Franklin Institute astronomer Derrick Pitts loves making science accessible
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- You could say Derrick Pitts is out of this world. The local astronomer and Philadelphia native has become a national treasure by reaching for the stars. He's had an amazing journey to the top of his profession, has broken down barriers and opened up opportunities for thousands of young people nationwide.
From infinity to beyond is the best way to describe Pitts, the chief astronomer and planetarium director for the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Pitts is not only the first African American to hold these dual titles at a major science institution in the United States, but he is also the first American to set this benchmark.
Even more impressive may be his signature enthusiasm and commitment to all things space and science.
"People do tell me they can sense my passion," Pitts said. "But how can I not be passionate? There's something exciting happening in the universe all the time. There's always galaxies colliding or stars exploding, new planets being created."
His reputation as a trailblazer spans the globe, and he has been honored with numerous awards and honorary degrees. But it is his life's work to make science and astronomy accessible for young people that he is most proud of.
"The saying goes each one, reach one, teach one," Pitts said.
Those same opportunities were unheard of in the 1950s and '60s for a young Black boy in Philadelphia's Nicetown-Tioga neighborhood.
Raised during the turbulence of the civil rights movement, Pitts' family and friends were supportive but didn't really understand his fascination with astronomy or how it could lead to a career.
"These are fields that are really not open to African Americans at the time," Pitts said.
So, he carved his own career track. He also learned you can take the boy out of Philly, but not Philly out of the boy. He returned home from college each summer to work at the Franklin Institute.
"Here I am, still at the Franklin Institute decades later, 40-some years later," Pitts said.
He loves to show space and astronomy to others.
"My one favorite thing to do here at the Franklin Institute really is to see the lightbulb go off above someone's head when they understand the concept that they've always found challenging but now they've been able to understand," Pitts said.
On any given day, you may find him at the observatory leading stargazers through the universe or working on unique projects like uniform patches NASA asked him to personally design for shuttle missions.
So, would a trip to space be out of the question?
"Would I go to the moon? Yes, I would be a spacecraft pilot," he said.
For Pitts, reaching for the stars comes down to one simple philosophy.
"You can always do something, you just have to find the path to do it. Never give up looking for that path and continue to follow that which excites you," he said.
Fun fact: as a child Pitts created a sundial from the streets around his house. That was the foundation of what has become a nearly five-decade career at the Franklin Institute, where he is always looking for the next way to boldly go where no man or woman has gone before.
