[SatNews] The GADGET program flew active experiments on six space shuttle flights, nine NASA Nike-Orion sub-orbital rockets, three Zero-G airplane flights and four high altitude balloon missions.
Lynne F. Zielinski, National Space Society (NSS) officer and director has been selected by the Astronauts Memorial Foundation (AMF), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Space Foundation as recipient of the Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award. This prestigious award will be presented on Monday, May 19th, 2014 at the 30th Space Symposium Opening Ceremony at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.
Lynne Zielinski (center) with NASA astronauts Mark Polansky and Sandra Magnus, Ph.D., at Space Foundation World Headquarters in Colorado Springs
Lynne F. Zielinski, a retired physics, astronomy and space science teacher from Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, Illinois, was selected for the award for her work with the Glenbrook Aerospace Development Get-away Experiment Team (GADGET) program, which she founded 22 years ago. The program enables students to design and conduct microgravity experiments, initiate and direct aerospace and engineering research, develop spaceflight hardware and design space settlements. The GADGET program flew active experiments on six space shuttle flights, nine NASA Nike-Orion sub-orbital rockets, three Zero-G airplane flights and four high altitude balloon missions.
The Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award shows Alan hitting a golf ball on the Moon.
The Alan Shepard Award is given annually in recognition of creative and innovative use of technology by K-12 educators or district-level education personnel. Alan Shepard, one of the nation's original seven Mercury astronauts, was the first American to fly in space, one of only 12 humans who have walked on the Moon and a former AMF board member. The award named after him recognizes excellence, quality and innovation in the development and application of technology in the classroom or to the professional development of teachers. More information about the award is available here.
Zielinski has been a member of NSS's Board of Directors and Chairman of the Education and Outreach Committee since 2006. She also serves on the NSS Executive Committee as Vice President of Public Affairs. She annually organizes the activities that attract hundreds of students to the NSS International Space Development Conference for the NSS/NASA Ames Space Settlement Design Competition. The 2014 ISDC will be held from May 14-18 in Los Angeles.
"We are especially proud that Zielinski is being honored for her over 22 years of noteworthy accomplishments with the GADGET program, bringing science and math to life for thousands of students and teachers through space and technology," said Mark Hopkins, NSS Executive Committee Chairman. "Lynne's involvement in our space settlement design contest has been vital to the success of NSS. We are pleased that the Astronaut Memorial Foundation has chosen to honor such a deserving and forward-thinking educator with the Alan Shepard Award," he added.
Her 32-year career as a physics, astronomy, and space science teacher at Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, Illinois has been highlighted with numerous accomplishments, including participation in the Teacher In Space program. sacrificed their lives for the nation and the space program by sponsoring the national Space Mirror Memorial and by implementing innovative educational technology programs. AMF partners with NASA to provide technology training to educators throughout the nation with emphasis on space-related technology. In addition, at The Center for Space Education, AMF offers space-related educational opportunities for individuals to improve the quality of the workforce in the space industry.
Founded in 1983, the Space Foundation is the foremost advocate for all sectors of space, and is a global, nonprofit leader in space awareness activities, educational programs and major industry events, including the annual Space Symposium, all in support of its mission "to advance space-related endeavors to inspire, enable and propel humanity."
About the National Space Society: NSS is an independent, educational, membership, non-profit organization dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization. NSS is widely acknowledged as the preeminent citizen's voice on space, with over 8,000 members and supporters, and over 50 chapters in the United States and around the world. The Society publishes Ad Astra magazine, an award-winning periodical chronicling the most important developments in space.