Robert Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., drew parallels between the Civil Rights movement and NASA’s space program at Monday’s lecture. (photo by Susan Urmy)
View from orbit gives King lecturer unique perspective
Orthopaedic cancer surgeon and NASA astronaut Robert Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., addressed a packed audience in Light Hall Monday as the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Martin Luther King Jr. speaker.
Satcher, a professor at University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center's Department of Orthopaedic Oncology, flew to the international space station aboard the Space Shuttle in 2009 and completed two space walks.
In his lecture, Satcher chronicled the parallel development of the U.S. Civil Rights movement and the NASA space program. He said he owes a debt of gratitude to the African-American astronauts who came before him in the NASA space program, and he feels grateful that there will be many more to come in the future.
“This is the 25th anniversary of the MLK holiday. One of Dr. King's concepts that applies to all of us is to speak out if you really believe in something. I am trying to channel a little of that spirit as I talk about diversity in exploration and the search for life beyond,” Satcher said.
He urged continued support of space exploration, pointing out that more money is spent per capita in the United States on Halloween than is spent on manned space flight.
Longtime Department of Biochemistry employee Melvin Fitzgerald, second from left, received this year’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award at Monday’s event celebrating King’s life and legacy. On hand were, from left, F. Peter Guengerich, Ph.D., George Hill, Ph.D., and Jana Lauderdale, Ph.D., R.N. (photo by Susan Urmy)
“There are 2,000 billion, billion planets out there and we have yet to explore one. We are going to get to Mars, don't know how long it will be, but we will get there,” Satcher said.
He gave a nod to a boy in the front row wearing his space camp uniform, saying: “I hope you are committed to that because I will be too old to go, so we will need you to do it.”
Satcher also shared a photo of himself with NASA colleagues including engineer Mark Kelly with his future wife, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
He said the flurry of bipartisan comments that came after Giffords' recent shooting in Arizona made him think about similar comments from King and President Barak Obama: that it is important for us to have balance, to talk to one another and hear voices that are different from ours.
“From space, you don't see any land borders on the face of the earth. If aliens saw us, they would see our beautiful, inviting looking planet, and of course they will see us as one species. We need to start seeing ourselves in much the same way,” Satcher said, adding that in light of the recent shooting, now more than ever, he wished everyone could see our planet as astronauts do.
As part of Monday's event, Melvin Fitzgerald, a 52-year Vanderbilt employee and long-time veteran in the Department of Biochemistry, received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Award this year. He received a commemorative plaque from F. Peter Guengerich, Ph.D., professor and interim chair of Biochemistry.
The Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture is presented by Vanderbilt's School of Nursing and School of Medicine in conjunction with the Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Series and the Offices for Diversity within both the Schools of Medicine and Nursing.