Future educators learned about NASA education resources and practiced using these resources to teach students at a MUREP Education institute, MEI, workshop held June 13 through June 17 by NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center education office in Palmdale, California.
Presented through NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Program, or MUREP, the MEI institute gathered 47 future educators and current faculty representing six minority-serving institutions located in California and Arizona.
The future educators visited NASA Armstrong’s hangars, mission control rooms, subscale flight research lab, life support facilities and fiber optic sensing system lab. Armstrong’s subject matter experts, included Chief Scientist Al Bowers, Aircraft Maintenance Chief Tom Grindle, and Meteorologist Luke Bard, gave participants an overview of Armstrong’s current projects and NASA’s agency-wide initiatives.
Molly Alexander, a student teacher studying at California State University San Marcos, said the Armstrong facilities tour improved her understanding of NASA’s work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, subjects.
“The NASA tour helped me to better understand how STEM careers are needed for NASA Missions,” she said.
The institute participants also planned and taught STEM-focused lessons for students at the local YMCA and Boys and Girls Club in Lancaster, California.
Ellen Dale, a University of Arizona student teacher, said she realized how her work showing students where to find NASA resources could contribute to the agency’s upcoming projects.
“My big ah-ha moment happened when I made the connection that I will educate the future engineers who one day will make impacts at NASA,” she said.
After the workshop, participants wrote thank-you letters to the NASA experts who spoke to them about what they do for NASA and how important a STEM education was for their careers.
“Your work exemplifies creativity, innovation and determination, and I am eager to share what I have learned about these qualities from you with my students,” wrote Jessica Bhatt, a CSU San Marcos student teacher, in a letter to Al Bowers.
To read more about NASA’s MUREP program, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/murep/home/index.html
