Cheng’s office shows how she connects with her astronomy students as well as those in her basic physics and upper-level classical mechanics classes. A Hula-Hoop helps her explain how objects maintain orbits, while a Frisbee-like toy allows students to visualize proto-stellar disks that are thought to presage planets. Five of Cheng’s students have gone on to earn or pursue graduate degrees in astronomy at San Diego State, and several are now working astronomers.