Q&A with Dr. Scott G. Edgington
Q&A with Cassini deputy project scientist, Dr. Scott G. Edgington
Photo courtesy of DR. SCOTT G. EDGINGTON
1. Do you have any advice for high school students right now who might be interested in space science?
Study your math and sciences because in this field you need those skills to survive. It doesn’t matter what science, as long as you learn it and learn it well. So do well in school. Then of course, space science involves a creative side too. Imagine how you would take a science topic and tell people about it. Would you draw a picture? Write an article? Think about what it would take to explain a science concept to your baby sister or big brother.
2. When you were in school and you ran into problems, how would you persevere and overcome them?
I would put my head through the grindstone and just keep reading books until I found a solution that worked. I applied this to everything from math to physics and chemistry. I would just keep searching and eventually you’ll find the answer.
3. What is the most rewarding part of your job? What makes all of this worthwhile?
For me, it is…any day I could walk in and we could discover something new. I don’t know what my job is going to be like the next day because we might discover a new moon or we might discover a new storm on Saturn. We might discover…maybe something hit the rings. It is the new discoveries I think that really keeps me interested and excited on a daily basis.