U-M student on mission as NASA 'eclipse ambassador' to educate communities

• Sophia Davis is studying astrophysics and museum studies at the University of Michigan 
• The U-M junior is also a NASA ‘eclipse ambassador’ and does outreach to underrepresented communities
• She, along with the U-M Student Astronomical Society, will be traveling to Toledo to view Monday’s total solar eclipse

Among the millions of people eagerly awaiting Monday’s total solar eclipse are 700 college students and eclipse enthusiasts across the country who’ve been on a special mission from NASA.

Their mission: to bring eclipse science to underserved communities.

University of Michigan junior Sophia Davis is one of 10 NASA “eclipse ambassadors” in the state. She, along with fellow members of the University of Michigan Student Astronomical Society, will be hitting the road from Ann Arbor to watch the eclipse in Toledo, but in the months leading up to the big event, Davis has devoted her time to “scientific outreach.”   

The ambassador program, funded by NASA and led by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, has hosted hundreds of events to teach people about the science behind an eclipse.

Davis spoke with Bridge Michigan about her role as an ambassador and how she has helped educate others in the community.

What is a NASA ‘eclipse ambassador’ and how did you become one? 

I majored in astrophysics with a minor in museum studies just because astrophysics is what I want to pursue, but outreach is a component that is very, very, very important to me. 

So NASA was looking for people to engage communities on the upcoming eclipses. So, we had one last year in 2023 and then we have this one upcoming on Monday. So essentially, what a NASA eclipse ambassador does is that it's me and a partner. And we host educational outreach events for K-12 students in underserved science communities.

We reached about over 250 people, mostly families with their children, and we taught them about eclipse science, safe solar viewing, and how they can involve themselves and watch the eclipse the most in the most effective way on Monday.

More specifically, we did this through a series of fun tabletop learning activities, everything from how to make your own pinhole projector to learning how the sun makes light to other things like learning about the solar system in general.

Related: 

• What time is the eclipse in Michigan? Where to go and what you’ll see
• Solar Eclipse 2024: New map casts shadow of doubt, but Luna Pier still in path
• What would a solar eclipse look like from the moon? MSU astronomer answers that and more

Where do you plan to travel for this eclipse? 

The amazing board members of SAS have organized a trip for us to go to Toledo, which is one of the cities that's in the path of totality, meaning we are expected to see a 100% total eclipse, so it's gonna be an all-day endeavor for sure … 

I know that it is going to be one of the most awe-striking moments of my life. I've never personally witnessed a total solar eclipse. I've only seen a partial solar eclipse, which is so cool on its own, but to see totality, I feel like it's going to be an experience that I will remember truly for the rest of my life.

What are you most looking forward to?

It's not often that you see this many people from this many different science backgrounds, different life backgrounds, all coming together to witness something so rare, at least for you know, this particular viewing in this area, like I am just so happy to be surrounded by a community that is going to be just as excited about this as I am if not more, and to be able to just I don't know witness it with everyone is going to be amazing.

Any advice?

I would say to anyone that is just off of the path of totality, where maybe you're not seeing 100%, if it is within your means, I would say it is 100% within your best interest to make that drive.

Get into a place where you will see 100% of that eclipse. We will not have a total solar eclipse in the contiguous United States until 2044. That’s 20 years from now, and so you can't miss something like this. It is genuinely, I feel, like a once in a lifetime opportunity.