大气科学部主任查尔斯·盖茨博士
“I was born and raised in Kenya and come from a very humble background. I’m one of nine kids and the third born, meaning that I started responsibilities very early because we had to help our mother. Almost every two to three years, she had a baby, so you can imagine she was a very, very strong woman and powerful, too. When I think about that past, she is the person, and my father as well, who taught us that we can overcome any obstacle. It doesn’t matter what it is.
“I remember going to school without fees, and they would send me home. One time, when I was complaining about being sent home because of my lack of school fees, [my mother] could see I was affected by all this. She told me, ‘Those kids you see out there that look like they come from higher, well-off families came to this world the same way you came. So, you are no different than them. Don’t look at the material wealth and think you are less than them.’
“That’s the background that shaped me. It instilled a sense of believing in yourself. Anyone you see on the streets, their color or background doesn’t matter; we all come into this world the same way. You’re equipped with skills, so find your passion and go for it.
“When I look at that background, it’s the one that has helped me come this far.”
– Dr. Charles Gatebe, Chief of Atmospheric Science Branch, NASA’s Ames Research Center
Image Credit: NASA / Brandon Torres
Interviewer: NASA / Tahira Allen
Check out some of our other Faces of NASA.
“我在肯尼亚出生和成长，来自一个非常普通的家庭。我是九个孩子中的第三个，这意味着我很早就开始承担责任，因为我们必须帮助我们的母亲。几乎每两三年，她就会生下一个孩子，所以你可以想象她是一个非常强大和有力的女人。当我回忆起过去时，她和我的父亲都是那些教导我们可以克服任何障碍的人。无论是什么样的障碍，都不重要。
“我记得上学没有学费，他们就会把我送回家。有一次，当我抱怨因为没有学费而被送回家时，[我母亲]看出我受到了所有这些的影响。她告诉我：‘那些你看到的孩子，他们看起来像是来自富裕家庭，和你们一样是通过同样的方式来到这个世界。所以，你和他们没有什么不同。不要看物质财富，不要认为你比他们差。’
“正是这样的背景塑造了我。它灌输了自信的感觉。你在街上看到的任何人，无论他们的肤色或背景如何，我们都是以同样的方式来到这个世界。你拥有技能，所以找到你的激情并追求它。
“当我回顾这个背景时，我觉得它是帮助我走到这一步的原因。”
——查尔斯·盖茨博士，大气科学部主任，NASA艾姆斯研究中心
图片来源：NASA / Brandon Torres
采访者：NASA / Tahira Allen