Bryan Gibson

Bryan Gibson

We are lucky to have Bryan spend some of this spare time with us here at the Discovery Center. Bryan is partially retired at present, and is a part-time Adjunct Science/Mathematics professor at Nazarene Bible College.

Bryan brings 30 years of teaching experience to his volunteerism. He has taught at the high school level in Wisconsin and Arizona, and also at the University level, as well as delivering adult education courses.

For the last 12 years, Bryan was employed as the media director for LearningRx, an International Brain Training franchise corporation. There his responsibilities evolved to include Director of eLearning and course development (CLO), photographer and videographer.

Bryan and his wife, Joan, have 3 children. Kelly is their oldest and is a surgical buyer for a large ophthalmic corporation in Arizona. Heidi, his middle child, is an “amazing artist” and has been able to turn it into a successful career. Chad, their youngest, is just finishing up his internships towards a doctorate in Physical Therapy. Bryan’s wife Joan is also an amazing artist and has taught art for many years.

Bryan has been volunteering with the Space Foundation Discovery Center as a docent for 10 months. There are three reasons he cites for volunteering with us:

  • Being partially retired, it is a great use of the time he does have available. Bryan says, “he is not one to sit around and waste the education and talents he has been given; life is too short.”
  • His second reason is that education is really part of who he is. Bryan loves teaching and sharing things and seeing faces brighten with excitement when they learn something new.
  • Lastly, space and astronomy excite Bryan. He quotes, “what better, more exciting, impressive, magnificent, mind blowing topics are there to experience in all the world?!”

Bryan’s hobby is astrophotography. He hosts a local group here in Colorado Springs. Bryan loves to capture this amazing universe we live in. To capture it in photographic detail takes his breath away.

When asked what his favorite exhibit or display is in the Discovery Center, it’s no surprise that Bryan answers with the “hydrosonic,” the ultrasonic, cloud producer. He loves watching visitors, of all ages, attempt to grab part of a cloud, put it in their pocket and take it home. He gets a smile every time! Bryan can’t leave out the wall of astro-photos taken by Martin Pugh. And lastly, he also can’t leave out the models of the rockets and space vehicles. Bryan wishes he could put one of those in his pocket and take it home! If only…

A favorite moment for Bryan while volunteering with us is a moment he experienced in Science On a Sphere®. He was able to bring one of his own student groups in from Nazarene Bible College.

Bryan also enjoys any interaction with visitors, and most especially when his own two grandchildren come in to visit. That moment tops them all for Bryan. He reports that they didn’t come for just one morning, or even for one full day, but came to visit every one of the four days they were here visiting from California. It was just that exciting for them!

We asked Bryan what he would tell someone who was interested in volunteering at the Space Foundation Discovery Center. “If you are interested in encouraging others to “look up” more often and experience adventures beyond the neighborhood you live in, there is no better place in all of Colorado Springs to spend your available time. The Discovery Center is the “enlightening center” in the Springs, worthy of your time and of your effort.”