Let's Go to Space: BLUE-SKY Learning

Tashfia Diha is a high school junior and the founder of the Youth Space Organization (YSO), a thriving community of space lovers who are passionate about research, digital storytelling, and writing. She is an alumnus of The Knowledge Society 24' where she led the space moonshot that won Most Innovative that year. She is passionate about science journalism and engineering to create a positive impact on the world. She has written for The Stanford Daily, and The Spectator, and is a semi-finalist for the Princeton Summer Journalism Program. She is also researching autonomous space navigation with a professor at Virginia Tech and has conducted preliminary research on the impact of COVID-19 on education with York College. You can check out her website by googling Youth Space Organization for more details. LINK TO SMALL SAT ED: https://www.smallsateducation.org/

Today we meet with Rodrigo Schmidt! Rod is an astrophysicist, space engineer and analog astronaut from Brazil. He is finishing his PHD at Purdue, where he is researching the development of space missions while applying AI to sandbox game environments like Kerbal Space Program. Rod is the also the co-founder of SEARCH, the first organization at Purdue dedicated to astronaut-related initiatives, as well as RocketPy, the official rocketry simulator from the European Rocketry Challenge. This interview only touches the surface of all that Rod is doing, but be prepared to be as impressed as we are! Rod's personal website https://rodrigo-schmitt.github.io/ Translunar: https://www.translunar-esi.com/ Purdue SEARCH: https://purduesearch.github.io/ RocketPy: https://docs.rocketpy.org/en/latest/

Today, we meet with Daniel Portas Levy, a 10th grader at Florida Atlantic University High School, where he is also pursuing an undergraduate degree in mathematics. He has been a part of the Wolfpack CubeSat Development Team since middle school. He brought that early interest along with him as he entered high school where he joined their aerospace team, and he is currently their software lead. His primary focus is on the applications of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, particularly in space missions and aerospace education. He has shared his ideas with the scientific community at international conferences such as the Committee on Space Research, the Astrobiology Science Conference, and the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics' SciTech Conference. We look forward to catching up with Daniel and know that his work will inspire you to consider the future of AI and machine learning.https://www.smallsateducation.org/ (link to SmallSat Education Conference mentioned in promo

Today we meet with Alex Castronovo, a 17-year-old student at Florida Atlantic University High School and long time Wolfpack member. Alex has demonstrated proficiency in software development, with contributions in neuroscience research as a research fellow at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience. His work includes the development of a software tool for analyzing synapses in electron microscopy images. Alex's academic achievements extend to astrophysics and aerospace, with several publications in peer-reviewed journals and international conference proceedings. Some of his personal projects include Launchify, a web application providing customizable rocket launch notifications, and JANGL ], a Java graphics library simplifying 2D graphics development. Alex's awards, including first place in the QubitX Hacks competition, show his commitments in the fields of software development and scientific research.

Today, Kevin and I meet with the TheTERP RAPTOR team at the University of Maryland who are  leading an ambitious mission. What started as a class project has rapidly grown into a multi-institutional collaboration, bringing together researchers from UMD, the Naval Research Laboratory, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks to design and launch a 12U CubeSat for ahigh-speed flyby of the asteroid Apophis.  Their goal? To image Apophis, analyze its surface, and send ground-breaking data back to Earth. Guided by aerospace engineering professor Brent Barbee, the UMD team includes Adrienne, Kruti, Chinthan, Sean, Rahul, Ryan, and Cameron, a diverse group of Masters and PHD students. Their expertise spans orbital determination, machine learning, radio communications, and structures and mechanical modeling, and their prior experience includes work at NASA, Naval ResearchLaboratory, the FDA, ExoAnalytic Solutions, and UMD's Balloon Payload Program.  We are excited to learn more about how their student-led initiative evolved into a full-scalespace mission and we know you will be just as  inspired as we are by this amazing team.

In this first episode of 2025, Kevin and I discuss the amazing work of the Wolfpack CubeSat Development Team and how AIA (Aerospace and Innovation Academy) is beginning it's Spring trimester. Your middle-high school space-loving student can still join by visiting the website at aerospacehigh.org. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/moire/space-ranger License code: FOJ02OAYEPOEJYD3

Today we meet with Maria Nickel, a Kinesiology and STEM specialist teacher for over27 years. Although she has taught a variety of subjects K- 12, Maria is currently the STEM innovation program specialist K- 12 for the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada where she focuses a lot on space. Maria has sent two SSEP experiments to the ISS- including the first elementary school experiment in Canada on Cancer and Manitoba's first Jr. High Experiment on double exposure of radiation on ungrown Tomatosphere seeds. She also has created a science instrument for Manitoba's first Cube Sat, IRIS, and is working on a second Cube Satellite for Artic Ice flow research In addition to all her great work as an educator, Maria is the winner of Science Teachers Association of Manitoba- Innovative Group STEM work for the RAMWC 202 and was Inducted into the Space Camp Alumni Hall of Fame Class of 2024. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today Kevin meets with Takeisha Stokes. Takeisha has over a decade of government experience specializing in legislation and politics. With a masters in Government with a focus on International Politics, Takeshia is a born advocate, keeping people at the forefront of her mind in all she does. Currently, she works as a legislative analysts for the Florida House of Representative, which is how we met her during our most recent Space Day advocacy efforts. This episode will be a must listen for our policy lovers! As always, stay tuned after for the takeaway --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with Rebecca Vieyra, a physics educator who coordinates the American Association of Physics Teachers' NASA HEAT team, a group of educators and researchers committed to advancing heliophysics education in formal classrooms. She is originally from Illinois, where she taught high school physics for seven years. She is a 2013 recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, and is an alumna of the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship, where she was placed at NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate for one year. Since then, she served as the first K-12 Program Manager of the American Association of Physics Teachers, program manager for the Inter-American Teacher Education Network, and is now Director of Global Initiatives at PhET Interactive Simulations for the University of Colorado Boulder. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today, Kevin and I meet with two high school students from The Greene School in West Palm Beach Florida who have been making space one of their passion projects!  Kenan Sato-Hua, is a 14-year-old 9th grader who participates on both the debate and aerospace team.  He recentlypresented at the PocketQube conference in Glasgow, Scotland and joined advocacy efforts on behalf of space policy at the annual Space Day in Tallahassee. Kenan is trilingual, being fluent in Japanese, Chinese, and English which allows him to share his passions with many different audiences. Joining him today is 10th grader, Evan Barron. Evan is the team lead for the Greene Aerospace Team and is responsible for its website creation and design. Additionally, Evan spoke atthe International Space Development Conference in Texas. Both boys are presenting at American Institute of Aeronautics and AstronauticsSci Tech Conference in Orlando this coming week and have a very bright future ahead. As always, stay tuned after for our takeaways. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today Kevin and I meet with Dorina Girbovan has three Masters in Science and one Ph.D. in Physics. As the G100 Romania Country Chair for the Space Technology & Aviation Wing, she advocates the promotion of women in science and technology. She promotes space education for teachers worldwide as NASA's International Ambassador. She is the founder and CEO of Beyond The Stars Education, a NonGpvernemental Organization that aims to help Romanian students with disabilities access science and space educational resources, training, and space camps. And Dorina has been a speaker and astronaut moderator in multiple science and space events worldwide. In 2023, she was the only Romanian speaker at the Space Exploration Educators Conference at Space Center Houston. As a certified trainer, she leads STEM teachers' workshops, training events, and professional developments across Romania and the US. With over 23 years of experience teaching, in Romania, Canada, and the USA, her students won first prizes in multiple international science contests held by the Royal Society of Chemistry, COBIS, ESA, and NASA. Dorina is a Physics Cambridge Assessment examiner, a Science curriculum developer, a Science and space curriculum expert, and a book author and she strongly believes that change needs to start with the teachers. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

In this solo episode, Kevin shares about the successes of this year's SmallSat Education Conference! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Taylor Peterson is a third year PhD student studying aerospace engineering at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Her current research looks at 1) osteoporosis in astronauts and 2) simulating cryogenic propellant boiling in microgravity. She is the recipient of a 2023 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, in which she proposed the idea of simulating and tracking cryogenic boiling in liquid transfer systems on spacecraft and space stations. She holds a bachelors in physics and has an extensive background in microgravity fluid related research experiments, including various payloads that have flown on parabolic flight campaigns and sub-orbital flights with Blue Origin. Along with this, she also holds a role as a flight coach for the Zero Gravity Corporation and has flown on nearly 30 flights, including flights with real astronauts. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Chet Knoer has been a lifelong space enthusiast and it all started with a visit to Space Academy at the age of 12. Now understand that As a child, Chet thought that to work in space meant you must be an inventor. They found out later that meant being an engineer. Over the last 8 years, Chet has been a part of the University at Buffalo Nanosatellite Lab (UBNL), starting with integration and testing for the GLaDoS mission. Later they helped build the short cycle lab, and is now in the role of Senior Program Manager at UBNL. Presently Chet is completing their doctoral studies in Aerospace, specializing in Controls and Estimation, with a Bachelors in Aerospace Engineering, and a Masters in Material Design Innovation. Outside the lab, Chet is actively involved in supporting UB undergrad. We love Chet's story and think you will as well. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Holly Pascal is a driven Aerospace Software Engineer at L3Harris, a distinguished Fortune 500 company. She will be featured in WomLead Magazine and stands out as a member of the highly selective Engineering Leadership Development Program at L3Harris, showcasing her mission to create a positive impact through transparency, consistency, and paying it forward. Beyond her engineering prowess, Holly is an accomplished author with an upcoming book titled "The College to Dream Job Blueprint”. Her passion lies in guiding college students toward fulfilling career paths as she shares strategies and tactics for accelerated income and advancement. Holly's work encompasses public speaking engagements at colleges, mentoring, and her LinkedIn newsletter "Skyrocket to Success." As a professional, her journey is one of continuous learning, innovation, and empowerment. As a multifaceted technical engineer, she exemplifies the power of knowledge and passion in shaping one's own path to success. Link to Oscar Curet's survey. Thttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfgk98vNq5VDFX-Xi8mGT0GRpOjhD8WEdWUlTERUyxmgPrLGA/viewform --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with Catie Spivey, a Mechanical Engineer and graduate of Portland State University. Catie was the lead on PSU's first CubeSat which launched in 2022. During her senior capstone project, she worked on a prototype liquid fueled rocket airframe and found she really enjoyed that subject area. She then finished a Masters of Engineering at Portland State in a single year and was selected as a prestigious Brooke Owens Fellow at United Launch Alliance. She currently works at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. And of course there is a Kevin Simmons inspiration that I am sure he will share with us. Stay tuned after for the takeaways. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with a group of amazing ed tech innovators who help make teachers and student lives easier/ Evelyn McCulloch is the Director of Educational Technology at i-Tech Support, Inc. She supports schools throughout Florida helping them to build a positive digital culture through professional development. She is a Google Workspace for Education Certified Trainer and an Apple Teacher. Joining her are colleagues Michael Rinyu, Trish Evans and Brian Cox all of whom had experience in the cclassroom before joining ITech. We have had the pleasure of working with this group at our current school and know you will learn much about the ever changing ways technology improves classrooms. Stay tuned after for our takeaways. ITech website: https://www.i-techsupport.com/educational-tech/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet withChristine Shayim, a Junior at the University at Buffalo studying computer engineering, with a minor in mathematics. Outside of the classroom, she dedicates her time to working at the UB Nanosatellite Laboratory, as the Project Manager and the Flight Software Lead for POLAR. She is also the vice president of UB STEMinism, a club that serves as a professional development community for women of color in STEM. Learn more about what motivates Christine and her team's satellite work in this interview, and join as after for our takeaways. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with Jillian Russell, a junior and Computer Science major at the University of Georgia. Now, Jilliam has always loved space, and she currently works at the UGA Small Satellite Research Lab with their beloved satellite, MEMESat- or the Mission for Education and Multimedia Engagement Satellite, The satellites mission is as a repeater in space that allows people to uplink and downlink memes to and from the satellite. With MEMESat-1 I work on our passive attitude determination and control system ( or ADCS) and the simulations for it. ADCS is just a fancy acronym to show how the team will ensure the satellite doesn't spin out of control during its mission. Right now, they are working on testing the components to make sure it will work once sent to space. MEMESat-1 Instagram @memesatellite_1UGA SSRL Instagram  @ugassrlMEMESat-1 GoFundMe https://gofund.me/e82a0a3f --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

This episode, we interview student Natasha Waldorf—she's a senior majoring in physics and applied computer science at Whittier College, a small liberal arts college near Los Angeles. Due to the challenges of COVID lockdowns during her late high school and early college years, Natasha found online education made applying to internships and gaining research experience difficult; but Natasha made the best of her circumstances by working at a county park nature center in southeastern Pennsylvania learning about hiking trail maintenance and reptile husbandry. Though this may not seem relevant at first to Physics or computer science, the experience helped her to discover a love for the outdoors while developing her work ethic. Since then, she has gone on to intern at the Air Force Research Laboratory's Small Satellite Portfolio in Albuquerque, NM as well as Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando, FL where she created tools for modeling sensor coverage and performance. Natasha reminds us that pursuing interests that may not always be specific “resume builders” can actually help set you apart in unexpected ways --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with educator and engineer, Claudia Cortez. Claudia has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management Technology from the University of Arkansas Grantham, a Master of Business Administration from University of Texas at Brownsville, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Texas at Brownsville. She currently teaches CTE Engineering classes at Porter Early College High School for the Brownsville Independent School District in Texas. Her professional experience includes teaching, estimation and contract accounting, project accounting, bookkeeping, and academic advising. She has participated in various professional development programs with NASA Liftoff, Limitless Space Institute, the US Naval Academy, University of Texas Austin, MIT, Project Lead the Way (PLTW), and the Texas State Teachers Association. As impressive as her background is ,you may be more impressed to hear how she never gave up on her dream to pursue space. As always, stay tuned after for our takeaways --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with  Urooj Seemeen, CEO and Founder of E-Services & Technologies, a global organization with a mission to drive change through education in our world. As an engineer by profession and an educationalist by passion, Urooj has dedicated hr career to empowering individuals through learning and innovation. Along with a degree in computer engineering, Urooj is  Certified as a Six Sigma Black Belt in education . She is a proud  member of the Board of Trustees and is an International Representative of Destination Imagination Inc. which inspires and equips youth to explore their creativity and innovation through a structured creative process. In response to a growing tech world and the need for human connection  Urooj launched a revolutionary platform called Chalk Talk. This platform aims to connect experts and professionals with learners from all corners of the globe, fostering real-time learning experiences. Urooj is on a mission to empower individuals with the tools they need to succeed in the ever-changing landscape of the 21st century. And we are excited to share her BlueSky Learning philosophy all the way from Pakistan and we hope you will stay tuned for our takeaways. ChalkTalk Website: https://chalktalk.world/urooj/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today Kevin and I meet with Prof. Hava Turkakin has always been fascinated by the secret works of the universe. Possessing a bachelor's degree from the Black Sea Technical University in Turkey, and after teaching high school for several year, her desire to learn more about physics spurned her to continue her education further, earning her M.S. and Ph.D. in Space Physics from the University of Alberta. She even taught as a Visiting Assistant Professor at both Bucknell University and the University of Central Arkansas, before coming to Utica University. Dr. Turkakin's research interests include solar-terrestrial interactions, space weather, space plasmas, and plasma waves and instabilities in space. But she also loves reading, taking a nature walk, and spending time with her children. We know we will learn a lot from this episode and we hope you do too. Remember to stay tuned after for our takeaways. LINKS: The NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/heat/home/https://www.utica.edu/people/hava-turkakin --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today, we meet with Frank Soboczenski --an Assistant Professor in Artificial Intelligence at the University of York, an affiliate computer scientist at King's College London with links to Northeastern University. He is also the lead scientist for the NASA TechLeap Quantum Earth Observation high altitude balloon mission, a member of the NASA GeneLab Artificial Intelligence working group, a STEM scientist for NASA & NOAA's GLOBE program and member of the IBM Quantum Researchers Program. His research interests are in Machine Learning for earth and space science with a particular interest in explainable AI. Over the years Frank worked with multiple NASA centers and research groups such as Ames Research Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, Armstrong and Langley as well as having positions in law enforcement and other government agencies around the world. Science is Frank's passion and he enjoys tackling challenging problems. In addition to loving his two-year old son, Frank has a passion for coffee—and chocolate, for which he will warn you to make sure you don't leave anywhere near him. Stay tuned after for our takeaways. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

In this final installment lesson, Kevin teaches me about the steps to go from CubeSat idea to space using the CubeSat 101 handbook. Check out the lesson on Youtube Aerospace and Innovation Academy vodcast playlist! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

In this lesson, Kevin talks about the various kinds of subsystems that make up a CubeSat! If you are going to build one, you have to know the parts. Our students learn real-world aerospace in teams that meet as after school clubs. Your student can stand out today on resumes and college applications while getting experience in aerospace. Join Aerospace and Innovation Academy today. www. aerospacehigh.org --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

In this second in our series, Kevin tells us more about the history of CubeSats by addressing early and interesting missions and helps explains their payloads! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

In this first of our minisode series, Kevin gives us a brief overview of the history of a CubeSat! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today, we meet with Kristine Poptanich, the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Launchpad23, an online education opportunity for families seeking to build the future-ready skills so often missed in traditional curricula. She previously served as vice president at an ed-tech startup, on the Maryland State Advisory Council on Gifted and Talented Education, and in the national security sphere in both the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. Government. She is a proud homeschooling mother of two, and spends her free time watching her girls rock climb. If you ever needed inspiration as a parent about how to kickstart your student's passions, today is the day. Stay tuned after for our takeaways. Launchpad 23 website: https://www.launchpad23.org AIA website: www. aerospacehigh.org --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Todd Harrison is Managing Director of Metrea Strategic Insights. Prior to joining Metrea in May 2022, Mr. Harrison was a senior fellow and the director of Defense Budget Analysis and the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He has served in the U.S. Air Force Reserves and is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with both a B.S. and an M.S. in aeronautics and astronautics. Todd has authored numerous publications dealing with trends related to military space systems, threats to space systems, civil space exploration, military compensation and readiness, and military force structure just to name a few. He is also an adjunct faculty member at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies where he teaches classes on the defense budget and military space systems. Link to AIA website for WCDT and Space Club: www.aerospacehigh.org --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with veritable force to be reckoned with. Dr. Pandya's experience is vast, which explains in part why many believe she is inline to be a future astronaut. She is a physician, aquanaut, scientist-astronaut candidate with the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS). But she is also a skydiver a pilot-in-training, a VP of Immersive Medicine with Luxsonic Technologies, a Medical advisor at Above Space Development Corporation and a Fellow of the Explorers Club. She instructs an Operational Space Medicine course, and hosts the World Extreme Medicine's podcast series. And just last year Dr. Pandya was named to the Explorers' Club's “50 Explorers Changing the World." There is so much more to share about this impressive woman in STEM so let's get right to the interview. Dr. Pandya's podcast series. Link to AIA website: www.aerospacehigh.org --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Dr. Don Platt is an Associate Professor at Florida Tech University and Director of Florida Tech's Spaceport Education Center. He has extensive experience in developing, testing and flying different types of avionics, communications, and rocket propulsion systems and. His areas of current focus are human space exploration and the adaptation to deep space, high performance small satellite systems and ways to utilize both human and satellite constellations as we move forward. Don is also the owner of Micro Aerospace Systems, Inc. and has built numerous subsystems and payloads for both spacecraft and ISS experiments. He has degrees in Physics, Astronomy and Space Systems with a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology. MicroAerospace website --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Kevin and I look forward to talking with a great role model in aerospace: Rachel Garza. After receiving her degree in aerospace engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Rachel started her engineering career at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, where she worked as an astronaut instructor for the International Space Station program and served as a flight controller in the Mission Control Center. After 9 years in that role, she left TX to work as a systems engineer at GE Aviation in her home state of MI. She spent a year in that role before being hired into her dream job at Sikorsky Aircraft, working as a helicopter flight test engineer. Rachel is now a propulsion flight test engineering manager with Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, in West Palm Beach, FL. She leads the team responsible for all aspects of propulsion system flight testing conducted on helicopters designed by Sikorsky Aircraft. Stay tuned after for our takeaways. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with avid space enthusiast Emily Carney. In 2010, Emily Carney started a spaceflight blog called This Space Available via https://space.nss.org/category/this- space-available/). She loves to tell the story that, one time, the late astronaut Gene Cernan (Gemini 9A, Apollo 10, and Apollo 17 astronaut, also known as “The Last Man on the Moon”) once asked her, “what the hell is a space blog?” That was just the beginning of using social media as her platform to share her love of space. In 2011, Carney wanted to start a Facebook group for those with similar interests but was struggling to find a good name. Her husband, Steve, suggested “Space Hipsters” as sort of a sarcastic placeholder, but the name stuck. The group grew more quickly than she could imagine, and as of May 2023 it totals nearly 43,000 members. Space Hipsters boasts members from all around the world, and includes space enthusiasts, writers, artists, scientists, engineers, aspiring astronauts, and even a few actual astronauts. We look forward to being more ‘hip” on space and hope you stay tuned after for our takeaways. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today, we are rejoined by Andres Permuy, now a third-year Physics Major and Math minor at Georgetown University. Currently Andres is studying abroad at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. He aspires to receive a master's degree in Space Robotics to pursue a career in Orbital Robotics and Automation. Andres' current goal is to work with automation that can be utilized in the space industry for extraterrestrial exploration and satellite maintenance. Andres is gaining experience as a CV & Robotics intern for a company called Astroscale Japan. Back in the United States, he works with the national team at the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, leads the Georgetown University Space Initiative as the Co-President, and conducts space policy research at the Beyond Earth Institute. We can't wait to hear what he's been up to since our first episode, which you can find by going to episode 73 linked below. https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e6296e0e-f83b-4e35-b5d3-891b851b5067/episodes/71705ed8-a1ad-4a24-b604-f394c7e40a86/let's-go-to-space-blue-sky-learning-episode-73-a-university-talkie-and-techie-combining-policy-and-engineering --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Caius Reza is the Lead Business Executive at Alba Orbital, a Scottish company that builds and launches PocketQubes – PocketQubes, like what their name would suggest are tiny satellites small enough to fit in your pocket! After graduating from the University of Strathclyde in 2019, he joined the company and. handles the company's marketing and business operations, as well as organizing launch campaigns with Alba's launch team. Alba Orbital is based in Glasgow (Caius' hometown) and was founded with the mission. of ‘democratizing access to space' via PocketQube technology. PocketQubes are the ccworld's smallest commercial spacecraft and can be as small as 5x5x5cm. Their small size dramatically cut down the cost to launch your own spacecraft, meaning more people than ever before can start their own space programs! Caius has helped plan and launch over 25 PocketQube launch campaigns, including missions for high schools and universities across the world. Having worked with companies like SpaceX and Rocket Lab, Alba Orbital is deploying an earth observation constellation for near real time earth observation services, helping to mitigate climate change and responding to natural disasters. Caius is excited to share his knowledge and experience with the STEM community. He believes that PocketQubes have the potential to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists. Alba Orbital website --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we are joined by two new Wolfpack members from Buffalo, NY. Brian Bartelo is 13 years old and brother Sean is almost 11. While they have many interests, one of their main passions is space. Brian has an impressive resume already. He has presented topics such as mitigating space debris at AIAA Regional in Buffalo and, most recently, at Explore Mars' Humans to Mars Summit. He was part of the life support systems American team of students for the inaugural Mars Society's Student Challenge with Dr. Robert Zubrin. He is accelerated in his learning and is taking concurrent high school and college credit courses at Genesee Community College as part of the NY State ACE Homeschooling Program. He is hoping to study astrophysics and mechanical engineering at the University of Buffalo. Brian is also the founder and editor of his online school paper "Astra Nova Student Newsletter". Sean is interested in planetary defense and 3D design and printing. He has attended the Henry Ford National Invention Convention two years in a row as a finalist for his inventions and presentations. This school year, he has led teams that were semi-finalists in challenges such as Future City, Cities in Space, and the Mars Innovation Challenge. As a citizen astronomer, he has discovered 17 asteroids. He enjoys drawing, painting, and architecture. He hopes to study astronomy and engineering. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with Bev Berekian a middle school science and college level Earth Science. She has been teaching for over 17 years and began at the Community College level while she was earning a Masters Degree in Geology. Bev has participated in several space-related programs , and has presented and attended multiple conferences. She is a Department of Defense STEM Ambassador, a NASA/SETI Airborne Astronomy Ambassador, a Space Center Houston Teacher Crew Member, and a Space Foundations International Teacher Liaison. She is also an ISS National Lab Ambassador and a JPL/NASA Solar System Ambassador. Her current project is helping junior high school students to design experiments to fly in microgravity and she is working with Dr. Kevin Crosby of Carthage College and the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium to accomplish her space goals. We look forward to the conversation today and invite you to stay tuned after for the takeaway. www.aerospacehigh.org --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with Kirstin Bunting, a kindergarten teacher at Roosevelt Elementary on Florida's Space Coast. Kirstin has a strong passion for STEM but especially all things space! She strives to educate and inspire the Artemis generation and beyond to appreciate and understand the world of space. Through her university course work, Kirstin is creating professional development in STEM topics so other teachers can also inspire their students to reach for the stars. In her free time, Kirstin enjoys spending time at the beach and of course watching rocket launches from her backyard or the parking lot of the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center. Sign up for summer camp interest at our website: website: www. aerospacehigh.org. Be a Patreon supporter here! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

In this episode, Kevin and I meet with Fraser Cain, a space and astronomy journalist and publisher of amazing astronomy content through his website, Universe Today ,In addition, Fraser is the co-host of the Astronomy Cast Podcast and hosts a long-running series of space and astronomy videos on YouTube. He lives under beautiful dark skies on Vancouver Island in Western Canada which no doubt are a source of continuous inspiration. Stay tuned for the duration and be inspired yourself and learn more about how you can follow Fraser's work. Aerospace and Innovation Academy website Summer Session Camp Google Form Registration --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with PAEMST recipient and teacher of the year for multiple organizations including the Civil Air Patrol, the Air & Space Forces Association and the AIAA , Megan Tucker. Ms. Tucker is a veteran STEM teacher of 19 years who loves to engage students in the Engineering Design Process as well as to have a growth mindset. Megan has written and edited national aerospace STEM curriculum for the Civil Air Patrol and has served as a Dean of Curriculum, a K-5 STEAM Specialist, and a professional development facilitator among many other impressive titles. She is currently designing national STEM curriculum with AVID, which drives student success through engaging, rigorous, and student-centered learning environments. Megan is passionate about teaching through the lens of aerospace and loves using the latest technology to hook our young learners She says her job is all about providing real world situations where scholars have to use 21st Century Skills to solve a problem, and have fun while doing it!. We are prepared to learn a lot and we know you will too. Link to Civil Air Patrol: Link to Aerospace & Innovation Academy website Link to Summer Session Registration Form Email the cohost or to find out more about AIA: --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

While we know that space settlements of the future are a necessity, how we go about creating them frequently becomes a subject of debate. Most importantly, what countries will be represented in the settlements of the future, and can we insure we all work together to create a peaceful society in space? Today, we are joined by three very important people in the realm of this debate, with a focus on student voice. Frances Dellutri joins us once again. In one of many roles, She is serves as National Space Society Director of Education. In this role she founded and facilitated the NSS Student spUN (space policy and Universalization) Debate program starting in 2017 Students ages 12-18 debate space policy on international teams Frances is a life-long learner and educator. Her training as a chemist, project manager and science educator enable her to marry technical aspects of the NSS education programs with real-world opportunities for students. Jordan Strudwick serves as the Project Manager for the National Space Society's groundbreaking University Level International spUN Debate. A Howard University School of Law graduate, Jordan not only founded the pioneering Space Law Society, the first Space Law organization at any HBCU, but also played a pivotal role in establishing the first-ever Space Law course at an HBCU Law School. A proud native of Washington, DC, Jordan's expertise encompasses an impressive range of fields, including technology startup companies, international development, and human rights. He is excited to help shape the the future of both the public and private space sector. Representing the high school sector, Apoorva Bangalore Ravispravad is a sophomore college student pursuing Astrophysics and Astrobiology at the University of Florida. Lots of great information for student, parents, and teachers alike so stay tuned after for the take away. Important links: spUN Debate Website: https://space.nss.org/spun-debates/University Debate Website: https://spacedge.academy/course/view.php?id=296 University Direct Application Link: https://go.nss.org/spunapplication-univ Jordan Strudwick's Email: jordan.strudwick@nss.org Apoorva Raviprasad: apoorva.br@nss.org --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Michael D'Egidio grew up on Long Island, New York. He attended Columbia University in the City of New York where he majored in computer science. Michael has worked as a consultant for Sony Corporation of America producing graphics, copy, and web content for Sony.com, as well as a full-stack software engineer for a small e-commerce startup in Manhattan. Michael has always felt drawn to the possibilities in education, so he made the move to the teaching world where he developed a robust and innovative computer science curriculum for a prestigious private school in Palm Beach County, Florida. His classes focus on programming languages and their utility in real-world applications such as game development, web application development and more. He was also instrumental in developing coursework in the use of TensorFlow, which is industry-standard software for machine learning and artificial intelligence programming. Integral to Michael's educational philosophy is the belief that all students deserve to feel a strong sense of belonging at school. Since 2020, Michael has been led school initiatives in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion where he coordinates student educational opportunities as well as professional development. In short, Michael sees computer science as a way to give back, to be a super hero so to speak helping students to view problems as a way to embrace grit, to affect change, and ultimately to have a voice. Stay tuned after for our takeaway. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with Jiangdou (Ginger) Chen. She  is a Ph.D student at Florida Institute of Technology majoring in STEM Education with a primary focus  on Computer Information Systems.  A native to Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, Ginger is dedicated to balance social equity and the advocacy of marginalized communities. Her dissertation details female astronauts' interest in STEM studies in relation to their  career development.  Ginger is passionate about encouraging more young women to enter the space industry. In addition to her academic pursuits, Ginger runs track, cross-country, and participates on the swim team for Florida Tech.  As always, stay tuned after the interview for our take-awayl   --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today, we meet with Jackie Blumer-- a Nationally Board Certified educator with over 25 years of STEM experience. She currently teaches Earth/Space Science for 6th graders at Greenville Jr. High School in Illinois. Jackie is also the. St. Louis STEM Chair for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and in early 2022 she received the National STEM Trailblazing Award from AIAA and Challenger Learning Centers. Jackie was recently selected as a Limitless Space Institute Limitless Educator and was one of 20 educators worldwide to receive this honor. The mission of LSI is to inspire and educate the next generation to travel beyond our solar system and support the research and development of enabling technologies.  We look forward to hearing more and hope you stay tuned after for our takeaways. Link to Limitless Space Institute:https://www.limitlessspace.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Jen Jones is an 8th grade STEM teacher, a Space Foundation Teacher Liaison, a Solar System Ambassador, and a Space ward Bound Educator. She regularly presents on space topics to civic groups, libraries, and schools around northern Utah, and has hosted and organized 5 well-respected annual Space/STEM community outreach nights. Ms. Jones believes in teaching from a real world perspective to promote classroom engagement and to help fill the Stem Pipeline of the future. One example is NASA research project called Growing Beyond Earth which Jones will present to Teacher Liaisons at the Space Symposium in April. Jenn and her students also work internationally for educational organizations such as African Independence Development or AID to help raise money and awareness for a modernized high school where Jenn could still help train teachers long after she returns home. And these are just a few of the many experiences she provides for her students. We see Jen Jones as one who emulates a BlueSky Learning philosophy and know you will enjoy this episode as much as we will. Stay tuned after for takeaway. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawna-christenson2/support

Today, we meet with Mark Wallace. Mark wrote his first computer program in 1965, and has written a lot of them since, using languages ranging from Assembler to SQL. His interest in zero defect software led him to study software engineering methods such as Structured Design and Object-Oriented Design, and ways to adopt them using Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools. In recent years, he has taught robotics to middle and high school students, and served as a judge in the World Robot Olympics and First Lego League competitions. He is now retired in Boynton Beach, but volunteers to teach computer programming to high school students through a Microsoft-sponsored charity. We met Mark recently while we were all judging student robot presentations and we were quite impressed. We know you will be too and we hope you stay tuned after for the takeaway. Link for the Microsoft program mentioned in the podcast: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/teals/about --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/shawna-christenson2/support

Laurie Orth is a music teacher who teaches about space exploration and rockets in her music classroom. She believes the classroom is where the arts and sciences coexist to develop creative people today for the workforce of tomorrow. In 2019, Ms. Orth published space-themed music in a workbook called Rocket Recorder. Laurie is passionate about starting the STEM and STEAM pipeline for young people through the pathway of music, and she passionately believes educators can collaborate to teach across the curriculum for more engaging lessons. Im addition to her young students, Laurie e teacsh professional development for music, STEM and STEAM educators.As if that were not enough, she volunteers with the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, teaching her space-themed music curriculum and combining that with lessons about women in aerospace careers. She is also a volunteer with the Air & Space Forces Association as Chapter President for Savannah AFA. When she is not teaching or inspiring students through music, Laure is a professional singer in her community and even has her own podcast through The Space Foundation. We are sure this interview will hit the right notes and we hope you will stay tuned after for our takeaway. Laurie's website: Www.laurieorth.com Laurie's podcasthttps://www.spacefoundation.org/2022/01/14/space4u-podcast-laurie-orth-rocket-recorder-author-composer-educator/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with Wolfpack VIP member Colin Quinn, a freshman at Suncoast Community High School in South Florida. As part of the Wolfpack, he was part of the team working on the CapSat-1 mission and is in the process of developing his own CubeSat mission, which will aim to study cosmic radiation in space. Colin is an aspiringI aerospace engineer and we know he is well on his way to achieving that dream. As always stay tuned after for the takeaway. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/shawna-christenson2/support

Today, Kevin and I meet with Edward Ellegood. Edward began his career as a space industry economist in the Florida Department of Commerce, while there he served as staff to a Governor's Commission on Space, which recommended that the state take a larger role in developing the space industry. He moved from Tallahassee to the Space Coast in 1990 to start-up the Spaceport Florida Authority (now Space Florida) as the nation's first space transportation authority. In 2001 he transitioned to start-up the Florida Space Research Institute as a spinoff of the Spaceport Authority. After FSRI and the Spaceport Authority were dissolved to make way for Space Florida in 2006, he joined Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as a Space Policy Analyst and Director of Aerospace Development. He has since worked with Starfighters Aerospace, Saalex Corp., SimIS Corp., and currently ICF Corp. He serves on the board of the National Space Club, Florida Committee, publishes the weekly FLORIDA SPACErePORT newsletter, and was inducted in 2022 to the Florida Space Worker Hall of Fame. Link to his blog: http://spacereport.blogspot.com/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/shawna-christenson2/support

Today we meet with three amazing young women, Sree Patnayakui, Abhi Soundarajan, and Celine Schauer. These girls, ranging from middle to high school are members of the Wolfpack CubeSat Development Team and have aspiring futures in STEM. Check out what motivates these girls to love space along with their current aerospace goals. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/shawna-christenson2/support