Name: Natasha Norris
Work location: Northern Virginia
Years of impact at Booz Allen: 1 year
For Natasha Norris, it’s important that people understand how global positioning systems (GPS) not only provide position but also timing. In her role at Booz Allen, Natasha’s interest in the signal processing side of GPS has helped her as she works on the new military GPS signal, M-Code, and its compatibility with a Navy system.
What kind of impactful work is done with GPS for clients like the Navy? We spoke to Natasha about why she is passionate about positioning and timing, and how she and her team use them to protect our clients.
How did you get started in your field?
A professor recruited me to do research for the Ohio University Avionics Engineering Center after my freshman year of college. I’ve been working in positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) ever since.
What projects are you working on at Booz Allen?
I’m currently working on a project that looks at M-Code compatibility of a Navy navigation system. M-Code is the new military GPS signal, and it has a different signal structure and power level than the current GPS military signal setup. M-Code is still new, and it’s going to take years to bring all military systems up to speed. Its exciting to be part of that effort and design for a new technology.
How do you feel you’re making an impact?
GPS doesn’t just provide position, it also provides timing. Almost everything in civilian industry and defense uses timing in some form. Banks and Wall Street use GPS for time tagging transactions and power grids use time for regulating power. My work at Booz Allen is focused on protecting the GPS user’s timing and/or position solution from attacks. The work not only helps the defense sector, it ensures the consistency of daily life.
Why did you choose Booz Allen?
My team supports me as I take time to learn in order to do my best, most thorough work on a project. As a new grad, I still have so much to learn about PNT. They’re constantly expanding the PNT topics I need to know in my work, which pushes me to grow and keeps work interesting.
