For all humankind

Political science and physics major Leela Fredlund wants to ensure fairness and justice prevail in humanity's leap into space. Can a government promote morality? How much trust should people place in their government? Such fundamental questions of political philosophy and ethics intrigue Leela Fredlund, a senior majoring in political science and physics. She has parsed these topics in ancient Greek texts, interrogated them in formal classroom recitations, and debated them informally with student friends. But for Fredlund, there is perhaps no better venue for exploring these classic problems than space. "I realized that I could raise very interesting questions at the intersection of astronomy and political science," says Fredlund. Through undergraduate projects at MIT and at institutions such as NASA, Fredlund has been focused on the ways governments are shaping humanity's expanding ventures off planet. "Do we believe governments have our best interests at heart?" she asks.