“ThunderBarb,” that’s the callsign my staff at the US National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) jokingly gave me when they learned I had been selected as the US Air Force Thunderbirds’ hometown hero for the Joint Base Andrews Air Show. Aviation became a part of my life later than I imagined, but the passion was always there. I remember filling out a career interest form in high school and writing “fighter pilot.” At that time, the doors of military aviation were not open to women, so my path took a different path. However, as life has its way of doing, it took me back to the heavens.
This honor reflects how perfectly my professional and personal paths have intertwined, both driven by the same calling: to inspire and prepare the next generation of STEM leaders. As a professional educator working within the framework of the U.S. National Science Foundation, my focus has always been on Broader Impacts: creating meaningful and engaging STEM programs that expand access and opportunity. And because my personal passions (science and aviation) align so naturally, I often blur the lines between “work” and “life,” taking every opportunity to connect students, educators, and the public with the wonder of discovery.
NSF NRAO staff and volunteers shared hands-on STEM activities with thousands of visitors of all ages during the airshow. Photo credit NSF/AUI/NSF NRAO.
The Joint Base Andrews Air Show showed that intersection perfectly. Together with my team, our outreach booth in the STEM hangar showcased NSF NRAO’s national (and international) radio telescope networks, some of the largest and most powerful in the US and the world. We demonstrate how radio astronomy and aviation share a common language: radio waves. Using receivers, software-defined radios, and a horn antenna, we show how these invisible signals not only reveal the secrets of the universe but also keep our skies safe through systems like ADS-B, which transmits the position and altitude of aircraft in real time. Visitors were excited about this connection, and educators, engineers, parents and children learned about the NSF Green Bank Telescope, which is practically in their backyard, just a few hours from the base in West Virginia.
NSF NRAO staff and volunteers shared hands-on STEM activities, including a portable radio horn antenna, with thousands of visitors of all ages during the air show. Photo credit NSF/AUI/NSF NRAO.
And then there were the Thunderbirds. What can I say? They embody excellence. From the moment I arrived, every member of the team – the flight surgeon, equipment specialists, public affairs officers, doctors, and maintenance staff – greeted me with professionalism, warmth, and an infectious passion for their craft. And Thunderbird #7? That flight wasn’t just a trip: it was a reminder of the power of dedication, teamwork, and the audacity to dream big.
Photo credit Blind squirrel photograph.
ThunderBarb was piloted by Thunderbird #7, Lt. Col. Tyler Keener. During her performance at the air show, Barb had the best seat in the house as her plane followed behind several key formations. Photo credit US Air Force Thunderbirds.
Was I destined to be a fighter pilot, like my 13-year-old self once dreamed of? Maybe not in body, but in spirit, absolutely. That flight reminded me that aviation and astronomy offer many paths, each exciting, each impactful. To the Thunderbirds, like that wide-eyed 13-year-old who dared to dream for the first time, I offer my sincere thanks.
ThunderBarb takes off with Thunderbird #7 experiencing an unrestricted climb, where the F-16 accelerates to high speed at low altitude, then pulls the nose vertically to climb rapidly into the sky.. Photo credit US Air Force Thunderbirds.
Dr. Barbara Gruber is Deputy Director of Education and Public Outreach at the U.S. National Science Foundation, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and a student pilot with one hour of F16D flight time in her pilot logbook.
