Bridging the gap between the classroom and the cosmos might not be a traditional career path for teacher education alumni, but it鈥檚 exactly what Margaret Catherine 鈥淐at鈥� Toon 鈥�13 is doing through her role at NASA.
Toon, a School of Teacher Education alumna who works for NASA鈥檚 Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) at Kennedy Space Center, is using her teaching experience to inspire students and teachers to shoot for the stars. The EGS program is helping lay the foundation for humanity鈥檚 return to the moon. EGS develops and operates the ground systems and facilities needed to process and launch rockets and spacecraft for NASA鈥檚 Artemis missions. Those involved in the project also play a primary role in assembly, launch, and recovery of rockets and spacecraft.
A large part of Toon鈥檚 role within EGS is to support outreach and engagement with local schools and communities. She鈥檚 been able to utilize her teaching degree and experience to help educate teachers and students on what EGS is doing, how they as the Artemis Generation can become involved, and what different career paths are available at NASA.
Toon鈥檚 journey began at age 4 with a love for teaching and space exploration.
鈥淚 remember being in daycare, trying to read a book about stars, and thinking it would be so cool to see space,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think I wanted to be an astronaut, but I realized teachers could also go to space, and I loved my teachers. I decided I was going to be a teacher 鈥� maybe I’ll go into space one day, maybe not, but that’s what vividly shaped my path into going and pursuing a degree in education.鈥�
While Toon initially pursued elementary education, her passion for learning and teaching evolved into a role at NASA. She now uses her skills to communicate the complexities of space exploration and engage with the students. She focuses on outreach and helping students understand the wide range of opportunities at NASA.
鈥淲hen I visit schools, I ask students to raise their hand if they love math, and then if they hate it, I tell them NASA isn鈥檛 just for engineers or astronauts,鈥� Toon says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 for anyone with a passion, whether it鈥檚 art or reading or writing. Everyone has a role in exploration.鈥�
Her teaching background has also equipped her with different skills that have been useful in her current role.
鈥淟esson planning and curriculum development taught me to plan with the end in mind,鈥� Toon says. 鈥淭hat has helped me when creating measurable milestones and problem-solving.鈥�
She also has fun engaging with the students with whom she interacts as she teaches them new things about space.
鈥淓xplaining to students how astronauts go potty in space 鈥� that’s always a super fun activity,鈥� she says.
Toon highlighted several resources available for educators and students interested in space exploration. These include NASA鈥檚 STEM Engagement portal, interactive games and internships. Programs like Next Gen STEM provide practical tools and lesson plans for classroom use, while internship opportunities at NASA offer hands-on experience for aspiring professionals.
While Toon no longer dreams of going to space herself, her work continues to leave an undeniable mark.
鈥淭he Artemis missions are about creating a long-term impact, not just for the U.S., but for all of humanity,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 get to help tell our story and help leave that legacy.鈥�
