STEM Engagement at NASA – NeRDs Moonbase

Native American Seeds Flown Aboard Space Station

November 12, 2024 NeRD

NASA/Loral O’Hara The Choctaw Heirloom Seeds investigation flew five varieties of heirloom seeds from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma aboard the International Space Station in early November 2023. The seeds are Isito (Choctaw Sweet Potato Squash), Tobi (Smith Peas), Tanchi Tohbi (Flour Corn), Tvnishi (Lambsquarter), and Chukfi Peas. The seeds spent six months aboard station, returning to Earth in April 2024. Next spring, Jones Academy students will plant the space-flown seeds alongside Earth-bound seeds of the same type in the school’s Growing Hope Garden. Students will hypothesize how the seeds…

Attention Students: NASA Launches Power Systems Student Essay Contest

November 7, 2024 NeRD

Twelve-year-old, Aadya Karthik of Seattle, Washington; nine-year-old, Rainie Lin of Lexington, Kentucky; and eighteen-year-old, Thomas Lui, winners of the 2023-2024 Power to Explore Student Writing Challenge observe testing at a NASA Glenn cleanroom during their prize trip to Cleveland. Credit: NASA NASA’s fourth annual Power to Explore Student Challenge kicked off November 7, 2024. The science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM) writing challenge invites kindergarten through 12th grade students in the United States to learn about radioisotope power systems, a type of nuclear battery integral to many of NASA’s far-reaching…

Hello Earth? Space Calling

October 30, 2024 NeRD

NASA astronaut Nick Hague with the International Space Station’s amateur or ham radio equipment during his current mission (right) and a previous flight five years ago (left) NASA How it started versus how it’s going for astronaut Nick Hague with ISS Ham Radio on the space station. Since November 2000, crew members like Hague have used ham radio to communicate with people on Earth through this educational program, also known as Amateur Radio on the International Space Station or ARISS. So far, there have been more than 1,700 events, directly…

Submit Your 2025 Event Proposal to NASA

October 23, 2024 NeRD

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Shauntina Lilly, a NASA Glenn public affairs officer, smiles as she speaks to students about NASA’s available internships and educational resources during the STEM Goes Red for Girls event at Great Lakes Science Center, home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, on October 21. Credit: NASA/Debbie Welch NASA is making event plans for the 2025 calendar year, and we want to pencil you in! We are looking for the Midwest’s biggest and best community events with the broadest audiences…

Igniting Inspiration: Jennifer Becerra’s STEM Legacy at Johnson

October 10, 2024 NeRD

Jennifer Becerra has nearly three decades of experience in education, both in the classroom and within the NASA community. Leading a team dedicated to fostering a passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), she develops programs that inspire students and educators alike. Whether coordinating internships or organizing engagement events, Becerra creates educational opportunities to bring the excitement of NASA’s missions to life for students. As NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) student services manager at Johnson Space Center in Houston, her efforts aim to cultivate the next generation of explorers and…

Journey Through Stars with NASA in New Minecraft Game

October 8, 2024 NeRD

A preview image of the Minecraft world inspired by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Credit: Minecraft NASA invites gamers, educators, and students to grab their pickaxe and check out its latest collaboration with Minecraft exploring a new world inspired by the agency’s James Webb Space Telescope. The partnership allows creators to experience NASA’s discoveries with interactive modules on star formation, planets, and galaxy types, modeled using real Webb images. The James Webb Space Telescope Challenges were developed to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and technicians. Through the game, students…

Unique NASA Partnerships Spark STEM Learning on Global Scale

October 2, 2024 NeRD

4 Min Read Unique NASA Partnerships Spark STEM Learning on Global Scale NASA astronaut Thomas Marshburn reading “Goodnight Moon” aboard station for Crayola’s “Read Along, Draw Along” Credits: NASA NASA offers a world of experiences and opportunities to engage young explorers around the globe in the excitement of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement collaborates with experts throughout the agency, the U.S. government, and a variety of global partners to spark inspiration in Artemis Generation students everywhere. Partnerships with the agency reach new audiences. Here are…

Educational Activities in Space

September 24, 2024 NeRD

4 Min Read Educational Activities in Space The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship (at right) and a pair of the International Space Station's main solar arrays foreshadow a trek into an orbital sunset. Credits: NASA Science in Space: September 2024 As students of all ages returned to school this month, crew members on the International Space Station continue to conduct a variety of educational programs and activities that support learning on the ground. These efforts are part of a wider commitment at NASA to engage, inspire, and attract future generations of…

Girls in STEM Inspired to Fly High at NASA Kennedy

September 24, 2024 NeRD

Young women, ages 11 to 18, from Atlanta, Georgia, with interests in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), pose for a photo on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at the Launch and Landing Facility following their arrival at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Delta Air Lines Women Inspiring Our Next Generation (WING) flight, with the help of NASA Kennedy, showcases the various women-led STEM careers available at the Florida spaceport. NASA/Kim Shiflett For the third straight year, scores of young women flew to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida…

NASA, US Department of Education Bring STEM to After-School Programs

September 23, 2024 NeRD

Office of STEM Engagement Deputy Associate Administrator Kris Brown, right, and U.S. Department of Education Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten, left, watch as a student operates a robot during a STEM event to kickoff the 21st Century Community Learning Centers NASA and U.S. Department of Education partnership, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, at Wheatley Education Campus in Washington. Students engaged in NASA hands-on activities and an engineering design challenge. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani) NASA and the U.S. Department of Education are teaming up to engage students in science, technology, engineering, and math…