USS Intrepid Recovered Astronauts?! Exploring Space at the Intrepid Museum

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Written by Jennifer Elliot

Happy Space Day! One of my favorite things about working at the Intrepid Museum is how often people are surprised to learn about Intrepid’s connection to space… something we’re always excited to share in impressive fashion. USS Intrepid served in the U.S. Navy from 1943-1974. During that time, it operated in the Pacific Theater during World War II, did three tours in Vietnam and was the recovery vessel for two NASA missions in the Space Race. In 1962, Intrepid recovered Mercury astronaut Scott Carpenter who flew aboard the Aurora 7 capsule. Three years later, Intrepid did it again, recovering the Gemini 3 capsule carrying astronauts John Young and Gus Grissom.  

Today at the Museum, in addition to telling these stories of Intrepid’s role in the Space Race, we also have Enterprise, the prototype orbiter for the space shuttle program. We use this impressive artifact to engage with visitors regularly, through dynamic programming such as our Astronomy Nights and Virtual Astro Live programs. Astronomy Nights coincide with select Free Fridays at the Museum; and Virtual Astro Live programs are freely streamed; both of these programs make astronomy topics and the latest research accessible to the public. In my work with teens and youth, I teach a variety of topics such as physics and engineering design principles to encourage young women to pursue aerospace at the college and career levels. This is done through our Techs of Tomorrow Summer Youth Employment Program as well as our annual Girls in Science and Engineering Day festival every March. 

I personally have loved space since I first watched Princess Leia fight for a galaxy far, far away. Now, as an adult, I get to teach about space nearly every day and I wouldn’t have it any other way. On this Space Day, I encourage you to find your own connection to space. Whether it’s by visiting the Intrepid Museum to check out Enterprise or simply taking a moment to gaze at the night sky this evening, I hope this day inspires you to pause, take a look at the beauty of our universe, and as always reach for the stars!

Jennifer Elliott (she/her/hers), Manager of Youth Leadership and Alumni Programs, has been at the Intrepid Museum since January 2014 working in various education roles with K-12 students and teachers, and most recently working with teens and taking over the GOALS for Girls program (now known as Techs of Tomorrow).  In her free time she enjoys anything beach related, quilting, watching early episodes of Law and Order: SVU, and doing FaceTime brunches with her niece.

From Renewable to Solar Energy: BioBus’ path to growth and sustainability

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Written by Latasha Wright

Why Science Outreach!

First I need to let you know who I am.  I am Latasha Wright, a cis-gendered African American woman from rural Mississippi. I was the youngest of 5 kids. My mom was a stay at home mom. My dad was a longshoreman.  Neither went to college, but they instilled in me the importance of education.  Every day afterschool, my father would ask me what I learned at school today.  I was a precocious kid who loved asking questions and determining how things worked.  I went to an HBCU called Tougaloo College.  At Tougaloo, my love for research science was born.   I spent my summers in research labs at NIH and Johns Hopkins.  Eventually, I continued on this path by obtaining my PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology at NYU.

In graduate school, I was a recruiter and I found that if I really wanted to make an impact on the number of African Americans or POC who chose to pursue their PhDs I needed to go to the K-12 space.  In 2008,  I was introduced to Ben Dubin-Thaler.  He had just bought a bus off of craigslist and was taking it to schools and communities to teach kids about science!   Of course, after my first day of teaching on the mobile lab I was hooked!   The students were so excited and that excitement was contagious.  It made me remember why I became a scientist in the first place.   The students and I were discovering together how cool a piece of broccoli looked and how hairy bees were when you looked up close using a microscope.  These observations led to many fruitful discussions and development of several hypotheses. 

BioBus 2013

What’s your Function?

We set out to test the hypothesis that if you give people hands-on experience in an authentic research environment, that will empower them to embrace and practice science.  This happened to work better than we expected.   Our mobile labs are a field trip that comes to you.  We park in front of schools and 6 classes come down during their normal science class to work side-by-side with scientists to do hands-on exploration using place-based science.  There was a general outcry for more!   In 2016, we partnered with the Simons Foundation to build a second mobile lab.  The mobile labs have extensively traveled locally and as far Houlton, Maine for the lunar eclipse last year.  We also saw that students wanted more and now offer after school, weekend, and summer programs as well as internships.

What’s next!

In May of 2024, the 400,000th student boarded a BioBus mobile labs. The desire for mobile lab programs increases every year.  We currently have a waiting list of hundreds of requests to bring BioBus to schools throughout NYC and beyond.  As a result, we are building two new mobile labs.  BioBus has always been focused on sustainability.  In fact, all of our mobile labs have solar panels and the original mobile lab used to run on biofuels. In the old days, we would get old french fry grease and filter it to power the bus!  We have abandoned that aspect of renewable energy (due to operational challenges), but we have embraced solar energy.  Our new buses are 100% electric and they will have solar panels on top as well.  The solar panels power the microscopes and lab inside the bus. 

Electric BioBus

The new mobile labs will double our capacity to bring science to the schools and communities who need hands-on science education.  BioBus will be open to partner with other community based organizations or museums to use the mobile lab as a platform to reach new target audiences.  We envision a future where every  student has access to hands-on science education through a BioBus mobile lab visit in New York and Boston.

Latasha Wright, Ph.D.,

is the Executive Scientific Officer of BioBus. BioBus enables Latasha to share her love of science with a new generation of scientists. Every day that Latasha spends teaching students about science in this transformative environment helps her remember that science is fun. She loves sharing the journey of discovery with students of all ages. Latasha is apart of the Leadership Team at NY STEAM Girls Collaborative.

 

Beyond the Glass Lab: The Journey of a Black Woman in STEM

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Written by Paula Henry

The story of a Black woman in STEM is one of brilliance, grit, and the quiet resilience of constantly proving oneself in spaces not built for us. It is a story of long nights, unspoken doubts, and the unwavering determination to break barriers—not just for ourselves, but for the ones who will follow.

The College Years: Twice the Work for Half the Recognition

College was a battleground, but not just because of the rigorous coursework. The real challenge was the unspoken expectation that I had to be twice as good to be seen as competent. Every exam, every project, every late night in the library was a silent negotiation between exhaustion and ambition.

There were moments when I sat in classrooms where I was the only Black woman, feeling the weight of having to represent an entire demographic. Moments when my ideas were overlooked until they came from someone else’s mouth. Moments when I questioned if I truly belonged, despite the countless hours I poured into mastering the material.

I was fighting for my place in a world that often doubted my existence in these spaces.

But I stayed. I studied harder. I asked more questions. I sought out mentors, built my own support system, and reminded myself that I was not just fighting for a degree—I was fighting for my place in a world that often doubted my existence in these spaces.

From Graduation to Reality: A New Battlefield

Leaving college did not mean leaving the struggle behind. If anything, the challenges evolved. Instead of worrying about grades, I had to navigate workplace dynamics where my presence was an anomaly.

There were the raised eyebrows when I introduced myself as an expert in my field. The surprise on faces when I presented complex solutions with confidence. The moments when my ideas were met with skepticism until validated by someone else.

Imposter syndrome whispered that maybe I was just lucky to be here. But deep down, I knew luck had nothing to do with it. I had earned my seat at the table through relentless effort, intellectual curiosity, and an unshakable belief in my capabilities.

Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges

Every project I lead, every problem I solve, every young Black girl who sees me and thinks, ‘I can do that too’—these are victories.

Now, standing at this point in my journey, I realize that my presence in STEM is an act of defiance. Every success I achieve chips away at the outdated notions of who belongs in this field. Every project I lead, every problem I solve, every young Black girl who sees me and thinks, ‘I can do that too’—these are victories.

The journey has never been easy, but it has been worth it. And while I work twice as hard, I do it, not only to prove something to the world, but because I love the work. Because I refuse to let the struggle define me more than the brilliance that brought me here.

To the Black women coming up in STEM: Keep pushing. Keep learning. Keep taking up space. You belong here, and the world is better because you refuse to back down.

Paula is the Operations Coordinator at IRL Systems, Inc. based in New York City. She is a Brooklyn native, with a passion for strategizing and consulting; making life easy for small businesses. She graduated from SUNY Brockport with a Bachelor’s in Computer Information Systems. In her free time she can be found reading, shopping or learning about the next best makeup product.

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