Julia Brodsky is a STEM education researcher at the Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, a former NASA astronaut instructor, independent school teacher, math education book author, educational consultant for gifted students, and homeschooling mom of three, including a special needs child.  Julia's academic training is in astrophysics and science education. As the founder of the Art of Inquiry, an interactive online science program for curious pre-teens, Julia introduces students to space exploration, astrobiology, and AI to develop their scientific reasoning, systems thinking, and questioning skills. Julia is also a co-founder of Earthlings Hub, a non-profit educational initiative helping refugee children in Ukraine.  In this episode, Ben and Julia discuss Julia’s journey through space, from love of sci fi as a child, to studying astrophysics around the time of the discovery of the first exoplanet, to becoming an astronaut instructor and in more recent times helping children in the Ukraine. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsor: Dockside Vaults: www.docksidevaults.com We are proud to have Dockside Vaults as a sponsor for our podcast. Their support will enable us to continue bringing you insightful conversations with leading experts in the space industry. We share their commitment to promoting the space industry, and we look forward to collaborating with them on future events. If you're looking for a stunning venue for your next event, be sure to check out Dockside Vaults. Thank you, Dockside Vaults, for your support! OUTLINE: Here’s approximate timestamps for the episode. 00:00 Introduction to Julia Brodsky 01:16 Julia’s background in the space industry 06:15 Becoming an astronaut instructor  08:00 What is involve in guidance navigation and control systems? 10:48 Hardest part of astronaut training 13:13 The ISS - importance of international cooperation  14:33 What Julia did next 17:25 Mathematical Circles  19:24 The Art of Enquiry 23:16 Butterfly/rocket/airplane/sailboat - what’s the odd one out? 26:40 The Earthlings Hub 40:21 Ben’s final thought 41:18 Julia’s final thought 43:33 Wrap Up & Socials Follow Julia Brodsky Founder,  Earthlings Hub, an educational non-profit for refugee kids Founder, Art of Inquiry, STEM classes and outreach Research Scientist, Blue Marble Institute of Science Contributing Writer, Forbes and Medium  Astrobiology: https://juliabrodsky.medium.com/educating-the-citizens-of-the-universe-a8130a61c359 Stay connected with us! Use #Astroben across various social media platforms to engage with us! (NEW - YOUTUBE): www.youtube.com/@astrobenpodcast Website: www.astroben.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astrobenpodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Gambleonit LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/astrobenpodcast/