Hello and welcome!

I am an astrobiologist and a science communicator about all things space-related, but especially human space exploration, astrobiology and astronomy. I work with a wide variety of projects that involve people and working with the media; I decided to write this blog as one of my ways of engaging with like-minded space-heads.

What do you see when you look (out) to the stars?

About my Personal journey

‘To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.’ -Ulysses by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–1892)

My passion is in the stars. And with the help of the stars, I strive to encourage, share my success stories, and support others to seek and hold their personal legend.

I love the stars and, since I was about six years old, knew that my life was going to be linked to them. It took a little wobble to get there so instead of an astronomer I became first a biologist, then a science communicator and finally an astrobiologist. But ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’, they say. And it was not easy because I kept hearing the call and for a long time I was not sure what to do about it. My hero’s path had ups and downs, as some do. However …

During my journey I came to realise that the biggest obstacles I had to overcome in life were of my own making.  Some of us do create obstacles unintentionally, most of the time. We do all sorts of things to ourselves that make us feel good or bad. I found out that in life, we really do have a choice: to keep building obstacles on our path or learn how to be free.
My most treasured value is freedom. What always motivates me to go beyond all boundaries is inspiration. My inspiration comes from the stars. While I am constantly complimented on my energy and enthusiasm, it’s the inspiration that drives me. And so anyone driven by inspiration can move mountains, fly to the Moon, stop wars, take good care of Earth and become anything they dream about.

If I could make a wish for the humankind, I would wish that all people could follow their dreams. This is not a given in our world yet, but I choose to hope. And I have faith that telling our success stories is making the difference for others.

I also believe that culture is merely a set of instructions handed down by our ancestors for generations and shaped by geographical constraints to ensure our best survival. That culture is not a reason to start a war. I wish that people understand that progress comes from sharing the knowledge, and they also understand extinction is forever!

“Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” – William Jennings Bryan

More than anything, my dream is to show people that we are really made of stardust and because of that everything is possible.

Highlighted Appearances

• Newshub, October 2016 Interview with Paul Henry Rosetta takes final bow
• Memories from Mars, Planetarian, 2016
• 95bFM, Astrobiology special. Dear Science – Are we alone? Interview with Professor Steve Pointing, August 2016
• The Jodcast, August 2016 – Jodrell Bank University
• The Jodcast, July 2016 – Jodrell Bank University
• The Jodcast, June 2016 – Jodrell Bank University
• The Jodcast, Matariki 2016 interview
• The Jodcast, May 2016 – Jodrell Bank University
• The Jodcast, April 2016 – Jodrell Bank University
• The Jodcast, March 2016 – Jodrell Bank University
• The Jodcast, February 2016 – Jodrell Bank University
• The Jodcast, January 2016 – Jodrell Bank University
• The Jodcast, December 2015 – Jodrell Bank University
• The Jodcast, November 2015 – Jodrell Bank University
• The Jodcast, October 2015 – Jodrell Bank University
• The Jodcast, September 2015 – Jodrell Bank University
• Spaceward Bound New Zealand in the media – January 2015
• Radio New Zealand Interview: Interview with Radio New Zealand about the MIT article claiming that the Mars One colonists would die after 68 days of being on Mars, October 2013
• NASA Ames seminar: Seminar on New Zealand, Astrobiology and Spaceward Bound, August 2014
• TVNZ – One Way Trip to Mars 20/20 video: Scientific advisor/ featuring in the documentary about the Mars One mission to Mars, July 2014
• VICE news, Meet the New Zealander who wants to colonize Mars: Interview with Danielle Street, July 2014
• New Zealand Association of Science Educators – Your very own starryteller: Interview with Melissa Wastney about STARGAZING course, July 2014
• Dominion Post Newspaper, Wellington – Virtual astronaut to share experience of life on Mars: Interview with Olivia Wannan, May 2014
• TVNZ – Two Kiwi women vying for life on Mars (1:56): Featuring in One News regarding Mars One private mission to Mars, May 2014
• New Zealand Association of Science Educators – TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SPACE EXPLORERS: Interview with Melissa Wastney about Spaceward Bound New Zealand, June 2014
• New Zealand Education Gazette – A space education: Interview with Kate Bleasdale about TasMars2013, February 2013
• Ministry of Education New Zealand blog, follow TasMars 2013 :TasMars 2013 featured on the MoE blog, February 2013
• Eastern Courier Newspaper, Auckland – Class touches base with living on Mars: The experience of students from Auckland’s Mission Heights school who talked live with the crew at MDRS via TasMars 2013 mission, March 2013
• US Embassy, Personal blog of David Huebner, Ambassador of the US in New Zealand, KIWIS ON MARS May 9, 2012, Featuring in the US Ambassador’s blog (David Huebner), May 2012
• TV3 News, A team of intrepid New Zealanders is about to undergo the ultimate dress rehearsal for living on Mars. Charlotte Shipman, March 2012
• TV3 News, Kiwis experience life on (almost) Mars: Laura Frykberg, July 2012
• TVNZ, KiwiMars on the Good Morning Show: Featuring from the Wellington studio, June, 2012
• The New Zealand Herald newspaper, Kiwis share their Mars experience: Interview with Abby Gillies, July 2012
• Sciblogs, Kiwimars 2012: Kiwis doing what Kiwis should: Elf Eldrige’s Sciblogs colum, April 2012
• The Official Sciblogs Podcast: Co-hosting with Elf Eldridge, January 2012
• World Space Week 2011 podcasts, interviewing
  • Dennis Stone, President of the World Space Week Association
  • Chris McKay, Planetary scientist at NASA
  • Julien Girard, Physicist and Astronomer at the European Southern Observatory
  • Marius Piso, Head of the Romanian Space Agency”, Theoretical physicist and head of ROSA
  • Melanie Johnston-Hollitt, SKA International Founding Board Member
  • Robert Zubrin, President of the Mars Society