THE INSPIRE INTERVIEW: 'I've been a space cadet since I could walk'
Scientist Marc O'Griofa became the first Irish doctor to be chosen by NASA to live 20m under the sea. He tells Louise Walsh how important it is for kids to pursue their dreams... his began at Gaelscoil na Rithe in Dunshaughlin.
A top Meath scientist at NASA is encouraging students to always reach for the stars when it comes to realising their dreams.
Dr Marc O’Griofa, who recently spent eight days living at the bottom of the sea, is eager to tell young children that they too, could have a career in ‘space’ if they study hard. The 36-year old from Clonee made history in July when he became the first Irish doctor to be chosen by NASA to live 20m under the sea with six others in crammed conditions.
His work on the mission saw him collecting samples from each crew member to evaluate the impact of the underwater environment on the body. His research will be used for further study into conditions such as Alzheimers, Parkinsons and Muscular Dystrophy.
Just three days into the mission, the scientists managed to sequence DNA underwater for the first time. The breakthrough may pave the way for testing organisms in space that might even include alien life forms.
Living in the world’s only undersea laboratory – Aquarius – six miles off the Florida coast was the ‘adventure of a lifetime,’ he said. “We lived and worked here for eight days and practiced new tools and techniques and developed new procedures and technologies for basically building the foundations of maybe going to Mars one day on a space mission.
“Here we were planning the next steps to go to Mars and at the same time, everyone’s drinking Barry’s Tea. If that wasn’t a recipe to take over the world for next generation exploration, I don’t know what is,” he laughed.
Marc believes that eventually Earth will become too depleted of resources on which to live and we need to look now for an alternative home. “We’re exhausting this planet’s resources. We’ve effectively in the last 200 years done more damage to the earth than ever before and we’ll need somewhere to go eventually.
“Exploration is in our DNA. It’s what drives us forward as a species. If we stop exploring, we stagnate.”
It was in Clonee where Marc first began exploring and became interested in space. “My parents Marie and Gerald Griffin moved to Clonee where I grew up alongside my brother Colin who is now an engineer in Holland.
“I went to Gaelscoil na Rithe in Dunshaughlin which was just the best place to be educated.” “I was a space cadet since I could walk. I loved Star Trek and Star Wars. In some way, shape or form, this is what I’ve always wanted to do. It was a part of me,” he stated.
Marc ended up at NASA in a roundabout way, first studying medicine at UCD before he followed up with a PhD in biomedical engineering from the University of Limerick. He is also a fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine. Aside from NASA, Marc is currently leading a number of biomedical technology and telehealth solutions for both the US Veterans Hospital Administration and the US Department of Defence. He is also a trauma and combat casualty care instructor for physicians and Special Operations Forces teams in joint tactical and combat medical care and he provides expert consultation on diving technology for the US Navy SEAL teams
But his first love was in the area of space and he decided to do something about it while studying medicine.
“I just thought to myself, if this is something I was to pursue, then I need to be making strides now. I was responsible for the first Irish experiment that flew on the space shuttle and International Space Station. ‘‘
“Called Project CASPER (Cardiac Adapted Sleep Parameters Recorder) the experiment used the electrical activity of the heart through ECG to monitor sleep disturbance and disruption.
“That transformed into new medical technology for watching sleep patterns at home.” Marc then spent three years at Kennedy Space Centre as part of the Aerospace Medical and Biomedical Research Department, and as part of the emergency medical team for the space shuttle.
“Every time the space shuttle launched, I was part of the closest human team to it and you could feel this shock wave as it took off. It was an amazing experience.”
About six years ago, Marc became involved in the NEEMO (NASA Extreme Environment Missions Operations) as the medical officer, scientist and rescue diver.
It was a case of knocking loudly on doors, which Marc advocates if passionate about something. He says he had been emailing the NEEMO project pmanager continuously , even before he joined NASA and eventually he got a hearing. “My philosophy is that you keep asking people and eventually it’s easier for them to say yes than it is to say no again and again.”
Although Marc is a scientist to the core, he does believe the truth is out there, so to speak, when it comes to the question of God. “There are things you can’t explain either because you don’t understand science or that is something else there. I have faith.
“When you go on a mission, you know you’re taking a risk. You need to know that there’s something beyond that.
“Did we evolve from just a Big Bang or are we part of something greater. I guess that’s up to everyone to decide for themselves.” And does Marc believe in aliens? “The universe is expanding one billion miles in every direction in every hour.
“We’re such a fraction of the rest of the universe – a mere speck of dust – that I think it’s inconceivable to imagine we are the only species in the whole universe that might have intelligent life. “We’re such a microcosmic mix of molecules. Equations and analysis say there should be.” Marc also thinks that the world could be under threat from a meteorite.
“We’ve had five extinction level events. We believe a meteorite wiped out the dinosaurs and some argue that we are overdue another one of these events.
“We’ve had some come close. If ever another one did hit, then the chance of the human race being wiped out would become very real.” Marc was recently home as part of the Irish Space Week to encourage students that a career in exploration can be attained.
“Some feel that such a career is impossible, but I say that’s not the case. “If a student is passionate about something, if they’re really driven and it’s something they want to do, then I say, go find someone that’s doing that job, talk to them, demonstrate you’re willing to put in the hard work, the time, the sacrifices and you can do anything you want.”
Your dreams could literally be out of this world.
