Roger F Malina
Directeur de Recherche
Laboratoire D'Astrophysique de Marseille, CNRS, FRANCE
Native Language: english/french bi lingual
Scientific Field of Enquiry/Research: astrophysics, instrumentalist
13 July 2004

1. How would you describe the project/s you are currently working on to a non-scientist? I am currently part of team of astronomers and engineers currently designing a new space observatory ( called Super Nova Acceleration Probe). Recent discoveries indicate that 95% of the content of the universe we see is in a form called dark energy and a separate component called dark matter. Both of these are currently of unknown nature. We are trying to design, and get funded, a new satellite which will map the universe on its largest scales to try and map the gravitational effect of this dark matter, and also to see how the dark energy is causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate. In order to understand these new phenomena, astromers think that a new kind of telescope (called a wide field telescope) is necessary, and it must be in space because you need very high quality images to detect the effects of dark energy and dark matter, and you cannot do this from the ground because of the distortions caused by the atmosphere.

2. Where, as a scientist, do you see the creativity in your work and/or life?
Creativity occurs at almost every stage of the project; Deciding which problem to attack, what kind of instrument can be invented to do this study, developing new technologies to make the telescope more powerful, understanding the connection between theories and observation, and since this kind of projec is done in a team ( there are 100 people on it now), there is much discussion and debate to convince colleagues of the right approaches. The project is pushing the state of the art in technology, in optics, in new kinds of cameras so there is a very deep interplay between research engineering and astronomy research.

3. When you embark on research, do you start with a defined goal or does the goal emerge through the process?
The over goal is set= to understand the nature of dark matter and dark energy in the universe= and to build the right kind of telescope to do this best; The satellite will probably not be launched until 2015, so this is a ten year project with a well defined long term goal. The means will evolve as the engineering research is carried out, and as new astronomical discoveries are made this may affect the design of the satellite and how it is used.

4. With regard to your research, how would you describe the processes and outcomes in terms of the concepts 'natural' and 'artificial'?
These terms dont resonate with me, human life is part of the universe and i dont know where you draw this boundary= natural processes continually evolve as new situations are addressed that may be 'artificial' upon first encounter

5. Where do you gain inspiration and support for your work?
From colleagues, from reading the scientific literature, and from the values of the culture at large.

6. How are possible applications from your research determined?
Astronomy and new technologies have been closely coupled for the history of astronomy= all the projects i have worked on have involved developing new tools or improving existing ones= results are published and as these tools are used in other applications there is a transfer of technology ( eg CCDs used in digital cameras have been used and improved for decades by astronomers. Sometimes inventions get patented. I have been involved in only a few patent applications. A major way that applications occur is when students trained in astronomical research go on in careers in other fields of science, or in industrial research labs that have other research focuses. The migration of people is one of the most effective means to derive new applications.

7. Do you share a language with other scientists (across cultures)? If so, please describe how this language works.
In astronomy english is the dominant language for scientific writing so that i am able to read the ideas of astrophysicists in india and russia as well as the english speaking world.

8. Does your work encompass or involve a possible benefit (tangible or intangible) to society? If so, how would you describe this benefit to non-scientists?

9. Would you describe your future world view as pessimistic or optimistic? Why?
Optimistic. In order to start working on a problem, a scientists initial position is that a solution exists and is worth attacking. science is by its nature optimistic in that the history of science shows that the scientific method, as it has and continues to evolve, is able to be used on new problems successfully ( chaos theory, networks, nano science ...

10. Do you believe you share this future world view with other scientists (in your field) or would you describe this view as personal?
I share this optimistic view with most of my colleagues. You are not going to start on a 10 year project without deeply feeling that there is a hope of making discoveries.