Kathaleen A. Hartrum
Spaceward Bound Expedition: Mojave

Among our middle and high school students today are the explorers who will be the first to walk on Mars.   Although I will not be able to go to Mars myself, I consider it a tremendous honor to be teaching this next generation of explorers.  I have been teaching for 28 years, mostly at the middle school level.  In addition to nearly all things science, I enjoy music.  I play saxophone in my church orchestra and in the largest marching band in the country.  I play folk guitar, and I am learning harmonica.  I am an avid bird watcher and amateur astronomer.  One of the highlights of the year for me is the Oregon Star Party in August.  I live on the edge of a wetland that is a designated wildlife preserve.  This affords me with good birdwatching by day and starwatching by night.  I like to canoe and hike, especially with my dog.  I am also SCUBA certified and enjoy diving whenever possible.  To me it’s kind of like birdwatching under water.

My academic background includes a BS from the University of California, MS in Outdoor Education from Southern Oregon State University and an MS in Molecular Biology from Oregon Graduate Institute.  I grew up in Folsom, California and graduated from Folsom High School.