NASA veteran visits B-A to talk about careers and space travel
B-A alum Jeff Angermeier has worked at NASA for almost 30 years
Jeff Angermeier talks to high school students.
October 2, 2015
Sophomore Jack Showalter beside model rocket.
A man who makes his living as an operations manager for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration spoke to B-A middle and high school students Wednesday and let them know NASA is looking for bright young minds.
Jeff Angermeier, a Bellwood-Antis graduate of the class of 1983, said the creative teachers that made it fun to learn at Bellwood helped prepare Mr. Angermeir for the future. He said, “It set me up for college and gave me a lot of preparation.”
He went on to study electrical engineering at Penn State University and graduated in 1987. Out of college he went to work at the Air Force next to NASA headquarters in Florida and one day walked over to NASA and said he was looking for a job. Now he is a Senior Program Planning Manager at NASA and helping to find life on Mars.
Mr. Angermeier started off his presentation by showing a video about NASA. He then wowed the audience when he began to discuss that NASA is trying to send astronauts to Mars, hopefully within the next 20 years, he said.
NASA is doing this because there are resources we could use on Mars and the Earth’s population keeps increasing. Also he said that commercial space travel could become available in the future.
Mr. Angermeier began giving career advice to students. He told students that no matter what you go into there are many ways that you can apply your skills at NASA. Some of his suggestions: don’t be narrow, keep your options open, and find a general idea.
He also said, “Once you get your degree the sky’s the limit.”
B-A principal Mr. Schreier, who introduced the assembly and connected it to the Bellwood-Antis mission statement, was impressed with Mr. Agermerier’s presentation.
“Mr. Angermeier did a great job presenting NASA’s new goals, as well as the many career opportunities available at NASA,” he said.
Mr. Angermeier said it’s important to talk to students because we are the next generation and getting involved in STEM is critical. He said, “We as a program need to do more to reach out to students and tell them that what they’re doing.”
