Sandy M. Rushdan

Sandy Rushdan is the Chicago STEM Outreach Specialist for Argonne, and she helps expose students in underserved areas of Chicago to STEM topics and careers that will open up new opportunities and pathways for them. She visits schools throughout the Chicago area and engages in STEM activities and career talks with students. In addition, she partners with schools and other institutions for family and youth outreach to bring awareness of Argonne to local communities. Sandy wants to expose STEM pathways to students who are unaware of the opportunities that STEM can offer them in the future.

After earning a Bachelor’s in Education from Calumet College of St. Joseph, Sandy worked as a teacher for over 20 years. She first taught elementary students in Northwest, Indiana for 13 years, and then she was the STEM Director for five years; she later taught 7^th and 8^th-grade math. Sandy was also part of NASA’s STEM engagement program, where she helped implement NASA’s curriculums to everyday classrooms.

Having seen how Argonne had already planted the seeds for STEM education in underrepresented areas of Chicago, Sandy joined the lab to help build and maintain Argonne’s relationships with schools and other partners. She now continues Argonne’s work at fostering STEM-rich communities. In addition to her job at the lab, Sandy is also currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Data Analytics at Butler University.

Sandy is a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP). She is also a member of and the Scholarship Chair for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., which regularly volunteers for community service projects that support youth and families in African American communities. Outside work, she enjoys crafting, reading, and traveling with her family.