Dr. Alessondra Springmann

Planetary scientist and quilter

About Alessondra

A woman with long hair. She's smiling and wearing heavy duty headset.
Dr. Alessondra “Sondy” Springmann is a planetary scientist and quilter based in Colorado. She earned her PhD from the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona and has spent her career studying asteroids, comets, and other small bodies across the solar system. Her work has included the NASA OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission and planetary radar observations at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Away from science, Sondy creates quilts from secondhand fabrics, worn work clothes, and reclaimed materials. Her work combines traditional sewing techniques with modern tools such as laser cutters, transforming everyday textiles into objects that carry stories, memories, and history. Through both science and quilting, she is drawn to understanding how things are built, how they change over time, and how creative problem-solving helps us make sense of the world.

Quotes

I think those of us who’ve been forced to look at the world differently, I think we get to make more interesting choices about what we make.

Disabled people have thought about how they move through the world, how they interact with the world, and whether it’s their choice or otherwise, they have had to think deeply about the fundamental tenets that society expects

It’s just fabric, Nic. No one’s going to get food poisoning.

Key themes

Planetary scientist Sondy Springmann turns worn-out clothes into quilts, combining secondhand materials, ninety-year-old sewing machines, and modern technology in unexpected ways. Along the way, we explore disability, creativity, community, and the problem-solving mindset that comes from living in a world that wasn’t designed for you.

Dr. Alessondra Springmann on quilting — May 28, 2026 — 1:03:35