If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what better way to share NASA’s journey to Mars than with a space-themed mural painted on the side of a bus traveling across the country?
The U.S. Department of Education and Secretary of Education, John King Jr., recently conducted the “Opportunity Across America” bus tour, which traveled from Washington, D.C. to New Orleans, with stops in 11 cities across six states. The tour engaged students, teachers, parents and school leaders to raise awareness about the importance of access to higher education and opportunities in the STEAM fields of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.
This year’s tour included a fun, new hands-on activity — communities were asked to draw what opportunity means to them on the side of the bus. Cue Dan O’Neil, local artisan and team member at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
While the bus visited Huntsville, affectionately known as “Rocket City, USA,” O’Neil drew what “opportunity” means to the nation’s space agency by adding to the mural. His contribution, which took three hours to complete, featured references to NASA’s Space Launch System — the nation’s next deep-space exploration rocket — as well as 3-D technology, astronauts, terrestrial habitats, all-terrain vehicles and much more.
“One of NASA’s ongoing objectives is to inspire young people in their educational pursuits, so I’m glad I could pay it forward,” said O’Neil, a technical manager at Marshall. “During middle-school, art was my favorite subject and in college I enrolled in drawing and sculpting classes. Throughout my career, I have applied art skills to create presentations, product proposals, data visualizations, and computer simulations.”
While O’Neil’s contribution to the mural helped put the “A” in STEAM education, it also shows how creative hobbies can transition into real world careers. The arts have always played an important role at NASA. The agency uses many graphic artists, web designers, photographers, videographers and more. These careers inform the public about space exploration and scientific discovery through creative storytelling, computer animation, dramatic imagery, informative posters, media products and more.
“Drawing and 3-D computer modeling helps create detailed presentations and web-apps to convey complex ideas,” said O’Neil. “Applying skills such as storytelling, illustration and 3-D modeling enables me to express strategic ideas in a visually interesting manner.”
Beyond emphasizing STEAM subjects and careers, the Opportunity Across America bus tour offered communities a chance to speak with leaders about best practices to improve access to digital technology and increase graduation rates.
“Through investment in comprehensive and innovative educational opportunities, NASA expands equality for all students to participate, including the disadvantaged or geographically isolated,” said Johnny Stephenson, director of the Office of Strategic Analysis and Communication at Marshall. “We were honored to continue our involvement with the secretary’s tour encouraging student success in the classroom and in their careers.”
Open-forum discussions and events, like the bus tour, can help inspire future generations of scientists, engineers and explorers, ensuring our nation’s capabilities for success in the 21st century.
Thinking about his enjoyment of combining the arts with technology, O’Neil suggests students, “think about the fascinating aspects of your hobbies and ask how they could be leveraged toward a future career.”
To learn more about the U.S. Department of Education, please visit:
To learn more about Marshall’s Academic Affairs Office, please visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/centers/marshall/home
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Media Contact
Angela Storey
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
256-544-0034
angela.d.storey@nasa.gov