Being deeply involved in space research is a dream come true for University of Otago physicist Prof Craig Rodger, who, as a youngster, was once inspired by Star Trek on television.
Prof Rodger may not always be boldly going ''where no man has gone before'', but he is definitely keen on trying to understand how the sun's activity affects our life on Earth.
He explains that solar flares spray hot particles across the planet with enormous force, affecting winds, the chemical composition of the atmosphere and sometimes frying passing satellites.
And the outcomes matter for issues ranging from climate change to skin cancer.
Prof Rodger has established a research station in the Antarctic, a place where Earth's geo-magnetic fields open up and charged particles can be studied at high latitude.
And there, a radio receiver - part of an international network - monitors changes to the sun's influence on the atmosphere 80km above ground.
It is fascinating work, and life is going well these days for a researcher who once dreamed of exploring deep space as he watched Star Trek.
In January last year, he was named as one of nine international space research leaders helping co-ordinate four joint projects for the Scientific Committee on Solar Terrestrial Physics, during its next collaborative five-year plan.
Last year he was also promoted to full professor.
And in May he will undertake further space research in the United States on a prestigious Fulbright award.
He plans to study the loss of electrons from the Van Allen radiation belts, while based for five months at the University of Iowa.
This is the former academic home of Prof James Allen, who, in 1958, discovered the belts that bear his name.
These belts are two doughnut-shaped zones of highly energetic particles trapped at high altitudes in Earth's magnetic field.
Solar storms result in a major boost to high energy electrons in the belts, which are most likely to damage highly valuable satellites.
In recently published research, Prof Rodger joined forces with colleagues in Finland and Britain to reveal a previously undetected effect of ''space weather'' on the Antarctic, including apparent changes in polar winds.
The research also showed that energetic electrons from the outer radiation belt striking Earth's atmosphere caused ozone loss at high altitude - 70km to 80km above Earth.
And the types of Antarctic weather patterns affected by such upper atmosphere changes are also significantly linked to New Zealand weather.
Some people are rather dismissive of Star Trek but Prof Rodger remains ''keen on science fiction and some aspects of Star Trek''.
''It epitomises some of the best aspects of science - people working together from many backgrounds and countries (and species) with a common goal of exploration and greater understanding.''
And close international collaborations play a crucial role in his own space physics research, including close links with the British Antarctic Survey, and with researchers from the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
''I do value the imaginative aspect that comes in all good science fiction, that idea that if this concept was true, or if this technology was possible, what would the consequences be?''
After many years of dreaming and hard work, he now has ''an international profile''.
''It feels good to be useful, and to play a role on the world stage.
''When I was a student I couldn't really imagine playing a leadership role in international organisations.
''I remember being really unsure if I could hold my own the first time I went to Nasa headquarters to be part of a scientific panel and then was surprised by how natural it all seemed.''
The Otago Space Physics group has long focused on using radio waves to study electrical changes in the upper atmosphere.
The group is now also interested in the influence of electron precipitation from space on the Antarctic climate.
Born in Wellington, Prof Rodger grew up in that city and Dunedin.
As a youngster he once dreamed of becoming an astronaut, before being ''freaked out by David Bowie's Space Oddity."
And what does Prof Rodger do to relax?''
I read science fiction and international news websites.
''I enjoy eating out in Dunedin and sampling craft beer.''
SNAPSHOT:
Name and age: Craig Rodger, 42
Occupation: University of Otago physicist.
Qualifications: Include an Otago PhD.
Short work history: Postdoctoral Fellow, British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, England, Otago tenured academic since 2004.
Proudest achievement: Promotion to professor last year.
THE CHALLENGE
IMPROVING UNDERSTANDING OF HOW EXPLOSIONS ON THE SUN AFFECT THE SPACE ROUND THE EARTH, THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE, ANTARCTIC CLIMATE, AND SATELLITES.
What is your research about?
Improving our understanding of how explosions on the sun affect the space around the Earth and couple to the earth's atmosphere and environment.
Why is it important?
1) The effect on technological systems like satellites and communications and 2) improving our understanding of the effect of our sun on the polar environment and climate.
Most interesting aspect of your research?
The sheer sizes. A explosion on the sun, 150 million km from the Earth, can cause 100 times (and more) changes in the upper atmosphere.
In what way is it unique?
''My collaborators and students have developed the tools to measure and model electron precipitation from space, using the upper atmosphere as a particle detector.''
