Life’s Work: An Interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson
https://hbr.org/2016/01/neil-degrasse-tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson decided he wanted to become an astrophysicist at age nine, after his first visit to New York Citys Hayden Planetarium. Less than 30 years later, he was appointed its director. The Columbia University PhD has since parlayed his passion for science into a media career spanning radio, television, and TwitterHBR: Youve described yourself as a servant to the publics appetite for science. But thats meant moving away from a dedicated academic career as well as one in industry.
Why did you choose the role you did?
Tyson: When a professor goes to a university to do research and also teaches a class, you dont say its moving away from research. Its blending together these two noble activities: teaching the next generation of students and trying to advance on the research frontier. In my case, its not a formal classroom, but the informal classroom of pop culture. Research became just one dimension of what I do. Im still a member of the astrophysics department at the American Museum of Natural History.
How do you balance your TV work with your day job, your academic work, and your family life?
Balance might be overrated. If your life is perfectly balancedeverything going smoothly