Angelo Casaburri leaves JSC with a legacy of knowledge and dedication to educators and students across the country
2014-12-29
A JSC veteran since 1981, Angelo Casaburri has spent his career engaging thousands of teachers and students sharing the knowledge of NASA’s missions and related education resources.
“After college I spent two wonderful years teaching in the Peace Corp in Swaziland, Africa and received my teaching certificate then headed back to California to teach, but there were no jobs available at that time,” said Casaburri. “It was almost like a door closing.”
But, when one door closes another one opens. That’s when a friend of Casaburri’s informed him of job opportunities available in Houston. He saw an ad for a competitive position at NASA in Houston and after a year of gaining some teaching experience, Casaburri landed a job in what was known as the Aerospace Education Services Project (AESP), a NASA Education project that was designed to reach out to the formal and informal education community and share NASA's research, exploration and discovery.
“I was told my first teaching program as an Education specialist with AESP would be in Las Vegas. I thought, ‘Wow’ that’s amazing. Well, it was actually Las Vegas, New Mexico not Nevada,” Casaburri said giggling.
AESP would take Casaburri across the country to meet face to face with thousands of educators and students on a weekly basis. From New Mexico to North Dakota, from Nebraska to Kansas and beyond, Casaburri educated the country on NASA missions and research with model rockets, space food trays, airplanes and Apollo space suit mock-ups; “enough information to fill three 8-foot tables.”
Just as technology evolved, so did Casaburri’s role and position in the field of Education. In more recent years, Casaburri went from having a “mobile workshop” to doing more work online through webinars and workshops dedicated to professional development of pre-service teachers, college education departments, current educators and homeschools.”
“It’s been very, very exciting. I’ve met some amazing people, gotten incredible training and wonderful opportunities for professional development throughout my 34 years of service. I’ve even been to every NASA field center,” Casaburri said.
This year, Casaburri will be leaving his position as a NASA Education Specialist and the impact he has made on those he has met resounds from every corner of the country.
“On merit alone; Angelo has done more for NASA than anyone I have met,” says colleague Scott Anderson of Marshall Space Flight Center. “When measuring workload, mentoring, and inspiration; there is no one finer. Include kindness, NASA Education knowledge, and historic contribution; and I suspect we will never meet a better person.”
Not only does Casaburri leave JSC with years of fond memories with coworkers, but resources that continue to be utilized by educators today, including the Space Food and Nutrition Educator Guide of which he wrote for students K-8 back in 1999 as a Teaching from Space intern.
“It has been an honor to work with Angelo. He’s made such a difference in my professional life and in the lives of so many educators and students,” said JSC Education Deputy Manager Cindy McArthur. “Angelo is a true NASA treasure and I know he will be successful in his next great adventure!”
Upon leaving JSC, Casaburri plans to relax and spend time with his wife, who he met years ago at a NASA education training workshop. Having truly enjoyed every part of his job as an educator, Casaburri plans to, also, do volunteer work in science education.
When asked how he would sum up his career at JSC, Casaburri responded, “I will quote the Hobbit, ‘it has certainly been an adventure, there and back again.”
Ashlé Harris, NASA Johnson Space Center
“After college I spent two wonderful years teaching in the Peace Corp in Swaziland, Africa and received my teaching certificate then headed back to California to teach, but there were no jobs available at that time,” said Casaburri. “It was almost like a door closing.”
But, when one door closes another one opens. That’s when a friend of Casaburri’s informed him of job opportunities available in Houston. He saw an ad for a competitive position at NASA in Houston and after a year of gaining some teaching experience, Casaburri landed a job in what was known as the Aerospace Education Services Project (AESP), a NASA Education project that was designed to reach out to the formal and informal education community and share NASA's research, exploration and discovery.
“I was told my first teaching program as an Education specialist with AESP would be in Las Vegas. I thought, ‘Wow’ that’s amazing. Well, it was actually Las Vegas, New Mexico not Nevada,” Casaburri said giggling.
AESP would take Casaburri across the country to meet face to face with thousands of educators and students on a weekly basis. From New Mexico to North Dakota, from Nebraska to Kansas and beyond, Casaburri educated the country on NASA missions and research with model rockets, space food trays, airplanes and Apollo space suit mock-ups; “enough information to fill three 8-foot tables.”
Just as technology evolved, so did Casaburri’s role and position in the field of Education. In more recent years, Casaburri went from having a “mobile workshop” to doing more work online through webinars and workshops dedicated to professional development of pre-service teachers, college education departments, current educators and homeschools.”
“It’s been very, very exciting. I’ve met some amazing people, gotten incredible training and wonderful opportunities for professional development throughout my 34 years of service. I’ve even been to every NASA field center,” Casaburri said.
This year, Casaburri will be leaving his position as a NASA Education Specialist and the impact he has made on those he has met resounds from every corner of the country.
“On merit alone; Angelo has done more for NASA than anyone I have met,” says colleague Scott Anderson of Marshall Space Flight Center. “When measuring workload, mentoring, and inspiration; there is no one finer. Include kindness, NASA Education knowledge, and historic contribution; and I suspect we will never meet a better person.”
Not only does Casaburri leave JSC with years of fond memories with coworkers, but resources that continue to be utilized by educators today, including the Space Food and Nutrition Educator Guide of which he wrote for students K-8 back in 1999 as a Teaching from Space intern.
“It has been an honor to work with Angelo. He’s made such a difference in my professional life and in the lives of so many educators and students,” said JSC Education Deputy Manager Cindy McArthur. “Angelo is a true NASA treasure and I know he will be successful in his next great adventure!”
Upon leaving JSC, Casaburri plans to relax and spend time with his wife, who he met years ago at a NASA education training workshop. Having truly enjoyed every part of his job as an educator, Casaburri plans to, also, do volunteer work in science education.
When asked how he would sum up his career at JSC, Casaburri responded, “I will quote the Hobbit, ‘it has certainly been an adventure, there and back again.”
Ashlé Harris, NASA Johnson Space Center
Angelo demonstrates the dexterity of a robotic hand using classroom materials.
Angelo helps teacher adjust height and angle of a rocket launcher.
Angelo sets up for a school assembly program about the space program.