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“So you can name all the state capitals?” is the typical response after I inform someone
that my major is Geography. Responses such as these demonstrate the general public’s ignorance
of geography and its implications. (I do not use the word ignorance with a negative
connotation—only to indicate that there is a systemic lack of knowledge about the discipline of
geography.) We are inextricably bound to Earth—completely at her mercy—and yet we seem to
operate under the assumption that we can bend the forces of nature to our will. But geography
has determined peoples’ fates since the dawn of humanity: geography determines whether or not
a civilization can grow food, build accessible roads, and defend against enemies. Geography has
always been a decisive factor in a state’s success or failure, and now an understanding of Earth’s
systems and terrain is a critical component in all geopolitical decisions. The discipline of
geography is exceedingly interdisciplinary, incorporating topics such as globalization,
international relations, anthropology, environmental science, and meteorology. Modern
geography also evolved alongside computers, which has enabled the development of geospatial
software and remote sensing technology. Geography is much more than memorizing capitals.
This past summer I had the opportunity to participate in NASA’s DEVELOP program,
which was established twenty-six years ago to cultivate the next generation of Earth observation
(remote sensing technology) users. I was selected to work on an air quality project at NASA’s
Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. (Those of you who have read or watched Hidden
Figures will be familiar with the Langley Research Center.) Founded in 1917, Langley has been
at the forefront of flight and space exploration: this is the historic site where the first astronauts
trained and where the Space Technology and Exploration Directorate continues NASA’s
illustrious legacy. I worked at Langley for ten weeks and tried my best to soak in every ounce of
knowledge and history exuding from the Center. Working at NASA was surreal, and handing my
NASA ID badge to the security guard at the gate each morning certainly never got old. Everyone
I worked with was passionate, hardworking, and committed to building an inclusive work
environment; there was no petty workplace drama—only interesting conversations and
meaningful work.
All around Langley are banners that read “our wonder changes the world.” The
researchers I had the opportunity to work with embodied that expression. They have devoted
their substantial brainpower to public service; they are committed to making science accessible
to the public so that people are empowered to understand the world around them. Their careers
are founded upon their own curiosity about the universe, but they are also founded upon an
immense trust that the public will value science and use it wisely to affect change. However, all
they can do is have faith in the American public and legislature because, as we were told on
numerous occasions, NASA does not prescribe policy. Some of the NASA scientists will spend
the majority of their lives conducting rigorous and reliable research, but they cannot enter the
political arena in their official capacity. This forbiddance from developing policy ensures that
NASA’s scientific findings are not tainted with one side’s political motives.
In the ten weeks I spent at Langley, I felt a deep sense of patriotism. It was reassuring to
know that these civil servants were committed to their duties despite who sits in the White House
or Congress. However, in the past two weeks, anti-bureaucratic rhetoric has become more
prevalent as Donald Trump prepares to take office in January. Trump and the newly-revealed
Department of Government Efficiency heads, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, have vowed to
reduce government spending and the number of federal employees. Throughout Trump’s
campaign and in recent statements, these three have targeted the Department of Education,
NOAA, the EPA, the CDC, FEMA, the State Department, and a number of other federal
agencies. Perhaps government spending should be curbed, but getting rid of the federal workers
whose day-to-day jobs involve serving the American people does not seem like a prudent way to
save money. Putting all partisan issues aside, it is necessary for the people of the United States to
have sources of reliable information about the weather, diseases, environmental hazards,
education, and foreign policy.
As a geography major, I understand that most people are not aware of Earth’s systems
and their ramifications. Most people might not know that NASA has an Earth Science division
that is devoted entirely to understanding our own planet. I think this pattern of ignorance can be
extended to most federal agencies, of which the general public possesses little understanding.
Maybe this wave of anti-bureaucratic rhetoric will pass with no substantive action taken. But
maybe important programs will be cut along with hundreds of thousands of employees—even
when those agencies do not engage in partisan politics. Maybe more people will not receive aid
after the next hurricane hits; maybe more veterans will struggle to receive their benefits; and
maybe more children will go without adequate education. Undermining people’s faith in
agencies that work for the people, by the people undermines American society in totum.
“How sad it must be—believing that scientists, scholars, historians, economists, and
journalists have devoted their entire lives to deceiving you—while a reality TV star with decades
of fraud and exhaustively documented lying is your only beacon of truth and honesty.”
– Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson
Piper Coleman is a McConnell Scholar in the class of 2025. She is studying geography, political science, and philosophy.