Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone – Sandra Herrmann

We Are ETH

ETH Alumna Sandra Herrmann is an oceanographer, a geologist, a paleontologist, a pilot… and member of NASA's Analog Astronauts.

Sandra Herrmann studied geology and palaeontology at TU Bergakademie Freiberg and completed her doctorate in natural sciences at ETH Zurich. She subsequently emigrated to the USA and spent 12 years working for the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) in various posts. Since October 2023, she has been conducting research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego.

Sandra explains what an analog astronaut is and shares her experience of spending 45 days in a space capsule as part of NASA's research on human behavior in stressful situations. She discusses the qualifications and application process to become an analog astronaut, and highlights the importance of cohesion, sleep, and hobbies on such missions. All of this makes her a strong candidate for future space missions…

This is her story.

Links:

“Catucation” Catboss & Furrfriends, Cat talk Radio

Globe article: https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/12/globe-modern-adventurer.html

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction and analog astronaut

(01:15) NASA's analog astronaut program

(02:39) Experiences in the space capsule

(03:36) Becoming an analog astronaut

(05:05) Experience as an oceanographer

(08:17) Cohesion, sleep, and hobbies

(11:29) Applying the three Key observations

(15:12) Academic background and PhD

(20:50) Commercial pilot's license

(22:46) Childhood aspirations and curiosity

(24:51) Favorite places in Zurich