"We’re constantly inventing new ways to use our data for societal benefits.” an interview with Sandra Cauffman

Description

Sandra Cauffman was told growing up in Costa Rica that she couldn’t be an electrical engineer because she was a woman. Decades into a career which has largely involved getting her hands dirty building instruments to fix on spacecraft, the Deputy Director for the Earth Science Division at NASA Headquarters now shares responsibility for the entire portfolio of Earth science missions. “You can call me a jack of all trades,” she says.

Her engineering has involved the first servicing mission to fix the optics of the Hubble Space Telescope in 1993, but her more recent work involves fixing problems back on earth such as using data from satellites to track California wildfires to help the boots on the ground, helping evacuations, and tracking hurricanes or landslides for communities. (Recorded 12 December 2018)

Participants

• Sandra Cauffman
  
• Josh Learn
  
• AGU Narratives
  

Interview By

• AGU Narratives