Thomas Ramirez-Pugh lived in different areas of Virginia for most of his life, and has always been interested in science. He dreamed of using science to help save the world and improve the lives of people. That desire took him to his undergraduate degree at James Madison University, where he majored in Integrated Science and Technology. Shortly after his undergrad degree he decided to pursue a graduate degree. At Virginia Commonwealth University he received a Master's in Chemical and Life Science Engineering. After spending some time doing data work for a local church he is now an engineer at a bleach plant, helping to create clean drinking water for most of Virginia. Along the way, childhood hobbies of staring at the Moon and counting stars started to become more of a constant way of life as he realized just how much of a space state Virginia is. At one point, he was hospitalized for nearly two months, giving him lots of time to reflect on and research our universe. Since that time, space has become much more than a hobby. He reads articles and books regularly, listen to podcasts almost daily, and tries to watch launches from Wallops Island when he can. He currently lives in Herndon, VA, where it's hard to watch meteor showers in the city but he's much closer to notable space locations like the Air and Space Museum. He loves space and loves sharing that excitement with everyone.