The day I met Buzz Aldrin

FIU mathematician Ada Monserrat frequently travels on semester breaks pursuing unique experiences. Previous trips have taken Monserrat on visits to all parts of the world. Her most recent experience took her to California to meet Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin ahead of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Below is Monserrat’s story about her meeting with Buzz Aldrin.

By Ada Monserrat

For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to meet the Apollo 11 crew and hear about the dream they had signed up to chase. As the 50th anniversary of the moon landing approached, I knew without a doubt that I wanted to speak to Buzz Aldrin and hear from the man who walked on the moon about his own experience.

Aldrin shared his moments of excitement on the moon and how quickly the time went by. He wanted to provide the ambition for us to explore the unknown. We spoke about the launch of his nonprofit organization, the HumanSpace Flight Institute and future ideas to return to the moon in 2024. When asked about his legacy, Aldrin said “Anything is possible when we put our combined minds to work.”

The moon landing was one of humanity's greatest achievements. It was an event so empowering that it brought people together from every corner of the earth to watch as Neil Armstrong and Aldrin set foot on the moon. What was most memorable about my conversation with Aldrin was that it demonstrates what we are capable of doing when we work together. It paves the way forward for us to step up to our next giant leap for mankind.

Left to right: Walt Cunningham, Ada Monserrat, Buzz Aldrin and Charlie Duke.