The Foreign Service Journal, September 2017

84 SEPTEMBER 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA NEWS AFSA EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE AWARDS Inspiring Young Children with Science THE AV I S BOHLEN AWARD FOR A FORE I GN SERV I CE FAMI LY MEMBER HENRY THROOP It is not often that kids from a rural area get to meet a “real NASA scientist,” much less one as enthusiastic and positive as Henry Throop. An astrophysicist who works as a contractor on several NASA-funded missions and projects, Dr. Throop volunteers a sig- nificant portion of time each week to conduct unpaid science-based outreach with underserved students. During his wife’s post- ings in Mumbai, Pretoria and Mexico City (as well as Washington, D.C.), Dr. Throop worked with embassy public affairs sec- tions to organize outreach opportunities and talks across Mexico, India and South Africa. These have reached tens of thousands of students. At a typical event held in Limpopo, South Africa, he spent the day giving three long talks—and answer- ing engaging and inven- tive questions from the students—followed by an evening observation session, where students and teach- ers alike queued long in to the night to view the rings of Saturn through one of his telescopes. In India, Dr. Throop has spoken at schools for disad- vantaged children in Mumbai and delivered a lecture at the American Center in Kolkata. By building people-to- people ties, encouraging kids to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathemat- ics) fields, and helping to develop bilateral space- science relationships with each country where he has worked, Dr. Throop’s volunteer work has directly supported the mission goals at each of his posts. At the awards ceremony on June 20, Dr. Throop reminded the audience that a number of scientific break- throughs and successes have been brought about by international collaboration. He mentioned the largest telescope in the southern hemisphere, which is a joint project built in South Africa with partners from India, New Zealand, Poland and the United States—coun- tries working together to accomplish things that simply weren’t possible 20 years ago. “These sorts of inter- national projects inspire students,” Dr. Throop said on accepting the award. “They love what the U.S. does, but they also love what happens in their own country. And by seeing that their own coun- try is part of these collabora- tions, they can be directly involved in these huge world- wide science projects.” He also noted that this is only the second time the Avis Bohlen Award has been given to a male eligible family member. “I’m happy to push that number up, in support of all of the great women that the State Department now has rising in their ranks,” he said. Dr. Throop is a senior scientist with the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona, where his research focuses on the outer solar system. He is currently living in Mumbai with his wife, FSO Heidi Hattenbach, and their three children. n Henry Throop (center) with Mette Beecroft (left), who presented the award on behalf of the Bohlen family, and AFSA President Ambassador Barbara Stephenson (right). Henry Throop sets up a telescope at Madikweng Senior Secondary school in Limpopo, South Africa, for the students to see the moon and the rings of Saturn. COURTESYOFHENRYTHROOP AFSA/TOYASARNOJORDAN