"It never occurred to me to work in science communication" an interview with Laurie Cantillo

Laurie Cantillo, the Deputy Director of Communications and Education at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, talks about her journey to become a science communicator. She developed an interest in science at an early age spending time in the outdoors with her...

“It’s all about getting the information into the hands of local stakeholders.” an interview with John Bolten

John Bolten doesn’t need to get his hands dirty to learn about crop yields. Using satellite images, the Associate Program Manager of Water Resources for the NASA Applied Sciences Program has worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to directly...

“For really big problems we use really creative solutions.” an interview with Daniel Irwin

Daniel Irwin’s first direct connection with NASA started in the small town of Flores in Guatemala. Amidst work dodging snakes and spiders in the jungle, he had a chance encounter with a researcher who handed him satellite mapping images of...

"What other profession allows you to ask questions, chase those things that give you intellectual itches." an interview with Robert Swap

On the football field, Bob Swap learned to read the field, look at the play, assess the information, and move forward. Today, those same skills help him manage over 250 scientists at the Goddard Space Flight Center with NASA’s Pandora...

"It's so fun and such a privilege to be part of this team and see what people can do together" An interview with Lindy Elkins-Tanton

Dr. Elkins-Tanton did not always know she wanted to be a scientist, yet she is now the principal investigator for NASA's Psyche mission and the managing director of the Arizona State University Interplanetary Initiative. Hear her talk about her journey...

“We went there to study sulfur and we ended up making this big nitrogen discovery.” An Interview with Barry Lefer

As a Program Manager for NASA Headquarters Earth Science Division, Barry Lefer helps fund important global research and field campaigns that are measuring air quality and greenhouse gases. And judging by these studies, Barry thinks the future is looking good!...

You can’t believe…

An elder family member gives advice and talks about his life to a teenage girl

"It was really such a unique experience that I just don't think can happen today." An interview with Donald Gurnett.

Dr. Gurnett began flying model planes at an early age. Little did he know that this passion of his would propel him to become a pioneer in space physics. In this interview Gurnett talks about his improbable journey to the...

"If you do it persistently and constantly, eventually it will create some sort of change." an interview with Catherine Mushi

Catherine Mushi, PhD student studying Water Resources Engineering at the University of Dar es Salaam discusses her work in the Congo River Basin and collaborating with peers both in the field and within the community. She shares her experience as...

"At that moment, I realize the benefit of what science can do around us." an interview with Atanas Dommo

Atanas Dommo shares his experiences as a Ph.D. student from Cameroon Africa. He discusses how his desire to learn more inspired him to pursue a career in the sciences. His speaks of his passion and motivation for understanding our changing...

"There's no other job I'd rather have ever." An Interview with Ed Weiler

Ed Weiler only answered to one person when he was the Associate Administrator for Science at NASA Headquarters- the President of the United States. And after decades long career in astronomy, working on everything from the Hubble Telescope to the...

"The best way to get ahead is to plant seeds of ideas in other people & watch them take off & run with it." an interview with Bruce Wielicki

Bruce Wielicki, a NASA Langley climate scientist, discusses his collaboration with economists to help non-scientists understand how climate change will hit them in the wallet, and how they could reduce that risk with modest investments in improved climate science. He...

A massive journey
November 28, 2018 App Interview

My Dad explains his journey from Guatemala to DC and the many changes that came with it.

"We all stand on each other shoulders to make the next discovery." an interview with Joseph Lazio

As a radio astronomer at the Jet Propulsion lab at NASA, Joseph Lazio walks us through his work in radio astronomy and career at NASA. He helped design radio telescopes to solve the mystery of why a hidden star was...

"There is humor and wonderment in all these great people." An interview with James Garvin.

James Garvin is the Chief Scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Dr. Garvin has been at NASA for 35 years in a variety of roles and missions, and is well known for his incredible work in NASA's Mars explorational...

"Well, I think at the earliest stage, the most important thing is to try it out." An Interview with Craig Kundrot

Craig Kundrot had a hard time narrowing down what type of science he wanted to specialize in, but that ended up being a strength when he became the Division Director for Biological and Physical Sciences at NASA. We talked to...

"Taking the Time to Make the Big Decision." an interview with Marcia McNutt

You may know Marcia McNutt as the current president of the National Academy of Sciences, but did you know she’s also someone who got restless enough to give up what many consider the be the perfect job? While teaching at...

"We have to learn to live off of the planet–we can't take everything with us." an interview with Steve Clarke

Steven Clarke, NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration, discusses his life in science and engineering. Currently tasked with bridging NASA's efforts on human and robotic missions to coordinate scientific requirements for going to the Moon and Mars, he has seen...

"I am satisfied by simply being able to help out in whatever way I can." an interview with Claire Parkinson

Dr. Claire Parkinson, senior scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center since 1978, discusses using satellite data to monitor sea ice in the Arctic and Antarctic and serving as project scientist for the NASA satellite Aqua, which makes measurements of...

"You need to get into the storm, install it close enough to the lightning, and then run back to the car." an interview with Tim Lang

Putting up tall PVC pipes with pointy sensors to measure electrical fields in an approaching lightning storm may seem reckless, but it’s all part of the job for Timothy Lang. The NASA research scientist spends a lot of time in...

"I got a little periodic table wallet card. So, I really am a card-carrying chemist." an interview with Jack Kaye

Jack Kaye, associate director for research at NASA's Earth Science Division, discuss his origins as a chemist and earth scientist, and how he was recruited to Goddard to be a chemist among meteorologists. "My boss would advertise me as his...

"It's just amazing to go to a new place in the solar system and discover someplace new." An interview with Paul Mahaffy.

Dr. Paul Mahaffy is the director of NASA's Solar System Exploration Division at the Goddard Space Flight Center. Raised in Eritrea, Paul became fascinated with the diversity of life at a young age, but did not have his sights set...

"Finding New Ways to Build the Paleo Story." an interview with Melanie Perello

There’s a bit of a culture change moving from Ohio to New Hampshire, which Melanie Perello, Ph.D. candidate at Indiana University, did as part of her studies. Would you be surprised that going from either to Tibet to study paleoclimate...

"You can make the claim that airborne transport of dust gives us rum.” an interview with Hal Maring

Hal Maring once risked his life for a box of fog. The physical scientist at NASA Headquarters was once on a New Zealand research cruise in the Tasman Sea when the vessel hit bad weather. They took down some of...