University of California, Berkeley astronomy Professor Alex Filippenko was chosen as one of the prominent Bay Area personalities to soar over the San Francisco Bay Area in a pre-performance flight with the Blue Angels on October 3, 2012. As an educator and parent, Professor Filippenko felt this experience is a great opportunity for him to share with the Bay Area public the science aspects of his flight experience, and how important science and technology are to innovation. As Professor Filippenko says, “What if we all focused on education and the important role it plays in our lives. The innovation that math and science foster can make life better for all of us. It starts with the educators, from kindergarten through college. By promoting how fun math and science can be, we inspire the next generation of innovators and prepare them for the demands of the future job market.”