Astronaut Wendy Lawrence

Last month we had the great opportunity to see retired astronaut Wendy Lawrence speak live, and she did not let us down.  She spent about an hour discussing the different aspects of traveling to and working in space, as well as spending time discussing how she came to be an astronaut.  She pointed out several times how people around her, as she was training to be an astronaut, did not look like her.  What she meant by this is that everyone around her was a man.  There were very, very few women in her math, science, and engineering courses.  There were very few women in her naval academy class.  Her class was just the second class to allow women.  And in the astronaut training program she was one of just a very few women. 

Retired astronaut Wendy Lawrence

She offered great advice to those seeking to be an astronaut and those seeking to get involved in science.  The steps that it takes to reach your destination are often difficult and filled with obstacles.  To get through these obstacles you need to continue to work hard, but also talk to others and seek out friends you can confide in.  No one can do it alone.  She shared the story of her first calculus test at MIT and how she failed it and failed it badly.  It was a wake-up call for her and she sought out help from her professor.  This resonated with me as I failed my first classical mechanics test in graduate school.  I clearly remember the score of a 6/30 which was not even close to passing.  It was a wake-up call to me that if I wanted to succeed in grad school, much greater effort was needed on my part, in addition to seeking help from others.  In case your wondering, I did put in greater effort, scored a 26/30 on the second test and earned my Ph.D. in Astrophysics.  But it wasn't smooth sailing.  

I was so glad my wife and I had the opportunity to take our kids to hear Wendy Lawrence speak.  It was great to hear about her experiences in space, but even better to hear from her that everyone struggles.  No one is perfect and no one can do it alone.  Great advice!  She also took questions for another hour after her talk and not once seemed annoyed nor did she hurry any of the questions.  Many of the questions were from young children who struggled formulating their thoughts in front of a microphone.  She remained very patient and answered all questions fully.  A great public speaker!!!  

NASA astronauts speak all over the country.  You probably don't have to look far to find one speaking near you.  If you have the opportunity to attend, do so!  It will be a great experience for you and your kids!