I'm Alan Alder and this is Clear and Vivid, conversations about connecting and communicating.

The thing that's great about this mission is that it's fundamental human exploration.

We don't have that many opportunities to do that anymore.

We've been all the places on the earth.

We've been to all our local planets.

But this is a kind of asteroid that seems to be different from all the other ones.

So we're going to find out things that are going to surprise us.

That's Lindy Elkins Tanton, principal investigator of a space mission to a mysterious asteroid called

Syke.

Lindy has had a remarkable career in science overcoming personal and professional obstacles with grace

and humor.

He's written about her life in an inspiring memoir, A Portrait of the Scientist as a Young

Woman.

Thank you so much for being part of the show today.

This is so great.

Your book, A Portrait of the Scientist as a Young Woman, is extraordinary.

I'm telling you, I'm so caught up in it.

You're not only so accurately described.

Your growth is a person and a scientist.

Would you make me feel while you do it?

I'm so happy.

I could not imagine a kinder word from someone who is so clear about communication as yourself.

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