>> GOOD MORNING.
WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU HERE
TODAY.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE TO
RECOGNIZE THE GREAT
CONTRIBUTIONS OF EUGENE
PARKER, WHO'S BRILLIANT WORK
REVOLUTIONED OUR UNDERSTANDING
OF THE HELIOSPHERE.
MY NAME IS ROCKY KOLB, I'M
DEAN WITH THE PHYSICAL
SCIENCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
CHICAGO AND A PROFESSOR IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY AND
STRIKE TWO PHYSICS.
IT'S THE MY PRIVILEGE TO
WELCOME OUR DISTINGUISHED
SPEAKERS.
DR. THOMAS ZURBUCHEN IS THE
ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR
THE SCIENCE MISSION
DIRECTORATE OF NASA
HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON.
DR. ZURBUCHEN PREVIOUSLY
SERVED AS PROFESSOR OF SPACE
SCIENCE IN AERO SPACE
ENGINEERING AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN.
HIS RESEARCH FOCUSED ON SOLAR
AND HELIO SPEARIC PHYSICS.
HE WAS ALSO THE UNIVERSITY'S
FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF THE
COLLEGE OF THE CENTER FOR
ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING.
DR. ZURBUCHEN HAS BEEN
INVOLVED WITH SEVERAL NASA
SCIENCE MISSIONS.
HE EARNED HIS PhD AND MASTER
OF SCIENCE DEGREE BOTH IN
FIDSICS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
BETTER THAN IN SWITZERLAND.
HE HAS RECEIVED MANY HONORS,
INCLUDING THE NATIONAL SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL
PRESIDENTIAL EARLY CAREER
AWARD FOR SCIENTISTS AND
ENGINEERS IN 2004.
AND A NASA GROUP ACHIEVEMENT
AWARD IN 2006.
DR. NICOLA FOX IS THE PROJECT
SCIENTIST OF THE SOLAR PROBE
PLUS.
SINCE 2015 SHE HAS SERVED AS
CHIEF SCIENTIST OF
HELIOPHYSICS IN THE SPACE
RESEARCH BRANCH OF JOHNS
HOPKINS UNIVERSITY APPLIED
PHYSICS LABORATORY.
SHE WAS THE DEPUTY PROJECT
SCIENTIST FOR NASA's VAN
ALLEN PROBE MISSION, WHICH
STUDY THE RADIATION BELTS THAT
SURROUND EARTH.
BEFORE JOINING APL, AS A
RESEARCH SCIENTIST IN 1998,
SHE WAS A NATIONAL RESEARCH
COUNCIL FELLOW AT A NASA's
GODDARD SPACE SPLIT CENTER.
SHE EARNED A PhD IN PHYSICS
FROM THE IMPERIAL COLLEGE,
LONDON.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER, ERIC ISAACS
IS THE EXECUTIVE VICE
PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH,
INNOVATION, AND NATIONAL
LABORATORIES AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF CHICAGO.
IN THAT ROLE, HE PROVIDES
DIRECT OVERSIGHT OF ARGONNE
NATIONAL LABORATORY, FERMI
LAB, THE MARINEOLOGICALLY
LABORATORY AND THE
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GIANTS
MAGELLAN TELESCOPE PROJECT.
HIS RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE
FURTHERING THE UNIVERSITY'S
EFFORT IN COMPUTATION, DATE OF
SCIENCE AND INNOVATION IN HYDE
PARK, INCLUDING THE POLSKI
CENTER FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP
AND INNOVATION.
HE IS THE ROBERT A. MILLIKEN
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
PROFESSOR OF PHYSICS.
HE PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS THE
UNIVERSITY PROVOST AND IS
DIRECTOR OF ARGONNE NATIONAL
LABORATORY.
DR. ISAACS EARN ADD PhD IN
PHYSICS FROM M.I.T.
HE IS A PHYSICIST WHOSE WORK
FOCUSES ON QUANTUM MATERIALS.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN GIVING A
WALK WELCOME TO DR. ACHE
ISAACS.
DR. ERIC ISAACS.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, ROCKY, FOR THAT
RK.
GOOD MORNING TO EVERYBODY.
I ALSO WANTS TO EXTEND MY
WELCOME TO THOMAS AND OUR
PARTNERS AT NASA.
REALLY, AN EXTRAORDINARY DAY
TODAY.
WE ARE HERE TO HONOR PROFESSOR
EUGENE PARKER, WHO IS THE
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO EMER
ADVERTISE PROFESSOR IN
ASTRONOMY AND PHYSICS.
GENE PARKER WAS A IN THE ROCKY
FERMI INSTITUTE IN 1958, WHEN
HE PREDICTED THE EXISTENCE OF
THE SOLAR WIND.
IT WAS A FUNDAMENTAL INSIGHT
THAT FOREVER CHANGED WAY IN
WHICH WE UNDERSTOOD THE SUN,
THE HELIOSPHERE AND IN GENERAL
INTER-KUAN TEARY SPACE.
TO GIVE YOU WHAT AN IDEA THIS
WAS, UNTIL THIS DISCOVERY, THE
PREDICTION OF THE SOLAR WIND
BY PROFESSOR PARKER,
SCIENTISTS REGARDED SPACE
BETWEEN PLAN ETC. OUTSIDE OF
THE HELIO FAIR AS ESSENTIALLY
A VACUUM.
THIS WAS A TRANSFORMATIVE IDEA
AT THE TIME AND THIS AND OTHER
PROJECTS THAT PROFESSOR PARKER
LED, LED TO DEFINE WHAT IS
CALLED HELIOPHYSICS AND THE
STUDY OF THE SUN WHEN THE IDEA
FIRST CAME OUT THERE WAS A LOT
OF OPPOSITION, WHAT I CALL
REVOLUTIONARY IDEA.
IT WAS QUITE STRONG.
HIS FIRST PAPER, WHICH WAS
SUBMITTED TO THE STRIKE TWO
PHYSICAL JOURNAL WAS REJECTED
BY ITS TWO REFEREES.
THE PAPER, INTERESTINGLY
ENOUGH, WAS SAVED BY ANOTHER
COLLEAGUE OF OURS, PROFESSOR
CHANDRASEKHAR WHO SPENT
SIGNATURE YEARS AT THE
UNIVERSITY AS A FACULTY MEMBER
AND RECEIVED THE 1983 NOBEL
PRIZE IN PHYSICS.
CHANDRA UNDERSTOOD THAT
IMPORTANT INSIGHTS INTO THE
NATURE OF THE UNIVERSITY AND
TO SCIENCE IN GENERAL WERE NOT
ALWAYS WARMLY WELCOMED AT
FIRST.
IN FACT, CHANDRA HIMSELF HAD
BEEN RIDICULED WHEN HE, A
GENERATION EARLIER, HAD
PREDICTED THAT NASA STARS,
MUCH MORE MASSIVE THAN OUR SUN
COULD COLLAPSE INTO WHAT WE
CALLED BLACK HOLES.
THE PAPER WAS PUBLISHED AND
PROFESSOR PARKER'S THEORY WAS
CONFIRMED BY DIRECT
OBSERVATION OF THE SOLAR WINDS
AND THE REST IS HISTORY.
PROFESSOR PARKER GAME THE
CHANDRASEKHAR DISTINGUISHED
SERVICE PROFESSOR AND NA 1999
THEY NAMED THEIR FLAGSHIP
MISSION IN HONOR OF
CHANDRASEKHAR WHOSE MADE SURE
IS RECEIVED THE PUBLIC
PLATFORM IT CONCERNED.
THE CONNECTED RELATIONSHIPS
BETWEEN NASA AND LEGD DRI
STRIKE TWO FISSIVITIES ARE
NEITHER UNIQUE NOR
COINCIDENTAL.
THIS HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT
EVER SINCE THE VERY FIRST
OBSERVATORY IN 1897.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
WITH THE REFRACTURIVE
TELESCOPE IT RETAINED THE
TITLE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST
TELESCOPE.
IT'S STILL THE LARGEST
REFRACTING TELESCOPE.
BUT IT BECAME THE HOME OF THE
UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF
ASTRONOMY AND STRIKE TWO
PHYSICS.
THAT'S WHERE HUBBLE WAS
WORKING WHEN HE COMPLETED HIS
SUBSTITUTES IN 1919 AND HIS
NAME LIVES ON WITH THE HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE, THE FIRST
OPTICAL TELESCOPE PLACED IN
SPACE.
HUBBLE IS ONE OF THE LIST OF
EXTRAORDINARY UNIVERSITY OF
CHICAGO STRIKE TWO PHYSICISTS
IN THIS SHORT TIME.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GO
THROUGH THE ENTIRE LIST OF
WHAT WE HAVE DONE.
I'D LIKE TO MENTION A FEW.
TODAY THE UNIVERSITY OF
CHICAGO REMAINS AT THE CUTTING
EDGE OF DISCOVERY IN ASTRONOMY
AND STRIKE TWO PHYSICS.
WE ARE THE LEADING U.S.
COLLABORATOR TO PLAY A COULD
SEE MICK RAY TELESCOPE ON THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
LATER THIS DECADE, THE EXTREME
UNIVERSE SPACE OBSERVATORY,
WHICH IS FUNNELED BY A GRANTS
FROM NASA.
BY THE UNIVERSITY IS ALSO A
CORE PARTICIPANT IN THE SOUTH
POLE TELESCOPE A POWERFUL TOOL
ALREADY IN OPERATION, LOOKING
AT THE STRUCTURES OF THE
COSMIC MICROWAVE BACK GROUND
AND SEARCHING FOR DARK ENERGY,
FOR EXAMPLE.
WE ARE THE FOUNDING PARTNER IN
THE GIANT MAGELLAN TELESCOPE
IN CHILE, THE LARGEST OPTICAL
TELL COPE WHEN IT BEGINS
OPERATIONS IN 2061 AND WHICH
WILL PRODUCE IMAGES 10 TIMES
SHARPER THAN WE CAN DO TODAY
ON EARTH OR BY THE HUBBLE
SPACE TELESCOPE IN THE SKY.
WE ARE AN ORGANIZER OF THE
P.R.J. OBSERVERY, A COSMIC RAY
DETECTOR ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF
THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND.
THESE EXCEPTIONAL TOOLS OF
DISCOVERY ARE MATCHED BY OUR
OUTSTANDING FACULTY AND
RESEARCHERS.
OUR DEPARTMENT IS HOME TO AN
COMPENSATIONLY TALENTED
FACULTY, WHO ARE OPENING THE
DOOR TO THE COSMOS FOR THE
NEXT GENERATION OF
ASTRONOMERS, STRIKE TWO
PHYSICISTS AND EVERYONE ELSE
WHO IS PASSIONATE ABOUT
SCIENCE AND DISCOVERY.
SUFFICE TO SAY WE ARE PROUD TO
JOIN PROFESSOR PARKER FOR HIS
REVOLUTIONARY VISION OF THE
COSMOS, THE SUN, THE
HELIOSPHERE AND TO THE
CONTRIBUTION FOR PLASMA STRIKE
TWO PHYSICS.
WE CONTINUE OUR PARTNERSHIP
WITH NASA AND SCIENTISTS
AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND
THE WORLD.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, ERIC.
TODAY'S EVENT WAS ALMOST 60
YEARS IN THE MAKING.
IN OCTOBER OF 1958, UNIVERSITY
OF CHICAGO PROFESSOR JOHN
SIMPSON CONVENED A PHYSICS
PARTICLES IN SPACE COMMITTEE
AT THE SPACE SCIENCE BOARD.
RIGHT HERE ON CAMPUS IN 1958,
THE SPACE SCIENCE BOARD
ULTIMATELY ADVISED NASA, THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, AND THE
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ON
ASPECTS OF INTERPLANETARY
PROBES AND.
SPACE STATIONS.
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS OF MANNED
SPACE FLIGHT, THE EXPLORATION
OF VENUS AND MARS, AND OTHER
SPACE-RELATED MATTERS.
THEY ALSO ADDED A LIST OF
LONG-RANGE PLANS FOR
PARTICULARLY INTERESTING
RESEARCH.
THAT LIST INCLUDED A SOLAR
PROBE TO STUDY PARTICLES AND
FIELD IN THE VICINITY OF THE
SUN.
SINCE THAT FIRST MEETING OF
THE SIMPSON COMMITTEE, THE
SOLAR PROBE HAS REMAINED AT
THE TOP OF VARIOUS NATIONAL
ACADEMY AND NASA SCIENCE
POLICY LISTS.
SO IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE THAT
WE ARE HERE IN CHICAGO TODAY
TO HONOR GENE PARKER, WHOSE
GROUND-BREAKING WORK RESHAPED
OUR VISION OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
AND SET THIS ENTIRE ENDEAVOR
IN MOTION.
IN THE SIXTH DECADE SINCE
EUGENE PARKER'S DISCOVERY OF
THE SOLAR WIND, WE HAVE MADE
TREMENDOUS GAINS IN OUR
KNOWLEDGE OF SOLAR AND SPACE
PHYSICS.
THROUGH NASA's MISSIONS TO
SPACE, WE HAVE INVESTIGATED
THE COMPOSITION, PROPERTIES,
AND STRUCTURE OF THE SOLAR
WIND.
WE HAVE CAPTURED INCREDIBLY
DETAILED IMAGES OF THE SUN'S
CORONA.
WE HAVE ADVANCED OUR KNOWLEDGE
IN WAYS THAT THE COMMITTEE
MIGHT NOT HAVE DREAMED OF.
AND YET SO MANY FUNDAMENTAL
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SOLAR WIND
REMAIN UNANSWERED.
SIX DECADES AGO, EUGENE PARKER
ASKED A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION
ABOUT THE STRUCTURE OF THE
SUN'S CORONA.
THAT QUESTION LED HIM TO
PREDICT THE EXISTENCE OF THE
SOLAR WIND, AND PERMANENTLY
TRANSFORM THE WAY WE THINK OF
SPACE.
TODAY WE CELEBRATE THE
PROFOUND QUESTION THAT HE
ASKED AND THE BRILLIANT AND
CREATIVITY WITH WHICH HE
ANSWERED IT.
BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE
CELEBRATE THE QUESTIONS THAT
FLOWED FROM THAT FIRST ANSWER.
QUESTIONS THAT HAVE LED US
THROUGH SIX DECADES TO THIS
HISTORIC MISSION.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO FINDING
ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS
THROUGH THE DATA THAT THE
SOLAR PROBE WILL SEND TO US.
BUT EVEN MORE, WE LOOK FORWARD
TO NEW QUESTIONS THAT WILL
ARISE FROM THOSE ANSWERS,
WHICH WILL POINT US TO YET
MORE EXCITING DISCOVERIES.
THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE]
>> WE WOULD NOW LIKE TO SHARE
WITH YOU A VIDEO ABOUT GENE
PARKER AND THE IMPRESSIVE WORK
THAT HAS BROUGHT US HERE
TODAY.
[♪♪♪]
>> THE PRIMARY PUZZLE IN THE
UNIVERSE BECAUSE IT'S THE ONE
STAR WE CAN OBSERVE IN DETAIL
AND STARS ARE COMPLICATED
THINGS.
WE CAN'T IMAGINE ALL THE
STRANGE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN
DISCOVERED IN THE SUN.
AS A CHILD, I ENJOYED VERY
MUCH HOW THINGS WORKED.
WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I
TOOK PHYSICS COURSE MY LAST
YEAR AND REALIZED HOW
FASCINATED I WAS.
WHEN I FIRST STUMBLED ACROSS
THE MATHMATIC THAT ESTABLISHED
THE SOLAR WIND, IT WAS 1957.
I WAS 30 YEARS OLD.
FOUR LINES OF ALGEBRA IN MY
FIRST TWO OR THREE PAPERS ON
THE SOLAR WIND, THE SOLAR WIND
DOES NOT APPEAR.
I TALKED ABOUT SOLAR CORE PUSK
LAR RADIATION AND THEN I
REALIZED IT'S A SLOW GAS AND
THEN IT HIT ME, SOLAR WIND.
WHEN I WROTE THE FIRST PAPER,
AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED, IT
WAS OPEN AND SHUT.
I CAN REMEMBER HOW UPSET THE
REFEREE WAS THAT
CHANDRASEKHAR, THE EDITOR SENT
MY FIRST PAPER TO.
HE SAID "THIS IS RIDICULOUS.
BEFORE YOU WRITE A SCIENTIFIC
PAPER, YOU SHOULD AT LEAST
TAKE THE TROUBLE OF GOING TO
THE LIBRARY AND READING UP ON
THE SUBJECT."
NO FURTHER CRITICISM.
NO FURTHER COMMENT.
MY RESPONSE TO CHANDRASEKHAR
WAS, WELL, HE COULDN'T FIND
ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT, SO IT
MUST BE PRETTY GOOD.
I ALWAYS LOOKED UPON MYSELF AS
A PHYSICIST, LEARNING NEW
TRICKS BY LOOKING AT NATURE.
THE SPACE, THE WHOLE GALAXY,
THE WHOLE UNIVERSE.
I KNOW NO BETTER PLACE TO FIND
NEW PHYSICS.
>> I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE
HERE TODAY.
FOR TWO REASONS.
FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS ONE OF
MY FAVORITE CITIES.
MY WIFE GREW UP HERE.
I SPENT A LOT OF TIME HERE AT
THE CHRISTMASES, HOLIDAYS AND
RESTAURANTS AROUND TOWN.
I'M GLAD TO BE BACK.
MORE IMPORTANTLY I'M EXCITED
TO BE HERE BECAUSE OF YOU,
GENE AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE
DONE FOR THIS AMAZING FIELD OF
SCIENCE THAT I'M PART OF AT
NASA.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS REALLY
POINT TO THE FACT, OF COURSE,
THAT THE WAY WE LOOK AT THE
SCIENCE TODAY THROUGH THE MANY
TELESCOPES OUT THERE AS A
RESULT OF THE WORK THAT YOU
HAVE DONE, GENE, NATURE HAS
BECOME MORE BEAUTIFUL.
MORE COMPLEX, JUST LIKE YOU
SAID.
BUT MORE BEAUTIFUL.
I LOOK AT THIS AMAZING IMAGE
BY ONE OF THE RECENT NASA
MISSIONS.
YOU ALSO POINTED OUT, OF
COURSE, THE WAY THE STAR
INTERACTING WITH THE CORONA
MASS EJECTION AS MEASURED BY
STEREO.
BUT THAT THESE TAILS INDICATE
THERE ARE FAST WINDS.
THESE FAST WINDS, OF COURSE,
PEOPLE COULDN'T IMAGINE.
WHAT THEY THOUGHT ABOUT WAS
THAT THE SUN WAS SLOWLY A
REALLY SMALL KIND OF FREEZE
WOULD HAPPEN.
OH, NO.
THAT SPACE BETWEEN THE PLANETS
IS A LOT MORE EXCITING WITH A
LOT MORE SCIENCE GOING ON THAN
ANYBODY PREDICTED.
OF COURSE, JUST A FEW YEARS
LATER, YOUR PREDICTION WAS
CONFIRMED, WITH MARINER II.
IT WAS OUTSIDE OF THE EARTH
AND HOW THE SUPERSONIC SOLAR
WINDS, JUST LIKE YOU SAID, OF
APPROXIMATELY THE TEMPERATURE
THAT YOU HAVE SAID, A LITTLE
BIT LESS, PERHAPS THAN YOU
SAID IN YOUR INITIAL PAPER.
IF I HAD TO WRITE A PAPER THAT
THAT'S ACCURATE, I'D BE REALLY
GLAD.
THE SPACECRAFT AND SUBSEQUENT
SPACECRAFT, THEY ALSO OBSERVED
THE MAGNETIC FIELD SHAPE THAT
WAS LATER IN THE SHAME PAPER
THAT YOU PREDICTED, THE
MAGNETIC FIELD WE REFER TO AS
THE PARKER MAGNETIC FIELD.
IT'S THAT OBSERVATION THAT
WAS ALSO MADE.
SO REALLY CREATING -- MAKING
THIS IS HUGE HOMELAND.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST
DISCOVERIES, I BELIEVE, IN
SOLAR AND SPACE AND
HELIOPHYSICS, AS YOU POINTED
OUT.
ONCE YOU HAVE THIS SOLAR WIND,
AND YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A GUESS
ABOUT THE MAGNETIC FIELD AND
THE STRUCTURE OF THE GALAXY,
WHICH IS ANOTHER SUBJECT AREA
YOU FOCUSED ON.
THE RECOGNITION THAT THERE IS
MAGNETIC FIELDS OUT THERE AND
THIS UNIVERSE IS NOT JUST
GRAVITATIONAL, IT'S MAGNETIC.
ONCE YOU KNOW THAT SOLAR WIND,
YOU CAN GUESS HOW BIG THAT
BUBBLE IS, THAT SPACE THAT
IT'S FILLED BY THE SUN.
WE REFER TO IT AS THE
HELIOSPHERE.
ONLY ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, IF
YOU CROSS THROUGH THAT
BOUNDARY INTO OUR GALACTIC
AREA, HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE DONE
AMAZING WORK WITH HIM AND
BASICALLY RIGHT NOW ON THE
OUTSIDE OF ONE OF THESE
MISSIONS, WE BELIEVE, LOOKING
AT FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT
GALACTIC ENVIRONMENT.
AGAIN, A MAGNETIC GALACTIC
ENVIRONMENT OF TYPE YOU
PREDICTED, AND THAT IS FROM
THE INSIDE.
GOING BACK TO OUR NEAREST
ENVIRONMENT, OF COURSE, WHAT
WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, THESE
MISSIONS OUT THERE, WE CALL
THEM MAGNETOSPHERE AND THEY
SERVE IMPORTANT PROCESS THAT
YOU TALKED ABOUT REALLY EARLY
ON.
THE SWEEP, YOU TALKED ABOUT
THE MERGING OF MAGNETIC FIELDS
AND THE IMPORTANCE IF THESE
MAGNETIC FIELDS IN FACT
COALESCED AND WE CONNECTED.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT
RECONNECTION.
ONLY JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO, OR EVEN THIS YEAR, THE
NEW SCIENCE PAPERS OUT THERE
THAT TALK ABOUT THE FIRST
REALLY, MULTIPLYING THE
PROCESSES, PROCESSES THAT ARE
IMPORTANT.
NOT ONLY WHERE WE OBSERVE
THEM, BUT UNIVERSAL BECAUSE WE
OBSERVE THESE PROCESSES AROUND
ASTRO PHYSICAL OBJECTS AND
MANY PLANETS AND PLACES IN THE
UNIVERSE.
THAT'S ANOTHER WORLD CUP OF
THE SEMINAL PAPERS.
GOING BACK TO THE SUN.
WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED HOW
AMAZING THE SUN LOOKS.
LOOKING THROUGH THE EYES OF
SOMEBODY WHO UNDERSTANDS THERE
IS MAGNETIC FIELDS THERE.
THE CORONA, THE ATMOSPHERE OF
THE SUN, OF COURSE, IS HEATED
TO A TEMPERATURE MUCH HIGHER
THAN THE SURFACE OF THE SUN.
PROCESSES WERE STILL TRYING TO
LEARN ABOUT IT.
YOU WROTE A PAPER THAT
BASICALLY TALKED ABOUT
MICROSCOPIC NANO TYPE OF
HEATING EVENTS THAT WOULD BE
AT THE HEART OF THAT HEATING.
AMAZING STRUCTURES WE SEE
THERE.
THERE IS A LOT OF EVIDENCE IN
PAPERS AND LITERATURE EVEN
TODAY THAT POINTED THAT THIS
IS MUCH MORE LIKELY THAN WE
EVER WOULD HAVE THOUGHT.
THAT IS REALLY WHERE THE
CULMINATION, I BELIEVE, OF THE
RESEARCH WE HAVE BEEN DOING IN
THIS FIELD.
SOLAR AND HELIOSPHERIC AND IN
GENERAL.
THAT IS ABOUT THE SOLAR PROBE
MISSION.
WE WANT TO GO DOWN THERE, TAKE
THE CHALLENGE OF GOING AND SEE
WHERE THE THERMAL ENVIRONMENT
IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
BECAUSE WE BUILT THE MACHINES.
MEASURE THE ENVIRONMENT THERE
AND REALLY PROVE AND FIND WHAT
THE HEAT PROCESSES ARE THAT
REALLY MAKE THE CORONA UP AND
ACCELERATE THE SOLAR WIND.
NOW, AS NAMED ABOUT 20
SPACECRAFT ABOUT DISTINGUISHED
RESEARCHERS LIKE -- ALL OF
THEM WITH CHICAGO AND MANY
OTHERS, 20, NOT MANY.
THERE ARE MORE PRIZE WINNERS
THAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE
SPACECRAFT NAMED AFTER THEM.
THERE ARE ABOUT 20.
NASA HAS NEVER NAMED A
SPACECRAFT AFTER RESEARCHER
DURING THEIR LIFETIME.
WELL, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
WE ARE ABOUT TO MAKE HISTORY.
IT IS MY GREAT HONOR A FEW
DAYS BEFORE YOUR 90th
BIRTHDAY, GENE, TO ANNOUNCE
THAT WE ARE RENAMING THE SOLAR
PROBE PLUS SPACECRAFT TO BE
KNOWN FROM NOW ON AS THE
PARKER SOLAR PROBE.
CONGRATULATIONS.
[APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
[APPLAUSE]
>> I WROTE MY SPEECH DOWN
HERE.
I DON'T INTEND TO REITERATE
WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD
PLENTY OF.
BUT I'M CERTAINLY GREATLY
HONORED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH
SUCH A HEROIC, SCIENTIFIC
SPACE MISSION.
BY HEROIC, OF COURSE, I'M
REFERRING TO THE TEMPERATURE.
THERMAL RADIATION FROM THE SUN
AND THE EXTREME MEASURES
DEVELOPED TO SURVIVE THAT
RADIATION AND COLLECT
SCIENTIFIC DATA SHOULD BE
FULLY APPRECIATED.
YOU HAVE HEARD THE NAME OF THE
SPACECRAFT IN EARLIER LECTURE,
SO I'M SURE IT WAS NOT EASY
AND I THOUGHT I WOULD RUN
THROUGH THE TWO MAIN EFFECTS.
FOR INSTANCE, THE INITIAL
DEVELOPMENT OF SOLAR PROBE
CONCEPT OF J.P.L. SHOWED THE
EXTREME TECHNICAL POSSIBILITY
OF A SPACECRAFT SURVIVING AN
ORBITAL PLUNGE INTO SOLAR
RADIATION.
J.P.L. WENT FOR BROKE AND THEY
DESIGNED A FABULOUS SPACECRAFT
THIS IS WHAT GRABS ME.
THE SUNLIGHT IS 3,000 TIMES
MORE INTENSE AT 4 SOLAR RADAII
AS IT IS AT EARTH.
IT'S SOMETHING AMAZING.
ONLY RESTRICTED INSTRUMENTS
WILL SURVIVE BECAUSE THE
SPACECRAFT SERVES AS A HEAT
SHIELD AND DO YOU NOT DARE
POKE ANYTHING OUT FROM BEHIND
THAT HEAT SHIELD TO MAKE A
MEASUREMENT.
THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS TO
THAT, WHICH ARE VERY LIMITED.
THE NEXT PROBLEM WAS SOLAR
PROBE PLUS, AS YOU ALL KNOW,
THE APPLIED PHYSICS LABORATORY
DESIGNED FOR A SLOW APPROACH,
INWARD TO 9 SOLAR RADII, WHERE
THE SUN IS ONLY 570 TIMES MORE
INTENSE THAN IT IS HERE.
AND IT IS POSSIBLE TO RATE A
COMPLIMENT OF INSTRUMENTS
PEEKING OUT FROM BEHIND THE
HEAT SHIELD FOR AN EXTENDED
PERIOD OF TIME.
ONE OF THE DRAW BACKS OF THE
ORIGINAL SOLAR PROBE WAS THAT
IT'S ALL OVER IN A FEW HOURS
AT 4 SOLAR RADII.
AS A THEORETICIAN, I ADMIRE
THE SCIENTISTS WHOSE PATIENT
EFFORTS CONVERTED THE SOLAR
PROBE CONCEPT INTO A
FUNCTIONING REALITY READY TO
DO BATTLE WITH THE SOLAR
ELEMENTS AS IT DIVULGES THE
SECRETS OF THE EXPANDING
CORONA.
HOORAY FOR SOLAR PROBES.
[APPLAUSE]
>> WOW.
JUST WOW.
I AM NIKI FOX AND I AM SO
HONORED TO STAND HERE TODAY
REPRESENTING THE SOLAR PROBE
TEAM.
THIS ISN'T JUST THE TEAM, BUT
BUILDING THIS PARTICULAR
MISSION, BUT I REALLY FEEL
IT'S THE THOUSANDS AND
THOUSANDS OF RESEARCHERS WHO
POURED THEIR HEART AND SOUL
INTO INTO MAKING THIS REALITY
OVER THE LAST 60 YEARS.
THIS WILL BE THE HOTTEST,
FASTEST MISSION.
I LIKE TO CALL IT THE COOLEST
MISSION UNDER THE SUN.
WE ARE GOING TO BE MOVING IN
EXTREME TEMPERATURES.
WE WILL GO RIGHT UP INTO THE
CORONA.
AS YOU HAVE HEARD, OF THE
REVOLUTIONLY WORK OF PARKER
FROM AS FAR BACK AS 19 TBLAI,
STILL WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO
ANSWER KEY QUESTIONS.
THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY
MATHEMATICIANS WHO HAVE MADE
TREMENDOUS ADVANCES, WE HAVE
BEEN INSIDE THE ORBIT OF
MERCURY.
WE HAVE DONE AMAZING THINGS.
UNTIL YOU GO THERE AND TOUCH
THE SUN, YOU REALLY CAN'T
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS.
THESE QUESTIONS ARE SO SIMPLE.
WHY IS THE CORONA HOTTER THAN
THE SURFACE OF THE SUN?
THAT DEFIES THE LAWS OF
NATURE.
IT'S GOING GOING UP HILL, IT
SHOULDN'T HAPPEN.
WHY IN THIS REGION DOES THE
SOLAR ATMOSPHERE ENERGIZE
WHETHER IT ESCAPES THE SUN.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS WITHOUT
TAKING A PROBE INTO THE SUNNEN
WE'LL BE MOVING AT BLISTERING
SPEEDS.
WE WILL BE MOVING AT
430,000 MILES AN HOUR.
THAT'S ABOUT 118 MILES A
SECOND.
WOULDN'T YOU ENJOY YOUR
MORNING COMMUTE AT THAT SPEED?
WE'LL BE SEVEN TIMES CLOSER
THAN ANY OTHER MISSION HAS
EVER BEEN.
WE WILL REPEATEDLY SWEEP
THROWP THE CORONA MAKING THESE
MEASUREMENTS.
WHY HAS IT TAKEN US 60 YEARS
TO BE ABLE TO DO IT?
HONESTLY THE MATERIALS DIDN'T
EXIST TO DO IT.
THE VERY FIRST THING WE HAD TO
DO IS MAKE A HEAT SHIELD.
WE LOVE OUR HEAT SHIELD.
OUR HEAT SHIELD WAS DEVELOPED
USING NASA RESEARCH MONEY, LED
BY J.P.L. WITH THE SCHOOL AT
JOHNS HOPKINS AND MANY OTHER
CONTRIBUTORS WHO DESIGNED A
CARBON-COMPOSITE SHIELD TO NOT
ONLY WITHSTAND THE HEAT, WE GO
HOT AND THEN COLD, HOT THEN
COLD, GETTING SOMETHING TO
WITHSTAND THAT IS
REVOLUTIONARY.
WE DESIGNED A NEW SOLAR PANEL
TO KEEP THEM COOL.
THAT ACTS AS A SHOULDER JOINT
AS WE MOVE IN AND OUT AS WE GO
CLOSE AND FURTHER AWAY FROM
THE SUN.
JUST A LITTLE FINGER TIP POKED
OUT FROM THE SOLAR PANELS
GENERATES ENOUGH SOLAR ENERGY
TO OPERATE THE MISSION.
RIGHT NOW, THE SPACECRAFT IS
BEING BUILT AND TESTED AND PUT
THROUGH A LOT OF RIGOROUS
TESTING TO BE SURE WE CAN
WITHSTAND THAT ENVIRONMENT.
WE'LL BE GOING INTO THE
CORONA.
AS YOU HEARD THE TEMPERATURES
CAN GET UP TO A COUPLE OF
MILLION DEGREES.
WE ARE NOT GOING QUITE THAT
CLOSE BUT WE'LL BE AT
2500-DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
THE INSTRUMENT IN THE SHADOW
BEHIND THE HEAT SHIELD WILL BE
OPERATING AT ABOUT THE
TEMPERATURE OF THIS ROOM, ROOM
TEMPERATURE.
WE ARE BUILDING IT, WE ARE
TESTING IT.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THE
INSTRUMENTS ALREADY INTO
PLACE.
BY THE SUMMER MOST OF THEM
WILL BE ON.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO BE ABLE
TO INTRODUCE YOU TO
REPRESENTATIVES OF OUR SCIENCE
TEAM, INVESTIGATING THE
PAYLOADS.
IN THE ORDER YOU ARE SITTING
I'LL YOU ON INTRODUCE CUSS
CONTINUE CASPAR FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN.
HE IS ALSO A CHICAGO ALUM, BY
THE WAY.
STEWART BELL FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO --
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.
SORRY.
UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA-BERKELEY.
AND FROM PRINCETON UNIVERSITY.
AND FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA-LOS ANGELES.
LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST,
PROFESSOR HOWARD FROM THE
RESEARCH LAB.
SO TOGETHER, USING A VARIETY
AND WE WILL FINALLY ANSWER
THESE QUESTIONS.
I ALSO WANT TO INTRODUCE ONE
MORE PERSONNEN I CALL HIM THE
MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN.
HE KEEPS US GOING ON SCHEDULE
AND ON BUDGET AND NEVER LETS
THEM TAKE A VACATION.
[APPLAUSE]
SO WHAT IS NEXT?
WE ARE BUILDING, TESTING AND
DEVELOPING INSTRUMENTS.
IN THE END OF THE YEAR WE WILL
MOVE WHERE WE WILL DO FINAL
TESTING, NA NERVE-RACKING
ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE MAKE SURE
EVERYTHING WILL WORK IN THAT
ENVIRONMENTS.
FROM THERE WE GO ON TO
FLORIDA.
WE LAUNCH AND WE HAVE A THIRD
STAGE.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE
MOVING SO FAST SO THAT WE CAN
BURST [NO AUDIO]
>> MANY OF YOU ARE USED TO
HEARING ABOUT GRAVITY.
WE ACCELERATE THE PROBE.
WE ARE VERY GENEROUS.
WE ARE GIVING ENERGY TO VENUS.
WE ARE USING THE VENUS FLYBY
TO TRIM AND REALLY PRECISION
OF WHERE WE NEED TO BE TO MAKE
US YOU ACTUALLY HIT OUR SOLAR
ORBITAL TARGET.
EIGHT WEEKS AFTER THAT WE WILL
ENCOUNTER THE SUN FOR THE
FIRST TIME.
WE WILL DO OUR FIRST APPROACH.
FOLLOWING THAT WE WILL DO
ANOTHER SIX VENUS FLYBYS IN
JUST UNDER SEVEN YEARS.
WE GRADUALLY GET CLOSER AND
CLOSER AND IN TOWARD THE SUN
UNTIL WE ARE JUST UNDER
4 MILLION MILES OF 10 SOLAR
RADII.
THAT MAY NOT SOUND THAT CLOSE
TO YOU.
IF THE EARTH AND THE SUN WERE
SEPARATED BY 1 METER, IT IS
ACTUALLY VERY, VERY CLOSE.
IN FACT, SO CLOSE THAT WE'LL
BE IN A REGION THAT YOU,
YOURSELF, MAY BE ABLE TO SEE
THIS SUMMER.
DURING A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE,
YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE THE HAZY
CORONA AROUND THE SUN.
AUGUST 21st, THE FIRST TIME
IN 100 YEARS, THERE WILL BE A
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE VISIBLE
FROM THE U.S.A.
WHEN YOU LOOK UP AND SEE THE
ECLIPSE, THE PROBE WILL BE
RIGHT IN THERE.
NOT ONLY ARE WE DOING BASIC
SCIENCE, BUT WE'LL BE APPLYING
CRITICAL INFORMATION TO ALLOW
US TO BETTER KNOW HOW YOUR
EARTH RESPONDS TO THE SUNNEN
WE'LL BE DOING CRITICAL
ADVANCES TO ENABLE US TO
EXPLORE BASE WEATHER.
FOR THAT REASON WE'LL SEND
SOLAR PROBE INTO THE CORONA
AND FINALLY TOUCH THE SUN.
[APPLAUSE]
NASA's PARKER SOLAR PROBE
MISSION IS ABOUT TO EM EMBARK
ON AN HISTORIC JOURNEY TO OUR
VERY OWN STAR.
THE SUN.
NAMED FOR DR. EUGENE M. PARKER
WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE
REVOLUTIONIZED OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF THE SUN.
THE PARKER SOLAR PROBE WILL
USHER IN A NEW ERA OF
EXPLORATION.
IT'S A MISSION OF EXTREMES.
THE SPACECRAFT WILL PLUNGE
THROUGH THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE,
CALLED THE CORONA, AND FLYE
CLOSER TO THE SUN'S SURFACE
THAN ANY SPACECRAFT IN
HISTORY.
MORE THAN SEVEN TIMES CLOSER.
THE SUN'S SURFACE IS HOT.
AT TEMPERATURES EXCEEDING
10,000-DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
BUT THE REAL SURPRISE IS ITS
ATMOSPHERE IS EVEN HOTTER.
FACING THE CORONA'S BRUTAL
HEAT AND RADIATION CONDITIONS,
PARKER SOLAR PROBE WILL
FINALLY PROVIDE ANSWERS TO
SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW OUR SUN
WORKS.
AS PARKER SOLAR PROBE SPEEDS
AROUND THE SUN MAKING THESE
MEASUREMENTS, IT IS MOVING AT
OVER 430,000 MILES PER HOUR.
THAT'S LIKE TRAVELING FROM NEW
YORK TO TOKYO IN LESS THAN A
MINUTE.
THIS MISSION IS THE
CULMINATION OF 60 YEARS' WORK
BY THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST
SCIENTIFIC AND ENGINEERING
MINDS.
TODAY, OUR TECHNOLOGY WILL LET
US ACHIEVE OUR DREAMS TO
REVEAL THIS SECRET AND OUR SUN
AND TO ONE DAY BETTER PROTECT
TECHNOLOGY FROM THE THREAT OF
SPACE FLARES.
WE WILL LAUNCH THE SOLAR
PROBE, HUMANITY'S FIRST
MISSION TO TOUCH THE SUN.
[APPLAUSE]
>> OKAY, TO ANYONE ASSOCIATED
WITH THAT MISSION.
FOR ME TO SAY THAT WE WILL BE
FLYING AND WE'LL TAKE THE
FRONT OF OF YOU AND YOUR
SEMINAL PAPER.
WE'LL HAVE IT OWE A MOUNTING
PLATE AND WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO
WRITE WHATEVER INSCRIPTION TO
PUT ON THAT PLATE AND SEBD TO
THE SUN.
THE FINAL THING IS GREAT HONOR
AS SA PART OF THE TEAM TO GIVE
YOU THE FIRST MODEL OF THE
PARKER SOLAR PROBE.
[APPLAUSE]
>> WELL, AS I SAY, I'M GREATLY
HONORED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH
THIS HEROIC, SCIENTIFIC
MISSION.
I WOULD JUST EXAMINING IT.
I GUESS I NEED SOME
INSTRUCTION AS TO WHAT ALL THE
THINGS ARE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[APPLAUSE]
>> NOW WE'LL TAKE A FEW
QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE
AND FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS AND
OUR STAFF WILL COME TO YOU
WITH THE MICROPHONE.
ONCE YOU HAVE THE MICROPHONE,
PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND
YOUR AFFILIATION AND THEN ASK
YOUR QUESTION.
YES A QUESTION FROM THIS
GENTLEMAN IN THE FRONT.
IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
>> MY NAME IS ERIC ISAACS.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE KINDS
EVER INSTRUMENTS AND MAYBE
THIS ADDRESSES GENE'S QUESTION
ABOUT WHAT IS ON THE MOLDS.
WHAT ARE THE INSTRUMENTS YOU
HAVE AND WHAT ARE YOUR WILDEST
DREAMS OF WHAT YOU HOPE TO
FIND.
>> NICOA.
>> WE HAVE A FULL COMPLEMENT
OF INSTRUMENTS.
YOU MET THE P.I.
WE HAVE THE BELT PLASMA, THE
BREAD AND BUTTER OF THE SOLAR
WIND, IF YOU WILL.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF
INSTRUMENTS MEASURING WHAT IS
COMING OUT WE HAVE INSTRUMENTS
POSITIONED IN DIFFERENT
LOCATIONS.
WHATEVER ANGLE, WE'VE GOT IT.
WE HAVE A FULL FLEET OF
MAGNETIC INSTRUMENTS ON THE
BACK HERE, THE ELECTRIC
SHIELD.
ON THE FRONT, WE CAN MAKE A
PLASMA WAVE.
WE HAVE THE PARTICLE SUITE TO
GET THE STUFF THAT COMES WITH
THE FLARES.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST WE HAVE A
WHITE LIGHT IMAGER THAT IS
GOING TO BE TAKING PICTURES OF
THE STRUCTURES THAT WE ARE
ABOUT TO SLIDE THROUGH THAT
WILL HELP US TO PUT IN CONTEXT
WHAT WE ARE SEEING.
>> WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION
RIGHT THERE.
>> CHARLE BORGES FROM NBC 5 IN
CHICAGO.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO SEND
THIS INTO THE SUN?
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO TOUCH
THE BASE OF THE SUN AND GO
CLOSELY BY IT AND PRESERVE THE
SATELLITE.
>> WE WILL BRUSH BY IT.
WE ARE NOT GOING RIGHT UP AND
TOUCH IT.
IF YOU IMAGINE, CAN YOU LEARN
SO MUCH FROM LOOKING OUT THE
WINDOW.
YOU CAN SEE THE SUN IS
SHINING, CAN YOU SEE THE BIRDS
ARE SINGING BUT UNTIL YOU GET
OUT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW HOT IT
IS OR HOW WINDY IT IS OR THE
CONDITIONS.
I THINK WE HAVE COME AS FAR AS
WE CAN WITH LOOKING AT
THINGSEN IT'S NOW TIME TO PAY
IT A VISIT.
>> NOW WE'LL TAKE A QUESTION
FROM SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE HAVE A TWEET.
>> WE DO HAVE A TWEET.
WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM GEORGE
WHO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY ARE
WE ONLY GOING 4 MILLION MILES.
IS THERE A LIMIT OF THE HEAT,
WHAT ARE THE PARAMETERS?
>> THERE ARE A COUPLE OF
THINGS WITH THE HEAT SHIELDS
AND VARIOUS THINGS DESIGNED TO
GO 4 MILL MILES.
THE REASON WE CAN'T GO CLOSER,
AFTER THE SEVETH VENUS
FLYBY, IT WILL BE INSIDE THE
CONVENEUS ORBIT.
WE CAN NO LONGER USE IT TO
TRIM THE ORBIT.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU ALL.
NOW BEFORE WE CLOSE, I BELIEVE
THAT NASA -- THEY HAVEN'T DONE
VERY MUCH.
THEY HAVE A FINAL SPECIAL
RECOGNITION TO PRESENT TO
EUGENE.
WELCOME BACK THOMAS ZURBUCHEN.
[APPLAUSE]
>> CLEAN EX-UP HERE.
BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANT TO
QUICKLY TELL YOU TWO OF MY
PARKER STORIES, SO YOU KNOW
HOW I GOT TO KNOW HIM.
FIRST CONFERENCE I EVER WENT
TO WAS IN SWITZERLAND.
LIKE PEOPLE THERE, MEN THERE,
I WAS IN THE MILITARY.
I GOT A TIME OUT FROM THE
MILITARY TO COME TO THE FIRST
CONFERENCE.
SO I WALKED IN, I WAS ON THE
TRAIN THE WHOLE NIGHT TO
GERMANY.
I WALKED IN THE DOOR AND SAT
DOWN.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHO WAS
THERE.
I HAD READ ALL THE PAPERS,
RIGHT?
SO I SAT THERE IN THE
CONFERENCE.
SOME GUY GAVE A TALK.
YOU JUMPED TO YOUR FEET AND
ASKED THE QUESTION, EVERYTHING
WAS QUIET.
LIKE MOMENTARILY, BECAUSE YOU
GOT UP THERE.
YOU ASKED A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION.
YOU WERE REALLY NICE, THE
PREEMINENT PERSON IN THAT
FIELD, YOU DON'T WANT TO GET
QUESTIONS FROM GENE, IF YOU
CAN HELP IT.
HE DID A GOOD JOB.
YOU WERE REALLY NICE TO HIM.
I THOUGHT, WHO IS THIS GUY?
WHY IS EVERYBODY STOPPING AT
GENE PARKER?
THAT'S HOW I MET YOU.
YOU WINTER KNOW, YOU SAW MY
BACK FROM WHERE YOU WERE
SITTING.
ANOTHER STORY.
THAT IS WHEN I INVITED YOU TO
A SEMINARY AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN I THOUGHT WAS
IMPORTANT THAT STUDENTS SAW
THE KIND OF LEADERS THAT YOU
ARE.
BASICALLY I ASKED YOU IF YOU
WOULD HANG OUT WITH THE
STUDENTS.
YOU WERE GENEROUS WITH YOUR
TIME, JUST LIKE THE FIRST
CONFERENCE WHEN WE MET.
THE TIME YOU SPENT THERE, I
BASICALLY ASKED YOU HOW DO I
INTRODUCE YOU, GENE?
I COULD TALK WHAT THINGS WE
TALK ABOUT HERE.
HOW DO I INTRODUCE YOU?
YOU SAID, I HOPE YOU INTRODUCE
ME LIKE THIS.
I DID MY GRAD SCHOOL, COULDN'T
FIND A JOB.
WENT TO FAW BECAUSE THAT'S THE
ONLY PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY
OFFERED ME ONE.
DUE TO A FRIEND, GOT BACK TO
CHICAGO, WROTE PAPERS I
COULDN'T GET PUBLISHED.
DUE TO ANOTHER FRIEND, I
FINALLY GOT THEM PUBLISHED.
THEN THE REST WAS PRETTY GOOD.
SEE WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS.
I SAID WHY WOULD YOU WANT ME
TO INTRODUCE YOU THAT WAY?
THESE STUDENTS NEED TO KNOW
EVEN IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL,
IT'S GOING TO BE HARD FROM
TIME TO TIME.
MANY OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
SCIENCE DISCOVERIES THAT WE
HAVE ARE A LITTLE BIT
CONTROVERSIAL AT THE
BEGINNING.
OR VERY, VERY, VERY
CONTROVERSIAL.
THOSE ARE TWO OF MY ANECDOTES
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
THE NEXT THING I WILL ASK YOU,
STEVE CLARK, THE DIVISION
DIRECTOR OF HELIO SYSTEMS
DECIDES TO COME UP.
WHAT I WANT TO DO IS TALK TO
YOU ABOUT THE DISTINGUISHED
PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL FROM
NASA.
IT'S THE HIGHEST FORM OF
RECOGNITION AWARDED BY NASA TO
AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS NOT A
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE.
IT'S AWARDED BASED ON THE
MERIT OF THAT PERSON, ON THE
EXCELLENCE TOWARDS NASA AND
IT'S THAT MEDAL THAT WE WOULD
LIKE TO GIVE TO YOU NOW.
WHAT I AM GOING TO DO IS READ
THE DEDICATION THAT IS SIGNED
BY THE ADMINISTRATOR.
THIS IS ONLY THE ADMINISTRATOR
CAN GIVE THAT MEDAL.
IT IS FOR A LIFETIME OF
SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENT,
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP IN
SPACE SCIENCE AND NASA SPACE
PROGRAM.
GENE, IT'S AN HONOR TO GIVE
YOU THAT MEDAL.
[APPLAUSE]
>> WHAT A WONDERFUL MORNING.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE WATCHING
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
IT'S AFL YOU WHO HAVE JOINED
US HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
CHICAGO.
THERE WILL BE A SHORT MEDIA
QUESTION AND ANSWER, SO MEDIA,
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE
THE ROOM.
PLEASE REMAIN.
EVERYONE ELSE, PLEASE JOIN US
IN THE ATRIUM FOR A RECEPTION
AND DEMONSTRATIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
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