Agnar Hall, NASA Engineer
“There isn’t one rote path that you have to take to reach a goal... it’s okay to meander a little bit and live life and kind of explore.”
For Agnar Hall, the journey to NASA wasn’t linear—it was layered. In this episode, he opens up about stepping away from a PhD, working at Starbucks while healing from fibromyalgia, and embracing his identity as a transgender man. With gentle candour and sharp insight, Agnar talks about what it’s like to rewire your definition of success while still holding onto your dreams. We touch on space science, social dynamics, and the subtle bravery of taking the long way home.
There’s something deeply relieving about Agnar’s outlook. He offers a map that doesn’t require urgency or perfection, only honesty and small acts of momentum. His story reminds us that meaning doesn’t arrive fully formed—it’s built through slow pivots, quiet reckonings, and friendships that feel like gravity. If you’ve ever questioned the plan you were handed or felt behind in your own timeline, this conversation is a balm.
Guest Bio:
Agnar Hall is a Systems Test Engineer at NASA and a cosmologist at heart. With a deep-rooted passion for the structure and origins of the universe, his research has spanned galaxy clusters, high-redshift gas structures, and feedback processes in distant galaxies. He holds a Master's degree from New Mexico State University and a B.A. in astronomy from the University of Colorado, Boulder, where he worked on both optical and X-ray observational studies. Agnar has contributed to research at institutions like LASP and NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and his current work involves testing the software systems that support human spaceflight.
In This Episode, You’ll Discover:
Growing up in Houston with a dream to study space from age two
What a systems test engineer at NASA actually does
Living with fibromyalgia while building a career in science
Leaving a PhD program, working at Starbucks, and redefining “success”
Exploring gender identity and transitioning during grad school
The emotional weight of names, myth, and kindness
Friendship, humour, and what really matters at the end of the day
Why “titles” and urgency don’t define worth—and what does
What the universe can teach us about being human
The value of speaking up when you finally have the power to be heard