NASA Sparks Curiosity
Though famous for space missions like Curiosity, much of NASA's work focuses on getting kids excited about science.
All eyes are on NASA with the recent successful landing of the Mars rover Curiosity. Curiosity descended onto Martian terrain Sunday Night with the purpose of gathering evidence to conclude whether Mars is, or was at one time, capable of supporting life. Curiosity will function as a tool to pave the way for future deep-space exploration, which could eventually lead to human exploration of the planet.
While NASA is famous for their lucrative missions to outer space, much of the work they do takes place on the ground. This includes lots of outreach and support to get kids excited about science.
SEMAA, the NASA Science Engineering Mathematics and Aerospace Academy, is an innovative project working at a national level to increase participation and retention of historically underrepresented K-12 youth in the fields of science, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
As a world leader of awe-inspiring research in the fields of aeronautics and space exploration, NASA is in a unique position to impact the declining number of young people entering STEM fields. With the hi-tech workforce needs of the 21st century, attracting students to science and engineering disciplines early is critical.
Each year the NASA Ames research center hosts Career Exploration Day for Girl Scouts. The event is sponsored by Girls Go Tech, a program developed by the Girl Scouts of Northern California that is designed to attract girls to science-related fields traditionally dominated by men.
This year the event brought together more than 150 STEM professionals and college students who shared their knowledge with over 1,000 Girl Scouts on topics ranging from marine biology to fiber optics. The event provides young girls with positive role models who they can relate to, which is an integral part of inspiring them longer term.
Like SEMAA and Girls Go Tech, CRS has made a commitment to connect a diverse range of scientist volunteers to elementary and middle school students and teachers. Over half of the BASIS volunteers are female and the corps is comprised of scientists from varying backgrounds.
From volunteers who teach their lessons in Spanish, to those who look like the opposite of a traditional stereotype, CRS helps young minds connect to an opportunity or career that may have otherwise seemed unattainable. These volunteers act as role models to inspire students with examples of real-world science careers and hands on, inquiry based learning experiences.