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February 19, 2010 | Academics, Alumni, News, People, Photos, Research, WKU | No Comments
February 19, 2010 | Alumni, News, People, Student Life, WKU | No Comments
Even though the space shuttle program has only four missions left and the U.S. space program is facing an uncertain budgetary future, NASA astronaut Terry Wilcutt urged students at the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky to keep reaching for the stars.
The seemingly impossible challenge of missions to the moon or Mars “takes the best the country has to offer,” Wilcutt said. “That’s you.”
Wilcutt visited with Gatton students Anthony Bombik (Boone ’11), Kaitlyn Oliver (Muhlenberg ’10), Tejas Sangoi (Daviess ’11), and Michael Phillips (Marshall ’11).
In the morning session with Gatton students and an afternoon session with WKU students, Wilcutt said one key to working for NASA or becoming an astronaut is an undergraduate degree in math, science, engineering or other technical fields. But the most important thing is simply to fill out the NASA job application.
“The number one reason qualified people don’t make it is they don’t apply,” said Wilcutt, a Russellville native and 1974 WKU graduate. “Most people in the astronaut office applied more than once. They had a dream and refused to let go of it.”
Wilcutt taught high school math in Louisville before joining the U.S. Marine Corps in 1976 and earning his wings in 1978. In 1986, Wilcutt was selected to attend the U.S Naval Test Pilot School and was selected by NASA in 1990 and became an astronaut in 1991.
“For all means, have the nerve to apply,” he said. “If this is your dream, you’ve got to give NASA a chance to say yes.”
Wilcutt was the pilot on two space shuttle flights in 1994 and 1996 and the mission commander on flights in 1998 and 2000. The retired Marine Corps colonel now serves as director of Safety & Mission Assurance at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Wilcutt has “mixed feelings” as the space shuttle program winds down. “They’re going to miss it,” he said.
Next up for the space program is “game-changing technology” that would take humans back to the moon or to Mars, he said. But President Obama and Congress must agree on the NASA budget and other space program issues, Wilcutt said.
“Now that the president has laid out his vision, it’s up to us at NASA to go out and do it,” he said.
The NASA budget is just one-half of 1 percent of the U.S. budget and has shown its benefits in medical, environmental and scientific research, exploration, international cooperation and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education among others, Wilcutt said.
“We’re not really an expense,” he said. “We’re an investment.”
Wilcutt said the best part of working for NASA is “the people you work with and the access to information” on topics like black holes, dark energy, cancer research, astrophysics and more.
“Every single day there something interesting coming through our office,” he said. “It’s like being a kid in the candy store if you have intellectual curiosity. No matter what you’re interested in, at NASA you’ll find the latest and greatest.”
February 18, 2010 | Alumni, News, People, Research, Video, WKU | No Comments
[Video Blog] Sydney Blasts Off With WKU Alum, NASA Astronaut Terry Wilcutt from Gatton Academy on Vimeo.
Even though the space shuttle program has only four missions left and the U.S. space program is facing an uncertain budgetary future, NASA astronaut Terry Wilcutt urged students at WKU to keep reaching for the stars.
The seemingly impossible challenge of missions to the moon or Mars “takes the best the country has to offer,” Wilcutt told a group of students at the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky. “That’s you.”
Later that afternoon, first-year student Syndey Combs has the opportunity to chat one-on-one with Col. Wilcutt about STEM, NASA, and making a difference.
October 5, 2009 | Academics, News, Student Success | No Comments
Five Gatton Academy students have been selected to participate in the NASA INSPIRE Online Learning Community.
The Interdisciplinary National Science Project Incorporating Research and Education Experience (INSPIRE) is a multi-tiered year-round program designed for students in ninth- to 12th -grade who are interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, education and careers.
Sean Freeman, Desiree “Taylor” Harbin, Jacob Haven, Tyler Parke, and Dana Wheeler will interact online with students from across the country. Based on their work in the coming months, they may be eligible to compete for summer internships.
The Online Learning Community (OLC) is INSPIRE’s centerpiece providing a place for INSPIRE students to interact with their peers, NASA experts and education specialists. Through grade-level-appropriate educational activities, chats and the discussion board, students and their families will be exposed to the many careers and opportunities at NASA. The OLC also provides parents resources designed to help them champion their student’s education and career goals. Once accepted into the OLC, students and their parents remain participants of the community through the students’ freshmen year of college as long as they stay active participants.
Members of the INSPIRE OLC have the opportunity to compete for a grade-appropriate summer STEM experiences that will be available in 2010. The summer STEM experience is designed to provide hands-on experiences to investigate education and careers in STEM at a NASA facility or university. All summer experiences, except the collegiate experience, will take place at the NASA facility within the student’s service area. To locate the NASA facility corresponding to your service area please see the “NASA Facilities and Service Area” section.
Explorer Experience: INSPIRE OLC participants in the ninth-grade can compete for this summer experience. Students selected will receive an expense paid trip for them and an accompanying parent or legal guardian to the NASA facility within their service area for a VIP tour and workshop. The visit occurs the summer between the students’ ninth and 10th-grade.
Collegiate Experience: INSPIRE OLC participants in the 10th-grade can compete for this summer experience. Students selected will participate in a two-week on-campus collegiate experience at a university and are chaperoned by the host institution. This exposure to college life is designed to improve study skills and encourage the pursuit of higher education and careers in STEM areas. NASA will pay round trip travel expenses for those students who live more than 100 miles from the college or university providing this experience. The college or university provides lodging, meals, supervision and educational activities. The collegiate experience occurs the summer between the students’ 10th and 11th-grade.
Residential Internship: INSPIRE OLC participants in the 11th-grade can compete for this summer experience. Students awarded will participate in a paid eight-week apprentice experience with a NASA mentor at the NASA facility within the students’ service area. During the internship, students are provided:
— A stipend based on minimum wage for the state in which the NASA facility is located and a lunch allowance
— Meals and housing at a location within commuting distance from the NASA facility, typically a nearby college dormitory
— Daily transportation to and from work and required project activities
— During working hours, students are supervised and mentored by scientists and engineers at the NASA center. During non-work hours students interact with qualified, experienced and highly motivated professional educators. These educators provide supervision and implement the enrichment activities and cultural activities during after-work hours.
Collegiate Internship: INSPIRE OLC participants in the 12th-grade who have been accepted to attend a college or university to pursue a STEM degree can compete for this summer experience. Students awarded will participate in a paid eight-week intern experience with a NASA mentor at the NASA facility within their service area. In this internship, the student receives a stipend and he/she is responsible for making all lodging, meals, and transportation arrangements.
For more information, contact Derick Strode at 270-745-6565.