Planetary Scientist Lindy Elkins-Tanton | In the Green Room | – zocalopublicsquare.org

Lindy Elkins-Tanton is managing director and co-chair of the Arizona State University Interplanetary Initiative and principal investigator of NASAs Psyche mission, which is projected to launch in 2022 to explore a metal asteroid orbiting the sun between Mars and Jupiter. Before participating in a Zcalo/ASU Interplanetary Initiative event, Can Space Exploration Save Humanity?, she visited the virtual green room to talk about breaking barriers in space, why she appreciates the Guardians of the Galaxy series, and the questions she gets asked the most at dinner parties.

Q:

Speaking of which: Youre part of an all-women panel on space exploration. What do you think women bring to exploration?

A:

Im of the opinion that there are few fundamental differences between men and women behaviorally, neurologically; most of the differences we experience are socialized. What I really want is something where everyone who wants to participate can participate, and where every voice is heard, and where you rise on your merits. Exploration has been one of the most difficult areas for women to break into, partly because its been based so fundamentally on the idea of physical toughness and being in remote areas and being isolated as groups. And those are all areas where theres a huge bias against women being a successful part of the team. I think space exploration is one where we can break those barriers.

Q:

In a moment of interesting national debate, what space-related topics do you want to see in the national dialogue?

A:

Space gives us a way uniquely to imagine us as our better selvesto imagine humanity as it could be. Theres been almost no exploration on Earth that hasnt involved the annihilation of indigenous peoples or a completely profit motive. Weve had some pure exploration of the poles that was actually quite nationalistic and a hero model; it was all about making one person great.

The thing about space exploration is, it gives us the opportunity to be curious about something thats so far beyond us. It gets us out of our skins, to imagine ourselves as cooperative and imagine ourselves with a greater meaning to what were doing. And to avoid the personal emotional reaction thats causing so many problems around the world right now and look at something thats greater. Thats what space exploration really does for us.

Q:

You wear a lot of hatsat ASU, NASA, and an education start-up. Do you have any secrets to organizing your time that youd like to share?

A:

Developing a calmness about changing from one topic to the next. I need to pivot from one major issue to another major issue with no transition time, so cultivating a willingness to drop one thing and turn to another has been really helpful for my emotional stability. And only choosing topics or projects that I really, really care about.

Q:

Whats the question you get asked most often at cocktail and dinner partiespre-COVID of coursewhen people find out youre a planetary scientist and leading a NASA mission?

A:

Theres not really a single question. It seems theres two categories of reactions: One is, Thats really great, thats so interesting; I love thinking about the planets or aliens. And the other one is really a blank look, as if I said, Im a particle physicist.

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Planetary Scientist Lindy Elkins-Tanton | In the Green Room | - zocalopublicsquare.org