Dr. Scott Dodelson is Head of the Theoretical Astrrophysics Group here at Fermilab and Professor in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago. He received his Ph.D. from Columbia University and was a research fellow at Harvard before coming to Fermilab and Chicago.

Dr. Dodelson is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, Managing Editor of the International Journal of Modern Physics, as well as Editor of the Journal of Astroparticle Physics. He is author of more than 70 papers on cosmology, most of which focused on the cosmic microwave background and the large scale structure of the universe.

I’ve also learned of a personal anecdotal writing of Scott’s that he says has drawn a lot of comments, even internationally. It’s short and easy to understand. So I’ve asked Scott to put it on the screen for us. It’s taken from a page you can find on the Fermilab website – and recounts a breakfast conversation with one of his four children, Ilana, when she was 7 years old:

Breakfast with a Seven Year Old

Scott to Ilana: You really should study for your spelling test.

Ilana: Why? I got most of them right last time without studying.

Scott: Don't you want to be the best you can be? Do you want to be mediocre?

Ilana: What's 'mediocre'?

Scott: Just like everyone else.

Ilana: That's what I want to be: just like everyone else.

Scott: You don't want to be the best?

Ilana: You're not the best.

Scott: I try to be the best.

(Pause)

So it seems a prophet is not without honor, except among his own kith and kin. Scott, please tell us what’s new in your quest here to understand the physical universe. Are there any puzzles or mysteries left?