To inspire and motivate students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, NASA’s Glenn Research Center will host National Lab Day at Lewis Field and Plum Brook Station for students to participate in a tour of several facilities, an engineering design challenge and demonstrations that form the basis of Glenn’s work.
Janet Kavandi, director at Glenn and Donald James, NASA associate administrator for Education at Headquarters will kick off National Lab Day at Lewis Field on Thursday, May 12. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 400 middle school students from Northeast Ohio will interact with scientists, engineers and other STEM professionals on science experiences and hands-on learning.
“National Lab Day is an excellent way to inspire the next wave of innovators,” said Stephanie Brown-Houston, education program specialist at Glenn. “Hundreds of students can learn science through discovery-based science projects, facility tours and interactions with Glenn experts!”
NASA astronaut Stephanie Wilson, who flew three missions aboard space shuttle Discovery, will discuss her career and share a video of her spaceflight to the International Space Station from 10:15 to 10:45 a.m.
On Wednesday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Plum Brook Station located at 6100 Columbus Ave. in Sandusky, will host its second annual National Lab Day. Brig. Gen. David Stringer, director of the Plum Brook Management Office and Seth Harbaugh, deputy director of Center Operations at Glenn will kick off the event to approximately 70 students from Huron, Erie and Hamilton counties. The kick off will be held in the Engineering Building.
Veteran space station astronaut Doug Wheelock, a retired U.S. Army Colonel, will share his story about working in space and a video of his spaceflight to the orbiting laboratory from 11 a.m. to noon. Wheelock accumulated more than 178 days in space.
National Lab Day at Lewis Field and Plum Brook Station includes world-class facility tours to expose students to new career fields; spacebots activities where students learn how NASA defines robotics, how robotic systems are used in the space program and the space agency’s plans for future robotic applications; and a career exploration showcase where students interact with NASA technicians demonstrating science.
Interview opportunities are available upon request. Media interested in interviewing NASA personnel should contact Jeannette Owens at 216-433-2990 or jeannette.p.owens@nasa.gov.
To learn more about Glenn, visit:
To learn more about Plum Brook Station, visit:
For more information about the astronauts, visit:
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/astrobio.html
For more information about the International Space Station, visit:
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Jeannette Owens
Glenn Research Center
216-433-2990
jeannette.p.owens@nasa.gov