grouperlab

First, I am stunned to realize how long it’s been since I posted a blog entry—nearly three years.  (Well, that was early pandemic, so…)  In another existence, I might use this entry to contemplate the passage of time (and various song titles or lyrics on that them).  However, today is being marked by a series of meetings to discuss, coordinate, strategize… for the total solar eclipse (TSE) of April 8, 2024.  This eclipse will have a path of totality visible throughout Indiana, which will create a uniquely distinct experience through much of the “Crossroads of America”. How do we prepare, educate, engage, inspire, mentor, support, and protect the students, general public, and communities of the state (these are, of course, part of the mission of the NASA Indiana Space Grant Consortium, or INSGC) to have the safest, best, transformative life experience in one’s own figurative backyard (and in many cases, literal backyards) that millions of people consider a lifetime bucket list item to travel and see?

So, here we go.  After years of anticipation, the “things just got real” phase is starting up.  For some reason, it’s more challenging to start fielding lots of different questions from people with different backgrounds and a “fresh” (i.e., not obsessive or single-minded) level of awareness about this bucket-list opportunity.  Where’s the best place to be?  (A frequent question, and IMHO, one that’s virtually impossible to give a single answer.  Whether you’d rather be in an iconic facility with state-of-the-art technology, or a piece of isolated parkland to more fully immerse yourself in the spiritual experience many who witness TSEs report, that’s up to you.  But, the best simple answer is: Where there’s a significant time in totality.  Nothing less is even close.). When should people start ordering glasses, and who needs them?  (Last year is better, but now is the second best time.  Everyone needs them to observe partial coverage of the sun safely.  Those in the path of totality get to take them off during totality to observe it fully and safely.). What about xyz…?  (Well, it’s good that I’m an industrial engineering faculty member: planning, logistics, scheduling, estimation, human-systems integration, and project management are what we do.).  

As of this writing, the TSE is under 297 days away (thanks to the University of Southern Indiana for this reminder!), with a great deal to do in preparation.  I feel like the host of a very large party, who has a long list of tasks: supplies, party favors (eclipse viewing glasses), locations, entertainment, etc.  An important element for the statewide engagement via INSGC is that this is a potluck, pop-up distributed event.  Even if I wanted to, there would be no way to control or direct all of the activities from Evansville to Montpelier and everything in between (both size and spread of community experiences across the state).  Engagement is about reaching people when, where, and how they are, and sharing with them in the ways that inspire and excite them the most.  Education is also about learning what you need to know to have the best experience, not necessarily what my favorite thing might be regarding spherical trigonometry or upper atmospheric dynamics or isochron maps of eclipse duration based on distance from perigee.  The best experience is the one that leaves you eager for, and enjoying, the opportunities available at the party.  So, how do we do that?

In essence, I feel like that is my primary role as a “distributed supervisory coordinator” whose job it is to know who’s doing what, connect the right people to the right activities using the right communication channels, and to ensure that the teams of folks enabling the various events have the most reliable and robust access to the resources they need to complete their tasks.  (If that sounds pretty formal, it is based on some formal study of how NASA Mission Control works.). Aviation and space people talk about the importance of effective training and simulation in preparation for the mission.  We can’t completely practice for several hundred thousand people moving into place and communicating prior to and during the TSE… although Indiana’s previous experiences with the Indianapolis 500, college football and basketball championships, and Apollo 11 50^th Anniversary events all give us important learning foundations.  We can, and will, build on that. 

I’ll spare you too much more of the song lyrics, but I do like this little bit echoing in my head:

People, get ready,

There’s an eclipse comin’…

Don’t need no ticket,

just careful views.