The Write Stuff

Robert Goddard was no stranger to media coverage.

During his lifetime, the Clark alumnus and professor was the subject of many breathless accounts detailing his efforts to fire a rocket into space. Goddard was both a skeptic and opportunist when it came to the attention, recognizing that the press, while a distraction, could also be employed as an ally to raise his professional profile and enhance his visibility with potential funders. With his wife Esther as his demi-PR agent, he cultivated a press-friendly persona as the dogged, mild-mannered physicist who dared to act on his most fantastical aspirations.

One hundred years after Goddard’s maiden launch of a liquid-fueled rocket, the scientist continued to attract media interest. In the days surrounding the March 16 anniversary of the launch, Goddard was a very familiar presence, with stories appearing in major media outlets like The New York Times, The Boston Globe, ABC News, and WBUR in Boston. The Clark faculty and staff who were interviewed included Physics Professor Chuck Agosta, who spoke about Goddard’s astounding science acumen, and Catherine Stebbins, digital projects librarian, who shared details of Goddard’s remarkable life.