On Tuesday, April 25, 2023, Hunt Library (where I work) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University hosted a book signing and talk by Nicole Stott, an “astronaut, artist, and mom”. She is a graduate of Embry-Riddle and flew on the space shuttle Discovery on NASA Space Shuttle mission STS-128 to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2009. She returned on space shuttle Atlantis (STS-129). Her second trip into space was aboard space shuttle Discovery (STS-133) docking with the ISS.
I was part of the planning team to organize and manage the event. I arrived at the Henderson Welcome Center at 3:00 pm and immediately met Nicole. We had a pleasant chat and I told her I would be photographing the event for the Library.
At 3:30 pm she began signing books while I took photos. Nicole took time to write a few words in each book in addition to her signature. She answered everyone’s questions and was happy to pose with them.
Shortly before 5:00 pm, Anne Marie Casey, Hunt Library Director, formally introduced Nicole and she began her talk, complete with slideshow. She recounted her years at Embry-Riddle, her astronaut training, her two space shuttle flights and time in space, and also her art—she showed works that she had made in space. I had a great seat at the front.
Nicole had worn an Embry-Riddle t-shirt and flew an Embry-Riddle banner into space. She’s a proud graduate.
After Nicole’s talk, she signed a few more books until most of the guests had left. This is when I got my copy signed and had my photo taken with her holding the book Back to Earth. We talked some more as we were wrapping up the event and she couldn’t have been any nicer.
She has strong ties to Embry-Riddle (an art gallery on campus is named for her) and will be attending more events in the future. So I expect I’ll get to meet and talk with her again.
