Scientists with Long Island ties say astronaut Sally Ride was a 'role model' 

Sally Ride’s first flight in space 40 years ago Sunday broke barriers and inspired a generation of women to pursue careers in science — including three with Long Island ties.

During her career, Ride often spoke about how young women who were interested in science technology, engineering and math were often discouraged from entering those fields.

“At a time when national needs are unmet, we are losing large numbers of girls who wanted to enter technical fields,” Ride wrote in 2000 as part of her Imaginary Lines project to expand STEM education for young women.

Newsday spoke with three scientists, including those working at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Hofstra University and a Long Island native working as a NASA solar system ambassador, who say Ride's efforts helped propel them into their own careers. 

Jayma Koval, solar system ambassador

Jayma Koval, 44, who works as a research associate at Georgia Tech, grew up in Brookhaven idolizing Sally Ride after reading her book, “To Space and Back,” about life in space aboard the space shuttle.

“She was always just a role model to me as a young girl interested in science,” Koval said. “She gave girls representation for being in science. That flight was everything for girls, and her career was devoted to equity and inclusion.”

Koval previously taught middle school science in Hicksville and now works to expand STEM education and volunteered for NASA’s Solar System Ambassadors program to bring NASA scientists and engineers into the classroom.

“Even now, representation is everything for children and seeing people that look like you and sound like you,” Koval said. “To see women doing things in space shows you belong.”

Gozde Ustuner, Brookhaven researcher

Gozde Ustuner, 33, works as a doctoral researcher studying hydrogen fuel cells. She said she moved to Iowa from Turkey and then studied at New York University and Stony Brook University and is now working on her doctorate at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

She said she always wanted to be an engineer or a scientist and grew up following notable women in science like Sally Ride. She vowed to be persistent in standing out in her engineering classes among other men.

“Considering this is a male-dominated field, Sally Ride wasn’t afraid to step into something that hadn’t been done before by a woman, and today I believe that if she could travel in space 40 years ago, there is no boundaries on what I can achieve,” Ustuner said. “It’s essential for young girls to have successful women engineers and scientists to look up to, hear their stories to see and recognize the positive impact they’re having on the world and become encouraged to do the same.”

Christina Lacey, Hofstra professor

Hofstra University professor Christina Lacey, 53, serves as the chair of the university’s physics and astronomy department and said women in science owed a lot to Ride.

Lacey said Ride faced great adversity as the first woman in space, overcoming obstacles and making woman more accepted in physics and other scientific fields where it eventually became commonplace.

She noted Ride paved the way for Long Island’s own astronaut, Jasmin Moghbeli, training for NASA’s Artemis mission to connect to the International Space Station and land a woman on the moon.

“When you see people who look like you, you think, ‘I can do the job’ and don’t worry about do I belong. We all hope we get to that point not worrying about do I belong here,” Lacey said.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.