Emily Calandrelli

{{Short description|Aerospace engineer and STEM communicator (born 1987)}}

{{Infobox person

|name = Emily Calandrelli

|image = Emily Calandrelli at AFThunderbirds event.jpg

|image_size =

|caption = Emily Calandrelli at USAF Thunderbirds event, April{{nbsp}}2021

|birth_name = Emily Dawn Calandrelli{{Cite web |title=About |url=http://www.thespacegal.com/}}

|birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date |27|2014|09|13}}

|birth_place = Morgantown, West Virginia

|death_date =

|death_place =

|citizenship = United States

|nationality =

|spouse = Tommy Franklin

|children = 2

|alma_mater = West Virginia University (BS)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS)

|known_for = Host of Xploration Outer Space and Emily's Wonder Lab

|parents =

|relatives =

|awards =

|website = {{URL|thespacegal.com}}

|module = {{Infobox astronaut

| embed = yes

}}

Emily Dawn Calandrelli is an American science communicator, engineer, author, and television presenter. She is the host and an executive producer of Xploration Outer Space and previously Emily's Wonder Lab.{{Cite web |title=About |url=http://www.thespacegal.com/about |access-date=2020-10-17 |website=Emily Dawn Calandrelli |language=en-US}}

Early life and education

Emily Calandrelli grew up in Morgantown, West Virginia and graduated from Morgantown High School.{{Cite web |title=MHS Distinguished Alumni |url=https://mohigans.mono.k12.wv.us/page/mhs-distinguished-alumni |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829225600/https://mohigans.mono.k12.wv.us/page/mhs-distinguished-alumni |archive-date=August 29, 2024 |access-date=August 29, 2024 |website=Morgantown High School |language=en}} As an undergraduate, she attended West Virginia University.{{Cite news |last=Gifford |first=Kelly |date=September 13, 2014 |title=Emily Calandrelli's new frontier |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/television/2014/09/13/outer-space-scholar-emily-calandrelli-new-frontier/uFPENrdORpthchyYyqYmiJ/story.html |access-date=October 22, 2015 |work=Boston Globe}} She became a Truman Scholar which led to her working for one summer in Washington, D.C. for her US Representative Alan Mollohan. In 2009, she was named to the USA Today all-academic team, won the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, and was voted Ms. Mountaineer.{{Cite web |others=Emily Calandrelli : POC, Sonja Alexander : HQ:, Diedra Williams : MSFC;, Flint Wild : MSFC;, Larry Cooper : HQ;, Theresa Schwerin : IGES;, Stephanie Schierholz : HQ |title=Already a Star, Calandrelli Tells Students to Aim High |url=https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/already-a-star-58.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323084649/https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/already-a-star-58.html |archive-date=March 23, 2010 |access-date=2017-10-09 |website=www.nasa.gov |language=en}} She later graduated with a B.S. in mechanical & aerospace engineering in 2010.{{Cite news |last=Krishna |first=Swapna |title=Emily Calandrelli talks Bill Nye and STEM education |url=http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/emily-calandrelli-bill-nye-saves-the-world |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010011059/http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/emily-calandrelli-bill-nye-saves-the-world |archive-date=2017-10-10 |access-date=2017-10-09 |work=Syfy |language=en}}

Subsequently, Calandrelli attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she obtained an M.S. in aeronautics & astronautics as well an M.S. in technology & policy in 2013. In 2011, Calandrelli was awarded the René Miller Prize in Systems Engineering.{{Cite web |title=MIT AeroAstro News Summer 2011 |url=http://web.mit.edu/aeroastro/news/enews/aug11/ |access-date=2021-02-19 |website=web.mit.edu}} As a Harvard NASA Tournament Lab visiting scholar, she assisted organizations in using crowdsourcing to solve technical challenges.

Career

File:Emily Calandrelli Zero-G.jpg

As a college student, Calandrelli worked at NASA as an intern. Her work at NASA included designing the simulation for the Phoenix Mars Lander's soil testing experiment, research on the use of lasers to reduce harmful emissions from jet engines, and developing chemical detection sensors.{{Cite web |last=Wall |first=Jennifer |title=Already a Star, Calandrelli Tells Students to Aim High |url=https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/already-a-star.html |access-date=2021-02-19 |website=www.nasa.gov |language=en}}

Calandrelli is a professional speaker and presents on the topics of space exploration, scientific literacy, and gender equality in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). She is a TEDx speaker{{Citation |last=Calandrelli |first=Emily |title=Making science nicer, stupid |date=25 April 2018 |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/emily_calandrelli_making_science_nicer_stupid |access-date=2021-02-19 |language=en}} and a contributing writer at TechCrunch.{{Cite news |last=Wood Rudulph |first=Heather |date=October 5, 2015 |title=Get That Life: How I Became the Host of a TV Show About Outer Space |url=http://www.cosmopolitan.com/career/interviews/a47080/get-that-life-emily-calandrelli-outer-space/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423004428/http://www.cosmopolitan.com/career/interviews/a47080/get-that-life-emily-calandrelli-outer-space/ |archive-date=April 23, 2019 |access-date=October 22, 2015 |work=Cosmopolitan |publisher=Hearst Communications, Inc.}} Additionally, Calandrelli is a Brooke Owens Fellowship Mentor.

Calandrelli started a career in science communication{{Cite web |last=Speck |first=Emilee |date=2021-02-26 |title=Last call: Contest for first private trip on SpaceX's Crew Dragon ends soon |url=https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/02/26/last-call-contest-for-first-private-trip-on-spacexs-crew-dragon-ends-soon/ |access-date=2021-03-06 |website=WKMG |language=en}} when she became a host of Xploration Outer Space in Fox's Xploration Station educational block in 2014. In April 2017, she made several appearances on Netflix episodes of Bill Nye Saves the World.{{Cite magazine |last=Harwood, Erika |date=October 14, 2016 |title=Karlie Kloss Is Teaming Up with Bill Nye |url=http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/10/karlie-kloss-bill-nye-netflix-show |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170716073614/https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/10/karlie-kloss-bill-nye-netflix-show |archive-date=July 16, 2017 |access-date=February 8, 2017 |magazine=Vanity Fair}}{{Cite web |date=2017-04-20 |title=Interview: This 'Space Gal' Will Help Bill Nye Save the World |url=https://observer.com/2017/04/interview-this-space-gal-will-help-bill-nye-save-the-world/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829220653/https://observer.com/2017/04/interview-this-space-gal-will-help-bill-nye-save-the-world/ |archive-date=August 29, 2024 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Observer |language=en-US}} On August 25, 2020, Calandrelli's educational Netflix series titled Emily's Wonder Lab debuted.{{Cite web |last=Fedko |first=Kaley |date=22 August 2020 |title=Morgantown woman stars in own Netflix show |url=https://www.wtap.com/2020/08/23/morgantown-woman-stars-in-own-netflix-show/ |access-date=2021-02-19 |website=www.wtap.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Emily Calandrelli leads experiment featured in 'Emily's Wonder Lab' |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/emily-calandrelli-leads-experiment-featured-in-emilys-wonder-lab/vi-BB18jIC3 |access-date=2021-02-19 |website=www.msn.com}}{{Cite web |last=Rigden |first=Clare |date=2020-09-12 |title=The TV host inspiring a new generation of women in STEM |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/the-tv-host-inspiring-a-new-generation-of-women-in-stem-20200911-p55utk.html |access-date=2021-03-06 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}} Calandrelli filmed the series while 9 months pregnant.{{Cite web |title='Emily's Wonder Lab' Star Is The Feminist Icon Your Kids Need |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/emily-wonder-lab-star-feminist-165341869.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510021937/https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/emily-wonder-lab-star-feminist-165341869.html |archive-date=2021-05-10 |access-date=2021-02-19 |website=www.yahoo.com |language=en-US}}

Calandrelli is known as "The Space Gal" online.{{Cite web |last=Marini |first=Gina |date=2024-07-17 |title=West Virginia native and 'Space Gal' is headed to space |url=https://www.wchstv.com/news/local/first-wv-woman-expected-to-travel-to-space |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829121102/https://www.wchstv.com/news/local/first-wv-woman-expected-to-travel-to-space |archive-date=August 29, 2024 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=WCHS |language=en}} She has given presentations at Google, Pixar, MIT, Texas Instruments, and K-12 schools and universities across the United States.{{Cite web |title=Emily Calandrelli |url=https://www.cod.edu/academics/academic_opportunities/stem/stemcon/emily-calandrelli.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829222135/https://www.cod.edu/academics/academic_opportunities/stem/stemcon/emily-calandrelli.html |archive-date=August 29, 2024 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=College of DuPage |language=en}} She was invited by the White House to perform educational science experiments at the Easter Egg Roll in 2023 and 2024.{{Cite web |last=Kirk |first=Sam |date=April 10, 2023 |title=Emily Calandrelli hosting Easter Egg Roll at the White House |url=https://www.wboy.com/news/west-virginia/emily-calandrelli-hosting-easter-egg-roll-at-the-white-house/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829224826/https://www.wboy.com/news/west-virginia/emily-calandrelli-hosting-easter-egg-roll-at-the-white-house/ |archive-date=August 29, 2024 |access-date=August 29, 2024 |website=WBOY}}{{Cite web |last=Rather |first=Joey |date=March 28, 2024 |title=Morgantown native invited back to Easter Egg Roll at the White House |url=https://www.wboy.com/news/monongalia/morgantown-native-invited-back-to-easter-egg-roll-at-the-white-house/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829224826/https://www.wboy.com/news/west-virginia/emily-calandrelli-hosting-easter-egg-roll-at-the-white-house/ |archive-date=August 29, 2024 |access-date=August 29, 2024 |website=WBOY}}

She has written the Ada Lace series of chapter books to introduce youth to science and technology{{Cite web |title=Books |url=http://www.thespacegal.com/books |access-date=2021-03-06 |website=Emily Dawn Calandrelli |language=en-US}} and the picture book Reach for the Stars (2022), illustrated by Honee Jang.{{Cite web |title=Books |url=https://www.thespacegal.com/books |access-date=2022-02-18 |website=Emily Dawn Calandrelli |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Reach for the Stars |url=https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250797346/reachforthestars |access-date=2022-02-18 |website=Macmillan |language=en-US}} She also authored two books of science experiments designed for children.{{Cite news |last=Villano |first=Matt |date=6 March 2024 |title='Space Gal' Emily Calandrelli to bring science, wonder to Petaluma |url=https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/entertainment/space-gal-emily-calandrelli-to-bring-science-wonder-to-petaluma/ |access-date=18 July 2024 |work=Santa Rosa Press Democrat}}{{Cite news |last=Taormina |first=Anthony |date=27 September 2022 |title=Emily's Wonder Lab Lives on With Calandrelli's New Book 'Stay Curious and Keep Exploring' |url=https://gamerant.com/emily-calandrelli-wonder-lab-science-experiment-book-stay-curious/ |access-date=18 July 2024 |work=Game Rant |language=en}}

She is a paid influencer for the propane industry, according to Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) documents.{{Cite news |last=Tabuchi |first=Hiroko |author-link=Hiroko Tabuchi |date=11 January 2023 |title=The New Soldiers in Propane's Fight Against Climate Action: Television Stars |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/11/climate/climate-propane-influence-campaign.html |access-date=2023-01-11 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US}}

In July 2024, Calandrelli announced that she will be a passenger on a New Shepard flight to space.{{Cite news |date=16 July 2024 |title=Emily Calandrelli to become first West Virginia female space traveler |url=https://www.wvnews.com/news/wvnews/emily-calandrelli-to-become-first-west-virginia-female-space-traveler/article_e4b2b01e-4388-11ef-a9c1-b338e7592a34.html |access-date=17 July 2024}} On November 22, 2024, Calendrelli successfully launched into space as a member of Blue Origin's NS-28 mission, the company's ninth space tourism flight. She became the 100th woman in space, and the 10th woman to fly on a suborbital spaceflight above the Kármán line.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-22 |title=West Virginia native becomes first woman astronaut from Mountain State and 100th woman to go into space |url=https://www.wtrf.com/west-virginia/watch-live-west-virginia-native-will-be-first-woman-astronaut-from-mountain-state-and-100th-woman-to-go-into-space/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=WTRF |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2024-11-22 |title=West Virginia native Emily Calandrelli becomes 100th woman in space |url=https://www.wboy.com/news/monongalia/west-virginia-native-emily-calandrelli-launching-into-space-friday-how-to-watch/ |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=WBOY.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |author1=Robert Z. Pearlman |date=2024-11-22 |title=Blue Origin crew, including history's 100th woman to fly to space, lands safely |url=https://www.space.com/blue-origin-ns28-100th-woman-space |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=Space.com |language=en}}

Awards

In April 2017, Calandrelli was nominated for an Outstanding Host in a Lifestyle/Children's/Travel or Family Viewing Program{{Cite news |date=March 23, 2017 |title=Xploration Station's three hour block stem programming earns seven daytime emmy nominations |url=https://impact.21cf.com/what/2017/03/%E2%80%98xploration-station%E2%80%99-fox%E2%80%99s-three-hour-block-stem-programming-kids-earns-seven-daytime |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010005118/https://impact.21cf.com/what/2017/03/%E2%80%98xploration-station%E2%80%99-fox%E2%80%99s-three-hour-block-stem-programming-kids-earns-seven-daytime |archive-date=October 10, 2017 |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=21st Century Fox Social Impact}} daytime Emmy Award for her work on Xploration Station.{{Cite news |last=Hensley |first=Katherine |date=April 20, 2017 |title=Morgantown native Emily Calandrelli Nominated for Emmy Award |url=http://www.dominionpost.com/Morgantown-native-Emily-Calandre?platform=hootsuite |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010005938/http://www.dominionpost.com/Morgantown-native-Emily-Calandre?platform=hootsuite |archive-date=October 10, 2017 |access-date=October 9, 2017 |work=The Dominion Post}}{{Cite web |title=The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Announces Nominations For the 44th Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards |url=http://cdn.emmyonline.org/day_44th_nominations_v01.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323053802/http://cdn.emmyonline.org/day_44th_nominations_v01.pdf |archive-date=March 23, 2017 |website=National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences}}

In November 2023, Calandrelli received an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University.{{Cite news |date=2 Nov 2023 |title="The Space Gal" Emily Calandrelli to receive honorary doctorate from McMaster Engineering – Faculty of Engineering |url=https://www.eng.mcmaster.ca/news/the-space-gal-emily-calandrelli-to-receive-honorary-doctorate-from-mcmaster-engineering/ |access-date=25 November 2023 |work=McMaster University Faculty Engineering}}

Advocacy

Calandrelli uses her social media platforms and public speaking engagements to advocate for scientific literacy, the benefits of space exploration, and STEM careers, particularly for girls and women in STEM. She has advocated for parental leave in the aerospace industry.{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Presley |date=2024-02-14 |title=Emmy-award-winning TV host Emily Calandrelli speaks at WKU |url=https://www.wbko.com/2024/02/14/emmy-award-winning-tv-series-host-space-gal-speaks-wku/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829233912/https://www.wbko.com/2024/02/14/emmy-award-winning-tv-series-host-space-gal-speaks-wku/ |archive-date=August 29, 2024 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=WBKO |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=WDTV News Staff |date=2024-07-16 |title=Morgantown native set to become first female astronaut from WV |url=https://www.wdtv.com/2024/07/16/morgantown-native-set-become-first-female-astronaut-wv/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829234124/https://www.wdtv.com/2024/07/16/morgantown-native-set-become-first-female-astronaut-wv/ |archive-date=August 29, 2024 |access-date=August 29, 2024 |website=WDTV |language=en}}

In 2022, Calendrelli shared her experience of being forced to check breastfeeding supplies at an airport security checkpoint, despite these supplies being permitted by TSA guidelines. She reached out to Rep. Katie Porter, who had introduced legislation to improve handling of breastmilk and breastfeeding supplies.{{Cite web |last1=Gile |first1=Michele |last2=Staff |first2=KCAL News |date=2022-08-30 |title=Orange County mom helps craft legislation aiding parents breastfeeding newborns – CBS Los Angeles |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/rep-porter-emily-calandrelli-introduces-bipartisan-bill-to-help-parents-breastfeeding-newborns/ |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Elisha |date=2024-05-29 |title=A bipartisan push to make air travel easier for new parents packing breast milk and formula • Washington State Standard |url=https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/05/28/a-bipartisan-push-to-make-air-travel-easier-for-new-parents-packing-breast-milk-and-formula/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240829233947/https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/05/28/a-bipartisan-push-to-make-air-travel-easier-for-new-parents-packing-breast-milk-and-formula/ |archive-date=August 29, 2024 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Washington State Standard |language=en-US}}

Personal life

In January 2011, Calandrelli became a licensed amateur radio operator under the call sign KD8PKR.{{Cite web |title=Amateur License – KD8PKR – CALANDRELLI, EMILY D |url=http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=3260871 |website=fcc.gov}}

During her internship at NASA, she met another aerospace engineer, Tommy Franklin. They married and had two children.{{Cite news |last=Couch |first=Christina |date=27 April 2021 |title=Wonder woman |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/04/27/1021766/wonder-woman/ |work=MIT Technology Review |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Burch |first=Kelly |date=23 October 2022 |title=The 'Space Gal:' I didn't know my career options growing up, so I'm passionate about showing kids they can be anything they want to be. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/space-gal-emily-calandrelli-encouraging-kids-what-they-want-2022-10 |access-date=17 July 2024 |work=Business Insider}}