As two women make history in space, many on earth are celebrating yet another leap forward for girls and women in STEM fields.
For mom Gia LaRoche, a trip to COSI is more about killing time on a day off school.
“It keeps everything fresh and it keeps them wanting to keep learning,” LaRoche said.
For the Westerville mom, the trip to the science museum is just the first step in instilling a love of science, a love being seen worldwide as two female astronauts work on the International Space Station.
“These two gals going out on the space walk... I just say, 'Of course,'” said Dr. Kathryn Sullivan.
Sullivan is no stranger to reaching for the stars. In 1984, she became the first American woman to walk in space. She says the latest walk is significant because of gaps that still exist in STEM fields, including aeronautics.
“The number of women still in the astronaut core is still small, the proportion of the astronauts over the two space walks is also still small,” Sullivan said. “It is kind of a narrow little gap to get space suit qualified as a woman.”
She says as Christina Koch and Jessica Meir continue to break barriers; it reminds us that anything is possible.
“I hope it's opening eyes and opening minds of young girls.”