A n d r e a P r e s t w i c h
Astrophysicist
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
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P2K:
What do you like most about your job?
Andrew Prestwich:
My job is really very varied and that is one of the reasons I that I like it. I spend quite a bit of my time working for the Chandra Science Center. For example, I oversee the technical web pages, and I organize technical support so when people want to apply to use Chandra, the Science Center organizes reviews of proposals, and I'm involved in that.
But the thing that I like best, of course, is research, and being able to do research and to devote 20 to 30 percent of my time to research is wonderful. If people did not pay me to do it I would want to do it anyway. It's like a hobby. Unfortunately it's hard to have as a hobby without being a professional because you need to have access to data and to computer facilities and all the rest of it. So, that said, that's definitely the best part of my job. But variety is really good too.
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P2K:
And the worst part?
Andrew Prestwich:
I think probably the worst part of my job is to say "no" to people. Part of my job is if an observation for Chandra goes wrong for some reason, sometimes we make a decision to re-observe that particular object and sometimes we don't. One of my jobs is to make those decisions, and-I hate saying no. But we have to say no.
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P2K:
SO what's you advice for a boy or girl thinking of a career in astronomy?
Andrew Prestwich:
If you're really thinking about a career in astronomy the best thing that I can say to you is, first of all, do all the math and physics courses that you can, and-secondly-almost more importantly, get involved with your local astronomical society. There will be people there who know a lot about astronomy, you'll hear some great talks, you'll do some observing. I did that and it was pivotal to my career really. You really get a feel for what astronomy is all about.
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P2K:
What would you most like to have done over the next few years?
Andrea Prestwich:
If there was one thing that I would like to be able to do over the next few years with my Chandra research it's to (a) show that the bright sources really, really, really are black holes, and secondly to show that they really are more common in star forming galaxies. That's really a very tricky thing to do, but if I had my name on that I would be incredibly pleased.
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