Challenger Center Hosts Live Interactive Webcast with Astronaut Barbara Morgan
Exciting new astronaut series to feature educator astronaut
Join Challenger Center for Space Science Education on Wednesday, March 16th, 2011, 12:00pm (Eastern Time), for a live interactive webcast with astronaut and Distinguished Educator in Residence at Boise State University, Barbara Morgan. You may access the webcast at www.challenger.org/programs/ccwebcast. The link to join will appear at 11:50am EDT.
This event is part of an exciting series of Challenger Center interactive webcasts. Each month, Challenger Center will feature an astronaut as guest of a live webcast, with an opportunity for the public to ask questions. You may submit questions via the online form at http://www.challenger.org/25/earth_to_astronaut.cfm, email to 25@challenger.org, or use the instant message feature during the live webcast.
March Featured Astronaut Background:
Barbara Morgan was selected as the backup candidate for the NASA Teacher in Space Program on July 19, 1985. From September 1985 to January 1986, Morgan trained with Christa McAuliffe and the Challenger crew at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. Following the Challenger accident, Morgan assumed the duties of Teacher in Space Designee. From March 1986 to July 1986, she worked with NASA, speaking to educational organizations throughout the country. In the fall of 1986, Morgan returned to Idaho to resume her teaching career. She taught second and third grades at McCall- Donnelly Elementary and continued to work with NASA’s Education Division. Her duties as Teacher in Space Designee included public speaking, educational consulting, curriculum design, and serving on the National Science Foundation’s Federal Task Force for Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering. Selected by NASA as a mission specialist and NASA’s first Educator Astronaut in January 1998, Morgan reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1998.
Morgan’s experience includes Mission STS-118 (August 8-21, 2007), the 119th space shuttle flight, the 22nd flight to the space station, and the 20th flight for Endeavour. Morgan served as educator, loadmaster, shuttle and station robotic arm operator, and flight deck crewmember for entry and landing. During that mission, Morgan conducted a live interactive webcast from the International Space Station answering questions from various Challenger Center students.
Morgan retired from NASA in August, 2008, to become the Distinguished Educator in Residence at Boise State University, with a dual appointment in the colleges of Engineering and Education.
See Barbara Morgan’s full NASA bio at: www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/morgan.html
Ten minutes before the webcast, the link to join will be made live.
* No registration is required and the webcast is free.
* Adobe Flash Player is required to participate and view the webcast.
* A new web environment will open on your computer with zoomable windows and a chat interface to ask questions.
About Challenger Center for Space Science Education
Using space exploration as a theme and simulations as a vehicle, Challenger Center for Space Science Education and its international network of 48 Challenger Learning Centers create positive educational experiences that raise students’ expectations of success, fosters a long-term interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and inspires students to pursue studies and careers in these areas. Challenger Center’s network of Challenger Learning Centers across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Korea reach more than 400,000 students each year through simulated space missions and educational programs, and engage over 40,000 educators through missions, teacher workshops and other programs. To learn more about Challenger Center for Space Science Education, visit www.challenger.org.
Challenger Center for Space Science Education
Angie Tenne
300 N. Lee St., Suite 301
Alexandria, VA 22314
atenne@challenger.org
703-683-9741
