Andrew on the deck

As happens most days, this afternoon we had a local visitor stop by the mobile command center to see what was going on in the big trailer with NASA and CSA logos on it. As we explained what was happening at the various workstations, he was particularly interested when we told him that we were trying to use a variety of metrics to better understand the many different factors that influence the effectiveness of scientific exploration. I explained that we are using several different techniques to try and measure aspects of scientific exploration that are very difficult to put numbers to – things like scientific merit, productivity, and data quality – and that if we can measure these things then we can begin to understand how to do scientific exploration more effectively, whether we are under water or on the moon.

He told me that he is working on a very similar challenge right now but applied to fighting fires rather than finding funky-looking rocks in lakes. There are a lot of ways to fight fires and new technologies can help. But which technologies are most effective and do their benefits justify their costs? Difficult questions and this firefighter is trying to develop metrics to begin answering them. He fully appreciated the importance of measuring what you hope to understand. He recognized that his task would be a difficult one, that in science or firefighting some people want perfect metrics or no metrics. But he was undeterred. Good man.

-Andrew

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Tags: Exploration, metrics, Mission Support, MMCC, Science
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