To Shoot for the Stars

Good job Heidi Hammel. Keep up the good work. We need more of you. Starmapping.com
has some excellent beginner and advanced telescopes for the amateur as well
as the professional. I belong to a group of amateur astronomers and we have a lot of fun together. I think the night skies are absolutely fascinating. Great job Heidi.

I salute Newsweek for bringing us articles like the one on Heidi Hammel that inspire people to devote more attention to science and our wondrous universe. What could me more exciting than trying to understand the origin and fate of the universe, how planets form, and how life originated in our solar system? Keep these types of articles coming to inspire the next generation of explorers!

Heidi's a wonderful inspiration for all who seek to follow their muse. Her zest for life is palpable; it's been gratifying to see her evolve into a charismatic leader in the travel-intensive astronomy field, yet stay fully involved in the nurturing and development of her family. Persevere and believe in yourself, good advice for kids of all ages!

What a great profile! Heidi is an inspiration for young women interested in science, and the article was a welcome change from celebrity overload. Let's hope this is a trend?

Thank you Newsweek for this great interview with Astronomer Heidi Hammel. The two big takeaway quotes that I passed on to my 7th grade daughter were, "If you persevere, the rewards will come," and also, that science is a discipline that involves collaboration. If you like meeting new people, making new friends, working with others, then just maybe, science may be for you! That's really what makes learning enjoyable, to a great extent.

I admire Heidi for her ability to overcome prejudice and sexism in her field. She is an inspiration to young women (and even young men :-) and I'm glad Newsweek ran this article. I've shared it with my teenagers and they too are amazed at what she's done and her approach to life. No doubt she'll continue to inspire young people to look at science for a future!

Joanne Hiratsuka Petersen

Great article about a genuine human being who wears her well-deserved fame with great grace. I ought to know. I had the privilege of writing her biography, "Beyond Jupiter," for the middle-grade "Women's Adventures in Science Series.' I have several web pages devoted to the book and to Heidi herself at http://www.fredbortz.com/HammelBio/

Fred Bortz

Yes, this is terrific. Heidi is incredibly inspirational and her story is a great way to encourage young people in science. The kids' Web site iwaswondering.org features Heidi (and nine other inspiring women scientists) in a fun, interactive way. They've even got comics! Thanks for sharing your story, Heidi.

A wonder article. Thank you for some insight into the life and times of a scientist.