Astronaut on 2019 Space Tour to inspire Mars generation

South African students and their families will soon have the rare opportunity to connect and engage with former NASA astronaut, Dr Don Thomas, a veteran of 692 space orbits of the Earth.

STEM-based educational NGO Living Maths is bringing Dr Thomas to Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Lesotho for the Space Tour 2019 from the 11th to the 20th of September. Dr Thomas is a man on a generous mission to inspire what he often refers to as the ‘Mars Generation’. Becoming an astronaut is one of those aspirational careers that frequently features on the lists of children’s top dream jobs. Meeting Dr. Thomas on his Space Tour brings the adventures of an astronaut out of the realms of books, TV shows, and movies into their real-world experience.

Dr Thomas says, “I am excited about being a part of Living Maths’ Space Tour 2019 and look forward to sharing my experiences with the learners and the general public in South Africa. It’s very special to be able to do this during the 50th anniversary year of the Apollo 11 moon landing. So while we celebrate that accomplishment, we hope to be inspiring the next generation of mathematicians, scientists, engineers, and astronauts to help us with the missions to our next destination in space…Mars! I look forward to meeting everyone during the tour.”

To date, 533 humans have space-traveled like Don Thomas to reach Earth orbit; 3 other people completed a sub-orbital space flight, and only 12 astronauts have walked on the moon.

“Do we have the next generation of budding Imagineers and daydreamers, scientists, mathematicians and engineers?” asks Steve Sherman, Chief Imagination Officer at Living Maths. “Could South Africans be amongst them? I think so! Parents, schools, and teachers have such an important role to play in gently turning children from their immersion in meaningless screen activities towards bold,

curious adventures in our real world, our universe. Meeting a bona fide spaceman can be

one of those pivotal turning points in a child’s life, where achievement in STEM subjects and

activities brings to their whole lives a visceral sense of purpose and incredible enjoyment of

being alive in their time.”

I-Innovate, a STEM education specialist offering a variety of programmes that

deliver 21st-century learning experiences in classrooms and communities, is partnering with

Living Maths for the Space Tour events, including a free talk to under-resourced schools at the Sakhikamva Foundation STREAM Lab, Lanseria Airport.

“We are delighted to be joining hands with Living Maths once again,” says I-Innovate CEO, Trisha Crookes. “Meeting Don Thomas and learning about his extraordinary space adventures is an incredible opportunity to broaden horizons for learners across the country. The sciences, mathematics, and

technology; these are subjects that open up the world for children and forge a lifelong link

between what you learn and what you can accomplish in your life.” The 2019 Living Maths’ Space Tour provides a unique opportunity for South African children and their parents to think big and entertain the possibilities of what it means to live life in extraordinary ways.

Living Maths 2019 Space Tour Dates and Venues:

Cape Town

11 September, Somerset College, 18:30 – 21:30

12 September, Protea Heights Academy, 18:30 – 21:30

13 September, Sweet Valley Primary, 18:30 – 21:30

Johannesburg

16 September, University of Pretoria, Sanlam Auditorium, 18:30- 21:30

17 September, Sakhikamva Foundation STREAM Lab, Lanseria Airport, 10:00 – 13:00 (If

you or your school would like to attend this event, please contact trisha@i-can-innovate.com)

17 September, Roedean Senior School, 18:30 – 21:30

Durban

20 September, St. Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls, 18:30 – 21:30

For tickets visit : www.livingmaths.com/living-maths-space-tour

Astronaut on 2019 Space Tour to inspire Mars generation

Mapule Mathe

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Login

Register

Related posts

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply