Michelle: Can you start off by telling us a little bit about how you got interested in the topic of the article?

Muriel: Actually, with NDT, my son was graduating from high school and a family friend of ours who was a nuclear engineer in the Navy knew about NDT inspectors and that we have a program here at the local community college. So he suggested that my son check out the program. Cause you know, my son is an artist at heart. And so he didn't want to go to college after high school. And you know, he was, he was determined to be an artist, which I have no problem with.

I actually think that he's a wonderful artist. He's actually really good at playing instruments and everything, however, I did want him to get into something where he could have a long-term career. So I thought the least he could do is check into the NDT program at the college. So I went with him to do the tour for the program. So while we were there, I was getting excited about it. And that night on the way home, I asked him, how he felt about going to school with his mother because I know for me, I wouldn't want to go to school with my mom. And I said, well, I can wait for you to start and you can get through a year and then I'll start after that. And no one even has to know that we know each other. That was my offer. And so he said, no, we can actually do it together and we'll compete to see who gets the highest GPA. So that was my challenge. And I mean, really that's where it all started.

I think that just the draw to the attention to detail, like that's a part of me. That's who I am. It's always been a part of me since I was little. And so I think that that's really what drew me to the quality aspect of NDT. then of course, you know, the instructors talked about how you could have a wonderful career. And they talked about all the cool places they had worked. One of our instructors worked for NASA. And so for me growing up, NASA was a thing.

Nowadays kids know SpaceX and probably Blue Origin, but for me it was NASA and I'm actually from Florida. So I remember hearing the sonic boom, like when the spaceships would leave and come back. And so that was super exciting for me. I didn't think that I would necessarily get into the space sector of it, but definitely NDT I felt was for me. And so here I am.

Michelle: That's so fun. And that's so great. Your son was open to going to school.

Muriel: Yeah. He's a cool kid. He really is a cool kid. And so it was a fun journey, honestly. I think that to go back to school and to go to school with your child is a completely different experience that really, if anyone could have that experience, I recommend it because you get to see them not just as your kid, but you're watching them mature in a way that you wouldn't necessarily witness because you don't get to go to school with them in high school.