NASA : NASA Space Station Astronaut Calls Home to Speak with Minnesota Students

About NASA's Education Program

NASA’s journeys into air and space have deepened humankind’s understanding of the universe, advanced technology breakthroughs, enhanced air travel safety and security, and expanded the frontiers of scientific research. These accomplishments share a common genesis: education. As the United States begins the second century of flight, the Nation must maintain its commitment to excellence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education to ensure that the next generation of Americans can accept the full measure of their roles and responsibilities in shaping the future. NASA will continue the Agency’s tradition of investing in the Nation’s education programs and supporting the country’s educators who play a key role in preparing, inspiring, exciting, encouraging, and nurturing the young minds of today who will be the workforce of tomorrow.

In 2012 and beyond, NASA will continue to pursue three major education goals:
-- Strengthening NASA and the Nation's future workforce
-- Attracting and retaining students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, disciplines
-- Engaging Americans in NASA's mission

Special Announcements

Guidance for Education and Public Outreach Activities Under Sequestration

NASA has taken the first steps in addressing the mandatory spending cuts called for in the Budget Control Act of 2011. The law mandates a series of indiscriminate and significant across-the-board spending reductions totaling $1.2 trillion over 10 years. As a result, NASA has been forced to implement a number of new cost-saving measures, policies, and reviews in order to minimize impacts to the mission-critical activities of the Agency. Guidance regarding conferences, travel, and training that reflect the new fiscal reality in which the agency must operate has been provided. For specific guidance as it relates to public outreach and engagement activities please reference the following webpage.

› View Guidance for Education

NASA Recommends Discontinuation of Student Rocket Activity

Recently, an air pressurized paper rocket launcher being used by an educator failed. This launcher is described in NASA's Rockets Educator Guide, publications EG-2011-11-223-KSC, pp. 86-90 and EG-2008-05-060-KSC, pp. 86-90. NASA completed an engineering investigation into the failure and determined that the launcher, or design equivalents, should not be used. NASA has removed the launcher design from its website and its education curriculum. Individuals and organizations should immediately discontinue use of the launcher published in the referenced NASA publications. The point of contact for additional information is James Stofan, Deputy Associate Administrator for Education Integration at nasaedpartners@nasa.gov. We request that your organization assist NASA in disseminating this information as widely as possible throughout the education community.

Education Leadership

Leland D. Melvin is NASA's associate administrator for education.
› View Leland Melvin's Biography
› Meeting and Speaker Requests
› In Their Own Words: Leland Melvin Video
› Middle school student Molly Moore interviews Leland Melvin.
› Leland Melvin Honored

You can follow Leland Melvin on Twitter and his blog as he shares insight about NASA Education.
› Twitter at@Astro_Flow→

Summer of Innovation

The Summer of Innovation project provides hands-on learning opportunities for middle school students and educators through NASA-unique science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, educational activities during the summer school break. SOI is a key component of the agency's broader education program to increase student interest in STEM courses, particularly among those in underserved sectors of the academic community.
› Go to the Summer of Innovation Website

Ideas and/or Suggestions

The White House issued an unprecedented requirement for federal agencies to immediately implement actions related to transparency, participation and collaboration. NASA’s Office of Education is taking the next step to get involved with the Agency’s commitment to supporting this Open Government Directive. To learn more, we invite you to explore more about NASA and what we do. We also hope you give us feedback and help shape the future of the Agency.
› Find out more

The live, station-to-ground video chat will take place at 9:45 a.m. CDT (10:45 a.m. EDT) Wednesday, Oct. 23, at the Henning School, 500 School Ave. It will be carried live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

Nyberg, who arrived at the station in May for a six-month mission, is a graduate of Henning, a small, rural school with an enrollment of approximately 400 students in grades K-12. During the event, the students will be able to ask Nyberg questions about life, work and research aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Media interested in attending the event can do so by contacting Henning School Principal Thomas Williams at 218-583-2927, ext. 8157, or twilliams@henning.k12.mn.us.

The students have been following Nyberg's mission, and NASA activities have been incorporated into classes at the school in preparation for the conversation. Linking students directly to astronauts aboard the space station provides them with an authentic, live experience of space exploration, space study and the scientific components of space travel and possibilities of life in space.

This in-flight education downlink is one in a series with educational organization in the United States to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning. It is an integral component of NASA’s Teaching From Space education program, which promotes learning opportunities and builds partnerships with the education community using the unique environment of space and NASA's human spaceflight program.

To keep up with Nyberg’s research and life on the station through Twitter, follow:

@AstroKarenN

For NASA TV streaming video, schedule and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

For information about NASA’s education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education

For information about the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

NASA

Guillermo Gonzalo Sánchez Achutegui

ayabaca@gmail.com

ayabaca@hotmail.com