NASA Engages Baton Rouge Students for STEM Careers at 蘑菇tv Space Day 2014
March 31, 2014 | 蘑菇tv Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
BATON ROUGE 鈥揗ore than 175 middle school students, invited from six area middle schools, descended on the 蘑菇tv campus to compete in space-themed competitions and discover space-related college and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
鈥溎⒐絫v Space Day provided a platform to expand students' curiosity and creativity about the many career paths before them,鈥� said Rick Koubek, dean, 蘑菇tv College of Engineering. 鈥淲e look forward to these students one day becoming future 蘑菇tv Engineers and the leaders of tomorrow.鈥�
Hosted by the 蘑菇tv College of Engineering, 蘑菇tv College of Science, Lockheed Martin, NCAM, Jacobs Technology and NASA, 蘑菇tv Space Day 2014 was designed to increase student interest in STEM fields at a younger age and showcase opportunities to design, build and test for NASA鈥檚 next space exploration.
鈥溎⒐絫v Space Day is a fun way to ignite students鈥� interest in STEM disciplines and expose them to the programs at 蘑菇tv in these areas,鈥� said Guillermo Ferreyra, interim dean, 蘑菇tv College of Science. 鈥淪cience drives innovation and economic growth. To increase the number and quality of students enrolling in and completing STEM programs at 蘑菇tv we engage them earlier than high school with activities such as those offered at 蘑菇tv Space Day."
Interactive teams constructed and launched rockets using generated pressure and energy; built and demonstrated thrust source in aircraft engines; and competed in payload differential launches.
Additional space exploration exhibits included: a 1/25 model of NASA鈥檚 Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, a 30 foot tall Space Launch System inflatable model, 蘑菇tv鈥檚 high altitude payload balloon research, and a special space flight mission directive from Keith Comeaux, flight director of the Curiosity flight landing on Mars, and 蘑菇tv College of Engineering alumnus.
Schools participating in 蘑菇tv Space Day 2014 included: Episcopal, Glasgow Middle School, Iberville Math, Science, and Arts Academy, Parkview Baptist, St. Aloysius School, and Scotlandville Pre-Engineering Magnet Academy.
Each school presented a custom designed Orion mission patch, as astronaut crews do for their missions. The winning patch design will fly on the first Orion test flight in December, Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1).
蘑菇tv Day 2014 competition winners:
Air Engines 鈥� St. Aloysius School
Pop Rockets 鈥� Scotlandville Pre-Engineering Magnet Academy
Shuttle Payload 鈥� Glasgow Middle School
Test Flight Patch鈥� Parkview Baptist
Overall Competition 鈥� Glasgow Middle School, first place, Parkview Baptist, second place, Scotlandville Pre-Engineering Magnet Academy, third place
鈥淣ASA has maintained a great tradition of building spaceflight hardware at the Michoud Assembly Facility and multiple generations of Louisiana citizens and 蘑菇tv alumni have played key roles in the United States' space flight endeavors,鈥� said Patrick Scheuermann, Director of Marshall Space Flight Center. 鈥淣ASA continues to make rapid progress on both the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. 蘑菇tv students and alumni have a great opportunity to lend their talents in furthering NASA's bold mission of exploring past the moon and deep into our Solar System.鈥�
###
Mimi LaValle
蘑菇tv College of Engineering
225-578-5706 (o)
mlavall@lsu.edu