Dr. Aomawa Shields on ‘Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe’

Larry is joined by astronomer and actress Aomawa Shields to discuss her new book ‘Life on Other Planets: A Memoir of Finding My Place in the Universe. They begin their conversation by examining the myriad of intersecting issues and topics presented within the book and the personal journey Aomawa went through that led to its creation. Dr. Shields then details the mental obstacles she overcame to reach her professional goals and talks about the importance of being your own role model (9:14). Next, she shares the important lessons that were learned during her acting class at MIT and the support network she discovered while pursuing her Astronomy and Astrobiology PhD that fostered the discovery of her inner superpower (25:42). After the break Larry and Aomawa tackle the big questions about life on other planets and the vastness of the universe (45:24).

Host: Larry Wilmore

Guest: Dr. Aomawa Shields

Associate Producer: Chris Sutton

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