Every STEM journey begins with curiosity, courage, and someone who shows what is possible. At AstraFemina, we believe that seeing real women share their paths in science, technology, engineering, and math helps the next generation imagine their own.
In this feature, former NASA astronaut and educator Dorothy (Dottie) Metcalf-Lindenburger shares how a childhood dream of space turned into a career built on exploration, teaching, and perseverance. Her story reminds us that passion, hard work, and curiosity can take you further than you ever imagined.
Former NASA astronaut, teacher, and geologist Dorothy (Dottie) Metcalf-Lindenburger brings her signature energy and enthusiasm to every AstraFemina event. An educator at heart, she was recently announced as Chair-Elect of the Challenger Center Board of Directors, serves as Chair of Whitman College’s Presidential Advisory Board, and is a trustee of the Museum of Flight in Seattle. Dottie believes that introducing girls to the excitement of science, technology, engineering, and math at a young age is essential. She hopes to build awareness and confidence that carries through college and into their professional lives. For her, STEM is not only about discovery but also about awakening curiosity and opening doors to bright futures.
Dottie grew up in Colorado Springs and Fort Collins, Colorado, surrounded by a family of teachers. Her mother taught high school math, and her father taught science and shop before becoming an engineer at HP. Her younger sister, Neva, now teaches high school math in Illinois. As a third grader, Dottie watched Sally Ride become the first American woman to fly in space and knew she wanted to follow that path. Over time, she combined three passions into one career: teaching, geology, and space exploration.
As a child, Dottie loved visiting planetariums and learning about space missions like Mariner, Viking, and Voyager. When she was in sixth grade, she received a telescope for Christmas and began exploring the night sky. Her science teacher encouraged her to join a MESA (Math Engineering Science Applied) group, where she developed a project on turning food waste into fuel. In ninth grade, she attended Space Camp and became its first alum to fly in space. At Fort Collins High School, she excelled in both academics and athletics, competing on state championship cross-country teams and earning top honors in Science Olympiad. She later attended Whitman College in Washington, where she ran cross-country and track, graduating cum laude with honors in Geology and a minor in History. She went on to earn her teaching certification from Central Washington University.
After graduation, Dottie was accepted into the Peace Corps to teach English in Kazakhstan, but her assignment was canceled just before departure. She quickly found a new opportunity at Hudson’s Bay High School in Vancouver, Washington, where she taught Earth Science, created an Astronomy class, and coached both cross-country and Science Olympiad. She and her husband built their own telescope to share with students, showing them that exploration and discovery are possible anywhere. Her creative, hands-on teaching methods helped her connect with students and inspire a love of learning.
In 2004, Dottie was selected to join NASA’s Astronaut Corps through the Educator Astronaut Program. She flew as a mission specialist on STS-131 to the International Space Station and later commanded a NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) mission. After retiring from NASA in 2014, she completed a master’s degree in applied geology at the University of Washington and worked as a geologist for Geosyntec Consultants before launching her own company.
Dottie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jason, a history and English teacher, and their daughter, Cambria. She credits Jason’s constant support as essential to her success, especially while balancing family life and demanding missions. Her hobbies include running, hiking, singing in her church choir, playing the piano and guitar, and watching her daughter’s soccer games. During her time at NASA, she was also the lead singer of the all-astronaut band Max-Q.
Today, Dottie continues to inspire others through her advocacy for girls in STEM. She believes that curiosity begins early and that every child who asks “why” is already thinking like a scientist. Her journey from classroom teacher to astronaut shows that STEM careers can start with small sparks of wonder that grow into extraordinary accomplishments.
