[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 138 (Friday, August 15, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E773-E774]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING DR. LYNN COMINSKY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, August 15, 2025

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker I rise today, along with my 
colleague, Mr. Huffman, to honor Dr. Lynn Cominsky, an esteemed member 
of the Sonoma County educational community. After 39 years of service 
to Sonoma State University, Dr. Cominsky will assume the title of 
Emerita EdEon Director, marking a major milestone in her remarkable 
career championing public science education and outreach.
  Dr. Cominsky earned her bachelor of arts in physics from Brandeis 
University in 1975, graduating magna cum laude with honors in 
chemistry. She went on to earn her Ph.D. in physics from the 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981. In 1986, she joined the 
faculty of Sonoma State University as an associate professor of physics 
and astronomy, becoming a full professor at the university in 1991. She 
served as Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy from 2004 to 
2019, and twice as Chair of the Chemistry Department from 2005 to 2007 
and again from 2018 to 2019. Through her cross-disciplinary leadership, 
Dr. Cominsky helped shape the academic direction of Sonoma State for 
nearly four decades.
  Throughout her tenure, Dr. Cominsky worked to expand equity in STEM 
education, especially for underserved and underrepresented students. 
She was instrumental in supporting Sonoma State's designation as a 
Hispanic-Serving Institution and helped develop national resources for 
autistic learners. She secured tens of millions of dollars in grant 
funding to support inclusive science programming and reduce bias and 
harassment in academia.
  Dr. Cominsky also founded and led EdEon STEM Learning, Sonoma State's 
education and outreach center focused on space and Earth science. Under 
her direction, EdEon developed K-14 curriculum and classroom tools that 
engaged students and educators in cutting-edge research and inquiry-
based learning. In partnership with NASA, the National Science 
Foundation and the Department of Education, EdEon created innovative 
ways to

[[Page E774]]

engage students with astrophysics, Earth science, and engineering 
concepts, and built professional learning communities for educators 
across the country. The center collaborated with NASA on missions such 
as Swift, NuSTAR, and Fermi, producing educator guides, simulations, 
and videos used nationwide. EdEon also created programming for the 
NSF's LIGO project and led teacher training workshops that strengthened 
STEM education in underserved communities.
  Among her many honors, Dr. Cominsky is the recipient of the Frank J. 
Malina Astronautics Medal, the American Astronomical Society Education 
Prize, the Sally Ride Excellence in Education Award, and was elected a 
Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Her 
work has been recognized nationally for advancing science education and 
outreach.
  Dr. Cominsky currently resides in Sonoma County. She was married to 
the late Garret Jernigan, with whom she shared 42 years of partnership 
until his passing in 2022. In addition to her professional work, she is 
a dedicated mentor, public speaker, and advocate for expanding access 
to STEM fields across communities.
  Mr. Speaker, it is fitting and proper that we recognize Dr. Lynn 
Cominsky for her extraordinary career and decades of service to 
education, Sonoma County, and the broader scientific community.

                          ____________________