Has Sally Ride ever been a role model or influenced you in any way? How?
I was Sally’s assistant for eighteen years and then one of five business partners that co-founded with Dr. Ride, Sally Ride Science. She was smart, an excellent communicator and a very good listener, which are all traits I admire and respect.
Do you remember what you were thinking and how you felt when Sally Ride’s first mission launched?
I didn’t know Sally in those days but I remember being very proud of her and knowing a huge door had been opened for women.
What made you want to work for Sally Ride?
She was very smart, a good communicator and listener, she was a fun person to be around.
Tell me about the role you play at Sally Ride Science and creating the program alongside Sally Ride.
I am one of the founders of Sally Ride Science along with five other friends. Dr. Ride’s sister, Bear Ride and I worked with Dr. Ride to develop the Sally Ride Science Festivals that are held at universities across the country. We have currently hosted 91 festivals.
As a woman working at Sally Ride Science, how would you say that the company inspires young women to take an interest in science?
One of the missions of Sally Ride Science is to offer middle school girls and boys the opportunity to learn and experience science in a positive and fun environment. One of the avenues for this is the Sally Ride Science Festivals. Later we published classroom science book sets for middle school teachers and career books for students. Sally Ride Science also offers summer training academies for middle school teachers and science campus for students.
What feedback have you received from children who attended Sally Ride Science events that the reason they joined aerospace engineering was because of that event?
We’ve had students follow up with us later in their educational careers to let us know their educational & career path in science, math or engineering was partly influenced by their participation with Sally Ride Science Festivals, Sally Ride Science Clubs and a program we offered for only a few years, Toy Challenge.
Do you believe that Sally Ride’s success influenced women’s opportunities? If so, how?
Dr.Ride and the first class of female astronauts influenced the opportunities for many future women in NASA and space flight. Not long ago I was at an astronaut memorial, when a female astronaut told a story of her son asking her if boys could be astronauts too.
What is the biggest message that Sally Ride would try to get across to girls interested in science?
"Reach for the Stars," these words embodied her own personal philosophy about achieving and maintaining success in life. The accomplishments Dr. Ride made in her career speaks volumes to the notion that dreams come true, first, because one dared to dream and, second, because one followed dreams with action, commitment, and perseverance.
Can you provide me with statistical evidence of the number of people inspired by Sally Ride Science throughout the years?
These numbers are estimates only of the Sally Ride Science Festivals
Sally Ride Science Festival middle school student participants/53,303
Sally Ride Science Festival Adults & Educators/6,159
I was Sally’s assistant for eighteen years and then one of five business partners that co-founded with Dr. Ride, Sally Ride Science. She was smart, an excellent communicator and a very good listener, which are all traits I admire and respect.
Do you remember what you were thinking and how you felt when Sally Ride’s first mission launched?
I didn’t know Sally in those days but I remember being very proud of her and knowing a huge door had been opened for women.
What made you want to work for Sally Ride?
She was very smart, a good communicator and listener, she was a fun person to be around.
Tell me about the role you play at Sally Ride Science and creating the program alongside Sally Ride.
I am one of the founders of Sally Ride Science along with five other friends. Dr. Ride’s sister, Bear Ride and I worked with Dr. Ride to develop the Sally Ride Science Festivals that are held at universities across the country. We have currently hosted 91 festivals.
As a woman working at Sally Ride Science, how would you say that the company inspires young women to take an interest in science?
One of the missions of Sally Ride Science is to offer middle school girls and boys the opportunity to learn and experience science in a positive and fun environment. One of the avenues for this is the Sally Ride Science Festivals. Later we published classroom science book sets for middle school teachers and career books for students. Sally Ride Science also offers summer training academies for middle school teachers and science campus for students.
What feedback have you received from children who attended Sally Ride Science events that the reason they joined aerospace engineering was because of that event?
We’ve had students follow up with us later in their educational careers to let us know their educational & career path in science, math or engineering was partly influenced by their participation with Sally Ride Science Festivals, Sally Ride Science Clubs and a program we offered for only a few years, Toy Challenge.
Do you believe that Sally Ride’s success influenced women’s opportunities? If so, how?
Dr.Ride and the first class of female astronauts influenced the opportunities for many future women in NASA and space flight. Not long ago I was at an astronaut memorial, when a female astronaut told a story of her son asking her if boys could be astronauts too.
What is the biggest message that Sally Ride would try to get across to girls interested in science?
"Reach for the Stars," these words embodied her own personal philosophy about achieving and maintaining success in life. The accomplishments Dr. Ride made in her career speaks volumes to the notion that dreams come true, first, because one dared to dream and, second, because one followed dreams with action, commitment, and perseverance.
Can you provide me with statistical evidence of the number of people inspired by Sally Ride Science throughout the years?
These numbers are estimates only of the Sally Ride Science Festivals
Sally Ride Science Festival middle school student participants/53,303
Sally Ride Science Festival Adults & Educators/6,159