Holtsville Resident Will Fly With NASA

NASA has selected just 26 educators from across the country to participate in research flights aboard the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, and one Holtsville resident who teams science in Southampton is among them.

Ryan Munkwitz, of Holtsville, who teaches earth science at Southampton Intermediate School and astronomy at Southampton High School, as well as John Walsh, of Coram, an earth science and physical science teacher at the Intermediate School, will be Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors. They will work with a NASA astrophysicist to conduct experiments on SOFIA, a modified 747 with an astronomy research station inside that flies at an altitude of 45,000 feet — higher than most civilians ever get to go. And when they return to Southampton, their students will help analyze the data they collected.

Walsh and Munkwitz will fly twice, for 10 hours each time, observing black holes, quasars and other celestial bodies.

Astronomer Dana Backman said in a NASA statement that educators who applied to the ambassador program described how they would take what they learn from SOFIA back to their classrooms and communities to promote literacy in science, technology, engineering and math.

"Selection for this unique opportunity is truly an honor for the educators, as well as for their local schools and science centers," Backman said.

“I got interested in SOFIA as soon as I heard they were doing it, and I thought it was remarkable what they were doing,” Walsh said.

Walsh has worked with NASA before, teaching workshops for other educators, and even had an experiment he designed conducted on the International Space Station in 2000. He explained that he wanted to test his hypothesis that radiation in space is detrimental to astronauts’ eyesight, noting that airline pilots and astronauts have higher instances of cataracts.  He called the experiment, “Houston, We Have Eye Problem.”

His students dissected cow and sheep eyes to remove the lenses. The lenses were tested to determine how much light passes through them, then astronauts exposed them to radiation in space. When the lenses were tested again, Walsh’s hypothesis was proven, he said — less light passed through.

“I’m really glad to be working with John,” Munkwitz said. “So many doors are opening now.”

Munkwitz said he believes that Southampton High School having its own planetarium — which is slated to get an upgrade in the coming months as part of a bond resolution — was also a factor in his being selected for the ambassador program.

Walsh and Munkwitz do not know the exact date they will be traveling to the Dryden Flight Research Center in Palmdale, Calif., for their research mission, but are already undertaking online courses to help prepare them.

Walsh said it is important for students to see teachers go out and conduct research themselves, to which Munkwitz agreed and said he believes their time with NASA will inspire students back in Southampton to become the scientists of the future.