Marc Klein Wolt keeps many balls in the air – and in the room. As director of the Radboud Radio Lab in Nijmegen and as project director of the Africa Millimetre Telescope (AMT) in Namibia, he plays a key role in the development of telescopes on earth and beyond. He is a pioneer of a network of scientists who wants to realize a radio telescope on the back of the moon for ESA. He is also co -director of the Virtual Center for Astronomical Instrumentation – a collaboration with TU Eindhoven. As a board member of Laboratoria Cometlab and Avatar, he stimulates new technological initiatives. His work extends beyond technology: he wants to involve and inspire local communities. He also does that close to home: he just comes from a consultation with Hubert Bruls, mayor of Nijmegen, with whom he wants to attract more activities as an ambassador of Nijmegen Science Campus.
Are you good at multitasking?
“Yes. I need it too. If I have to do one thing all the time, then that won’t go well. I like to do several things next to each other. For me, 1 and 1 is always 3 or 4. I see the multiplication everywhere. That gives me so much energy that I can continue to do all those things next to each other. “
How are you as a manager?
“I hate the word manager. I set things in motion, I would like to leave the effect to others. I don’t believe in mandatory leadership; Intrinsic motivation works better. Then it goes without saying and you just have to adjust or brake a bit. If I am here, I would rather invest time in conversations than in e-mails-I will never get my inbox empty. ”
Klein Wiolt is also project director of the Africa Millimetre Telescope, who becomes an essential part of the Horizon Telescope event, specialized in observing super -heavy black holes. “We want to achieve more than just putting down the telescope. In the past, observatories have sometimes been built without taking into account the locals. AMT is a telescope in Namibia and before Namibia, the intention is that in the long term he will be fully managed locally and also has a place in the community. From the start we involve the Namibians. “
You lead the project at a distance, the telescope is not yet built. Can that lead to disappointment?
“In the end it is up to the local organization to take over, but I have good hope, they do excellent work. Most of the original group of students are still involved, some as a PhD students. We also brought the mobile planetarium to Namibia, an inflatable space cinema that goes past villages to give children an experience of the universe. That project is now on its own, more than 20,000 children have already been reached. The Planetarium gives the AMT project embedding in society, it is special and valuable to be allowed to do this. ”
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Earlier Klein Wolt fulfilled another dream: a mission to the Radiostille back of the moon, an ideal place to compensate for radiation from the young universe. A radio telescope lifted a Chinese mission in 2018. The podcast The man and the moon Klein Wolt follows with his project from journalist Saar Slegers for years.
In the podcast you said: we get an opportunity to hitchhike to the moon. But China got Western technology in house.
“They never had it at home. I knew well how important reciprocity and respect are to build something, especially in Chinese culture. And how you should sometimes force that respect. When the Chinese wanted our software and electronics, I asked for the satellite blue prints – which we needed to prevent interference. They refused, so I kept foot: no deal. They later tried to get us out of it by sending us away from the project leaving behind the items in our lab. But we removed everything in time, to their surprise. I may be naive, but I am not retarded. “
Many people had already stopped this project early, I think.
“That was also told me continuously. But you don’t have to say to me: that is not going to work – then I will show you how it can be done, haha. ”
What has the time delivered in China?
“I got a deep respect for the Chinese work culture. In China it is important to avoid face loss, both personally and for your boss. That is why the Chinese always build flexibility in projects: something goes wrong, then there is an alternative immediately.
“There are several roads that lead to the moon. Radio reasons on the back of the moon is a priority of the [Amerikaanse] NASA. The [Europese] ESA wants to respond to this and asked me to bring a team together to design a radio telescope. The informal assignment is to build a diplomatic bridge between Europe, the US and China. Because although the US does not share technology with China, there is academic freedom for cooperation. We succeeded, there are American but also some Chinese scientists in the team.
“First we design a prototype – fast results is important for visibility and to test the equipment. The design is the same as the final large telescope: a lightweight ‘air bed’ of radio antennas that is rolled out on the back of the moon. “
What does the moon look like in 20 years and what role do you want to play in it?
“There will be many activities: science, but possibly also tourism and perhaps even mining. That has major consequences for the moon and how we see her. After a theater performance by Marjolijn van Heemstra, who is concerned about this, we discussed that the Moon needs representation on earth, just like protected nature reserves. Mining would radically change the moon, for example due to moon fabric that continues to float above the surface. We now see the full moon as a clear ball, but she can turn into a dull, dark gray slice, with dots of artificial light on it. Are we accepting that? Marjolijn and I work together with Teylers Museum on plans for an embassy for the moon. Given my involvement in lunar plans, I feel responsible for standing up for the moon. ”
Do you not have to look for it higher? Such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.
“Yes, now that you say so … I can easily get their telephone number. I might have to use that if we have the embassy. “
What would you say to Musk?
“I would ask him if he acknowledges that the moon has an important role in the perception of us as a person, with a great synergy between science, exploration and art. I don’t know if it makes sense, because his common sense seems to be a bit gone lately. But I would approach him no other than someone else: enthusiastic, motivated, sincere and honest. I just stay Marc from Enschede. “
You have previously expressed your admiration for Musk.
“Sometimes I feel connected to Musk, when I notice how I sometimes get people in my ideas. I am not afraid to create a grand vision and give my team the space to make mistakes. At SpaceX they also have that strategy: just do it, walk against that wall, you learn so much from that. ”