Home / Speakers / An astronaut's inspiring and winding road to space | Joan Higginbotham | TEDxBermuda

An astronaut's inspiring and winding road to space | Joan Higginbotham | TEDxBermuda

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While working for NASA as an electrical engineer (aka rocket scientist) preparing 53 shuttles for successful launches she applied to be an astronaut. In December of 2006, Mrs. Higginbotham became the 3rd of only 3 African American women to fly into space aboard Space Shuttle Discovery. Her journey is inspirational for anyone who dreams of being an astronaut. Mrs. Higginbotham was born and raised in Chicago, IL, and is the youngest of four children. She began working for NASA as an electrical engineer (aka rocket scientist) preparing shuttles for launch. After successfully launching 53 shuttles and completing a master’s degree in Engineering Management, Mrs. Higginbotham applied to be an astronaut. When her first attempt to become an astronaut was not successful, she decided to complete a second master’s degree in Space Systems.

She was then accepted into the 1996 class of astronauts candidates. In December of 2006, she became the 3rd of only 3 African American women to fly into space aboard Space Shuttle Discovery where her primary task was to operate the Canadian robotic arm to continue building the International Space Station. In total, she spent nearly 13 days (a total of 308 hours) in space. Mrs. Higginbotham retired from NASA after a 20-year distinguished career and relocated to Charlotte where she works for Collins Aerospace. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

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Speaker Joan Higginbotham

Joan Higginbotham

Retired NASA Astronaut, Rocket Scientist, Electrical Engineer, & Third African American Woman in Space

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  • Local: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • US East: $20,001 - $35,000*
  • US West: $35,001 - $55,000*
  • Europe: $35,001 - $55,000*
  • Asia: $55,001 - $75,000*
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Joan Higginbotham

A NASA astronaut, Joan Higginbotham is a trailblazing electrical engineer who in December 2006, flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery to become the third African American woman to travel into space. Over the nearly 13-day mission, she joined the seven-member crew to continue construction of the International Space Station (ISS), embarking on four space walks and operating the station’s robotic arm. Sharing captivating insights from her 20-year distinguished career with NASA, Higginbotham inspires audiences with her personal journey of breaking barriers into space and beyond. Taking groups aboard the International Space Station and sharing her lessons-learned along the way, she highlights the keys to succeeding in her missions – including preparation, perseverance, and never giving up – and how these tactics can be applied to any endeavor.
Topics & Types
Inspiration & Motivation Teamwork ESG & Corporate Social Responsibility Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion African American Speakers Diverse Voices Female Speakers
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