NC State has joined the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) in hosting a live video Q&A from the International Space Station with alum and NASA astronaut, Christina Koch, on Friday, Aug 30.
According to Laura Bottomley, engineering-academic affairs director, the event will be centered on the live Q&A session with Koch, which starts at 10:00 a.m. Chancellor Woodson will open the event at 9:30 a.m. and will be followed by Katie Mack, an assistant professor in the physics department.
Bottomley said that during the summer, students from both NC State and NCSSM submitted questions to ask Koch. Selected students will be able to ask their approved questions during the allotted time. If Koch does not have enough time to answer all of the questions, a panel of experts in Talley Student Union will be able to answer them.
“We are having about 10 people who were selected,” Bottomley said. “We do not know if all 10 are going to get to ask their questions; it just depends on how much she talks.”
Bottomley said this event will be reaching a wider audience than just students on campus. Over 50 K-12 schools are going to participate. Different clubs and organizations will also provide interactive activities and demonstrations in Talley Student Union after the live Q&A that will last until 11 a.m. According to Bottomley, the colleges of engineering, science and education have all collaborated to make this event fun and educational.
“We will have about 500 K-12 students present at the event,” Bottomley said. “Some are going to be watching it from the live feed, so approximately 1500 students in total will be participating. We have provided curriculum and activities for before and after the event if teachers want to do them.”
Koch has received three degrees from the university: two in electrical engineering and one in physics. Stephen Reynolds, physics professor and Koch’s advisor during her time at NC State, explained why this particular event is important and unique to NC State.
“There are not a lot of astronauts, and it is always exciting when you know someone who is going to have an outstanding experience like that,” Reynolds said. “She chose to come to NC State and get a technician education, which could be a stepping stone in that direction. It is exciting to get the feeling that we provided that help.”
Bottomley also said that NC State should feel honored to be selected for a NASA live Q&A.
“It gives some of our students the opportunity to speak to someone in space, which is not something that you get to do every day,” Bottomley said. “The fact that we are hosting this downlink with one of our alum from the International Space Station is just super cool.”
Bottomley said initially NC State applied to the NASA program. However, NASA agreed to do the live Q&A for both NC State and NCSSM as a joint effort.
“Christina graduated from North Carolina School of Science and Math and, of course, NC State,” Bottomley said. “It is a cooperative event between the two schools, which is kind of neat since we are both part of the UNC System.”
The event will take place on Friday, Aug. 30 in Talley Student Union’s Ballroom from 9-11 a.m.
