Teacher Tom was featured as a top educator on Outschool's EPIC Spotlight for being a Passion-Driven Educator in 2021!

Hi everyone! It's Tom, your "Space Technology & Rocket Launches Teacher", here with an exciting new series!

In this ongoing class, we will meet weekly to learn about and be inspired by women who have made or are making historic or modern contributions to the space industry, from astronauts to scientists to influencers, and more! 

Women have been and continue to make incredible contributions to the space industry and this class is our space to gather together to learn about them! If you have learned all about space without learning about the many women who have contributed then you are missing an important piece of the puzzle!

We will discover all about their lives, their careers, their families, how they become involved in the industry, and what they have contributed or are currently contributing. 

Each week we will discuss one woman and how she has made a historical contribution to the space industry or how she is making a modern contribution to the space industry. Every week will be different so you can join the class anytime you like! 

This class will be a combination of slides, discussion, and Q&A. By default, we will learn about many interesting terms, facts, and events regarding space technology and the space industry. We will try to go back and forth between historic and modern space contributions and the schedule may be updated from time to time if necessary. 

This class is meant to highlight the contributions of women to the space industry as well as inspire and empower young people to stay up to date on the industry and future opportunities they may have to contribute to it. Everyone is welcome to attend this class and join in anytime. There are three age groups available: 8-10, 10-14, and 14+. 

The schedule is as follows:

Thursday Classes:
Week of Mar 2: Alyssa Carson (Modern)  - Aspiring to be the first person on Mars!
Week of Mar 9: Sylvia Acevedo (Historic & Modern) - Legendary Latina Rocket Scientist & CEO of Girl Scouts!
Week of Mar 16: Sian Proctor (Historic & Modern) - Geoscientist, Artist, & the first African American Woman to pilot a spacecraft!
Week of Mar 22: Hayley Arceneaux (Modern) - First person to go into space with a prosthesis after surviving bone cancer!
Week of Mar 30: Jessica Meir (Modern) - Participated in the first All-Female Spacewalk!
Week of Apr 6: Jessica Watkins - Will be The First African American Woman to Live and Work on the International Space Station
Week of Apr 13: Wally Funk (Historic & Modern) - The Oldest Woman to fly to Space!

More weeks may be posted as we go including:

Katherine Johnson (Historic)
Bocha Chica Gal "Mary" (Modern)
Sally Ride (Historic)
Gwynne Shotwell (Modern)
Dorothy Vaughn (Historic)
Amy Shira Teitel (Modern)
Peggy Whitson (Historic)
Claire Percival and Maria Kiseleva (Modern)
Susan Helms (Historic)
Mallory Lefland (Modern)
Jeannette Epps (Historic and Modern)
Camille Calibeo (Modern)
Yi So-yeon (Historic)
Svetlana Savitskaya (Historic)
Valentina Tereshkova (Historic)
Joan Marie (Modern)
Sunita Williams (Historic)
Christina Hammock Koch (Modern)
...and more!

I teach several Space, Science, History, Trades & Technology classes including; Analog Astronauts & Missions, Current Events in Space Technology & Rocket Launches, Billionaires in Space, Rockets in Space, Kerbal Space Program, Ham Radio, The Science of Fireworks, Historic Antarctic Expeditions & more!