Sponsoring Company: Fisher Science Education and Eisco Scientific

Participants will have the opportunity to build a Rube Goldberg machine and engineer an overly complicated process to accomplish a simple task. Put your engineering and creative skills to the test as you create your own Rube Goldberg machine out of cardboard, tape, rubber bands, a toy car and other everyday items. Attendees will be broken into teams of five and given a set of raw materials. They will then have approximately forty minutes to work as a group to create a complex series of steps to pop a balloon. Attendance will be limited to the first twenty-five people to register. This is a joint workshop presented by Fisher Science Education and Eisco Scientific. This workshop has a maximum capacity of 25 participants.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how to create a Rube Goldberg lab using excess materials and common laboratory items.

SPEAKERS:
Tom Wright (Thermo Fisher Scientific: Waltham, MA), Tim Montondo (Eisco Scientific LLC: Victor, NY)

“You’re good at math; be an engineer.” Isn’t there more to it? Who is an engineer? Engineering helps society by solving problems. Let’s explore “why.”

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn that engineering is more than math + science and take away classroom activities addressing engineering identity, ethics, and society (not your typical engineering activities).

SPEAKERS:
Ken Reid (University of Indianapolis: Indianapolis, IN)

Confused about what to do post COVID? Thinking about switching careers? Learn about the experiences, challenges, and mistakes made by several esteemed science education leaders in this engaging and interactive panel discussion. This panel will feature current and former teachers, school leaders, district leaders, consultants, academics, national STEM education leaders.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the increasing number of opportunities available for educators both inside and outside of the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Lach (Township High School District 113)

Learn about the novel approach taken by Illinois to include teacher voice in developing a statewide three-dimensional science assessment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the process of developing a state-wide assessment written by local educators.

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Rademaker (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Harvey Henson (Southern Illinois University Carbondale: Carbondale, IL), ANGELA BOX (Southern Illinois University Carbondale: CARTERVILLE, IL)

Sponsoring Company: AeroTech/Quest, Div. of RCS Rocket Motor Component

Explore the differences between aerospace-grade solid composite propellant model rocket motors and traditional black powder model rocket motors in science education, STEM programs, TARC Competition, and collegiate rocket team activities. We'll assemble a Quest Astra III model rocket kit during the workshop to take back to your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
In model rocket science education, AeroTech/Quest products have been "STEM from the beginning!”™

SPEAKERS:
Dane Boles (AeroTech / Quest Divison of RCS Rocket Motor Components, Inc.: , United States)

Sponsoring Company: Beyond Labz

Workshop Summary: Beyond Labz is a set of sophisticated and realistic virtual laboratories that have been used by millions of students over the past 20 years. Subjects covered by the virtual labs include general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, physical science, and biology. We have recently updated the virtual labs so they are browser-based with a number of new features including tracking student lab books and the student journey through the lab. With over 20 years of experience and feedback from students and teachers worldwide, we have learned much about how to enhance and augment classroom and laboratory instruction using the virtual labs. In this presentation we will provide a brief update on the new features in Beyond Labz, and we will provide onboarding instructions and describe how to use the virtual laboratories in various curriculum settings and use cases, and we will show the labs can be used to enhance inquiry-based instruction. We will also describe some of the recent research we have performed using these and other simulation products we have created.

TAKEAWAYS:
Beyond Labz simplifies and reduces the cost and expertise needed to provide crucial laboratory experiences and practice for Secondary and Higher Ed students. Attendees will learn how the labs are used for pre and post lab experiences, credit recovery and lab make-up, student engagement in class, and meeting NGSS standards. Basic onboarding and startup instructions will be provided for drop-in solutions, and instructions for using some of the more sophisticated features will also be described.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Woodfield (Brigham Young University: Provo, UT)

Ideas and concrete strategies for building collaborative, generative partnerships with community groups, nonprofits, preK–12 schools, museums, and community colleges in order to transform the STEM ecosystem and preservice teachers' futures will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. hear from different partners about the generative ways we have collaborated to increase diversity in our STEM teacher preparation program; 2. engage in discussion and planning next steps for reaching out to a potential collaborative partner; and 3. learn about the ways in which preservice STEM Noyce Scholars have strengthened their STEM Identity and have been prepared to design culturally sustaining curricula and classrooms that integrate sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Sydney Worthen-Jenkins (Sacred Heart University: Fairfield, CT), Nicole Hebert (Sacred Heart University: Fairfield, CT), Bonnie Maur (Sacred Heart University: Fairfield, CT), Kristin Rainville (Sacred Heart University: Fairfield, CT)

Hispanic students are a growing minority in school systems. However, the number of Hispanic students earning certificates and degrees in STEM fields at the post-secondary level is far below that of other students. To address this problem, Hispanic students and their families need to be introduced to STEM subjects (including hands-on activities) and STEM professionals (including professors and students majoring in STEM fields) beginning in elementary school. This communication and relationship building needs to continue in both middle school and high school. It then culminates with dual enrollment classes, mentorships, and internships at the community college level. In this presentation, you will be introduced to the RHiTA (recruiting Hispanics to achieve) program at Walters State Community College and the Hispanic STEM engagement pipeline. You will hear about the successes and the failures of this program and the plans for the future. You will be given tips and advice to create a similar program at your college.

TAKEAWAYS:
Develop and implement a pipeline from elementary school to community college in STEM subjects to engage Hispanic students.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Moore (Walters State Community College: Morristown, TN), Elesha Goodfriend (Walters State Community College: Morristown, TN)

Although group projects have been shown to increase learning and cooperation, bullying can sneak into student peer evaluations. Examples and alternatives to ghosting presented.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science classrooms are a great place for group projects to enhance learning, but students may unwittingly be ghosted from their group, ultimately making them seem like they are not a team player. We as teachers must be diligent against bullying/ghosting.

SPEAKERS:
Diane Huelskamp (Wright State University-Lake Campus: Celina, OH)

Explore how to use phenomena to generate student questions that allow for further investigation to support student sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to effectively use phenomena to allow for authentic student questioning and how to use those questions to increase student engagement and sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Vick (Northwestern University)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Software & Technology

Learn how to integrate Vernier sensor data into Python coding. Explore how coding can enhance your students’ experience in the science classroom by providing another avenue of engagement. Teachers of science and coding alike will benefit from this hands-on workshop.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Gain experience with hands-on technology that encourages students to explore and test different solutions and make connections to the real world; 2. Get access to free resources to keep students engaged while learning key scientific concepts either remotely or in the lab; and 3. Gain hands-on experiences with innovative products that increase student engagement, promote creativity and collaboration, and develop problem-solving skills.

SPEAKERS:
Tom Smith (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR), Dave Vernier (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Join us for a chance to learn more about  NSTA-administered competitions and awards from NSTA staff and past participants. NSTA-administered competitions include NSTA Teacher Awards, the Army Educational Outreach Program, Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge, and Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision competitions. This engaging hour will include discussion and tips on how to engage K–12 students in project-based learning opportunities that are no cost to participate.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Engage with educators that have participated in NSTA-administered competitions and awards; 2. Learn more about opportunities to engage students in project-based learning; and 3. Share best practices and tips to foster inquiry-based learning and showcase ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Acacia McKenna (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

In this self-directed session, you will be able to: Interact with educators in face-to-face poster presentations; Watch short video submissions from educators around the world; and Participate in hands-on/minds-on, takeaway learning experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science education occurs everywhere on this planet. We can get ideas and best practices from collegues around the world.

SPEAKERS:
Alison Betz Seymour (Science Teacher: Winchester, 0)

Teacher describes installation of two solar arrays, and how students use the arrays to investigate alternative energy and effect of array angle on electricity production.

TAKEAWAYS:
Solar arrays allow students to interact with a real world technology changing sunlight into usable electricity. Two solar arrays that tilt independently allow students to evaluate data from a controlled experiment. Solar energy is part of response our society needs to respond to the challenge of global warming and our need for energy.

SPEAKERS:
Bruce Rose (Greenbrier East High School: Lewisburg, WV)

Student understanding of how science and STEM ideas and concepts are applied within their chosen career pathway is a critical component of many Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, but for a variety of reasons these connections are often overlooked. Some states even provide CTE courses and Career Pathway standards that seem to go against the three-dimensional and student-centered learning grain. Yet, to truly meet the vision of the K-12 Framework, students in CTE and Vocational Education pathways should also be provided opportunities to engage in three-dimensional sensemaking in the context of their CTE course. In this session, we explore explicit connections between three-dimensional science learning and Agricultural, Food and Natural Resources as just one example of how three-dimensional student learning and sensemaking can be incorporated into CTE. We then explore how similar strategies can be utilized in other pathways with the goal of bridging the gap between science learning and practical application for students in CTE.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn strategies for integrating scientific sensemaking into CTE courses to support their students' mastery of the scientific concepts they will apply in those fields.

SPEAKERS:
Bridina Lemmer (Illinois Science Teaching Association: Jacksonville, IL), Chris Embry Mohr (Olympia High School: Stanford, IL)

Think Tank to Shark Tank: Engineer to Entrepreneur is a free, ten-session project-based curriculum developed from a summer camp for middle school students. In the camp and curriculum, students work through developing a solution to a pain point (problem) they or loved ones interact with in life. Students develop a unique solution using the engineering design process, create a prototype, identify their potential customers, develop a business model and marketing strategy to present to local business leaders to provide guidance and support on market and opportunity realization. A facilitator or teacher may implement the curriculum in either a one-week experience with morning and afternoon sessions, a two-week experience, a ten-week after-school extra-curricular, or educators can choose elements to implement within a course throughout the academic year. The summer day camp, still in operation, runs for six hours a day for a five-day week with a break for lunch. Faculty use the curriculum to teach pre-service teachers in primary, middle, and high school to demonstrate the integration of engineering and entrepreneurship design principles into the classroom. During this interactive session, participants will gain access to this curriculum, and methods of integration into a pre-service teacher education course or program.

TAKEAWAYS:
During this interactive session, participants will gain access to this curriculum, and methods of integration into a pre-service teacher education course or program.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Plaster (The University of Akron: Akron, OH)

We are living in an Age of Misinformation. Developing the capabilities to evaluate scientific information is a key goal of scientific literacy. Moreover, “obtaining, evaluating and communicating information” is a core practice of NGSS. The NGSS standards, however, were developed a decade ago before misinformation became so pervasive and were not developed to address this threat. Much of this misinformation is scientific. Therefore, this session will present a set of ideas and materials about how to address this challenge. These have emerged from a report developed at Stanford University drawing on the expertise of an international group of science educators, scientists and psychologists entitled “Science Education in an Age of Misinformation”. In this session, we will present the main arguments and recommendations of the report. Using a set of practical, web-based classroom examples, participants will work in small groups to trial and discuss the suggested teaching approaches and materials we have developed. Opportunities will be provided for feedback, questions and discussion in a final plenary. What we will present will empower teachers of science with ways they can support their students to avoid being misled by the purveyors of misinformation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn what are the challenges posed by misinformation and what they can do to help science education address this challenge using practical examples of exercises and ionnovative teaching materials.

SPEAKERS:
Daniel Pimentel (Stanford University: Stanford, CA)

Using the Dual Range Force Sensor, participants will determine how many helium balloons are needed to lift themselves and the house from Disney’s film Up.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Using the phenomenon of the helium balloon lifted house from the movie "Up," attendees will leave with a lab using the Dual Range Force Sensor to determine the amount of balloons needed to lift themselves and the house; and 2. the session will show how this can be used for any level of student, and as a bonus will also incorporate how the data collection and analysis can be collected using Python coding.

SPEAKERS:
Todd Graba (Crystal Lake South High School: Crystal Lake, IL), Brad Posnanski (Comsewogue High School: Port Jefferson Station, NY)

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

We will bring science and coding together as participants learn to do some basic coding (no experience necessary) while developing a mood ring! The science of color mixing is explored while determining the right body temperature thresholds. Is fuchsia flirty? Should green be groovy? It’s up to you!

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn how to incorporate STEM/coding skills (no coding experience necessary) with science concepts to create a highly engaging lesson for students that tackles many of the science and engineering practices.

SPEAKERS:
Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Experience engineering design in action! Share your teacher insights as you evaluate competing design solutions for actual products. $50 Thank you gift certificate; first 20 participants.

TAKEAWAYS:
Focus Group to provide feedback on competing design solutions for actual product.

SPEAKERS:
Tim Herman (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI), Kim Parfitt (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI), Heather Ryan (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI), Kris Herman (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Research scientist Africa Flores-Anderson uses data from satellites to map algae blooms in lakes and forest degradation in her home country of Guatemala. Join Flores-Anderson as she shares her personal journey from small-town girl to National Geographic Explorer, using satellite imagery to better understand our planet.

About the Speaker
Originally from Guatemala, Africa Flores-Anderson is a research scientist at the Earth System Science Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). She is passionate about using data and satellite images for environmental conservation. As a National Geographic Explorer, she is working to forecast harmful algae blooms in Lake Atitlán, Guatemala using artificial intelligence. She also works to strengthen the capacity of countries in environmentally sensitive areas to use Earth observation data and geospatial technologies for managing natural resources and environmental risks. Flores’s research focuses on forest monitoring, water quality and ecological forecasting.

SPEAKERS:
Africa Flores-Anderson (National Geographic Learning | Cengage: Boston, MA)

Wheaton Christian Grammar School was one of 27 schools (3 non-public and 24 public) who received this prestigious award in Illinois in 2021. During the session, we will share how our board of directors, administration, and maintenance staff have reduced our environmental impact and cost through routine maintenance, upgrades, and building design. We will review how our school has implemented lessons and programing that promotes sustainability and care for the earth. We will discuss how our health team works on promoting wellness for student, faculty, and staff in areas of heathy eating habits, staying active, and social emotional learning. Utilizing local agencies and promoting professional development for your staff will be addressed. We will end our session with sharing how our school reduces our waste by using four outside compost bins along with a vermicomposting bin in the STEAM Lab. A worm bin will be present for a step-by-step demonstration.

TAKEAWAYS:
Come "learn" what the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon is and "lead" your school in achieving this award.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Macaluso (Wheaton Christian Grammar School: Winfield, IL), Jacqueline Lauriat (Wheaton Christian Grammar School: Winfield, IL)

Culturally relevant pedagogy embodies a professional, political, cultural, ethnical, and ideological disposition that supersedes mundane teaching acts; it is centered in fundamental beliefs about teaching, learning, students, their families, and their communities, and an unyielding commitment to see student success become less rhetoric and more of a reality. This session will aid in building awareness and sensitivity to the culture-based genius that students bring to the classroom using science inquiry strategies. Emphasis will be placed on a model for the inclusion of culturally relevant content that accommodates student backgrounds and methods of learning. In this session, we will exhibit how to identify the key characteristics of culturally responsive lessons. Attendees will acquire lesson design methods that employ cultural competence and effective communication. Attendees will use collaborate boards during the presentation to respond and interact. Activities to exhibit how students identify with what they know in the classroom will be utilized to help educators make connections and apply this information when planning lessons.

TAKEAWAYS:
Building awareness and sensitivity to the culture-based genius that students bring to the classroom using science inquiry strategies. Emphasis will be placed on a model for the inclusion of culturally relevant content that accommodates student backgrounds and methods of learning.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Haynes (Baker High School: Baker, LA), Jennifer Norwood (Instructional Support Specialist), Tara Hollins (Exceptional Student Services Educator: Zachary, LA)

Join Chief engineer of NASA’s JWST to explore the design and development of the largest space telescope every imagined by humanity. Discover how The Hunt for Planet B will shape our future and what we can learn about the skills and relationships that drove our greatest technological journey as a species.

About the Speaker
Jonathan Arenberg is currently chief mission architect for Science and Robotic Exploration at Northrop Grumman. His work experience includes all phases of program and mission development, including early technology development, mission concepts, detailed design, test and verification, and integration and test. His last major program assignment was as chief engineer for the James Webb Space Telescope. In the last few years, Dr. Arenberg has led major mission studies for NASA and other government customers. He has been a principal in major paradigm breaking concepts; the Starshade, MODE lenses, and the OASIS mission based on an inflatable reflector. He is a creative and broad thinker, capable of addressing the most challenging problems with practical and effective solutions. In addition to optical systems experience from X-rays to THz systems, he is also familiar with laser systems and components.

Dr. Arenberg has a BS in physics, a MS and PhD in engineering, all from UCLA. As a committed member of the scientific community, Dr. Arenberg is a long serving California State Science Fair Judge, frequent public speaker, a referee for several journals, and a guest editor for several special journal issues. He is a Fellow of the international optics and photonics society, SPIE, for his contribution to astronomy and lasers. He is the author of over 200 conference presentations, papers, and book chapters and holds 15 European and U.S. patents in a wide variety of areas of technology. Dr. Arenberg is also the co-author of a recent book on systems engineering for astronomy from SPIE press. In 2020 Jon was given the Professional Achievement Award from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science.

SPEAKERS:
Jonathan Arenberg (Northrop Grumman Corp.: El Segundo, CA)

Problem centered instruction is a great way to engage students, integrate content, inspire learning, and naturally incorporate all three dimensions of the NRC Framework. However, true problem centered instruction requires a major shift in both teaching and learning, requiring the one thing teachers don't have: time--the last thing teachers need is another pedagogical strategy that disrupts their entire routine. Teachers will have the opportunity to voice their concerns and discuss some barriers of problem centered teaching and learning, while also addressing the benefits for both teachers and students. Considering the benefits, there are some immediate changes that teachers can use to help shift to a problem centered environment. Recalling that problem centered learning should be complex, meaningful, and open-ended, the four strategies are: 1) Make the Content Relatable, 2) Structure: Less is More, 3) Be a Resource, Not an Answer Key, and 4) Use a Problem to Introduce a Topic. Teachers will then have an opportunity to put the strategies to immediate use by picking a lesson or topic and work with others to transform it into a three-dimensional, problem centered lesson.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will explore four strategies that promote three-dimensional learning through the process of problem centered instruction that is complex, meaningful, and open-ended. They will discuss benefits and barriers to the problem centered approach from the perspective of both the instructor and the learner. Teachers will have an opportunity to brainstorm and work collaboratively on transforming a lesson or topic of their choice into a problem centered, reality based scenario that seamlessly integrates the Science and Engineering Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Disciplinary Core Ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Cassandra Armstrong (Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy: Aurora, IL)

Students find science difficult or non-stimulating particularly when teachers do not consider cognitive, physiological, and socio-emotional disparities in students. Research has shown that engaging the appropriate parts of the brain helps students make a long-lasting, personalized connection to scientific concepts and practices. Studies show that discipline and learning problems in our classrooms may be associated with a lack of student engagement. Engaged students are less likely to be disruptive and are more likely to retain information longer. The focus of this presentation is to equip teachers with the pedagogical skills and strategies needed to drive student engagement and achievement by recognizing and addressing physiological, cognitive, and socio-emotional disparities in students based on an understanding of how a learner’s brain works. Participating teachers will explore the impact of emotions, storytelling, culturally relevant and hands-on learning on the forebrain and consequently on student engagement and comprehension. Teachers will learn to correctly harness the learning power of the forebrain, particularly, those of the hippocampus and amygdala, by appropriately employing suitable learning strategies. These will enhance student engagement, improve learning outcomes and increase academic achievement in the sciences.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn to correctly harness the learning power of the forebrain, particularly, those of the hippocampus and amygdala, by appropriately employing suitable learning strategies

SPEAKERS:
Chidi Duru (Prince George's County Public Schools: Upper Marlboro, MD)

The free NASA STEM lesson plans introduce the practice of computational thinking and include elements of a real NASA mission. NASA’s Artemis program will return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since 1972, the year of the agency's last Apollo moon landing. This Educator Guide provides four standards-aligned activities to help students learn about NASA's Orion spacecraft that will take astronauts to the Moon and beyond. In this session, we will design and build a crew module model that will secure two 2-cm astronaut figures during a drop test. The PowerPoint will be available to all participants. The PowerPoint will include the videos and activities including the tips and pointers. Session Outline: 5 min - Welcome and Introduction to NASA Artemis Mission 10 min- STEM Engagement strategies and culturally relevant teaching 10 min- Introducing the Engineering Design Challenge 20 min- Teams Design a Crew Vehicle 10 min- Testing the Crew Vehicle 5 min- Reviewing the Resources and Q and A https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/np-2020-02-2805-hq.pdf

TAKEAWAYS:
NASA provides free educational resources that include educator guides with standards-aligned activities to help students use computational thinking while including elements of real NASA missions.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Kohler (NASA Glenn Research Center: Cleveland, OH)

Turn any multiple-choice review into an exciting escape! Learn to create digital and in-person escapes to help keep students interested, engaged, and motivated.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn tips for designing escape boxes, plus how to add riddles, puzzles, games, and small prizes. The digital escape uses Google Forms, and the physical escape uses lockable boxes with resettable combination locks. Links to a customizable digital and physical escape will be available to attendees.

SPEAKERS:
Sharon Beck (Davidson County High School: Lexington, NC)

Did you know that every U.S. aircraft flying today, and every U.S. air traffic control facility, uses NASA-developed technology in some way? Participants in this session will gain insights into how NASA Aeronautics work to make aviation truly sustainable by reducing delays and environmental impacts, transforming aviation efficiency and safety, while reducing noise, fuel use, harmful emissions, and ultimately transform the way we fly. NASA’s X-57 Maxwell is an experimental aircraft designed to test operating multiple electric motors for use in turning propellers – an idea known as “distributed electric propulsion.” This session highlights an activity from NASA’s “X-57 Electric Airplane: STEM Learning Module” (https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/stem/X57 ) part of a series of Educator Guides with lessons and activities to help students learn about NASA’s X-57 Maxwell and the science behind electric propulsion. This session will focus on the “X-57 Maxwell: Circuits Activity Guide” that engages participants to build a light-up paper helicopter by creating a “parallel circuit” that uses copper foil tape, two LED lights, and a battery. This session’s goals are to demonstrate that an all-electric airplane is more efficient, quieter, and more environmentally friendly. Session participants will understand that knowledge gained from the X-57 Maxwell research will help engineers design future electric-powered aircraft for everything from urban air mobility to moving passengers and cargo between nearby cities.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Attendees will explore NASA STEM Educator Guides that are standards-aligned and provide detailed information and resources on how to implement NASA STEM engagement learning experiences in the classroom. 2. Hands-on minds-on experience with implementing a NASA STEM activity in their classroom that encourages students to create a parallel circuit on a paper helicopter as an introduction to circuitry and propulsion. 3. Attendees will gain insights into how NASA’s X-57 Maxwell all-electric airplane is more efficient, quieter, and more environmentally friendly while gaining a better understanding of the STEM concepts of energy transfer, and the physical science of pressure and aerodynamics.

SPEAKERS:
LaTina Taylor (NASA Educator Professional Development Collaborative (EPDC): Flossmoor, IL)

Despite Nikesha Davis growing up in a family of educators, STEM still seemed like a foreign language, until the right teacher came along. Join Davis, aerospace engineer and NASA’s GSFC Propulsion Chief, as she discusses changing the narrative of STEM in a student’s everyday life, and the benefits that science in use, and language in use play not only in the classroom, but at NASA, and in life in general. Her goal is to inspire students, parents, families, and educators on the engineering around us, as we prepare our students to change the world.

About the Speaker
Ms. Nikesha Davis is an Aerospace Engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland. She has worked in NASA’s Mission Engineering and Systems Analysis (MESA) Division for the past twelve years. Nikesha is the Branch Head of the Propulsion Branch at GSFC. Here she manages liquid and chemical propulsion system design, analysis, and fabrication efforts. This work includes larger spacecrafts and satellites, down to CubeSats and SmallSats, in addition to research in the propulsion arena. In addition to these duties, Nikesha is continuing efforts as the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) Product Development Lead for the Plankton, Aerosol, Could, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission. A remote sensing, $805 million mission which launches in December 2023. In this capacity, Nikesha is responsible for coordinating efforts to deliver the Attitude Control System, Flight Dynamics System, and GN&C Hardware for the PACE project.

Ms. Davis enjoys volunteering in the community, through NASA and other programs, and is very passionate about spreading the word about STEM fields and broadening the understanding of what engineers do. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Spelman College, and a bachelor’s and master’s in aerospace engineering, and systems engineering respectively from the University of Alabama Huntsville.

SPEAKERS:
Nikesha Davis (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center: Greenbelt, MD)