>> UH, MY NAME'S CHRIS WILLIAMS.
I'M A MEDICAL PHYSICIST,
AND NOW A MEMBER OF
THE 2021 ASTRONAUT
CANDIDATE CLASS.
SO, UH, I WAS BORN
IN NEW YORK CITY, UH,
AND THEN GREW UP, UH,
IN POTOMAC, MARYLAND,
JUST OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON DC.
UM, IT WAS A GREAT PLACE
TO GROW UP, UM,
HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES,
GREAT SCHOOLS, AND, UH,
YEAH, GREAT ACCESS TO A LOT
OF THE-- THE NEAT STUFF
IN WASHINGTON DC THAT YOU--
YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE MUSEUMS,
AND THE AIR SPACE MUSEUM,
ALL OF THAT, SO...
IT'S A GREAT PLACE
TO GROW UP.
SO BEFORE BEING SELECTED
AS AN ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE,
I WAS WORKING AS
A MEDICAL PHYSICIST, UH,
AT ONE OF THE HOSPITALS
AND CANCER CENTERS IN BOSTON,
AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS, UH,
I WAS WORKING ON THE TECHNICAL
SIDE OF HOW WE USE RADIATION
TO TREAT AND TRY TO CURE--
CURE CANCERS.
SO, UH, SPENDING A LITTLE BIT
OF MY TIME WORKING ON, UH,
ON PAY-- UH, RESEARCH,
AND THE REST OF MY TIME
WORKING ON DIRECTLY, UH,
HELPING TO SUPPORT
PATIENT TREATMENTS.
YEAH, SO, UH,
I THINK, IN MY OWN WORDS,
UH, A NASA--
WHAT IS A NASA ASTRONAUT?
SO, UH, NASA ASTRONAUTS,
A COUPLE OF THINGS, UM,
I THINK, FIRST AND FOREMOST,
IT'S A, UH, YOU KNOW,
SOMEBODY THAT EXPLORES.
SOMEBODY THAT'S WORKING ON
FURTHERING THAT MISSION OF,
UH, OF HUMAN EXPLORATION.
UM, I THINK THE OTHER THING
THAT A NASA ASTRONAUT IS
IS, UH-- IS, UH,
SORT OF A REPRESENTATIVE
OF NASA, WHERE WE'RE REALLY
LUCKY TO BE SORT OF THE--
THE TIP OF A HUGE ORGANIZATION
THAT'S ALL WORKING TOGETHER
TO TRY TO ACHIEVE SOME--
SOME PRETTY AMAZING THINGS.
UH, WHEN DID I DECIDE
TO BE A NASA ASTRONAUT?
WELL, I THINK AS FAR BACK
AS I CAN REMEMBER, YOU KNOW,
WHEN I WAS A TINY LITTLE KID,
UH, I'VE ALWAYS HAD THE--
THE SORT OF DREAM OF, UH,
OF BEING AN ASTRONAUT, AND--
YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN
I WAS A KID, THAT WAS--
THAT WAS VERY MUCH A--
A DREAM INSPIRED BY, YOU KNOW,
SEEING, UH, YOU KNOW,
SEEING SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCHES
ON THE TV, AND THAT
SORT OF THING, AND THEN
LEARNING ABOUT THE HISTORY
OF THE SPACE PROGRAM
GOING BACK TO THE EARLY DAYS.
UM, AND THAT KIND OF
INSPIRED ME TO-- TO THINK
ABOUT IT, BUT, YOU KNOW,
AS I KIND OF GOT--
PROGRESSED IN MY CAREER,
IT WENT FROM BEING
SORT OF THIS-- THIS, YOU KNOW,
PIE IN THE SKY DREAM
TO SOMETHING THAT
I WAS LIKE, "HEY,
WAIT A SECOND,
MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING
I COULD ACTUALLY REALLY DO."
UM...
SO, AS FAR BACK
AS I CAN REMEMBER,
I'VE ALWAYS WANTED
TO BE A NASA ASTRONAUT.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHERE
THE FIRST SPARK CAME FROM,
BUT I THINK A LOT OF IT
CAME FROM, AS A KID, SEEING,
UH, SEEING SPACE SHUTTLE
LAUNCHES ON TV, AND THEN,
IN HISTORY CLASS,
KIND OF LEARNING ABOUT
THE EARLY DAYS OF
THE SPACE PROGRAM, AND--
AND LEARNING ABOUT THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF
STRUCK A COUPLE CHORDS
WITHIN ME, THIS IDEA THAT
YOU COULD, UH-- THAT--
YOU COULD EXPLORE BEYOND
WHAT WE-- WHAT WE NORMALLY
THINK OF AS SORT OF
BEING ACCESSIBLE TO--
TO HUMANITY, AND YOU COULD
EXPLORE THAT BY--
BY EXCELLENCE IN
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY,
AND SORT OF ACHIEVING AND--
ACCOMPLISHING, UH, WHAT--
SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE THINGS.
THE SELECTION PROCESS
WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE,
UM, UH, BECAUSE OF COVID,
UH-UH-- I THINK IT--
IT ENDED UP BEING
A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT,
BUT, UH, I JUST SUBMITTED
AN APPLICATION ONLINE, UM,
UH, WAY BACK RIGHT--
BASICALLY RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE-- OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW,
SORT OF JUST--
WAS IN A HOLDING PATTERN
FOR, UH-- FOR-FOR--
FOR BASICALLY A YEAR.
UM, AND THEN ONE DAY
WE GET A CALL TO--
TO COME DOWN FOR AN INTERVIEW,
AND THAT WAS PROBABLY
ONE OF THE MOST HUMBLING
EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE.
UM, MEETING ALL OF THESE
JUST ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE
PEOPLE DOWN HERE,
UH, THE OTHER--
THE OTHER INTERVIEWEES.
UM, AND JUST MEETING PEOPLE
FROM ALL DIFFERENT
WALKS OF LIFE, YOU KNOW?
COMING IN AS A--
AS A PHYSICIST
MEETING PEOPLE WHO WERE,
YOU KNOW, TEST PILOTS,
HAD WORKED IN ANTARCTICA.
YOU JUST GOT TO MEET
THIS REALLY INCREDIBLE
GROUP OF PEOPLE, AND, UH--
YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH--
JUST-JUST REALLY HUMBLING
TO-TO MEET ALL OF THESE PEOPLE
THAT HAD DONE THESE
INCREDIBLE THINGS IN THEIR--
IN THEIR-- IN THEIR LIVES.
AND, UH, SO IT WAS GREAT
TO GET TO MEET EVERYBODY,
AND, UH, YEAH.
UH, AND, UH,
HERE WE ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE,
BUT, UH, IT WAS JUST A--
JUST A REALLY, REALLY INCREDIBLE
PROCESS COMING DOWN HERE
MEETING THESE PEOPLE
IN PERSON, THEN SEEING--
SEEING NASA IN PERSON.
YEAH, THAT, UH--
SO WHEN I-- WHEN I GOT
THE CALL TO-- TO COME DOWN
AND BE A-- BE A NASA ASTRONAUT,
THAT WAS JUST AN ABSOLUTELY
SURREAL DAY, UM, I WAS, UH--
UH, I WAS WORKING FROM HOME
THAT DAY, AND, UH,
I'D JUST GOTTEN BACK
FROM WALKING TO DROP
MY DAUGHTER OFF AT DAYCARE,
AND COME BACK AND HAD
ONE MEETING, AND HAD A--
ABOUT A 15-MINUTE BREAK
BETWEEN THE END OF ONE MEETING
AND THE START OF THE NEXT ONE.
SO I WAS JUST, UH,
JUST FIXIN' MYSELF
A CUP OF COFFEE, AND, UH,
AND MY PHONE RINGS, AND--
I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT
OF SPAM CALLERS ON MY--
ON MY CELL PHONE,
BUT I-- I KNEW THAT
IT WAS A TEXAS, UH,
A TEXAS AREA CODE,
SO I WAS LIKE, ALL RIGHT,
I SHOULD PROBABLY--
PROBABLY ANSWER THIS ONE, UM,
AND IT WAS, UH, UH--
REED WISEMAN, THE CHIEF
OF THE ASTRONAUT OFFICE,
AND, UH, ANNE ROHMER
ON THE PHONE, AND--
WE'D KINDA TALKED AMONGST
OUR-- OUR-OUR INTERVIEW GROUP,
AND, UH, I'D HEARD
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
THAT IF THE CHIEF
OF THE ASTRONAUT OFFICE CALLS,
IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD CALL.
UM, AND SO, I'D REALLY
PSYCHED MYSELF UP--
YOU KNOW, HAVING MET
EVERYBODY ON THE INTERVIEW
PROCESS, I'D REALLY PSYCHED
MYSELF UP FOR, YOU KNOW,
EVERYBODY'S INCREDIBLE.
THERE'S NO WAY THAT I'M GONNA
MAKE IT TO THE NEXT STAGE,
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, AND THEN,
WHEN-WHEN-WHEN REED WAS
ON THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE,
I-I JUST-- MY BRAIN KINDA
WENT INTO-INTO-- YOU KNOW,
JUST INTO SHOCK, UM,
REALIZING THAT, WAIT,
THIS MIGHT ACTUALLY
BE A GOOD CALL.
UM, AND IT-- AND IT WAS,
SO I-- I SORTA HAD A HARD--
REALLY HARD TIME FOCUSING
ON WORK THE REST OF THE DAY.
UM, AND I-- I, UH,
AS SOON AS I GOT THE CALL,
I, UH, MESS-- TEXTED MY WIFE
TO CALL ME BACK, AND, UH,
MY WIFE'S, UH-- MY WIFE'S, UH,
A DOCTOR AND ANESTHESIOLOGIST,
SHE WORKS IN A HOSPITAL
AND SHE CALLED ME BACK,
AND I TOLD HER THE NEWS,
AND IT WAS PROBABLY NOT
THE BEST THING, 'CAUSE--
SHE WAS JUST ABOUT
TO GO START A CASE--
START A SURGERY CASE, UH,
ON A PATIENT, AND, UH--
IT ALSO PUT HER IN A TOTALLY--
UH, TOTALLY-TOTALLY
DIFFERENT ZONE AS WELL.
BUT, UM, YEAH, IT MADE A--
IT WAS A-- IT WAS A GREAT, UH,
AN AWESOME DAY, AWESOME NEWS,
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SORT OF
MADE IT-- MADE IT REALLY HARD
TO CONCENTRATE ON WORK
FOR THE REST OF THAT, UH, DAY.
THANKFULLY THEY CALLED
ON A FRIDAY.
I THINK THERE'S A--
THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS
THAT, UH, REALLY INSPIRE
AND MOTIVATE ME.
I THINK, YOU KNOW,
ONE OF THE BIG ONES,
ESPECIALLY NOW,
AND THINKING ABOUT THIS
SORT OF NEW JOURNEY
THAT I'M PERSONALLY
EMBARKING ON AS A--
AS AN ASTRONAUT CANDIDATE,
UM, THE PEOPLE THAT
REALLY INSPIRE ME
ARE THE-- YOU KNOW,
ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT I--
INTERVIEWED WITH,
AND ALL THE PEOPLE
THAT WORK AT NASA,
AND ALL THE PEOPLE
THAT I'VE SORT OF--
HAD TALKED TO, UH,
ON THE INTERVIEW TRAIL,
YOU KNOW, FRIENDS,
FAMILY, ACQUAINTANCES
THAT ARE EXCITED ABOUT SPACE.
AND, YOU KNOW, REALIZING THAT
I NOW GET THE OPPORTUNITY
TO-TO BE AN ASTRONAUT
AND TO KINDA BE THE SORT OF
TIP OF THIS HUGE ORGANIZATION
THAT'S WORKING TOWARDS
AND SUPPORTING
HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT.
THAT REALLY MOTIVATES ME,
REALIZING THAT, YOU KNOW,
I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DO THIS, SO IT--
IT MOTIVATES ME TO BE
THE BEST THAT I CAN BE, UH,
AND TO WORK AS HARD AS I CAN
TO-TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT THIS,
UM, SO THAT-- THAT'S ONE THING
THAT REALLY MOTIVATES ME.
UH, THE OTHER THING
IS MY-- MY FAMILY.
UM, MY WIFE AND MY DAUGHTER
AND MY-- MY PARENTS,
AND SISTER, AND EXTENDED FAMILY
THAT-THAT'S JUST
SUPER MOTIVATED.
THEY'VE ALL-- ALWAYS BEEN
BEHIND ME FOR THIS ENTIRE--
ENTIRE PROCESS, AND, UM,
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST REALLY,
YOU KNOW, REALLY AWESOME
TO KNOW THAT MY FAMILY'S
BEHIND ME, AND CONTINUALLY
MOTIVATES ME, UH, IN THIS.
YEAH, UM, SO I THINK FOR ME,
PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST,
UH, MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES
FROM, SORT OF,
BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL,
WAS, UH, WAS TAKING
MY FIRST PHYSICS CLASS, UM--
I'D ALWAYS-- KIND OF BEEN
INTERESTED IN MATH, SCIENCE,
COMPUTERS, UM, YOU KNOW,
AS A KID, AND, UH,
I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO--
GO TO A MATH/SCIENCE
MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL,
AND THE FIRST YEAR
OF HIGH SCHOOL, UH,
WAS THE FIRST TIME
I TOOK A CLASS
THAT WAS PHYSICS.
AND JUST LEARNING ABOUT,
UM, I-I REMEMBER IT PRETTY WELL.
UM, MR. DONALDSON WAS
MY 9TH GRADE PHYSICS TEACHER,
AND, UM, YOU KNOW,
I REMEMBER REALLY WELL
THE FIRST TIME REALIZING
THAT YOU COULD USE MATH
AND EQUATIONS, AND KIND OF--
LAWS OF THE UNIVERSE
TO FIGURE OUT HOW THINGS WORK,
AND KIND OF MAKING THAT
CONNECTION IN MY HEAD,
I THINK, WAS PRETTY SPECIAL
FOR ME, AND KIND OF LEAD ME
DOWN THE PATH, UH,
THAT I TRAVELED THROUGH
THE REST OF MY CAREER.
UM, JUST-- JUST KIND OF GETTING
INSPIRED BY THE FACT THAT
WE COULD USE, YOU KNOW,
A FEW OF THESE SIMPLE LAWS
TO DESCRIBE ALL OF THIS
COMPLEX BEHAVIOR IN THE--
IN THE UNIVERSE.
UM, ANOTHER EXPERIENCE
THAT REALLY, YOU KNOW,
KIND OF-- THAT'S VERY
MEMORABLE FROM SCHOOL,
HAPPENED A LITTLE LATER
IN COLLEGE, AND WAS WHEN
I GOT, UH, AT THIS POINT,
I HAD-- I'D-- WAS ALREADY
ON THE PATH TO BECOMING
A PHYSICIST, AND ACTUALLY
AN ASTRONOMER.
AND THE FIRST TIME I GOT
TO TRAVEL TO A TELESCOPE,
UM, IN A-- IN A PRETTY
REMOTE AREA, UM,
I GOT TO THAT-- I GOT, UH,
THE CHANCE TO DO THIS
KIND OF TWICE IN COLLEGE,
ONCE TO NEW MEXICO,
AND ONCE TO--
TO INDIA, ACTUALLY.
BUT TRAVELING TO THE ACTUAL
SITE OF ONE OF THESE
OBSERVATORIES, AND SEEING,
LIKE, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST
KIND OF READING ABOUT
WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE
A SCIENTIST, BUT ACTUALLY
DOING IT, UM,
AS A COLLEGE STUDENT WAS--
YOU KNOW, MADE A--
MADE A PRETTY BIG
IMPRESSION ON ME,
AND SET ME ON THE COURSE
FOR, YOU KNOW,
SORT OF ACADEMICALLY
CONTINUING TO GRADUATE SCHOOL,
AND TO-- TO-- TO--
TO WORK FURTHER TOWARDS
BECOMING A SCIENTIST.
YEAH, SO, UH,
ONE-- YOU KNOW,
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN
A LOT OF DIFFERENT RESEARCH.
RIGHT NOW, I'M-- I'M--
I'M WORKING A LOT ON
CANCER AND RADIATION,
AND, UM, YOU KNOW,
IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE
ALL THE THINGS THAT
NASA IS DOING IN THIS, UH,
IN THIS REGARD, AND-AND--
AND IN PARTICULAR,
LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW,
SPACE RADIATION,
AND HOW DO WE--
HOW DO WE-- HOW DO WE ATTACK
THOSE PROBLEMS, BECAUSE IT'S A--
IT'S KIND OF THE FLIPSIDE
OF A COIN, UM-- ON EARTH,
WE USE RADIATION TO HELP
TREAT PEOPLE WITH--
TO IMAGE PEOPLE,
AND ALSO TO HELP TREAT
PEOPLE WITH CANCER.
UM, BUT, IN SPACE,
RADIATION'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS
THAT IS, YOU KNOW,
POTENTIAL RISK WHEN WE'RE--
ESPECIALLY OUTSIDE OF
LOW EARTH ORBIT,
AND ON THE WAY TO THE MOON,
OR MARS OR BEYOND,
AND SO IT'S KINDA NICE
TO BE ABLE TO BRING
SOME OF THE RESEARCH
THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN,
AND, UH, TOPICS THAT
I'VE BEEN THINKING
ABOUT IN MY WORK
AS A MEDICAL PHYSICIST, UH,
TO BRING THAT TO-TO MY--
TO MY NEW ROLE AT NASA.
I WOULD SAY THAT
I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED,
BUT ALSO VERY NERVOUS
AND INTIMIDATED, UH,
SO, UH, A LITTLE OF
ALL OF THOSE, UH, UH--
ABOUT MY TRAINING, UH,
TO BECOME A NASA ASTRONAUT.
AND EXTREMELY HUMBLED AS WELL.
UM, I THINK I'M REALLY
EXCITED TO DO-- TO LEARN
ABOUT A WHOLE BUNCH
OF NEW TOPICS THAT, UH,
YOU KNOW, ARE THINGS
THAT I'VE, YOU KNOW,
READ ABOUT, BUT NOW ARE
GONNA BE PART OF MY JOB.
I FEEL EXTREMELY LUCKY
THAT THAT'S GONNA BE
PART OF THE NEXT STEPS.
AND I'M, YOU KNOW,
I'M NERVOUS.
IT'S GONNA BE--
IT'S MAKING A BIG MOVE TO,
UH, A TOTALLY NEW FIELD.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN--
WORKING AS A PHD PHYSICIST
FOR MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE,
UM, AND A MEDICAL PHYSICIST
FOR THE PAST DECADE.
NOW I'M DOING SOMETHING
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
THAT'S, UH, AN AWESOME FEELING,
'CAUSE I'M-- I'M GETTING
THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO
SOMETHING NEW AND EXCITING,
BUT ALSO A LITTLE BUT, UH,
A LITTLE BIT NERVEWRACKING,
BECAUSE I'M-I'M--
I'M-I'M GOIN' OUTSIDE
OF MY PREVIOUS COMFORT ZONE.
UM, AND I FEEL HUMBLED
THAT I'M-I'M-I'M--
GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DO A LOT OF THINGS
THAT, UH, THAT I USED
TO DREAM ABOUT.
SO NOW I'M ACTUALLY GONNA
GET A CHANCE TO DO IT.
YEAH, I THINK--
I'M EXCITED ABOUT
A LOT OF THINGS
THAT ARE GOING ON IN
SPACEFLIGHT RIGHT NOW.
I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW,
ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT'S AWESOME TO SEE
IS ALL OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST
THAT'S REALLY WELLING UP
RIGHT NOW AS WE ARE,
YOU KNOW, LAUNCHING AGAIN
FROM THE U.S., AND ALSO
WORKING ON, UH--
ON, SORT OF, THE NEXT BIG THING
OF GOING BACK TO THE MOON.
UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED
BY THAT, AND ABOUT
ALL THE ENERGY
THAT I KIND OF SEE
WHENEVER I TALK TO PEOPLE,
YOU KNOW, SORT OF A--
ABOUT SPACEFLIGHT,
THAT PEOPLE ARE--
PEOPLE ARE REALLY EXCITED,
AND THAT KIND OF HELPS
GET ME EVEN MORE EXCITED
ABOUT IT, BUT, UM,
I THINK GOING BACK
TO THE MOON AND REALLY--
YOU KNOW, PUSHING,
PUSHING OUT IS, UH,
UH, BEYOND, IS SOMETHING
THAT I-- I'M EXTREMELY
EXCITED ABOUT.
YEAH, UH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT, UH,
THE FIRST TIME I'M GONNA
GET TO GO TO SPACE.
I THINK, UM,
I THINK PROBABLY
THE BIGGEST THING IS, UH,
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH,
A LOT OF-- A LOT OF PEOPLE
THAT HAVE BEEN TO SPACE
HAVE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT IS
GETTING THAT FIRST SORT OF
OVERVIEW EFFECT OF SEEING
THE EARTH FROM SPACE, AND--
AND HOW THAT KINDA--
KINDA CHANGES YOUR PERSPECTIVE,
AND, AND I THINK, UH,
IT'S SOMETHING I'M-I'M REALLY
EXCITED TO KINDA-- KINDA SEE
FOR MYSELF, AND TO KIND OF
GET THAT EXPERIENCE, UM--
I WOULD SAY THE OTHER THING
THAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
IS, UH-- YOU KNOW,
THIS IS SOMETHING I NEED
TO TRAIN FOR FOR THE NEXT, UH,
SEVERAL YEARS.
AND IT'S ALWAYS REALLY EXCITING
WHEN YOU'RE WORKING
REALLY HARD AT SOMETHING,
AND THEN TRAINING
FOR SOMETHING,
TO THEN GET TO DO IT.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO--
TO THAT ASPECT AS WELL.
SO THE BEST-- BEST ADVICE
I'VE RECEIVED ABOUT
BECOMING AN ASTRONAUT,
I THINK IS, UH,
THROUGHOUT THE SELECTION
PROCESS, UH, WE GOT THE--
THE CHANCE TO TALK TO
A LOT OF ACTIVE ASTRONAUTS,
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT PEOPLE ALWAYS SAID IS--
YOU KNOW, DON'T FORGET
TO STEP BACK AND PINCH YOURSELF,
AND REALIZE THAT, LIKE,
THIS IS ACTUALLY
YOUR JOB NOW, UM,
AND TO-- YOU KNOW,
TO KEEP THAT PERSPECTIVE
OF, UM, YOU KNOW,
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE
OPPORTUNITY THIS IS.
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT,
UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT'S STU-- THAT'S STUCK
WITH ME AS A PIECE OF ADVICE,
IS TO, YOU KNOW, JUST--
EVEN ON THE DAYS WHERE
THINGS ARE TOUGH,
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE--
YOU'RE OVERWHELMED
WITH THINGS TO DO,
TO STEP BACK AND REALIZE
JUST WHAT AN INCREDIBLE
OPPORTUNITY THIS IS,
AND HOW MUCH FUN IT IS TO--
TO-TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO THAT'S A REALLY
GOOD QUESTION.
I THINK, UM, MY--
MY DREAM DESTINATION
IN SPACE IS--
IS REALLY ANYWHERE, UM,
TO-TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH,
I MEAN, JUST BEING ABLE
TO GO UP INTO SPACE, UH,
IS-- WOULD JUST BE PHENOMENAL.
I THINK, UM, I WAS REALLY
INSPIRED, UH, SORT OF,
AS A KID BY READING THE--
SORT OF THE HISTORY
OF THE APOLLO PROGRAM,
AND SORT OF THE LEAD-UP
TO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW,
WATCHING "APOLLO 13,"
THAT SORT OF THING.
SO THAT, UM, THE MISSION
THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW,
GOING BACK TO THE MOON
IS SOMETHING THAT, UH,
THAT REALLY SPEAKS
TO ME AS WELL.
WHAT'S THE LEAST EXTRAORDINARY
THING THAT I DO?
THAT'S A TOUGH ONE, UM,
I WOULD SAY I--
SO I LIKE-- I LIKE GARDENING,
AND GROWING MY OWN--
LIKE, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN
REALLY KEEN ON TRYING
TO GROW MY OWN, LIKE,
VEGETABLES AND HERBS.
I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT IT
QUITE YET, WE-WE--
I THINK WE GOT, LIKE,
THREE TOMATOES THIS PAST YEAR,
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT
I REALLY LIKE DOING,
AND I'M TRYING TO GET--
TRYING TO GET BETTER AT IT.
I THINK GETTING A BASIL PLANT
TO SURVIVE MORE THAN, LIKE,
A FEW WEEKS IS, UH--
IS HIGH ON MY LIST OF GOALS.
YEAH, UH, SO--
A GOOD STUDY TIP THAT,
YOU KNOW, I'VE FOUND
HELPED ME A LOT IS TO--
TO-- TO FIND A GROUP OF FRIENDS
OR COLLEAGUES THAT ARE--
THAT ARE, YOU KNOW,
SORT OF INTERESTED
IN THE SAME THINGS THAT--
THAT YOU ARE, AND TO--
TO WORK WITH THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT
ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE FOUND
THROUGHOUT SCHOOLING IS THAT
I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH
FROM MY PEERS, YOU KNOW,
IN ADDITION TO MY TEACHERS,
I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH
FROM MY PEERS,
AND TALKING TO THEM,
AND, YOU KNOW,
SOMETIMES CONCEPTS THAT
DIDN'T REALLY CLICK FOR ME
THE FIRST TIME WHEN, UH,
I LEARNED ABOUT THEM IN CLASS.
SPEAKING WITH A FRIEND
ABOUT, LIKE, WAIT,
YOU KNOW, LIKE, HOW DO YOU--
HOW DO YOU DO THIS THING?
UH, YOU KNOW, HEARING IT
FROM A FRIEND, WHO'S IN
KIND OF THE SAME BOAT
AS ME, UH, YOU KNOW,
COULD REALLY HELP ME TO
LEARN AND TO UNDERSTAND BETTER,
SO, YOU KNOW, DON'T BE AFRAID
TO-TO-- TO BUILD A STUDY GROUP.
BUILD-BUILD A GROUP OF FRIENDS
THAT ARE-- THAT ARE LIKE-MINDED,
AND-AND WORK TOGETHER,
'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA LEARN
A WHOLE LOT FROM THEM
AS WELL AS FROM YOUR TEACHERS.
SO, FOR ME, AS A KID,
I THINK THE THING THAT
SPARKED THE BIGGEST
INTEREST IN STEM FOR ME
WAS ACTUALLY, WELL,
NASA AND HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT.
I THINK, UM, I--
I THINK ONE OF MY EARLIEST
MEMORIES, THINKING BACK,
WAS WHEN I WAS, UH,
IN MAYBE KINDERGARTEN,
LIKE DRAWING-- LIKE MAKING
A PAINTING OF, LIKE,
I'M NOT A VERY GOOD ARTIST,
BUT MAKING A PAINTING
OF, LIKE, THE SPACE SHUTTLE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW,
NEITHER OF MY PARENTS
WERE PARTICULARLY--
IN PARTICULARLY
STEM-HEAVY FIELDS.
I WAS KIND OF THE WEIRD ONE
IN THE FAMILY, UH,
FOR GOING IN A STEM DIRECTION.
I THINK NASA
AND THE SPACE PROGRAM
ARE WHAT REALLY SORT OF
SPARKED THAT INTEREST FOR ME.
UM, AND-- AND KIND OF KEPT
THAT INTEREST GOING.
IT'S WHAT LED ME TO--
TO LEARN ABOUT PHYSICS, UH,
WHICH I ENDED UP PURSUING
FOR MY-MY PHD IN ASTRONOMY.
UM, AND IT WAS WHAT KIND OF
SPARKED IT OFF FOR ME.
JUST SPACE AND HUMAN
SPACE EXPLORATION,
REALIZING ALL OF THE THINGS
THAT, YOU KNOW, STEM CAN LEAD TO
IN TERMS OF EXPLORATION
AND DOING NEW
AND EXCITING THINGS.
YEAH, SO I THINK, UM--
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES
THAT I HAD IN SCHOOL
THAT I THINK EVERYBODY HAS
IN SCHOOL IS SOMETIMES
THERE'S JUST TOPICS THAT ARE--
THAT ARE HARD FOR YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND-AND--
AND HOW DO YOU GET THROUGH THAT?
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE
EXCELLING IN SOME AREAS
OF SCHOOL, BUT OTHER AREAS
JUST, LIKE, YOU KNOW,
AREN'T-- YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE-YOU'RE NOT--
YOU'RE NOT GETTIN' IT
IN OTHER AREAS.
AND I MEAN, I HAD THAT
FOR ME AND, UH, SOME OF MY, UH,
SOME OF MY WRITING CLASSES
AND SOME OF MY, UH,
FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES,
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT
THE-THE THING THAT KINDA
HELPED ME THROUGH THAT
WAS, AGAIN, HAVING, YOU KNOW,
HAVING-HAVING FRIENDS
AND PEERS THAT ARE
GOIN' THROUGH THE SAME THING,
AND-- AND JUST KIND OF BEING--
BEING AS TENACIOUS
AS YOU CAN, THAT, YOU KNOW,
EVEN IF IT'S NOT GOING--
GOING RIGHT FOR YOU--
EVEN IF IT'S NOT EASY FOR YOU,
IT DOESN'T MEAN
YOU CAN'T DO IT.
IT JUST MEANS YOU GOTTA--
YOU GOTTA MAYBE TRY
A LITTLE HARDER
IN CERTAIN AREAS, AND I--
I FOUND THAT THAT WAS--
THAT WAS TRUE FOR ME,
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE--
THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS
THAT I'M NEVER GONNA BE
THE BEST IN THE WORLD AT,
AND THAT'S OKAY, RIGHT?
LIKE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE
PERFECT AT EVERYTHING, UM,
SO I'M KINDA-- KINDA TAKING
THOSE FEW THINGS, THAT--
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE
PERFECT AT EVERYTHING.
THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA
BE SOME THINGS THAT
ARE GONNA BE HARD.
YOU-- YOU KNOW, FOR--
FOR EVERYBODY.
BUT IF YOU-- IF YOU FIND
PEOPLE TO WORK WITH, UH--
AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE
ALWAYS GONNA BE WILLING
TO HELP YOU.
YOU FIND PEOPLE TO WORK WITH,
AND YOU CAN KINDA-- YOU KNOW,
TRY YOUR HARDEST, THAT--
THAT YOU'LL STILL
GET TO AN OKAY PLACE.