Abigail Harrison facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abigail Harrison
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Harrison in 2015
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| Born | June 13, 1997 Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
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| Education | Wellesley College (BA) |
| Occupation | Science communication |
| Employer | The Mars Generation |
| Known for | Astronaut Abby |
Abigail Harrison (born June 13, 1997), also known as Astronaut Abby, is an American who loves to share her excitement about science. She is especially interested in the United States space program. Abigail is the founder and leader of a special group called The Mars Generation. This group is a nonprofit organization. Even though her nickname is "Astronaut Abby," she is not an astronaut herself.
Early Life and Education
Abigail Harrison was born in 1997 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. From a very young age, Abigail dreamed of being the first person to walk on Mars.
She went to schools in Saint Paul and Minneapolis Public Schools. In 2019, Abigail graduated from Wellesley College. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She studied astrobiology, which is the study of life in the universe. She also studied Russian Area Studies.
Career
The Mars Generation
In 2015, Abigail Harrison started her own nonprofit organization called The Mars Generation. She is currently the President of its Executive Board. The Mars Generation is an American group that helps people learn about human space exploration. It also encourages young people to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The Mars Generation offers three main programs:
- The Future of Space Outreach program encourages people to support space exploration and STEM education.
- The Student Space Ambassador Leadership Program (SSA) helps students aged 13–24. It offers guidance for school and future careers.
- The third program gives full scholarships to students who need financial help. These scholarships allow them to attend U.S. Space Camp. To apply, students must be 15–17 years old. They also need to show interest in space and have good skills in STEM. They must complete an application and get a recommendation from a teacher or mentor.
Author
In January 2021, Penguin Random House published a book written by Abigail Harrison. The book is called "Dream Big! How To Reach For Your Stars." Abigail and Random House have said that all the money earned from selling the book will go to The Mars Generation. This helps support her nonprofit organization.
Public Engagement
Abigail's online nickname, Astronaut Abby, started from a school project. In 8th grade, she worked on a National History Day project. It was about the history of the International Space Station (ISS). Abigail created a Twitter account called AstronautAbby. She used it to connect with people who worked at NASA. She wanted to get a quote for her project.
On May 28, 2013, Abigail attended the launch of the Soyuz TMA-09M rocket. Her mentor, Astronaut Luca Parmitano, was on board, heading to the International Space Station. Abigail became his "Earth Liaison." This meant she shared his six-month experience of living in space with her many followers online.
See Also
In Spanish: Abigail Harrison para niños
