Mentor Bios

Learn more about our mentors. 

Tracy Thomas: Team official/Lead Educator/Rocket and Outreach Mentor

    Mrs. Thomas is KSAT’s eighth grade Concepts of Engineering and High-Powered Rocketry instructor. She obtained her Bachelors of Science in Biology at the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1998. Mrs. Thomas taught elementary science and math in Judson ISD for five years. Wanting to teach a more advanced student, she obtained her middle school science certification. This is her 12th year with the KSAT program. Having grown up right across the street from NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, she has had a long-standing interest in the field of aerospace science. Mrs. Thomas is also the Science UIL coach for 6th, 7th and 8th grade. She has presented at the Challenger Learning Center's Annual Conference in Houston and at the Space Exploration Educators Conference at NASA - Johnson Space Center. Mrs. Thomas obtained her NAR level 1 High-Powered Rocketry certification in the summer of 2007 and her level 2 certification in the spring of 2014. In May 2015, she obtained her Technology Education 6-12 certificate.

Stephen Watson

    Mr. Watson is the Director of the Krueger School of Applied Technology (KSAT). Mr. Watson graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene with a Bachelor's Degree in Education with emphasis in Math and Computer Science. He received his Master's Degree in Educational Administration from Southwest Texas State (now Texas State University). He is currently working on a doctorate in Educational Administration at Texas A&M College Station.

    His career in education began teaching 6th grade math at Madison Middle School in Abilene, Texas. After moving to San Antonio, Mr. Watson taught math at Eisenhower Middle School for eight years. He taught all levels of math while at Eisenhower, including GT at the 6th and 8th grades. Because of his background in technology, Mr. Watson was selected to open Reagan High School to teach SATEC Algebra I. San Antonio Technology in Education Coalition (SATEC ) was a partnership in the late 90's between several districts in San Antonio to integrate technology into mathematics instruction. Mr. Watson's administrative career started the next year at Reagan High School. After four years, Mr. Watson also worked as Assistant Principal at MacArthur and Lee High Schools. Most recently, Mr. Watson has been principal at Bernard Harris Middle School.

Sabine Haschke: Safety and  Outreach Mentor

Ms. Haschke was born and raised in Germany but San Antonio has been her home for the last 20 years. She graduated from UTSA and UTHSC with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and Clinical Laboratory Science. She has a love for science and enjoys teaching it. She worked for the TX Health and Human Services Commission for 5 years, as well. This is her 11th year here at Krueger Middle School and she truly enjoys being part of the 6K Team. She obtained her level 1 "High Powered Rocketry" certification during the summer of 2009. As of 03/06/2010, she is

now certified to operate a HAM Radio at the Technician level. She obtained her level 2 "High Powered Rocketry" certification in 2015.

Donald Cosgrove: Rocket and Payload Mentor/NAR and TRA Mentor

    Born Dec 10, 1944, he worked for the US Air Force for 45 years in medical research –  and is currently retired. Master of Science in Mathematics and Systems Design University of Texas at San Antonio – 1976. Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, St Mary’s University in San Antonio. Level 3 Member of Tripoli Rocket Association since about 1990 and member of National Association Rocketry since 2014. 

    He has been in hobby rocketry since the age of 6. His first interest was in fuels as there were very few vendors of rocket motors in the 1950s. He made black power motors with clay nozzles which were sometimes successful, sometimes not. This was under the supervision of his dad. He left the hobby when he entered High School and then came back to it during his undergraduate years. After discovering high power rocketry, his interest reignited and he began to fly with the San Antonio Rocket Society, he is still a member. He is currently interested in core design for solid rocket motors. In particular, controlling burn surface during the motor burn to achieve a predetermined thrust profile. He has written a paper on this topic which was published in Rockets Magazine. He is currently working on another paper, in which the details of the design of a solid fuel motor that delivers a large and increasing thrust during the first part of the burn and then delivers thrust that is about 30% of the maximum for about 12 seconds is the focus. Total burn time is 13 seconds and total thrust is in the L thrust range. These motors have been built and tested. These are all geometric applications and are independent of the fuel chemistry.