Barbara Morgan made history as NASA’s first Educator Astronaut, bridging her passion for teaching with space exploration after transitioning from a career in education to mission specialist on STS-118.

Barbara Morgan began her teaching career in 1974 on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana, later teaching in Idaho and Ecuador. Selected as the backup candidate for NASA’s Teacher in Space Program in 1985, she trained with Christa McAuliffe and the Challenger crew. After the Challenger accident, Morgan became the Teacher in Space Designee, working with NASA and educational organizations nationwide.

In 1998, Morgan was selected as NASA’s first Educator Astronaut, completing two years of training and serving in various technical roles, including CAPCOM and the Robotics Branch. She logged over 305 hours in space as a mission specialist on STS-118, an assembly mission to the International Space Station in 2007. During this mission, she operated the shuttle and station robotic arms and served as loadmaster and flight deck crewmember.

After retiring from NASA in 2008, Morgan became the Distinguished Educator in Residence at Boise State University, with appointments in the colleges of Engineering and Education. She continues to make public appearances, sharing her experiences and inspiring future generations.

A veteran of two space missions, including a record-breaking 18-day saturation dive, Nicole Stott now channels her space exploration expertise into art while actively supporting the advancement of STEAM/STEM education for the next generation.

Stott began her career as a structural design engineer before joining NASA at the Kennedy Space Center. There, she held various roles, including Shuttle Flow Director for Endeavour and NASA Convoy Commander for shuttle landings. She then moved to California to lead the International Space Station (ISS) truss project at Boeing and later, joined Johnson Space Center as a Flight Simulation Engineer, training astronaut pilots.

Selected for the Astronaut Corps in 2000, Stott trained as a mission specialist and supported ISS operations. In 2006, she participated in the NEEMO 9 mission, setting a women’s world record for saturation diving.

Stott’s first space flight was as a Flight Engineer on ISS Expeditions 20 and 21 in 2009. She spent 91 days in space, performed a 6-hour, 39-minute spacewalk, and participated in the first track and capture of the Japanese cargo vehicle HTV. Her second flight was on STS-133 in 2011, the final mission for space shuttle Discovery. During this mission, she helped deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module and the fourth Express Logistics Carrier, completing the U.S. portion of the ISS.

After retiring from NASA, Nicole became a full-time artist, inspired by her spaceflights. She now uses her art to share the beauty of space and supports STEAM/STEM education.

Captain Wendy Lawrence played pivotal roles in missions involving ultraviolet observations, Shuttle-Mir dockings, and the Shuttle Return to Flight, significantly advancing space exploration and international collaboration.

Selected by NASA in 1992, Captain Wendy Lawrence served in various technical roles while at NASA, including flight software verification, Assistant Training Officer, and NASA’s representative at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia.

A veteran of four space flights, Cpt. Lawrence logged over 1,225 hours in space. Her space missions included: STS-67, STS-86, STS-91, and STS-114. During STS-67, the crew provided round-the-clock ultraviolet observations with the ASTRO observatory. STS-86 included a rendezvous with the Russian Space Station Mir, transferring 10,400 pounds of supplies. STS-91 marked the final Shuttle-Mir docking mission, concluding the U.S./Russian Phase I Program. STS-114 was the space shuttle’s first Return to Flight mission after the Columbia disaster.

Cpt. Lawrence’s last mission, she helped test new inspection and repair procedures and transferred over 11,000 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station. Cpt. Lawrence retired from NASA in 2006, leaving behind a legacy of significant contributions to space exploration, space shuttle missions, and U.S.-Russian space cooperation.

Winston Scott, a retired NASA astronaut with two shuttle flights and over 24 days in space, has held several influential roles in academia, space policy, and aerospace leadership, shaping the future of space exploration and education.

Before joining NASA, Winston Scott was a research, test, and evaluation project pilot and an associate instructor of electrical engineering. Selected by NASA in 1992, he served as a mission specialist on STS-72 and STS-87, logging over 24 days in space and completing three spacewalks totaling 19 hours and 26 minutes. On STS-72, he retrieved the Space Flyer Unit satellite and conducted spacewalks to evaluate techniques for assembling the International Space Station. During STS-87, he performed two spacewalks, including the manual capture of the Spartan satellite and testing EVA tools for future missions.

After retiring from NASA and the U.S. Navy in 1999, Scott became Vice President for Student Affairs at Florida State University and associate dean at the FAMU/FSU College of Engineering. He later advised Florida’s leaders on space matters as Executive Director of the Florida Space Authority and held leadership roles at Jacobs Engineering and the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Scott retired in 2021 as Professor Emeritus at FIT but remains active on several boards and in public speaking. His work continues to shape the fields of aerospace, education, and space policy, and he remains a prominent voice in space advocacy.