About Me

Hi, I’m Domina Stamas, a high school physics and astronomy teacher who believes science is meant to be explored, questioned, and experienced—not just read about in a textbook.

I love creating hands-on learning experiences that help students connect the physics they learn in class to the world around them. Whether we’re investigating motion, exploring the night sky, building an engineering project, or solving a real-world challenge, my goal is to give students opportunities to be curious, take risks, make mistakes, and figure things out for themselves.

My passion for space has taken me well beyond the classroom. I’ve participated in NASA professional development programs, Space Camp for Educators, the NASA Space Exploration Educators Conference, and NASA’s SOFIA Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors program. I’ve also trained and participated as an analog astronaut, including taking part in a simulated lunar mission where I experienced the challenges of living and working in a space habitat. These experiences have given me a unique perspective that I love bringing back to my students.

One of my favorite parts of teaching is giving students the opportunity to take on challenges that feel like real space exploration. During our Project Hail Mary unit, my students designed a space station and explored the challenges of creating artificial gravity and living in space. Their design was selected to be tested on a zero-gravity flight in France in November 2026—and I will be the one flying their design. It is an incredible opportunity to take something my students imagined and designed in the classroom and test it in a real microgravity environment.

I believe some of the best learning begins with a simple question: “What if?” My classroom is a place where curiosity is encouraged, challenges are embraced, and students learn that they don’t have to know the answer before they begin exploring.

Let’s Explore!