AN EXPLORATORY LEGACY Astronaut and UC San Diego professor emeritus Sally Ride was a staunch advocate for STEM education .
THE NAMESAKE
Not only was Sally Ride the first American woman to venture into space , the UC San Diego professor emeritus of physics was a firm believer in promoting youth science education . Her nonprofit organization , Sally Ride Science , recently partnered with UC San Diego to encourage students to pursue careers in science , technology , engineering , art and math ( STEAM ). This July , Sally Ride Science at UC San Diego launched its inaugural summer program teaching more than 600 middle and high school students about robotics , virtual reality , the science of earthquakes and , of course , space exploration .
But that ’ s just the beginning . Plans are under way to expand the program beyond summer workshops and make them available year-round at local schools and libraries . “ We want to reach as many students as we can and be a consistent presence in their lives ,” said Ed Abeyta , director of pre-college programs and assistant dean of community outreach for UC San Diego Extension .
And the mission of Sally Ride Science doesn ’ t stop at students , either . To inspire the next generation of leaders , the organization plans to empower teachers with the tools and training they need to help ignite an interest and a passion for these fields and attract more diverse students to these careers . They ’ ve already begun with a new online video series , The Constellation : Sally Ride Science Conversations , featuring interviews with highly accomplished women throughout the UC system in science , technology , engineering , art and math .
— Jennifer Davies
Learn more at sallyridescience . com
34 TRITON | FALL 2016