快猫短视频

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

All I knew was that I wanted to work at either the Smithsonian Institution or National Geographic. It is a bit surreal to me that I ended up at the Smithsonian and published a , but it was not exactly an accident.

Explain your work in one easy paragraph.

I spend half of my time researching and writing and the other half developing exhibits, overseeing artefact collection and giving lectures.

What do you love most about what you do? And what鈥檚 the worst part?

Research with archival material is a bit like detective work. It鈥檚 suspenseful, and immensely gratifying making new discoveries.

The worst part might be breaking it to people that they cannot go inside the spacecraft.

What鈥檚 the most exciting thing you鈥檙e working on right now?

My current book tells the story of how Project Apollo shaped the US鈥檚 role on the global stage. My research material is rich and, for the most part, previously overlooked. It鈥檚 exciting to publish a book reframing such an important event.

What achievement or discovery are you most proud of?

In July, I organised an event on the history and future of space diplomacy for the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, and shared a platform with Apollo 11 astronauts Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin. It felt like the capstone of many years of research. I鈥檓 still pinching myself.

What鈥檚 your favourite Apollo artefact?

Neil Armstrong took small pieces of the Wright brothers鈥� airplane to the moon. As a curator, I appreciate how he used an artefact to connect the most important events in the history of flight.

How has your field of study changed in the time you have been working in it?

Histories of space flight have become more broad-minded. They acknowledge diverse contributions, often take a global perspective and investigate issues at the core of society.

Were you good at science at school?

I was OK. My passion really lay in the history of science, specifically astronomy.

If you could have a conversation with any scientist, living or dead, who would it be?

Benjamin Franklin, a scientist and a science diplomat. He was flawed, but his curiosity, imagination and talents seem unmatched.

What scientific development do you hope to see in your lifetime?

It will take more than scientific development to address climate change, so the development I hope to see most is greater trust in climate science, as well as in political and collective action.

What鈥檚 the best thing you鈥檝e read or seen in the past 12 months?

I read Michael Collins鈥檚 memoir, Carrying the Fire, again this year. It is always top of my list.

Do you have an unexpected hobby, and if so, please will you tell us about it?

I鈥檓 restoring a 1962 Ducati 250cc Scrambler motorcycle.

How useful will your skills be after the apocalypse?

I鈥檓 sure my knowledge of the history of scientific and technological development will come in handy. Maybe I could even write a history of the apocalypse, 脿 la .

OK, one last thing: tell us something that will blow our minds鈥�

A few days before my dissertation deadline, I was struck by lightning. As I sat on a patio, typing away, a storm rolled in. Fortunately, it was an indirect strike and I only had minor injuries. I worked through the pain to submit the dissertation. It was a reminder that you never know what might strike you at the last minute.

鈥淎 few days before my dissertation deadline, I was struck by lightning. I worked through the pain鈥�