Meet: John Horack, Ph.D.

Who I Am

My name is John Horack, and I was born in St. Louis, Missouri. I graduated from Northwestern University in Chicago with a bachelor's degree in physics and astronomy, and received my masters and Ph.D. in physics from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. My job title here at the NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center is "High-energy Astrophysicist." What that really means is that I study the sky, much like a typical astronomer does, however instead of studying the visible light that objects in space emit and your eye can see, I instead study the highest-energy form of radiation that objects in space emit, gamma-rays.

My Career Journey

In addition to helping build and launch the Compton Observatory in 1991, I have served as a Mission Scientist for the ASTRO-2/STS-67 space shuttle mission, which performed 16-days of astronomy observations in the ultraviolet, another part of the spectrum outside the narrow range where your eyes are sensitive.

Currently, I am serving as the Science Communications Director for the Space Sciences Laboratory at the NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center, and my role in STS-83 is to work as part of the Mission Scientist Team as the MSL-1 Science Communications Coordinator.

Influences

There really was not any one person or event which led me to the space program, it was kind of always there on the horizon as a principal direction in which to follow. However, there were some folks who made it easier to pursue science through their encouragement and teaching ability. My fourth grade teacher is named Bob Manges, and although I haven't spoken to him in over 22 years, I still remember him as the first teacher I ever had who could really bring science and math alive and make it enjoyable. When I got to eighth grade, Lawrence Lewis was my social studies teacher. He helped me to realize the importance of the "communications" part of what I discussed before, and he is an excellent teacher. Lastly, my high-school physics teacher, Larry Russell, was like Bob Manges in that he really demonstrated an ability to make science interesting and fun.

Preparation for Career

I think I knew from the earliest age that I wanted to work for NASA in the space program, so there really was no "moment of revelation" for me. Space has always been more of a calling than a conscious decision like what to wear or what to eat.

Throughout school I took as many physics, astronomy, and math courses as I could. Most importantly, whenever I had to make a decision about a path to take, or a plan of action, I chose in such a way as to never eliminate the possibility of working in the space program. Fortunately for me, things have worked out quite well.

Likes/Dislikes About Career

I would never call what I do at NASA a "job." This is the essence of both all that is positive and negative about my career, and I think not limited to people at NASA. I think you'd find a similar answer from anyone who is fortunate enough to identify and follow their chosen path of personal or professional development. Because my work at NASA is probably best described as a vocation, it is liberating, stimulating, thought provoking, exciting, and an integral part of who I am. Conversely, because my work at NASA is *not* a "job," it places critical demands on my time, energy, and resources that also need to be devoted to other important things like family.

Personal Information

I am married with one son, also named John, born in June 1995. I have two dogs, Bela (named for Bela Fleck, the banjo player in "New Grass Revival" and "The Flecktones") and Sutter (named for the former captain of the St. Louis Blues, Brian Sutter). They're a Border-Collie and Australian Shepherd mix. I play competitive soccer twice a week in the Huntsville Adult Soccer League for the "Challengers," mostly as a forward and attacking midfielder, although I started out as a goalie. Like the aforementioned Brian Sutter, I'm not the most talented person on the field by far, however I try to make up for any lack of skill with hard work and effort. I'm also an avid home-brewer of fine-quality fermented beverages (ales, lagers, porters, stouts, ciders), and in the past few years have taken up the hobby of reading every book on Abraham Lincoln that I can get my hands on. I'm a somewhat-accomplished guitar player, and enjoy music greatly. During my college days, I worked in the front office of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, in statistics and media relations, and in the sports department of KMOX/CBS radio in St. Louis helping to write sportscasts, and updating scores and other sports news.

Advice
I believe that any good scientist requires two skills in abundance; "computation" and "communication." We are each born with some level of ability in both of these areas, and can do much to enhance our capabilities.

No scientist can afford to be less than technically excellent - this is the computation part. Take as much math and science as you possibly can, read avidly, and pay attention to science in the news. Try to observe science at work around you, whether it be in a dump truck loading dirt, in the way objects move in the sky, or in the growth of a tree through the seasons. Get to know science as it works in your daily life.

The communications part is also very important. A technically excellent scientist who cannot communicate his or her new knowledge is not a good scientist. Learn to write well, to read well, and to express yourself clearly and concisely. Learning a foreign language, writing extensively, and speaking publicly are all excellent skills for a scientist to acquire.

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