“I think it is important that people learn to trust the science of nuclear energy.” An Interview with Priya Ghosh

Priya Ghosh is an astrophysicist, nuclear engineer, and a postdoctoral researcher at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. There she builds and develops radiation detectors to detect neutrons and gamma rays, and also studies and analyzes cosmic ray data to better...

“Important astrobiology questions require that people in a lot of different fields… find common language.” An interview with Lindsay Hays

As a program scientist for the astrobiology program, the Mars Sample Return program, and the DAVINCI mission, Lindsay Hays’s domain spans from NASA HQ to Venus to Mars and back again. Lindsay became one of the first to witness images...

‘I was one of those kids who thought everybody became a scientist… I was always fascinated with galaxies." An interview with Tom Statler

As the program scientist in NASA’s Planetary Science Division and the Planetary Defense Coordination Office, Tom Statler works with mission teams as they send robots to asteroids and other entities in our Solar System. From a science-rich upbringing to his...

“I just could not help wanting to know why things are.” An interview with Sylvain Costes

Sylvain Costes is the Branch Chief, Open Science project manager, and principal investigator for NASA’s Ames Research Center. Sylvain oversees over 80 NASA scientists and technicians, but he’s primarily a biophysicist leading research on radiation and DNA to understand how...

“We are people who sit around campfires and tell stories and learn from stories… It's got to be a story.” An interview with Lin Chambers

Dr. Lin Chambers is the Deputy Director of Science Activation at NASA Headquarters, and she spends her time there sharing NASA’s science with learners in local communities across the country. Lin started at NASA after her freshman year of college...

“I'm really good at translating. I can talk to scientists and engineers and help them understand each other.” An Interview with Charles Webb

Charles Webb is the Deputy Director of NASA’s Joint Agency Satellite Division, where he helps lead a team to develop and launch satellite missions for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Charles has a gift for translating between scientists and...

“My mother would tell me stories about the stars and the moon." An interview with Hashima Hasan.

Hashima Hasan is the program scientist for NASA’s James Webb, XP, and NuSTAR telescopes, helping to bring those missions from cradle to grave. Hashima followed the space race closely growing up in India, which inspired her to navigate into the...

“We give them a little bit of a show. " An Interview With Duane Waliser

Duane Waliser’s path in science meandered from an Oregon apple farm to a UCSD Oceanography institute to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he now serves as the Chief Scientist for the Earth Science and Technology Directorate. At JPL, Duane helps...

"…people can be successful at science from any sorts of backgrounds." An interview with Erik Klemetti.

As an associate professor of Earth & Environmental Sciences and volcanologist at Denison University, Erik Klemetti works on volcanoes all over the planet, from Chile to New Zealand to the Cascades of Oregon and California. His research focusses on how...

“Be willing to challenge the rules.” An interview with Brent Holben

With over thirty-years of experience in aerosol research as a Project Leader on NASA’s AERONET program, retired NASA scientist Brent Holben knows his way around those finer details. Now three-months into his retirement, Brent walks us through his adventurous world-trotting...

“Science isn’t finished until it’s communicated.” An Interview with Mark SubbaRao

As the Scientific Visualization lead for NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Mark SubbaRao oversees the translation of NASA science into images and movies. For Mark, science visualization is a key communication tool that allows the public to interact and explore...

“It's very satisfying to be – even a small cog – in a very important machine.” An Interview with Jeffrey Myers

Jeffrey Myers knows his way around aerial photogrammetry. As a former lead manager at the Airborne Sensor Facility at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Jeffrey’s work with data collection and earth mapping has been affiliated with NASA’s U-2 program, MODIS, and...

The Many Labors of Tom Sheffler (Episode III: The Life and Times of Thomas Henry Sheffler)

Happy Labor Day! My husband Don and I chatted with my father-in-law Tom Sheffler about the dignity of labor and the changes in workplace ethics over his lifetime. At eighty-three, he works harder than anyone I know. In this chat,...

“How far you go [in your science career] depends on how big your curiosity is." A conversation with David Moore.

David Moore is a first-year graduate student at UCLA. He is studying tropical cyclones, also known as typhoons or hurricanes, on Earth. In his graduate research work, David is researching how to bridge the gap between planetary atmospheres and meteorology...

Open source maintainership with Emma Irwin

Emma Irwin explores a nuanced view of open source maintainership in today’s landscape, digging into what characteristics good maintainers cultivate, what role mentoring plays in maintainership, and how history influences who becomes a maintainer.

Jacob Bay and Veronica Papendieck

Veronica Papendieck(70) is interviewed by her grandson, Jacob Bay(14) about her life.

“Pursue your passions, absolutely. But simultaneously be open to different experiences.” An Interview with Renee Weber

Renee Weber is the Chief Scientist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, which basically means she represents all science at the center- pretty cool if you ask us! We talked to Renee about the importance of seismology, building personal relationships...

“My science is all about sharing.” An Interview with Paula Buchanan

For Paula Buchanan, disaster scientist and emergency management researcher, the whole point of science is to share it with others so that it can benefit everyone. We talked to her about being a “degree collector,” persevering and setting boundaries in...

“Don’t let the hiccup stop you.” An Interview with Lauren Haygood

Lauren Haygood is a PhD student at Oklahoma State University, studying marine geochemistry and metal biogeochemical cycling in Dr. Natasha Riedinger’s lab. How does one become a chemist after failing chemistry in undergrad? We talked to Lauren about figuring out...

“Be curious, have passion, and never close the door.” An Interview with Stephen Rinehart

Dr. Stephen Rinehart is the Director of Planetary Research Programs at NASA. We talked to him about how his love for destroying things as a kid led him to a career in science, walking away from failure, and working with...

“If you’re not failing, you’re not researching.” An Interview with Michael Hesse

Michael Hesse is the Director of Science at NASA’s Ames Research Center, focusing on space biological science. We talked to him about being a good leader, doing science all over the world, and the joys of racing cars.

"There's something in science for everyone." An Interview with Judy Pu

Judy Pu is currently a grad student at the University of California, Santa Barbara studying Earth Science. We talked to her about moving forward from failure and criticism, the importance of education, and dealing with the loss of a mentor.