Lego launching set featuring women stars of NASA

Representation matters in all forms -- even when that form is less than two inches tall. Women's history in STEM professions has long gone underappreciated, but with a newly unveiled Lego minifigure set and more, that is starting to change. The new set sheds light on women's contributions to the U.S. space program. Read more, and keep an eye out for celebrations of women who have led the way in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. cnet.com - Lego fans want to see brick versions of women in the sciences, and the toy company has heard them.

In 2016, 10,000 supporters on the Lego Ideas fan-created projects site backed a Women of NASA set. Lego announced on Tuesday it will produce the set, which was proposed by Lego fan and science writer and editor Maia Weinstock.

The approval of the set comes on the heels of popular 2016 movie "Hidden Figures," which explores the contributions of black women to the space agency and the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit in the early 1960s. Katherine Johnson, one of the scientists featured in the film, appears in the Lego minifig set.

The project also includes computer scientist Margaret Hamilton, astronaut Sally Ride, astronomer Nancy Grace Roman and astronaut Mae Jemison.

Weinstock's vision for the set includes minifig representations of each woman and a group of vignettes that feature mini versions of the space shuttle and the Hubble Space Telescope.

Lego previously delved into the world of NASA with the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover set, which is now retired.

by Amanda Kooser

Read more

Want to receive early-bird invitations to our global events, custom-tailored content we think you'll love, and get exclusive access to "The World Women Report"?

Join Us by Subscribing NOW!

The Movie About NASA’s Black Female Scientists That’s Been A Long Time Coming—ThinkProgress

Women, especially women of color, do not always enjoy the notoriety and recognition of their male peers—even when they are instrumental in the scientific progress of humanity. One movie, Hidden Figures, focuses on black women mathematicians working for NASA during the 1960s. ThinkProgress has more about the movie, the nonfiction book upon which it's based, and the movement to recognize women, especially women of color, as central players and leaders in the human story. Check out the trailer here, and read more at the link.

thinkprogress.org - The movie trailer premiered to Twitter fanfare on Sunday night during Olympic prime time. Sandwiched between two Olympic events, the timing of the new trailer seemed aimed at generating buzz for these long-overlooked women among the widest audience possible.

The trailer for Hidden Figures, an upcoming movie focusing on three black female mathematicians working at the NASA during the days of Jim Crow and the civil rights movement, attacks this erasure head on.

The highlights of the space race still loom large in the American imagination. John Glenn, the first man to orbit the earth, and Neil Armstrong, the first man to step on the moon, are both household names. But behind those celebrated men were legions of scientists and engineers, among them scores of brilliant women of all backgrounds, whose brainpower made it all possible. Those women, for the most part, have been forgotten — until now.

In the trailer, a white cop comes across the movie’s three central women — Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae) — marooned on the side of the road thanks to car trouble (the alternative, one of the women says half-joking and half-not, would be to “sit in the back of the bus”). When the cop asks for ID, they hand over a NASA ID card.

Read more

The Incredible NASA Astrophysicist Teaching Kids All About Science

Amy Mainzer; an astrophysicist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and the host of "Ready Jet Go!," a new 3-D animated series on PBS; is a great example of what girls--or any kids--can accomplish when they dream and aim big. And she's aiming to help kids reach their goals and explore the universe. Mainzer discusses her own childhood fascination with space, kids' curiosity and how it can drive the next generation of scientists, and the importance of kids having up-to-date and engaging information about the ongoing journey of science.

Her focus on exploration, engagement, and changing perceptions is inspirational. Learn more at the link!

forbes.com - NASA’s Dr. Amy Mainzer is on a new mission – but it’s not into space, yet.

Having developed a young curiosity for space science into a phenomenal career in the field – including as the principal investigator on a major project to study asteroids – Dr. Mainzer has a new goal of educating children in the field and creating the scientists of the future.

As the host and science consultant of PBS’ new TV series, Ready Jet Go!, Dr. Mainzer tells me she is determined to help nurture the natural curiosity of kids around science, technology and space.

“A lot of science and engineering professionals made the decision to work in these fields when they were younger than ten – meaning that small children are making big life decisions,” she explains.

“By making a science show for very young kids, I hope we can foster a love for learning about the universe that stays with them as they hit middle school.”

The series is currently airing on PBS Kids and is aimed at children aged three to eight, with games and further resources online. Marvelously, it follows three kids, one of whose family includes aliens from another planet. They all decide to explore the solar system together, and find out about space science along the way.