The fall term launched into an exciting start with the arrival of an astronaut on Union’s campus, as Dr. Sian Proctor took on the role of keynote speaker for the annual Feigenbaum Forum on Innovation and Creativity. The keynote address, entitled “EarthLight: Exploring the Intersection of Art, Science, and Engineering for Earth and Beyond,” was held in the Nott Memorial on Friday, September 12, and attended by a wide range of students and faculty.
Speaker Dr. Sian Proctor holds a large variety of roles, with experience as an astronaut, a professor, a geoscientist, an artist, a poet, and a science communicator. Dr. Proctor began her unique path with a degree in environmental science and a MS in geology, followed by a PhD in science education.
During her time teaching as a geosciences professor, she was selected by SpaceX to be the mission pilot for the 2021 Inspiration4 flight, the first all-civilian orbital spaceflight.
With this, Dr. Proctor became the first African-American woman to pilot a spacecraft, and the first female commercial spaceship pilot. She also holds the honor of being the first artist selected to be an astronaut, highlighting the distinctive blend of art and science she brings to and advocates for in the STEM world.
In a brief group discussion prior to her talk, Dr. Proctor described that she won the contest that gave her the opportunity to be an astronaut by sharing one of her own poems, outlining the instrumental role art and science have played together in her path.
In the practice of a liberal arts education, her journey has combined her poetry, drawings, paintings, and creative perspective with STEM as she worked as a scientist and professor and trained extensively for her trip to space. Although they often seem like distinct disciplines, Dr. Proctor’s creativity and openness to unique experiences combined with her technical ability made her an adaptable teammate and a pioneer in areas that had not yet been bridged.
When asked how her undergraduate experience affected her current career path, Dr. Proctor advised on the importance of making sure to surround yourself with the right people, having found that what made the most impact in her experience was gaining the freedom to explore and learn to engage with a wide variety of individuals.
“I think one of our most important abilities as humans is our ability to choose,” she added, describing the importance of being able to try different things, take on new challenges, and adapt to failures as you go.
While going to space might be an adventure most people won’t get to experience, Dr. Proctor’s visit was able to bring a piece of that incredible journey to Union.
This event was a part of the 2025 Engineering and Liberal Education Symposium, designed to bring faculty and students together to explore the importance of integrating engineering and liberal education. The series is supported by the Feigenbaum Forum for Innovation and Creativity: historically a gathering on campus where academics discussed leadership and how to better integrate liberal arts with varied studies, and today an endeavor funded by the Feigenbaum Foundation to bring in a series of prominent speakers that have revolutionized their fields of study through innovative contributions.
