Space Weather Living History: Dr. David Hathaway
Show | Grades 6-12+ | In this December 2012 interview, Dr. David Hathaway, a solar astronomer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, discusses his career trajectory into solar physics and outlines what he considers the most significant historical milestones in space weather research. Dr. Hathaway initially wanted to study stellar structure, evolution, and stellar interiors. […] The post Space…
In a December 2012 interview, Dr. David Hathaway, a solar astronomer at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, shared his journey into the field of solar physics and highlighted the most significant historical milestones in space weather research. Hathaway's initial interest lay in studying the structure, evolution, and interiors of stars during his graduate school years.
However, he soon encountered challenges in modeling convective heat transport within stars. Encouraged by his mentors, he turned to our Sun, a "star in our backyard," as a more tangible and observable model for understanding stellar convection.
It was under the guidance of his supervisor, Dr. John Davis, that Hathaway became focused on space weather. Davis challenged him to predict the Sunspot cycle, which ultimately led Hathaway to develop successful prediction methods. Given his talent for public speaking, Hathaway found himself frequently engaging with reporters, requiring him to delve deeply into the historical and technological impacts of space weather.
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Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Space Weather Living History: Dr. Ernie Hildner science.nasa.gov
