branch, growing up in Florida with the magnificent backdrop of space shuttle launches meant that while she didn’t actively pursue working for the space program—it stayed in the peripheral of her thoughts.
“It kind of just worked out that way,” Buscher said. “I always saw launches as a kid, so I always thought it was something cool. When an opportunity presented itself … I kind of jumped on it.”
Twenty-three years later, the rest is not just history—it’s an ongoing legacy that Buscher protects as she works with different programs while advancing technology.
“I have been in avionics and software through various projects—X-38, Orion, and then lots of small government-furnished equipment projects,” Buscher said. “My group does all of the imagery systems, audio systems and displays and control systems for the (International Space Station) and Orion. We do a lot of (research and development) in those areas, too.”
Through the achievement of a Space Flight Awareness (SFA) Honoree Award, which she received for developing the software for the Ku-band File Transfer and Portable Audio Data Modem projects for shuttle, Buscher made it back to Florida to see a night launch. It ended up being one of her favorite memories while working at Johnson Space Center.
“I got an SFA and got to go to a night launch back in the mid-90s,” Buscher said. “The flight I got to see was the first flight of that software.”
But aside from the glitz of seeing human spaceflight in action, Buscher also enjoyed working on the X-38 project for almost seven years.
“That was amazing,” Buscher said, “to get to see from beginning to end what you build to fly.”
However great her accomplishments at work, there’s no rest for Buscher outside of work. Laughingly admitting that she “stays busy,” Buscher makes it a point to give back to the community whenever she can.
“I’m big into my sorority, even this many years later,” Buscher said. “I’m a collegiate advisor for the chapter at Stephen F. Austin (University), and an officer in the alumni group. I do a lot of volunteer work. I’m big in my church.”
For Buscher, volunteer work is immensely important, as she tirelessly works to “help others who maybe haven’t been as fortunate as I have been in my life. I go on mission trips pretty much every year with my church. I’ve worked in orphanages in Siberia twice (and) worked in some church camps in Washington state. Up in Maine I’ve worked in what’s called their United Methodist Economic Ministry, (helping) out in that area with a food bank and clothing and that kind of thing.”
Buscher’s also done the same kind of volunteerism in Mexico. But what really stood out for her were the two mission trips to Russia.
“The first trip was a construction trip, where we worked on refurbishing (painting, general maintenance) an orphanage for deaf children,” Buscher said. “The second trip was to a different orphanage, where we taught classes and did crafts with the students. Both were great experiences during very different times in Russia’s history. The first trip was in the mid-90s, within only a few years of the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was very interesting to see, for the first time, and meet with people who were once considered (our) enemy. The second trip was made in the early 2000s, and it was great to see Tomsk start to come alive with small businesses and the people there start to discover capitalism. As with all mission trips I have been on, I feel like no matter how much I gave of my time, I gained so much more from the experience—new friends, new life experiences and the ability to help others in need.”
Whether in her private or professional life, Buscher doesn’t do anything halfway.
“I’m one of those people who believes in giving it your all … you give a 110 percent to whatever you’re working,” Buscher said. “There’s been many times in my career where I’ve worked nights, weekends … whatever it took to get the job done.”
Her hardworking outlook has certainly helped her as a female in a male-dominated field—though Buscher has never felt held back at JSC.
“I think we’ve come a long way,” Buscher said of women getting equality in the workplace. “I’ve been blessed with lots of great opportunities. I don’t know if it’s because of me personally, but maybe we’ve come a lot further than people think.”
For the next generation of up-and-coming JSC team members, she has simple but deep words of wisdom to offer after 23 years.
“Always be honest,” Buscher said. “Give everything your best effort.”
Catherine Ragin Williams
NASA Johnson Space Center