Picture the unending vastness of the universe. Millions of billions of galaxies, with each in turn containing billions of stars and planets. Each planet stretching on for thousands of miles, each being different. We have already made such leaps and bounds in space exploration, and we have yet to even scratch the surface of our own system. Who knows what hides among the stars? Perhaps even other civilizations?
Astrobiology instructor Kalée Tock seems to have a better idea than most. “I think the prospects are good,” Ms. Tock says, as I talk to her in her distinctive magenta office, photos of galaxies and planets festooning the wall behind her. “Whether we would be able to find and communicate with another civilization, that I would probably put as less likely. But… I’m optimistic.”
Ms. Tock started at OHS as a chemistry instructor, but eventually lobbied OHS to have an Astrobiology course. “I have always liked Astronomy a lot, so at some point, I was saying ‘English gets to have Film Studies, and other eclectic courses, why in science do we just have bread-and-butter physics, chem, bio?’” Soon enough, Ms. Tock’s dreams of Astrobiology at OHS became true, under the name of Life in the Cosmos.
I have always liked Astronomy a lot, so at some point, I was saying ‘English gets to have Film Studies, and other eclectic courses, why in science do we just have bread-and-butter physics, chem, bio?
— Ms. Tock
She earned her Masters’ in Chemistry, focusing in bioinorganic chemistry, from Stanford University, but with a passion for Astronomy, Ms. Tock was very happy to assume the mantle of developing and instructing Astrobiology. “It’s awesome, it’s so fun.”
As we spoke, she stressed how unique Astrobiology is. “There’s so many facets to it, there’s Python programming, math, chemistry, biology, philosophy, essays, it’s just so many different types of material.” And she feels it was a very necessary course. “Astrophysics is a great course, but it doesn’t spend enough time asking the big questions. It asks the small questions, the math questions.”
Ms. Tock feels as though the course has been a learning experience for her too. “It’s certainly been so much fun to teach. I think because the field is moving so fast and because the material is inherently so interesting, I feel every year that I learn as much or more from the students as they do from me. That creates, for me, a really satisfying experience, to be able to be a student myself.”
On top of this, Ms. Tock underscores how cutting edge the course is. “Our Life in the Cosmos textbook, which is co-authored by one of the principal investigators at SETI, came out a year ago. One year ago, almost September 2022. And there are parts that are out of date. If we’re ever going to find life in the universe, it’s going to happen soon.”
Ms. Tock says that the learning methodology that she and her students apply to Astrobiology is important for any science in general. “It’s satisfying in its own way to think about these problems, even if we’re wrong. In the past, a lot of scientists have been wrong, and their very wrongness has ended up being useful. The best piece of advice is be ready to be uncomfortable, be ready to be uncertain, and be ready to get used to that.”