Office of Public Relations

Contact: Eric Melcher 615-230-3570

For immediate release April 15, 2023

Vol State Instructor Uses NASA Experience to Teach

Trigonometry is one of those subjects that can seem removed from practical life. Mike

Welham knows a way to bring it home for students. He takes the conversation into space.

“In trigonometry I talk about how we put a satellite in orbit,” Welham said. “You burn

the engines to boost the satellite. There is a formula for that. You can calculate it using

trigonometry.”

Welham isn’t just speaking theoretically. He’s actually worked to put satellites in orbit.

The Volunteer State Community College instructor served at NASA for twenty years. He

had posts at Marshall Space Flight Center, where he was on the team for the Chandra X-

Ray Observatory, and then at the Glenn Research Center, where he helped to develop the

ground system, and train astronauts, for the International Space Station.

“When I give them my background, I have huge credibility with the students. I can give

them real world experience for just about everything they’re learning.” Welham teaches

math classes at Vol State. It may seem a long way from astronautics, but for Welham

teaching is a passion.

“I was retired from NASA and sitting at home playing X-Box and doing wood carving

and I was kind of bored. I came to Vol State to audit a course. Nancy Morris (dean of

Math and Science at Vol State) told me I would need a math background for that. So, I

Volunteer State Community College, 1480 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN 37066Phone: 615-230-3570 Fax: 615-230-3572 eric.melcher@volstate.edu

Office of Public Relations

explained my math background. She said, I would be more than happy to let you audit the

course, but why aren’t you teaching here? Within three weeks I’m teaching four classes.”

Welham doesn’t just confine his teaching to the Vol State campus. He’s part of the

NASA Speakers Bureau. Recently, he talked to a classroom full of kindergarten students

about space exploration at Merrol Hyde Magnet School in Hendersonville.

“Getting to be with those kids, I get to be a kid again,” Welham explains. “I tell them

what they have to learn to do stuff in space, even going to the bathroom. They have what

is called a butt cam, so you can align your butt when you go. The kids just laugh and

laugh.”

Welham has an inside track for fun things to show and tell in the classroom. “I have a

good friend who is the Deputy Project Manager with the NASA Orion Project (deep

space exploration) and she sends me stuff I can give to the kids.”

With twenty-seven years’ experience in the U.S. Air Force and twenty years with NASA,

one could forgive the 68 year-old if he wanted to slow down. But after talking to

Welham, you quickly realize that’s the last thing on his mind.

“Now I’m going to do what I love to do: teaching. This is my dream job; this is what I

always wanted to do.”

For more information about Math and Science programs at Vol State visit

www.volstate.edu/MathScience or call 615-230-3261.

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Editors: we have attached two photos:

Volunteer State Community College, 1480 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN 37066Phone: 615-230-3570 Fax: 615-230-3572 eric.melcher@volstate.edu

Office of Public Relations

The cutline for the one labeled Merrol Hyde can read: Welham visits with students in

Tracy Duncan’s kindergarten class at Merrol Hyde Magnet School in

Hendersonville.

The cutline for the one labeled Mike and Astronaut can read: NASA Astronaut Douglas

Wheelock and Mike Welham, while working on the International Space Station

program in 2011.

About Vol State

Volunteer State Community College has more than 90 programs of study and offers two-

year degrees, certificates and paths to university transfer. Continuing Education and

Workforce Development extends the college mission to the entire community. For more

information, visit volstate.edu.

Tennessee’s Community Colleges

Tennessee’s Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality,

affordable, convenient and personal education to prepare students to achieve their

educational and career goals in two years or less. We offer associates degree and

certificate programs, workforce development programs and transfer pathways to four-

year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tncommunitycolleges.org.

Volunteer State Community College, 1480 Nashville Pike, Gallatin, TN 37066Phone: 615-230-3570 Fax: 615-230-3572 eric.melcher@volstate.edu