rising star
What kind of outreach
activities do you do?
When and why did you
become interested in
astronomy and space?
Anything from speaking at
local schools and libraries,
keynoting at star parties
or adult group societies
(Lifelong Learners, etc.) to
having a mini radio show on
local NPR about cool stuff in
our solar system.
The most rewarding part in
doing outreach is reaching
out to all levels of society and
seeing a sense of curiosity for
science in the community!
I have my father to thank for
that. When I was 9, he got
me my first telescope and
membership into the Central
Appalachian Astronomy
Club based out of West
Virginia. From there, it’s like
a second family to me. They
ask me to come back over
the summer and give talks
to their club and their star
parties.
I formed such a relationship
with the members of the
club and through them I’ve
met astronauts. I’ve gotten
to talk with members of SETI.
From the club, I’ve learned
not only space is cool, but
also, on a networking level,
I’ve gotten to meet so many
different kinds of people in
astronomy.
What advice do you
have for young people
who are interested in
the field of astronomy?
My advice: If you’re curious
about something, go for
it. There’s no limit to just
discovering something.
You don’t have to wait
to go to college to get a
textbook, or to talk to a
professor. Go do it! Talk with
those who are as curious
about it as you are. In the
end, it’s YOUR science to
discover and learn!
14
What do people seem
to find most exciting at
outreach events?
The fun part about studying
space geology is to study
Earth geology. I think
showing people how our
own beautiful planet is giving
us hints to what is going on
on other planets is quite
extraordinary. Bringing it
(literally) down to Earth is
fascinating!
What does the future
hold for you as an
astronomer?
COURTESY OF Caitlin Ahrens
Ahrens stands in front of the chamber she uses to conduct research on the ice geology of Pluto in the
Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark.
COURTESY OF Caitlin Ahrens
What is the focus of your research?
The focus of my research involves simulating ice geology on
Pluto, such as what kind of ice and how the ice is transformed
to make different kinds of geology, in my experimental
simulation laboratory at the Arkansas Center for Space and
Planetary Sciences. Earth doesn’t get that cold, and there’s
certain ices that we can’t find here on Earth, so I can simulate
it in my lab to see how ice interacts with other ices – methane,
carbon monoxide, nitrogen, ammonia. They all act differently,
especially when you mix all of them together.
Sky ’ s
Up
Ahrens’ passion for planetary science began during an internship with the U.S. Geological Survey
conducting astrogeology research. “They specifically wanted someone to look at dunes on Mars. It
may not sound exciting – they’re big piles of sand on Mars,” Ahrens said of the experience. “At first,
I was like, ‘Ah man, I wonder how this is going to pan out – large piles of sand.’ But no, it’s quite
entertaining because if you’re looking at a sand pile, it could move and then you have to start over.
Sand moves everywhere on Mars. That was a very entertaining process, and we also discovered a
dune on Mars, so I was on the team to name a dune on Mars.” Here, Ahrens poses with a poster
concerning the USGS research on Mars dunes.
More outreach! More
research! There is still so
much we don’t know about
our solar system. Planning
more missions and getting
researchers together to
collaborate would be my
goal!