Celebrating World Space Week with Megan Beattie

world space week

Planet Place 7 days is right here, Y’all!

So numerous of us seem to the heavens and ponder what phenomena exist there, like diverse representations of time, evolution, and species. Commencing in the 12 months 2000, each and every yr from October 4th-10th, the World Space 7 days Affiliation provides Entire world Room 7 days: The Largest Area Celebration on Earth. This celebration was initiated by the United Nations Standard Assembly as a:

[C]elebration at the worldwide amount of the contribution that space science and technologies can make to the betterment of the human condition.

In layperson’s language: “let’s carry on to research and celebrate place science to uncover remedies to enhance our globe.”

There’s an amazing selection of global classes synchronized inside a typical timeframe hosted by room companies, aerospace corporations, faculties, planetaria, museums, and astronomy clubs all-around the entire world in a frequent timeframe. In 2021, World Space 7 days sponsored 6,418 activities in 96 nations. Continue to keep your eye on the party calendar to discover destinations close to you.

When it comes to everything similar to the examine of place, Megan Beattie will come to thoughts. . .

When I was instructing, she was a curious and substantial-accomplishing 9th-grade college student with a apparent vocation target: “I want to be a rocket scientist.”

Megan Beattie graduated superior university, analyzed engineering at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and just lately attained her Masters degree in Science and Engineering from Auburn College. Megan is now an aerospace engineer for NASA, on a crew functioning to make certain the safe and sound return of individuals to the moon for the initially time in 50 decades.

So, to be distinct: certainly, she’s a rocket scientist.

Seeking to reconnect with my former college student, I reached out to Megan about Entire world Place 7 days, and to uncover out how her perseverance and wrestle drove her to accomplish her aspiration job. Furthermore, I’ll admit, I’ve normally wanted to chat with a actual stay aerospace engineer.

Learners Edge: Megan, many thanks for having the time to make this materialize! I have definitely savored observing you chase your goals!

Megan Beattie: Many thanks for thinking of me!

LE: Can you share how you realized you would fulfill your profession objective, starting way back when I achieved you, when you ended up 14-15? Actually, I wager you knew what you required to be when you have been considerably youthful.

MB: I needed to do the job in the place plan at the age of three. My moms and dads took me to NASA’s Johnson Area Center in Houston and I completely fell in appreciate. The arms-on functions retained me so engaged that, even however my mom and dad experienced prepared to only commit a 50 percent working day there since I was so youthful, we stayed from open up to shut. From then on I was hooked. I went to Space Camp six occasions inside of two and a 50 percent decades in large college where by my favourite items were being the “missions” we participated in the place we rotated involving mission regulate, the room station, and the room shuttle.

LE: What alternatives did you make to progress on the path to getting a real are living rocket scientist?

MB: I am a planner, so I often stored in thoughts that every little thing I was accomplishing now would impression the future. I’ve normally cherished science and math so I by natural means took additional courses in those people topic locations. I chose my undergraduate degree centered on availability of internships, exploration opportunities, and demonstrated support of females in engineering. I was in skilled businesses in college to create connections in the house neighborhood- which continues to amaze me by the breadth of effect they nonetheless have nowadays! The aerospace neighborhood is pretty compact, so all of those points served me exhibit my qualities in the area when I was to start with setting up out.

LE: Did you face any issues as you worked toward your aim? Any occasions you experienced to communicate on your own into moving forward?

MB: Acquiring to in which I am has undoubtedly required perseverance. There had been so lots of hurdles above the years that caused me to query if I was on the correct route, but I would always test to uncover some thing to remind me why I required to do what I was carrying out. There was a Saturn V rocket the place I did my undergraduate degree, and I’d do my calculus research under it to encourage myself. Shelling out plenty of hours at the community planetarium and observatory to stare at the distant objects in the universe served as a reminder of my passion.

LE: Share some of your beneficial influences when you worked on your targets.

MB: I have been quite blessed to have great people today encouraging me to continue to keep pursuing my objectives. A number of people today at NASA, which include engineers and astronauts, reached out to deliver advice. The push to satisfy my goal appeared daunting together the way, so reminders that what I preferred to do was attainable was a must have.

LE: Why is Planet Place Week so essential? What would you want instructors and learners to know about the ongoing concentrate on place vacation and study?

MB: It is essential to keep on to encourage the next generation’s enthusiasm for space exploration. I didn’t have regional assets growing up to foster my enthusiasm so it’s superb a planet-vast celebration of place is accessible to all, no matter of spot. On top of that, the public is unaware of all the contributions from room exploration that have an impact on our everyday life! I am regularly stunned each and every time I study of one more engineering I use consistently credited to enhancement through room exploration.

LE: What information would you give to college students who are intrigued in doing work in the NASA room packages?

MB: Abide by your passion. There are so numerous paths to get the job done at NASA – it’s not just for engineers. If you certainly love what you do, no amount of money of hurdles will discourage you from continuing to adhere to your goals.

Thank you, Megan, for taking the time to share your journey with us. It is amazing to see you – literally – reach for the stars!

You can establish your continuing instruction framework by applying understanding from Planet Area Week to the adhering to courses:

970: Math Operates: Instructing Math with the Mind in Brain

5033: Mindsets and Math: Pleasure and Accomplishment for All

5148: 3-Dimensional Finding out with the Future Technology Science Specifications (NGSS)

5149: Fantastic Phenomena-Centered Studying with the Next Technology Science Criteria (NGSS)

5154: Deep Thinking Techniques for the Math Classroom

5221: STEM is the Potential for All Students

5222: Math Fluency Outside of Standard Details

5231: Empowering Action with Environmental Science

5795: STEAM Education and learning: Integrating the Arts in Your Classroom

5852: Leading Intentional Discuss with Younger Mathematical College students