Space industry expert Jason Rabinovitch ’04

2/19/2019

Mistakes are not failures but rather a fundamental part of learning, right? That well-worn educational mantra doesn’t exactly hold, however, when you’re building parachutes for a Mars Rover. “If you’re building them, they can’t break,” says Jason Rabinovitch ’04, a mechanical engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Los Angeles.
This year’s winner of the Young Old Boy of Distinction Award spoke to UCC’s Lang Scholars at a lunch and learn session at the College on Jan. 21.

Even though we really wanted to know whether he was an astronaut, Rabinovitch didn’t dwell just on his experience in the space industry,” says Lang Scholar Raphael Berz ’19.

It was during his undergraduate studies in engineering at Yale University, and in his work at a combustion laboratory, that Jason discovered a particular passion for fluid dynamics.

“He provided us with insight into finding similar paths of our own,” says Berz. “Jason encouraged us to take risks and accept opportunities that we may not otherwise seek.”

When a few geologists asked Jason to use his knowledge of fluid dynamics in the analysis of rock formations caused by erosion, he was skeptical, he told the boys. But, he found that he enjoyed applying concepts to practical situations no matter the context. And, when trying something new, Jason advised the boys to suspend hasty conclusions.

“We’re all too familiar with switching out of a class before giving it its rightful chance,” says Berz. Rabinovitch faced this dilemma after a challenging introductory “fluids” mid-term at Yale, but kept at it.

When asked about his perspective on work/life balance, Jason urged the boys to spend time thinking introspectively about what really makes them happy. He admits it took time to get a footing in the workforce, but he attributes his success to finding a career that he’s passionate about.

Jason’s love of learning is contagious. For more on Jason, watch the 2019 Young Old Boy of Distinction video.

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