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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Financial aid workshop Friday 29th May @3pm Pacific for Fall 2026 #StudyAbroad in #London. tiny.cc/LondonFall2026 🔭⚛️🧪 #AstroEducation #AstroEdu

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

3/3 Courses*, instructors*, additional info & links here, tiny.cc/LondonFall2026 *Spoiler alert: I'm one of the instructors & will be teaching Planetary Astronomy, Life in the Universe, & Physics in Everyday Life - all introductory gen ed transferable courses with no pre-/co-reqs! #WomenInSTEM

tiny.cc

Home

Yes, you can use your financial aid! Scholarships & grants available. All courses are GE & transferable. Main Program Website @ Citrus College:add your name to the interest list(NO OBLIGATION, thoug...

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

2/3 Think study abroad isn’t a realistic option for you? Think again! • You can use your financial aid! • Scholarships + grants available! • 12-weeks w/all classes GE & transferable. • Price includes housing + some meals! • You and your resume/CV will stand out to potential employers & internships.

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

1/3 #Astronomy on the Prime Meridian: #StudyAbroad #London Fall '26 Geared towards U.S. students but technically, anyone age 18+ who can be admitted to a California community college can participate. Live Zoom info session Thursday, 21st May, 5pm Pacific. tiny.cc/LondonFall26... 🔭⚛️🧪 #astroedu

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Godspeed, Integrity! US Navy official news story on the Murtha's role is here, www.navy.mil/Press-Office.... More on the Artemis II mission is here, www.nasa.gov/mission/arte....

navy.mil

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

5:04 p.m. main parachute deploys (estimated speed ~130 mph; altitude ~6000 ft) 5:07 p.m. splashdown (estimated speed ~20 mph) Live coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. Pacific time; watch on YouTube here, www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfhD.... Find other ways to watch here, www.nasa.gov/ways-to-watch/.

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

4:53 p.m. comms blackout begins as Integrity enters Earth's atmosphere (estimated speed ~24,000 mph; altitude ~400,000 ft) 4:59 p.m. comms blackout ends (estimated speed ~2000 mph; altitude ~150,000 feet) 5:03 p.m. drogue chutes deploy (estimated speed ~300 mph; altitude ~22,000 ft)

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Johnson Space Center in Houston. (So cool!) Planned timeline (all times Pacific): 4:33 p.m. Orion crew module Integrity separates from service module (service module to burn up in atmosphere) 4:37 p.m. raise burn makes final flight path adjustments to position spacecraft for atmospheric insertion

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

dock ship based out of Naval Base San Diego, will provide primary recovery support, and the spouse of a currently enrolled #MiraCosta Astronomy student is one of the Navy divers whose team will assist with crew egress and assessment, and retrieval and securing of the spacecraft for return to #NASA's

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

airspace and water) will be very large so no, don't borrow your buddy's boat or airplane (or drone!) to try and get a closer view. (Plus it's dangerous - there will be falling debris!) Do, however, take pride in our local San Diego area connection! The USS John P. Murtha, an amphibious transport

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

The historic #ArtemisII mission wraps up tomorrow 10th April as the #Orion crew module (named #Integrity) is currently scheduled to splash down ~60 miles off the coast of San Diego at 5:07 p.m. Pacific time. This is too far offshore to see from the mainland and the exclusion zone (protected

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

They won't land (that's Artemis IV in 2028) the ~10 day mission will test NASA's deep space readiness w/new #SLS rocket & #Orion crew module. Go here www.nasa.gov/ways-to-watch/ for more ways to watch. Go here www.nasa.gov/mission/arte... for mission info.

nasa.gov

Ways to Watch - NASA

Live and original programming is available on the agency’s free streaming platform, NASA+. Programming is also available on the NASA App, third-party streaming services, and social media platforms.

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

🚀 #ArtemisII the 1st crewed mission to the Moon 🌕 since 1972 is scheduled to launch Wednesday, 1st April (no foolin'!). 2hr launch window opens 15:24 PDT w/backups daily through the 6th. #NASA's official coverage begins 09:50 PDT on 1st here www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf_U.... Go #Artemis! 🤞🏼

youtube.com

NASA's Artemis II Crew Launches To The Moon (Official Broadcast)

YouTube video by NASA

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Lol! I'm on my way. Hope I get there in time to enjoy it a little, haha!

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

I have a hot date with an #Embraer 175. 🔥🛫😉 CLD ➡️ PHX for @aas.org meeting. Things are slowly getting back to normal... #AAS247

Selfie in Gate 1 area at Palomar-McClellan Airport.

Inflatable smiling dinosaurs wearing Xmas hats & scarves kissing to make archway with their long necks.

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

I think ~2500ish (definitely less than 3K) last I checked but that was a few days ago...

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Omg, this has to be one of the best con overlaps ever! 🤣🤣🤣

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

There's still time to join us at the @aas.org @education.aas.org meeting, in our workshop for #astronomy and #physics #educators. Sunday, 04 January, 9am-5pm Mountain time. (There's a discounted registration category for educators, too!) #AAS247 tiny.cc/FTIAAS

Banner for the 247th meeting of the American Astronomical Society.

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

Didn't finish until a few days ago, but not because of the difficulty (it actually wasn't bad at all). It wasn't touched for most of the year. The last 5 months have been the toughest of my 53 years. Will be glad to say goodbye to 2025.

Completed puzzle of the Rosetta Stone, glued to black poster board.

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Lol, thanks! (Yeah, there really isn't an actual distinction between astronomer & astrophysicist any more [decades ago, somewhat yes]. Any distinction these days is usually about the title of your degree and/or position.)

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

My little #NASA space cadets. 👨‍🚀🚀🐶🐕😂 #puppies #dogs

Two brown dogs sitting and looking at the camera, the left one with medium length foofy hair and beard, the right one with short, smooth hair. They both sport bandanas with embroidered NASA meatball logos. On the floor in front of them are three NASA-branded toys: a bone with rubber tug handle, an astronaut, and a rocket with knotted tug rope.

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

Are you at @creationent.bsky.social's #STLV? Join us for "Women of STEM & Sci-Fi: Meet the Astrophysicists" with me, @jesstella.bsky.social, & Olivia Greene of @neuroverse-tni.bsky.social!

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

🖖🏼🖖🏼🖖🏼WE'RE ON THE MAIN STAGE WEDNESDAY AT 11:45! 😱😱😱 (In the Leonard Nimoy Theatre!) ((Right after the #StarTrekTOS guest stars & just before the #StarTrekDiscovery recurring stars!!) www.creationent.com/cal/cemissio...

Banner image for Creation Entertainment's STLV Trek to Vegas, August 6-10, 2025, at the Rio Las Vegas.

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

🏳️‍🌈🧪⚛🔭USA's 1st woman in space #SallyRide was an inspiration, enduring blatant misogyny & shattering a glass ceiling while hiding a secret: her #LGBTQ+ status. Join @astrosociety.org's livestream Mon, 30 JUN, 17:15 PDT #NatGeo docufilm SALLY + Q&A w/former #NASA #astronaut #CadyColeman. tiny.cc/SALLY

tiny.cc

ASP Event Calendar - Astronomy Public Events and Education Courses

Stay connected to Astronomy Education through the year. Register for free webinars, events, and online presentations as well as gain access to special events.

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

🧵1/4 Am late to the party but apparently #TaylorSwift is having a direct impact on #astronomy #astrophysics #cosmology. Hilarious & surprisingly interesting. There's a #PopCulture #SciComm talk here. Hmm, how to work it in to #STLV... 🤔😂 Thoughts #Swifties??? @amyimhoff1701.bsky.social

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

Love it! Where might I get one? I think I'll wear it on stage during one of our panels this year in Vegas.

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 10/05/2025

Oh how awful! So very sorry! Deepest sympathies. 💔🕊🤍

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

****This also likely explains that night's presentation by Danielle Martino and I entitled, "Doppler Shift, Buzzed" after which Kevin begrudgingly made us take out the most interesting parts because he said his dean wouldn't appreciate it the way he did.

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

has the monopoly on this one. **I write that fully acknowledging that Kevin -- and likely some of you reading this -- have long desired a "dealing with Rica" playbook. ***Ed's words, not mine, though I admit to co-opting them occasionally.

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

profoundly sad that he won't get to enjoy the retirement he was looking forward to. If anyone deserved that, it was he. I am privileged to have known him, worked with him, learned from him. My heart breaks for his family. Kevin Michael Lee, 09 April 1963 - 14 April 2025 *Ed Prather undoubtedly

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

during which he convinced me that I was in fact qualified to review proposals and brought me aboard to do so. I will miss my friend. I will miss working with him, arguing with him, killing hours in airports with him talking through our latest respective crises, whether real or perceived. I am

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

<https://astro.unl.edu>. He earned awards, including AAPT's Halliday and Resnick award <https://www.aapt.org/aboutaapt/lee_2012hallidayresnick_pr20120404.cfm> and their Dodge Citation <https://www.aapt.org/aboutaapt/pressreleases/Dodge_2016_Lee.cfm> and served as a program officer at NSF for a while

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

over on technology in the classroom, the innovative materials he, his longtime developer Chris Siedell, and their team at Nebraska produced are among the best in the world for animations, simulations, and other learner-centered interactives in astronomy, physics, and physical science

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

spent most of a week sharing how to improve teaching and learning in astronomy. For the better part of three decades (at least), Kevin and his work influenced literally thousands of educators; easily hundreds of thousands of people if you count the students of those educators. An expert many times

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

He's smiling, laughing, and genuinely looks like he's having a good time. We did have a good time. Admittedly, it's kind of hard not to in a bar where tag-team indoor adult tricycle racing is a regular occurrence, particularly since it was filled to the gills with astronomy educators who had just

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

wallet, which was in his back pocket, and he'd always wondered if he could do it. Danny and I shamelessly encouraged him to try. So he did. And it worked. These photos of Kevin on an adult-sized tricycle in a bar in Boulder, Colorado, are possibly my favorite photographs of him ever.

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

the lab door with Kevin musing aloud whether it was possible to unlock the lab by jumping and rotating midair such that one's butt swiped across the electromagnetic lock at precisely the right time and angle. We were puzzled (and a little scared) until he explained that the key card was in his

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

time but I especially noticed it when we were at the Monument." Another time, at a retreat he hosted at UNL, we returned to work in a computer lab one evening after a dinner that involved copious adult beverages****. I recall some vague talk about superheroes and then we were standing in front of

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

hole in one of my gloves using it as a handbrake, did Kevin choose that moment to very calmly inform us that he couldn't actually feel his hands. When asked "For how long?!" he held out hands that were alarming patchworks of angry red and greyish white and casually replied, "Pretty much the whole

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

were going to have to take him to the emergency room for frostbite. This, after a post-workshop whirlwind evening of sightseeing in sub-zero temps, biting cold wind, and Kevin without gloves. Only after sliding down the Metro escalator rails like obnoxious teenagers and laughing that I'd burned a

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Rica Sirbaugh French #IDIC ᐰ @ricadink.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

because of it; our friendships were stronger as a result. I suppose it's also true that Kevin had a hard time letting his hair down. But we were determined to break him. And we did. Many times. Seriously. One time in DC (when it was "freeze your balls off cold"***) Danielle Martino and I thought we

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