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Kathryn
C. Thornton
Space
Flight: A Human Perspective
October
6,
2006
Hampton, VA
On the web
The University of Virginia serves over one million people every
year through more than 400 public service and outreach programs.
For more information about outreach at UVa, visit http://www.virginia.edu/outreachvirginia/,
an interactive web-based listing of public service programs searchable
by region, interest, audience, or type of program.
Some
programs you can find in OutreachVirginia database include
the following: Faculty
Senate Speakers Bureau
The Faculty Senate Speakers Bureau helps community and school groups throughout
the Commonwealth identify U.Va. faculty speakers for special events and meetings
at no charge. The Speakers Bureau also serves U.Va. alumni clubs throughout the
country.
How
Things Work: The Physics of Everyday Life
This searchable website encourages everyone to learn about
the physics and science of the world around them. Visitors
are able to email questions to UVa Professor Lou Bloomfield
who posts explanations on the site. Introduction to Engineering (ITE)
The purpose of the Introduction to Engineering (ITE) program
is to acquaint high school students with engineering, mathematics,
and science, and also serves to inform them about the requirements
and demands of undergraduate studies in engineering at
UVA.
Science Fair Mentoring Program
The Science Fair Mentoring Program provides guidance to children
at the elementary, middle and high school levels who want
to complete a top-notch science fair project.
Space Science for Teachers
An intensive 2 week workshop for Virginia teachers who
need to develop new knowledge and skills that will help
address
the Virginia Standards of Learning related to space science
and astronomy.
Tutoring in Science, Math and Pre-engineering
The Center for Diversity in Engineering provides tutoring
for the local high schools in science, math and pre-engineering
classes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ About
the speaker
Kathryn C. Thornton
Professor of Technology, Culture and Communications in the School of Engineering & Applied
Science
Kathryn C. Thornton is a Professor at the
University of Virginia in the School of Engineering and Applied
Science in the Department of Science, Technology and Society
and Associate Dean for Graduate Programs. She divides her
time between teaching and managing the Engineering School
Graduate Studies Office.
Selected by NASA in May 1984, Thornton is a veteran of four
space flights: STS-33 in 1989, STS-49 in 1992, STS-61 in
1993, and STS-73 in 1995. She has logged over 975 hours in
space, including more than 21 hours of extravehicular activity
(EVA).
Since
leaving NASA, Thornton has served on several review committees
and task groups, most
recently the Return to Flight Task Group which evaluated
NASA’s work in meeting goals set by the Columbia Accident
Investigation Board prior to resumption of Space Shuttle
flights. She also served for several years on the National
Research Council Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board.
While serving as an astronaut, Thornton was also the head
of the NASA Johnson Space Center Education working group
which coordinated the educational outreach activities of
astronauts and professional educators working under the “Teaching
from Space” contract with Oklahoma State University.
Videos, printed materials and live events with school children
and astronauts in orbit were some of the products of the
group. Prior to becoming an astronaut, Thornton was employed
as a physicist at the U.S. Army Foreign Science and Technology
Center in Charlottesville, VA.
Dr. Thornton is the recipient of numerous awards including
NASA Space Flight Medals, the Explorer Club Lowell Thomas
Award, the University of Virginia Distinguished Alumna Award,
the Freedom Foundation Freedom Spirit Award, and the National
Intelligence Medal of Achievement.
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