Utah
Utah teacher hopes to inspire students with her journey to the edge of space
Tutorial support Rebecca Watson, left, and science instructor Jennifer Muir, proper, work with eighth graders at Draper Park Center Faculty on Friday. Muir, who was chosen to attend a prestigious NASA-affiliated instructor coaching program that features a flight to the stratosphere, leaves Monday, Sept. 12, for the five-day journey. (Laura Seitz, Deseret Information)
Estimated learn time: 4-5 minutes
DRAPER — Jennifer Muir did not know that her lifelong aspirations to develop into a instructor would ultimately take her to the sting of house.
“I wasn’t set on science until I began going to school,” mentioned Muir, a science instructor at Draper Park Center Faculty. “I took a geology class for my bodily science requirement and completely beloved it and majored in earth science schooling — greatest resolution I’ve ever made.”
Muir was chosen in December to attend a prestigious NASA-affiliated instructor coaching program that features a journey to the stratosphere aboard the world’s largest flying observatory, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA.
She discovered about this system final 12 months after Canyons Faculty District academics Milo Maughan, who now works on the Utah State Workplace of Schooling, and Hillcrest’s Clief Castleton obtained their flight jackets from NASA.
“I did not suppose it was open to center college science academics, so after I discovered it was via our district science specialist, I used to be like, ‘Effectively, I’ll apply as a result of the worst they will inform me isn’t any,’” Muir mentioned.
Besides they did not say no and Muir joined a listing of 24 different academics throughout the nation who can be embarking on the journey together with her as airborne astronomy ambassadors. She is the one instructor from the Beehive State on this 12 months’s program.
The group consists of Ok-12 academics and group faculty instructors from throughout the nation.
{Qualifications} to develop into an envoy embrace not less than three years of instructing expertise in such topics as bodily science, earth and house science, astronomy, astrobiology or built-in science. Academics additionally should be scheduled to steer physics and astronomy within the coming years.
Muir was at IKEA when she discovered she had been chosen.
“I used to be freaking out,” she mentioned. “I used to be pulling up the affirmation electronic mail for the (IKEA) pickup and that is after I noticed the e-mail that I would been chosen.”
Whereas many have assumed that Muir can be going all the way in which to house, she is fast to dispel this notion (she is a science instructor, in any case).
“It is a Boeing 747 referred to as SOFIA. It flies within the stratosphere so it goes greater than common planes however it’s not really going to house,” Muir mentioned.
Nonetheless, the chance is as soon as in a lifetime.
“It’ll be superb as a result of it is received an enormous telescope on it and also you fly at evening and also you’re flying with these superb analysis scientists,” Muir mentioned. “The telescope opens up and also you get to be there whereas stay knowledge is available in.”
Muir mentioned she does not know precisely what her position can be whereas on board fairly but, however acknowledged that she’s going to “assist with no matter they need assistance with.”
Apart from her upcoming journey being an unbelievable particular person expertise, Muir is keen to take what she learns aboard the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy and produce it again to her center college college students.
“In eighth grade science, we study gentle and sound and particularly the electromagnetic spectrum. So instructing the youngsters that not all gentle is seen with the human eye,” Muir mentioned. “This telescope really makes use of infrared or thermal vitality to gather photos and knowledge, so I am going to get to point out them a few of the discoveries made utilizing different wavelengths of sunshine moreover simply the seen gentle that the human eye can see.”
Ambassadors are also given curriculum and tools to bolster the classroom expertise after they return from a weeklong immersive coaching.
She mentioned that she hopes her expertise and instructing type will affect some college students right into a STEM profession.
“Clearly I am proud of no matter they select as a profession, but when they select STEM, it makes me joyful,” she mentioned. “The truth that I get this chance, to me, is a large thanks for doing my job and doing my job nicely.”
Muir leaves for her five-day journey on Monday, and whereas most individuals would understandably have some jitters main as much as a visit of this magnitude, Muir is able to go.
“I am probably not one to say no if I’ve a chance to do one thing,” Muir mentioned. “I would not say I am nervous, I am excited to take again what I study to my college students however I am additionally simply excited to have the expertise.”