Rudy Gostowski is an accomplished educator and scientist with a demonstrated history of mentoring students and solving technical problems. After completing a Doctoral program in Chemistry at Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, he became a tenured professor at Austin Peay State University, where he taught Analytical Chemistry, and conducted research in organic radicals with undergraduate students as fellow investigators. Following seven years of teaching and research, he joined NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to become a Materials Scientist and Propulsion Chemist. At MSFC, he developed and tested hypergolic fuel / hydrogen peroxide combinations, all while working with student interns. His continued commitment to education lead him to being the founding Coordinator of the MSFC Propulsion Academy and a two-year assignment as Education Portfolio Manager at the NASA Headquarters Office of Education. As a NASA Administrator’s Fellow, he was a Visiting Professor at Fisk University, where, with Dr. Kent Wallace, they founded a student rocket team to compete in the NASA Student Launch Initiative. As colleagues and friends, they continually engage in dialogue focused on student development. In 2014, Rudy left NASA and became a tenured professor at Triton College, where he continues to guide scholars on their path to achieve STEM careers.