John Mulchaey, a leading researcher, astrophysicist, and the 12th president of Carnegie Science — an independent research institution dedicated to advancing investigation, research, and discovery — made the journey last week from Los Angeles to Woodstock to speak with the students at Prosper Valley Elementary School and Woodstock Union High School about his career and the personal struggles he faced along the way.
John Mulchaey
Mulchaey, an openly gay man, met with the Queer-Straight Alliance at WUHS, in collaboration with Pride 365, to discuss his career and how he found a space where he felt personally and professionally accepted. “I grew up in the Bay Area to very liberal parents, so my sexuality was not a huge point of contention in my life. However, I did grow up during a very tumultuous time in America, as the AIDS crisis rampaged through our cities. I saw at an early age men like me treated with fear and disgust and it frightened me. When I came out in my twenties, it was a very different world than it is today. I like to remind students of that. The pendulum always swings back, and this current administration will not last forever. As hopeless as it may feel right now, there are places in this world, in communities like the STEM community, that will accept everyone for who they are.”
Mulchaey’s scientific research centers on a wide range of astronomical phenomena, including galaxy groups and clusters, dark matter, and black holes. He served as a scientific editor for The Astrophysical Journal from 2005 until 2011 and has been a consultant for NASA and the National Science Foundation. He earned his Ph.D. in Astrophysics from the University of Maryland, his bachelor’s degree in astrophysics from Berkeley, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Carnegie Science.
During his visit to Prosper Valley, Mulchaey spoke about his career, and let students ask him various astronomical questions about the sun’s life span, dwarf planets, and space travel. He answered each student’s inquiry with enthusiasm and care. “My parents did a good job allowing me to indulge in my passions, but they had no interest in science, and so my development, in a way, was limited until I got to college. I want students to know there are resources available if they wish to start their scientific/academic journey today. This work can be incredibly fulfilling, and early exposure is key.”
While students preferred to remain anonymous, multiple Queer-Straigh attendees told the Standard that Mulchaey’s talk showed them that they, too, can be successful and accepted in professional spaces, and that their identity can coalesce with their careers and passions. One student in particular said, “Hearing John speak about how fluidly his personal and professional career merged together gave me hope and inspired me to live more authentically.” Another student echoed, “I didn’t realize how lucky we are to live in a world where I can, in some way, exist openly. As terrified as I am right now, hearing all that John lived through made me realize we can and will continue to endure.”
For more on this, please see our June 12 edition of the Vermont Standard.
