Patrick Weadon
Curator
NSA Cryptological Museum
Annapolis, MD USA
“The more you know about the world, the better you’re going to be at your job.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationNow Playing
00:56Now Playing
04:47Now Playing
01:02Now Playing
01:05Now Playing
01:25Now Playing
01:26See More
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
Currently serving as curator for the National Security Agency’s National Cryptologic Museum, and is only the third curator in the museum’s history.
His goal as curator is to give museum visitors a wider understanding of cryptology, as well as an appreciation for the NSA’s mission.
Prior to being named curator of the museum, he worked in the NSA for over 20 years, holding jobs as a special agent and an intelligence research analyst, among others.
Although the NSA was formed in 1954, he likes to point out that cryptology has been around since the beginning of time, and has shaped a surprisingly large amount of our history.
One of his favorite things about cryptology is that it requires a balance of technical and artistic skills—and he believes everyone should seek out that kind of balanced education.
Says that although we’re all well aware of the risks that new technologies present, history shows that we’ll continue to push the science forward.
He personally doesn’t have a cell phone, but he’s aware that eschewing new technology isn’t a feasible solution for everyone.
Instead, he says we must channel any good defensive team by staying agile, adjusting to new threats, and never wearing down in the face of a challenge.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Bachelor
American Government and Politics (United States)
Catholic University of America
American Government and Politics (United States)
Catholic University of America
Graduate
History, General
American University
History, General
American University
Career
Curator
I am a former NSA agent working to give people a wider understanding of cryptology.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Education
Technology
Learning / Being Challenged
Day to Day
My main goal going into work every day is to help people understand the critical role the making and breaking of codes have played throughout history and to (hopefully) help them develop an appreciation for the importance of the agency's mission. I manage our collection of thousands of artifacts and ensure they are presented to the public thoughtfully and accurately. I also oversee our team of docents and volunteers who lead tours and interact with visitors.
Skills & Qualities Beyond School
Learn as much as you can about a wide variety of technologies. The more you know, the better informed you will be when trying to protect people from the risks associated with those technologies.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
It is important to be educated, no matter who you are or what you do; whether you go to college or not. Education is the key to everything.
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Peers:
"You don't have a cell phone? You must miss out on a lot of things."
If you are not in that technological club, people are going to think that it is strange. There is always a new piece of technology and new problems to go along with it. I had to learn to keep up. In the cyber world, the moment you think you have everything solved, something comes along to challenge you. You have to accept that and keep going.
Interviewed By
