A University of Maryland alumna was one of the Falcon 9 crew members who blasted to the International Space Station last March—and writer Annie Krakower interviewed her as she encircled the Earth at 17,000 mph just two days later. Jeanette Epps M.S. ’94, Ph.D. ’00, a NASA astronaut since 2009, became just the second Black woman to join the ISS crew. By coordinating with our engineering school and NASA, Krakower was able to share Epps’s insights before and—notably—during orbit as she settled into her home 250 miles away and began conducting six months of scientific experiments. The article, with a photo of and links to a video of Epps in space, appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of Terp magazine, mailed to 108,000 alumni. The online version embedded the video—fun for social posts. Both celebrated the achievements and impact of an outstanding graduate, who returned to campus in November, just a week after splash-landing back on Earth, to accept the alumni association’s President’s Award.
From the Judges
This entry left many of us thinking about it for days after reading it. The story, which was partially completed via interviews in space, is the epitome of an incredibly well written profile. It not only tells the story of the alumnus, but sucks the reader in with its research and details.
