Astronaut to Speak at Resnik Luncheon

The Harford County Branch of AAUW will host astronaut Dr. Mary Cleave at their 30th Annual Judith Resnik Luncheon on Saturday, April 23rd at 11:30 AM. One high school junior woman from each school in Harford County will be honored for her accomplishments in the math and science fields.
Anne Heidenreich, chair of the event, states, "The Branch is especially pleased to have Dr. Cleave on this anniversary year as Judith Resnik was her mentor when she entered the astronaut program." Ms. Resnik was the second woman in space and a member of the ill-fated Challenger crew 30 years ago.
Dr. Cleave flew on the Space Shuttle Atlantis as a mission specialist in 1985 where she was the flight engineer and operated the robot arm as well as deploying the "Magellan" spacecraft in 1989 which went on to study Venus.
At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt she managed the spacecraft SeaWiFS project which measured all of the chlorophyll on Earth every 48 hours for 13 years. The data collected helped increase understanding of climate change, oceanography and atmospheric science.
Dr. Cleave, who is an environmental engineer, retired from NASA as the Associate Administrator for Science in 2007 where she was responsible for several spacecrafts exploring space. She currently enjoys her involvement with non-profits whose emphasis is on environmental concerns as well as encouraging young women to enter the science fields. She enjoys outdoor activities and exploring Maryland's Ice Cream Trail.
The luncheon is open to the public although tickets are limited. Contact Hazel at 410-215-4305 by April 10 for reservations.
The American Association of University Women advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy and research. Go to the website at harfordcounty-md.aauw.net to learn more.