ANDREA T. NORRIS
On Jan. 23, I climbed out of a cargo aircraft that lands on skis onto the geographic South Pole. I had traveled for more than 10,000 miles, through numerous time zones and via a variety of cars, trains, buses and planes.
Blinking quickly to melt the icicles already forming on my eyelashes, I stood in awe on ice several miles thick, encompassed by bright sunshine and snow as far as the eye could see. Before me was the magnificent new science facility, the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, an engineering marvel designed to support sophisticated large-scale experiments from the coldest, highest, driest and windiest place on Earth.
I thought about the amazing accomplishments I have witnessed during my almost 20 years at the National Science Foundation and NASA. I work with dedicated scientists, engineers, educators, technologists, policymakers, and program and administrative experts who focus their talents on extending the frontiers of knowledge and understanding, both on Earth and in space.
Although I always wanted to, I never did make it to the moon. But I can honestly say I have been to the end of the Earth and back.
Norris is director of the Division of Information Systems and deputy chief information officer at the National Science Foundation.