Norah Patten facts for kids
Norah Patten is an Irish engineer from Ballina, County Mayo. She loves to teach about STEM. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths. Norah might become the first Irish person to go to space! She is part of a mission with Virgin Galactic. This mission is called Delta and might happen around 2026 or 2027.
Norah's Early Life and School
Norah Patten was born in Ballina, County Mayo. She went to St. Mary's Secondary School. Norah has loved space since she was 11 years old. This was after she visited NASA's Glenn Research Centre in Cleveland, Ohio.
When she was in school, she even designed rockets for an art project! As a teenager, she visited NASA many times. She decided to study Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Limerick. This is about designing and building aircraft and spacecraft.
While studying, Norah worked at Boeing, a big airplane company. She then earned a special degree called a doctorate in Aerodynamics in 2011. This means she learned a lot about how air moves around things, like planes. She also worked at Bell Labs during this time.
Norah also took part in a special summer school in 2008. It was supported by the European Space Agency. In 2010, she finished a program at the International Space University.
Norah's Career and Space Work
Norah Patten used to teach and manage projects at the University of Limerick. In 2012, she joined the Irish Composites Centre. There, she helped share information and reach out to people.
Norah started a project called "The Only Way is Up." In 2014, this project sent Ireland's first student experiment to the International Space Station. This was a big step for Irish students in space!
She received a special award in 2015 called the International Astronautical Federation Emerging Space Leaders Grant. She also spoke at a meeting for the next generation of space leaders. Norah has led teams at the International Space University many times. In 2016, she became a member of their global teaching team.
Norah was the first Irish person to join Project PoSSUM. This project trains people for space missions. She has done many cool things there. These include high-G flights, which feel like being pushed into your seat. She also did hypoxia training, which teaches you about low oxygen. Norah also practiced getting out of aircraft safely and tested spacesuits.
Sharing Her Passion: STEM Advocacy
Norah Patten is a big supporter of STEM education. She wants more young people to get excited about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths. She has appeared on TV shows like Virgin Media One and Ireland AM. She has also been on many radio programs, including Today FM.
Norah gives many speeches to inspire others. She works with Irish companies to help promote STEM ideas. In 2018, she was named one of Limerick's "Top 40 under 40" in Image magazine. This was part of their "Changemakers" series.
Norah also created "Planet Zebunar." This is a STEM product for children. She says it is for everyone, no matter their gender. It uses both online and offline tools. This includes augmented reality, which mixes computer images with the real world.
