by Lenore T. Adkins
Mallika Sarma, Ph.D., aboard a helicopter in 2015. Sarma studies human resiliency in extreme environments, including space.
For scientist Mallika Sarma, the notion that science is apolitical, objective, or has nothing to do with the people you work with is “total garbage.”
She underscores this by sharing her favorite story about Sally Ride, who went on to become the first American woman in space. That Ride was asked if 100 tampons would be enough for two weeks in space prior to boarding the Challenger in 1984 shows Sarma, “You can’t only have young white men who are making the decisions.”