ABOUT MJ MARGGRAFF
AUTHOR, PILOT, INNOVATOR
MJ Marggraff is a commercial pilot, author, and a project leader who has created a unique and new space experiment which is currently on the International Space Station.
Twelve years ago she would not have listed these things about herself; but that was before making a major course correction and adding something new to her calendar —Flight School— that changed her life completely. Her latest book, Finding the Wow – How Dreams Take Flight at Midlife (Big Table Publishing, Boston: ISBN: 978-0-9886191-9-7), tells how, at age 45 and while an at-home mom of two young children, she decided to follow her childhood dreams, overcome her fears, and learn to fly.
Making a change following a passion, and learning how to fend off fear and doubt began when MJ lost her planning book, decided to refill it with her dream and then make a remarkable experience come true for others. And there were plenty of fears: starting something new, being the only mom-female-older member in a flight class of young men, worrying her family, and wondering how she could pull over if something went wrong flying solo.
Over the years, and after receiving several pilots’ licenses, more doors opened to even higher dreams. MJ became a mission support assistant and trained for sub-orbital spaceflight, published articles on her flying stories, received an award for best humor in aviation, and keynote speaker at several events. Her stories inspire others to not let fear rule our life and to realize that we can reinvent ourselves at any age. Most importantly, she hopes that readers of Finding the Wow will be motivated to do what they love. Her experiment to space is underway as a pilot project that has already inspired students to touch the stars; NASA’s education center is interested in offering it to thousands of students nationwide.
Her background includes FAA Flight Instructor, M.Sc. in Education, and leadership and management positions at Hewlett-Packard and Genetics Institute where she worked to create better teams. She is currently researching issues on long-duration space flights and the ways to help on-board crews succeed on their difficult missions. MJ has been accepted to a doctoral program where she will continue her research, during which time she will find herself in strange and distant places.
SPEAKING
I’m often called upon to speak about my latest experiment, called Gravity Games, which is aboard the International Space Station, my personal transformation from stay at home Mom to Aviator and how I would encourage others to follow their dreams. The three presentations below are examples that can be delivered for your event. I can also customize a presentation specifically for your audience.
Flying through Fear: Life Imagined Sooner… or Later
In this talk I address overcoming your fears and the doubts that rule your world. We discuss how to break habits and pre-conceived notions of what we ‘should be doing’ and explore the possibilities of what we ‘could be doing.’ For: entrepreneurs, leaders, and new careers for the 2nd half of life.
Keys to Success at School, and Beyond, for STEM Students
I enjoy speaking to young minds and inspiring them into math and science. Particularly, this is an area where I encourage young women to unleash their imaginations and show them the opportunities that lie before them if they follow a STEM career. For: students, especially for females in STEM, and for their parents.
On the Edge of the New Space Age
In this talk, I speak to my adventures in space and where I see human exploration in ten, twenty and one hundred years. I discuss my project ‘Gravity Games’ which is a project that recently launched and joined the International Space Station and the benefits yielded by this of venture. For: those who wonder about space and the possibilities beyond our world. For students to be inspired and teachers to engage young minds.
MJ Marggraff, pilot, author and panelist at The National Association of Women Business Owners – Winter 2016 talks about the importance of following what you love and has an exciting new space experiment going up soon. “We vastly underestimate what we are capable of doing and becoming,” says MJ. “Do not believe that because you are doing what you are doing now, that you cannot become what you want to become.”
MJ Marggraff is often called upon to speak about her latest experiences. She transformed from a stay at home Mom to Aviator and now she encourages others to follow their dreams.