Welcome to Stardust@home’s Duster of the Month! Each month we will highlight one of the many Stardust@home volunteers (or “Dusters”) in our blog. The questions asked are designed to enlighten us about the very important human aspects and motivations of the project’s most valuable asset. Each month there will also be a new question from a random member of the science team. If you would like to be a featured Duster of the Month, please send an email to stardust-dom@ssl.berkeley.edu.
This Month’s Featured Duster is
Jaime Roberto Muñoz Luque
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself (but please also note questions to come):
I’m 40 years old single man from Colombia. I am a catholic, romantic, idealistic, sincere, and persevering person who works so hard to make my dreams come true. I am Industrial Engineer with a graduate certificate degree in information systems. I have worked for health care related companies for about 15 years. Currently I am studying a M.Sc. in Industrial Engineering with major in statistics which I hope to finish in mid 2013. I also dream to get married and start my own family sooner than later.
2. What part of the world do you currently live?
I live in Bogotá, D.C. The capital city of Colombia, a beautiful country in South America.
3. Have you always had an interest in science?
Yes, I have been interested in astronomy since I was a child. I studied engineering because of my interest in science. In fact, a lot of my projects in my master’s statistic courses have been related to astronomy. Moreover, I plan to apply my statistics knowledge to solve an statistical astronomy problem when I begin working on my master’s thesis.
4. Why do you dust?
Because one of my most wanted dreams have been send my name to space and work for NASA in some way. NASA has gave the chance to the public to send their names or pictures to space. As a result, my dream comes true each time I have sent my name in missions such as: Deep impact, Star Dust, New Horizons, Kepler Space Telescope, Dawn, LRO, STS-133, and Mars Science Laboratory. However, work as a volunteer for Stardust@home project is a way to really work for NASA in a science project. I hope to find some particle…
5. How do you connect to the internet (e.g., DSL, Cable, modem, Satellite)?
DSL and Wi-Fi Router.
6. Are you involved in any other “citizen science” projects?
Not really.
7. What is your overall life philosophy, or are there words you like to live by?
I have always tried to follow the rule “One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.”
8. What have you seen, heard, or done that has most amazed you?
A picture of our planet taken by Voyager 2 when it was beyond Neptune’s orbit. I think this photo help us to put things into a perspective, we are nothing more than a pale blue dot in the Universe, as Carl Sagan called his book because of this picture.
9. What about you surprises people the most?
Not only my sincerity and perseverance, but also the passion I express when I talk about astronomy and applied statistics.
10. Where do you go to clear your mind? (the Stardust@home team question of the month)
To clear my mind I tried to go to a quiet place or a church to pray and talk with God. I also like to go to play golf, since this sport give me a lot of peace too.