Henrietta Swan Leavitt (1868-1921) A graduate of Radcliffe College, Leavitt started working at the Harvard College Observatory as a "computer," examining photographic plates in order to measure and catalog the brightness of stars. Leavitt, who was deaf, discovered the relation between the luminosity and the period of Cepheid variable stars. It was her discovery that first allowed astronomers to measure the distance between the Earth and faraway galaxies. After Leavitt's death, Edwin Hubble used the luminosity-period relation for Cepheids to determine that the Milky Way is not the only galaxy in the observable universe, and that the universe is expanding. Learn more about Leavitt at:
http://biography.yourdictionary.com/henrietta-swan-leavitt


Mae Jemison (1956- ) A chemical engineer, scientist, physician, teacher, and astronaut, Jemison became the first African American woman to travel in space when she went into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on September 12, 1992. After graduating from medical school, Jemison joined the Peace Corps, serving as area medical officer. She founded The Jemison Group, which developed ALAFIYA, a satellite-based telecommunications systems intended to improve health care delivery in developing nations. As a professor in the Environmental Studies Program at Dartmouth College, she directed the Jemison Institute for Advancing Technology in Developing Countries. Learn more about Jemison at: http://www.drmae.com/biography-3-563.

NanoDays
March 29-April 6, 2014
A nationwide festival of educational programs about nanoscale science and engineering and its potential impact on the future. Events are organized by participants in the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net) and will occur at science museums, research centers, and universities across the country. Resources are available for download and an online catalog features a variety of educational programs and activities, media, evaluation reports, and tools and guides.
http://www.nisenet.org/nanodays

Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) Annual Meeting
Burlingame, CA
August 2-6, 2014
This year's theme "Celebrating Science: Putting Education Best Practices to Work" invites participants to consider how best to share the results of their work, how to improve their practice, and how to make connections across science disciplines. Includes hands-on sessions designed to practice effective techniques for sharing and discussing work. The Galileo Teacher Training Program workshop will be held August 2-3, 2014. The meeting will be held August 4-6, 2014.
Register: http://www.astrosociety.org/education/asp-annual-meeting

World Space Week: October 4-10, 2014
World Space Week consists of space education and outreach events held by space agencies, aerospace companies, schools, planetaria, museums, and astronomy clubs around the world. The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1999 that World Space Week will be held each year from October 4-10. These dates commemorate two events: 1) Oct. 4, 1957: Launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, thus opening the way for space exploration. 2) Oct. 10, 1967: The signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activites of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.
http://www.worldspaceweek.org

Earth Science Week (ESW): October 12-18, 2014
ESW promotes awareness of the dynamic interactions of the planet's natural and human systems. This year's theme "Earth's Connected Systems" engages young people in exploring the ways that geoscience illuminates natural change processes. Website includes resources for teachers and students on how to plan an event.
http://www.earthsciweek.org

Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET): Developed by teams of scientists and educators, EET is a collection of free online Earth system science activities designed for students to develop data skills. Each activity, or chapter, introduces one or more scientific data sets and analysis tools that enable users to explore aspects of the Earth system.
http://serc.carleton.edu/eet/index.html

NASA's Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Podcast: Designed to engage middle school students in STEM, NASA's DIY Podcast is a topical collection of downloadable video and audio clips featuring NASA astronauts, scientists, and engineers. Teachers and students can mix and mash the video and audio clips to create their own podcasts.
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/diypodcast

NASA Mentoring Program for Girls: NASA G.I.R.L.S (Giving Initiative and Relevance to Learning Science) is for girls (grades 5-8) and includes a virtual mentoring program using video chat programs to pair Women @NASA mentors with a young girl anywhere in the country. Applications accepted June 5 - July 2, 2014.
http://women.nasa.gov/nasagirls

Science and Math Informal Learning Educators (SMILE): Howtosmile.org is a collection of free science and math resources designed specifically for non-classroom settings. Search Astronomy under topics for activities relating to Earth, Moon, Sun, and the solar system. Filter results using parameters such as age range, learning time, resource type, and prep time.
http://howtosmile.org