18 The Courier sun • april 23, 2015 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com Briarwood teacher to fly with NASA BY ANGELA MATUA editorial@queenscourier.com/@AngelaMatua A Briarwood teacher is about to get a closer look at the final frontier. Melissa Aguirre of J.H.S. 217 will take flight as part of a NASA program committed to exposing educators to the scientific research process. The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program started as a pilot program in 2011 and flies a group of 28 educators on two 10-hour overnight sessions to observe space through the largest airborne telescope. Aguirre, a Queens native, was chosen for the highly selective program after a rigorous application process, which included a proposal to describe how she would use her experience to educate students in her home district. Though Aguirre’s background is in history and English as a second language, the program accepts educators from all backgrounds. Aguirre co-founded a charter school in Washington, D.C., called the Latin American Youth Center Career Academy, which prepares returning students ages 16 to 24 to have careers as medical assistants and IT technicians. “I was working at a school that has a STEM focus,” Aguirre said. “I really believe that all of us needed to show that interest and that was the primary reason I applied. How do I get young folks interested in these fields, especially women of color … who were the majority of the students I was working with, how do I get them involved in the field when we as educators aren’t involved as well?” SOFIA’s Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program was conceived after published research proved that educators who participate in these programs stay in the teaching profession and inspire students to engage with the sciences, according to Director of Education and Do you experience pain or discomfort during sex? It’s more common – and treatable – than you think. Sexual pain, or dyspareunia, affects nearly three out of four women at some point in their lives. For some, the pain is temporary, while for others it is a long-term problem. Unfortunately, many people with sexual pain suffer silently. Sonia Bahlani, MD, a gynecologist at the Arthur Smith Institute for Urology, part of North Shore-LIJ Health System, discusses what you need to know about this condition. What causes pain during sex? There are many causes of sexual pain in women. Many causes may be gynecologic in nature, while others may be secondary to systemic changes within the body. Infections, post-menopausal changes, neuropathic (nerve fiber) or muscular pain disorders, and dermatologic (hair/nails/skin) changes may all play into sexual pain. Pain during sex also may be caused by problems with sexual response, such as a lack of desire or a lack of arousal. It is important to seek help from a healthcare professional because many causes of sexual pain can be treated. Who experiences pain with sex? Anyone in any age group can have sexual pain. Hormonal changes can often cause changes in sexual function, but because many factors may come into play, an extensive workup — a physical, medical tests, a medical history review — is usually required. How is sexual pain treated? Because sexual pain may be caused by many factors — and patients can have varying ranges of symptoms — our pelvic pain experts at the Smith Institute for Urology will develop a unique and personalized plan for you. Your customized treatment plan could range from conservative forms of therapy to more aggressive management, depending on your symptoms. This variety of treatment approaches has significantly decreased sexual pain and improved quality of life for the vast majority of our patients. Photo courtesy of Melissa Aguirre Melissa Aguirre Dyspareunia can get in the way of your relationships and overall quality of life — don’t wait to get help. If you have symptoms of sexual pain, call (516) 734-8500 today to make an appointment with one of our specialists. For more information, visit NorthShoreLIJ.com/Smith. Public Outreach Dana Backman. “We’re operating based on published research that educators who get this kind of experience, exposure to science as it’s really done, they’re motivated to stay in the teaching profession because overturn of the teaching profession is a huge problem, especially in the sciences,” Backman said. Educators selected for the program, which have included museum dossiers and planetarium directors, also have to take a four-month astronomy course from Montana State University before stepping into the plane. “This course is very challenging but it’s compelling me to think about how I teach,” Aguirre said. “I’m having some of the similar struggles that many of my students have…but then I need to rethink how am I breaking this down for my students and is this working for me now that I am a student as well.” SOFIA, a Boeing 747SP aircraft, is equipped with a 100-inch, 17-ton telescope and other instruments that allow scientists to gain a deeper understanding of a number of topics including the formation of stars and planets, the Milky Way, planetary science and more. While on the plane, educators interact with astronomers, airplane technicians, software engineers, bookkeepers and other staff. Backman said this process allows educators to communicate to students that a Ph.D. in astronomy is not necessary to work in and engage with the sciences. Aguirre is excited to show her students what she has learned through the program and will work with them to discover what they want to learn. “There will be opportunities to infuse the curriculum with these resources and also develop after-school opportunities for students who are interested in them,” Aguirre said. She also hopes to inspire “students, especially girls who may not see these careers as possibilities, to see that they are possibilities.”
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