2008 Woodie Awards
Astronaut lands at Towson
New academy, led by NASA astronaut, aims to increase interest in science among students in Baltimore area
Sharon Leff
News | 9/23/07
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Thomas started as director of the Willard Hackerman Academy of Mathematics and Science in the Jess and Mildred Fisher College of Science and Mathematics Aug. 1.
Hackerman, president and CEO of Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., donated $1 million to start the Academy in June 2006.
The goal of the academy is to increase student's interest in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) while at the same time, exposing them to Towson University.
Thomas, who was an astronaut and engineer at NASA for 20 years, orbited the Earth 600 times during his missions and conducted science experiments.
"Astronauts struggle with what they're going to do when they retire. I wanted to work in a university, working with kids, the next generation," Thomas said.
He first got interested in space when he was six years old when the first American was sent into space. He remembers watching it on black and white TV and knowing right then that he wanted to go into space.
"I wanted to see what floating in space is like for my own. I want to see the sun rise and the sun set from space," Thomas said.
He now hopes to translate that love of space and science to students. Thomas said the state of Maryland is in need of more math and science majors in part because of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC).
One of the initiatives in Towson's 2010 plan is to "develop and implement a plan to meet the growing need for science and mathematics teachers in our region."
Thomas said he will be creating programs for middle school and high school level students to get them involved.
"For the middle school kids we're going to show them math and science are fun. You can have a good time doing them, it's interesting," he said.
For the high school students, Thomas wants to get them working in labs on Towson's campus so they can see the research faculty are involved in.
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