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NASA Invites Participants to Enjoy Day-Long Virtual STEM-a-Thon on Nov. 18
Students and members of the general public of all ages are invited to participate in a day-long virtual “STEM-a-Thon: Explore Your Possibilities with NASA” event Nov. 18, featuring live presentations and activities, including two sessions with Stennis personalities.
“It’s critically important that we reach tomorrow’s explorers where they are today – in classrooms,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. “NASA needs a vast talent pool in order to accomplish its missions, including returning humans to the Moon. We’re grateful to everyone in education who work tirelessly to keep kids inspired and help them to see their own potential, and we’re excited to offer these events and activities during American Education Week.”
Set for 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., the NASA STEM-a-Thon event will feature NASA professionals from various areas of work and will focus on presenting information and opportunities related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Scheduled activities include a fireside chat with NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy and astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, a special greeting from the International Space Station, chat times with NASA STEM experts, a scavenger hunt experience, a trivia game, and more.
Participants must register for the day’s activities at. Online registration is available for individuals (https://nasa.6connex.us/event/NASAEDU/register) as well as groups and organizations (https://socialforms.nasa.gov/NASA_STEM-a-Thon).
Scheduled topics for the day include Webb: Science with the World’s Largest Space Telescope; Yes, We Work for NASA, Too!; NASA Odyssey: A Virtual Gaming Experience; “SCaN”ning the Skies: Communicating with Deep Space; Women at NASA: Making History Every Day; The Inside Scoop: Living and Working in Space; Interning at NASA:Out-of-This-World Opportunities; and Orion’s Story: Preparing NASA’s New Spacecraft for the Moon and Beyond.
Melroy and Moghbeli will host their virtual fireside chat at 9 to 9:45 a.m. to discuss career journeys and the impact today’s students will have on tomorrow’s missions. International Space Station astronauts Mark Vande Hei, Thomas Marshburn, and Kayla Barron will participate in a chat at with Dallas-area students at 10:20 to 10:40 a.m. The downlink event will be broadcast on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.
Sessions featuring Stennis participants include:
- Stennis Range Safety Manager Karma Snyder will be part of the Women at NASA: Making History Every Day at 2-245 p.m. Panel participants will share stories about their careers and experiences as women in a STEM field, as well as offer advice for girls wishing to pursue STEM-related studies and careers.
- Several Stennis employees will participate in The Inside Scoop: Living and Working in Space presentation at 4-4:45 p.m. Stennis Visitor Relations Specialist Vicki Bess will moderate the session, joined by Stennis Public Affairs Specialist Samone Wilson, who will serve as chat moderator. Stennis Visitor Relations Specialist Nick Middleton will present a demonstration of what it is like for astronauts to live and work in space.
The STEM-a-Thon event is one of several NASA activities planned in conjunction with American Education Week being celebrated Nov. 14-20. Others include:
Wednesday, Nov. 17
- 10 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. – NASA hosts its 2021 BIG Idea Challenge Forum. Seven university teams selected as finalists for the 2021 BIG Idea Challenge will present their original solutions to a pesky problem: lunar dust. Lunar dust’s highly abrasive particles pose dangers to astronaut health and can damage spacesuits, spacecraft, and habitats.
- 2 to 3:30 p.m. – Students can register to learn more about opportunities within NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement and Pathways internships in conjunction with the Technology Infusion Road Tour.
- 2 p.m. – STEM Stars en Español Highlights Propulsion Planning for Lunar Missions. In this live, webstreaming event presented in Spanish, “Inpulsando el cohete más poderoso del mundo” (“Fueling the most powerful rocket in the world”), Boeing technical lead engineer Eduardo A. López will explain his role in making sure the Space Launch System rocket is ready to send Artemis astronauts to the Moon. He’ll also share his STEM career journey, from his childhood in Mexico to his work on the propulsion systems of the most powerful rocket ever built. “NASA STEM Stars” en Español is part of a webchat series that connects students with subject matter experts to learn about STEM careers and ask questions about STEM topics.
Friday, Nov. 19:
- NASA will release a Spanish version of its “First Woman” graphic novel titled “La primera mujer.” The book is NASA’s first digital, interactive graphic novel, released in English in September. It imagines the story of Callie Rodriguez, the first woman to explore the Moon. NASA en español highlights this and other Spanish-language information from the agency.
NASA OSTEM provides opportunities for the next generation of explorers to discover and hone the science, technology, engineering, and math skills needed for the agency’s bold exploration plans. For the latest NASA STEM events, news, and activities for students at any grade level, visit:
For information about Stennis Space Center, visit:
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