[JaneYoung]

When I first joined LASA Robotics a decade ago, I met a young angry junior who had found inspiration and a sense of belonging with the robotics team. This junior's role model was Sally Ride. We spoke many times about Dr. Ride as a powerful and strong role model who had all the right stuff. We spoke many times about how that role model was able to help an angry young teenager deal with the fact that she was different and wanted to make a difference - and that it was ok to want to build robots and drive them and have dreams and aspirations that embraced science and exploration. This young teenager is now a young woman completing her Master's in Geospatial Emergency Management. She is no longer angry but she is still driven to do good things with her life that make a difference.

I talked to Kate about Dr. Ride's passing and about the talks we had during and after Kate's time on the team. I also asked Kate to share a thought or two with us about then and about now. She said, "The only thoughts I have about that time in my life is that I didn't even know this field existed back then. But robotics and my dreams to be like Dr. Ride led me here. While it's not what I thought I always wanted to do, it is exactly where I should be."

Without leaders like Dr. Ride in the fields of math, science, and technology - there can be no viable and valuable STEM initiatives. These leaders make a huge difference in our world and their time is much too short though their legacies live on.

Kate and I have both been deeply saddened with this news and it has made this special bond between mentor and student even more special as time has passed and the student has become the mentor.

Peace be with you, Sally Ride. Thank you for sharing your dreams.

Jane