INTERVIEW

Roger Crouch

Interviewed by Daniel Edelstein

Posted April 27, 2001 · Issue 101

Background

Born
September 12, 1940, Jamestown, Tennessee

Position
Senior scientist on loan from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for the International Space Station (ISS), Office of Space Flight, NASA

Biography
Earned a B.S. in physics from Tennessee Technological University in 1962, and a M.S. and a Ph.D. in physics from Virginia Tech in 1968 and 1971, respectively.

His current responsibilities include serving as a liaison between the scientific community and the International Space Station. He also provides interpretation of science objectives of the ISS to the general public, advocacy for utilization of the ISS by researchers around the world, and advocacy for utilization of the ISS by educators and other communicators to the general public.

While logging more than 471 hours in space, he has flown twice on space missions, the first on STS-83 (April 4-8, 1997) and the second on STS-94 (July 1-17, 1997). The missions' Microgravity Science Laboratory Spacelab focused on materials and combustion science research in microgravity.

He has served as executive secretary of the National Research Council and the Committee on Microgravity Research, and has performed the same role for the NASA Microgravity Science and Applications Advisory Subcommittee. He was also founder and cochair for International Microgravity Strategic Planning Group and cochair for bilateral Microgravity Science Working Groups between NASA and the European Space Agency, Canada, France, Germany, and Japan. He has been a member of several governmental interagency panels, including the National Science and Technology Committee, the Biotechnology Subcommittee, and the Interagency Materials Research in China evaluation team.

What first inspired you to go into your field?

In high school, math and science were like continuing puzzles to solve, and I really enjoyed this process. As I further discovered the role math and science played in my life every day, I became even more excited about investigating these areas, and, even, getting paid at the same time.

What was a key event that pushed you into research?

Around third grade, I saw a movie about a journey to the moon. It depicted a fictional first trip to the moon and clearly pointed out that space travel would be a lot of fun and an entirely new frontier. When the movie ended, it read, "THE END (of the beginning)!" I thought that was just "so cool." I decided that I wanted to go to the moon. I don't think the word astronaut even existed then, but I decided the most strategic way to becoming a space traveler would be to first become a fighter pilot. So, because Chuck Yeager was sort of a hero of mine (and he also came from a poor rural area), I tried getting into this career path. But because I was color-blind, I failed the physical for an NROTC college program. I was also rejected by the Air Force and the Marines for that same reason. Essentially, this limited my college options greatly, and I enrolled in a small but very good engineering school (Tennessee Tech) near my hometown. Still wanting to be a space flyer, I opted to be a scientist. And physics seemed more interesting to me, so I switched from chemistry.

Who was your most influential teacher?

In my freshman year of high school, I had three teachers who taught me English, Latin, algebra, and science. They were all tough and demanding, but great teachers. All the hard work of that year paid off for me the rest of my life. I am eternally grateful to Ms. Guinn, Miss Rhea, and Mr. Craig.

Which research paper has had the most effect on your work?

I have had a relatively varied career, working in several different disciplines. In each of these new endeavors, I have been fortunate to find three or four papers that were seminal in accomplishments I was able to attain later in that field.

Who awarded you your first grant and what was it for?

I was awarded a grant to investigate the crystal growth of II-VI compounds and the role of convection on the properties of lead-tin-telluride. It was awarded by NASA headquarters out of the office of John Carruthers and advocated by Ed Gabris. The first research I did when I went to work for NASA was on charring ablators used as heat shields for reentering vehicles, including the Gemini and Apollo, it was supported by Gerald Waldberg at Langley Research Center.

What was your best experiment?

Probably the best work I did was for my thesis. I was looking at ways to modify the electrical and optical properties of silicon. Tom Gilmer of VA Tech was my advisor and I was working at Langley with Robert Franks and James Robertson. I doped silicon with several different group I and II impurities and measured their influence on the electrical and optical properties. It taught me about crystal growth, diagnostic techniques, diffusion, doping and profiling, band gaps, group theory, chemistry, safety, and many other areas. That work resulted in the first paper I had published in Physical Review.

Which scientific idea or concept perplexes you the most and why (i.e., confuses you and is difficult for you to understand)?

Charge! What is it? I just can't conceive of a subatomic mechanism that can explain it. Next, I would pick gravity. Why does a mass exert a gravitational force on every other mass?

What qualities do you need to be a successful researcher?

I think a good researcher is persistent (but that is true for almost anyone who is successful). Secondly, I would say they must be curious. Being creative and resourceful is always a plus.

If you could work with any scientist (historical or current), who would it be and why?

I think I would probably choose Richard Feynman, Robert Schrieffer, or a guy named Tom Morgan. They are extremely brilliant people who are willing to work with those of us who are less knowledgeable and help us along the learning path, in addition to being interested in a broad range of topics. Of course, there are a host of others who would be intriguing to work with, but in my life these three had the most influence.

What will be the great discoveries of this century?

I think mapping the human genome and opening the door to understanding and controlling gene expression will be among the greatest. I think we will discover the source of life on Earth, which should be quite interesting. I think alternative energy sources and modernized transportation capabilities will be significant. I think a political/economic system that would conquer hatred, hunger, and humiliation would be the greatest invention.

What is your proudest achievement?

My luckiest achievement was being selected to fly on a space shuttle mission and then getting to go a second time three months later. I probably am most proud of the peer review system I helped establish in the Microgravity Science Office of NASA, and the acceptance of that system by the majority of scientists who have been exposed to it.

What scientific plans do you have for the next five years?

I will continue as the lead scientist for the International Space Station for the next year or so until the term expires in June 2002. At that point, I hope to find a university or college in the Washington-Baltimore area with a position that would afford me the opportunity to teach and do some research. Along with that, I would like to continue in a role with the space research program and advocating the thrill of doing research for the teachers and students of the world.