In my line of work, I’m very used to the concept of interviewing people who are way smarter than I am. Dr. Aileen Yingst is definitely one of those people. “Don’t sell yourself short, Lena. You’re smart,” you say. Yeah, that may be, but I’m no SPACE SCIENTIST.

Dr. Yingst is a geologist at the nonprofit Planetary Science Institute, which works with NASA to provide science support for all of its various space missions. Dr. Yingst is a scientist on the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s mission for the space probe Dawn, which is currently orbiting the dwarf planet Ceres. She also works with the NASA Mars Science Laboratory (yes, that Mars) to help develop missions for the Curiosity rover. Basically, she helps tell the rover where to go and what to pick up.

As the mother of a space nut (that’s my 6-year-old son) I’ve never more excited to tell him who I just got off the phone with.

Dr. Yingst also happens to be a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, which is how I came to interview her. She was featured in the January/February 18 issue of American Spirit, which is the magazine published by the DAR.