CSULB teacher son of history-maker

By Lyndsey Shinoda
Daily Forty-Niner

Some people's fathers are teachers or lawyers. Dr. Andrew Aldrin's father is an astronaut named Buzz.

The younger Aldrin is in his fourth year of teaching political science at Cal State Long Beach, focusing on Russian government and issues of public policy.

His father, Buzz Aldrin, walked on the moon when he was 11 years old.

"To be perfectly honest, most of what they (astronauts) do is boring," Aldrin said. "Training is rigorous, and most of the astronauts were so concentrated on their jobs, they didn't have fun. My father only recently realized how much fun it was supposed to be."

Aldrin, who grew up in Houston alongside other astronaut families, didn't see his father's moon mission as a big deal.

"When he was walking on the moon, my single greatest fear was that he'd trip and fall and embarrass the hell out of me," Aldrin said. "I did understand that there was something different. Everyone called me moon man."

Aldrin said he never aspired to follow in his father's footsteps, but is still involved in the aerospace industry. He has worked at the Rand Corporation dealing with Russian aerospace issues, and recently began work at Boeing, where he is involved in long-term strategic planning.

He has an undergraduate degree from UC Santa Barbara and received his master's in science technology and public policy from George Washington University. Aldrin also completed his PhD, in political science from UCLA.

"When I finished my degree at UCLA, I wanted to keep my mind active," Aldrin said. "I really like the department and the students here. I honestly believe the most active of CSULB students are on par with he students I've seen at UCLA."

Aldrin said his father, 70, resides in Westwood. When asked what his father is up to, Aldrin replied, "It's a game called, ëpin the Buzz on the globe.' Put a pin on there, he'll be anywhere."

He wants to develop future space transportation architecture. His schedule is frankly amazing," Aldrin said of father.

Aldrin revealed that stories about his father seeing extraterrestrial life on the moon are false, but he still thinks there may be something out there.

"I believe the universe is very large and time is very long," Aldrin said. "But the probability of us running into extraterrestrial life is pretty small."

When he's not teaching or working, Aldrin loves to ride mountain bikes and scuba dive with his father. A trip to the Red Sea is currently in the works.

Aldrin lives in Pacific Palisades, hopes to continue teaching at CSULB.

"It sure beats the heck out of reality," he said.