I went to the World Science Festival’s Cool Jobs event early and had the opportunity to spend a few minutes catching up with Jill Tarter. Topics of conversation included the status of the Allen Telescope Array, the status of A Life’s Work, space junk, unemployed theater folk, robotics, the necessity for a support team on your project, whether that project is making a documentary or searching for extraterrestrial life, and the importance of making time to catch the last dance at your spouse’s high school reunion. And she brought me a white chocolate chip and macadamia nut cookie from the green room. Sweet!
It was nice to see some of A Life’s Work on the biggish screen. The radio telescopes looked fantastic, and they also included a snippet of me riding a bike through the ATA. (You can’t tell it’s me.) I was honored that they used some of my work, but mostly I was thrilled to see so many parents who brought their children to be inspired by four brilliant scientists.
Some stats:
Music while the audience found their seats: She Blinded Me with Science (Thomas Dolby), Weird Science (Oingo Boingo), Space Oddity (David Bowie), Atomic (Blondie).
Number of talking robots: 1.
Number of penguin wetsuits: 1.
Number of strange red skull caps that measured brainwave activity: 1.
Number of astronomers who held an audience of children and parents rapt while she discussed the search for an engineered signal from beyond earth: 1.
Thanks again to the World Science Festival, and a super special thank you to Dr. Tarter for taking the time to share a few minutes and a cookie with me.
Note: Select WSF events are streaming online.