School/Classroom Visits
Don visits 50-100 schools every year and is one of the best at connecting with a wide range of students, from pre-school children all the way through college.
His popular and most frequently requested “Living and Working in Space” presentation brings the students along with him on his journey to become an astronaut and allows them to share the fun and excitement of being in space.
Focusing on the thrills of launch, how astronauts eat, sleep, and exercise, the infamous space toilet, and sharing the beauty of our planet he experienced and saw firsthand during his 692 orbits of the Earth, his programs are highly interactive, engaging, educational, inspirational, and fun with a strong environmental message for taking better care of our planet. These programs can be adapted for all ages and can be presented in small classroom settings or large school assemblies.
Quick Facts About Don
PERSONAL
Born May 6, 1955 in Cleveland, Ohio
EDUCATION
Cleveland Heights High School
High School Diploma, 1973
Case Western Reserve University
Bachelor of Science Physics, 1977
Cornell University
Master of Science, Materials Science, 1980
Cornell University
Doctorate, Materials Science, 1982
SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE
STS-65 Columbia (July 8-23, 1994)
STS-70 Discovery (July 13-22, 1995)
STS-83 Columbia (April 4-8, 1997)
STS-94 Columbia (July 1-17, 1997)
“I especially enjoyed watching the faces of the children as you shared with them your personal experience with space travel. And thank you so much for sharing with our students how you faced and overcame failure related to your application to become an astronaut. That is such an important lesson for all of us.”