IMAGE: AAA instructors and SETI Institute flight attendants at a special education console aboard the SOFIA during an all-night science research flight. view more
Credit: NASA / SETI Institute
February 25, 2021, Mountain View, CA – The SETI Institute has selected 30 teachers from 10 states as NASA’s 2021 Air Astronomy Ambassadors (AAAs). AAA is a professional development program for science teachers designed to enhance science teaching and increase student learning and STEM communication. This year’s expanded AAA program includes not only secondary teachers but also middle school and community college teachers.
“Throughout its history, our NASA-funded AAA program has impacted tens of thousands of high school students through the immersive and inspiring experience of their teachers,” Bill said. Diamond, Head of the SETI Institute. “This powerful STEM program will allow the SETI Institute to help bring NASA science into classrooms across the country.”
AAA teachers receive training in astronomy and planetary science. Their training includes a week-long STEM immersion experience at NASA’s astronomical research facility such as the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). Following their training, the AAAns teach a physical science curriculum module created by the SETI Institute that combines curriculum concepts with NASA and SOFIA-enabled research. WestEd education advisors evaluate the impact of the curriculum-specific model on STEM student learning and engagement. Previous evaluations of the AAA program have shown that there are statistically significant improvements in STEM performance and communication among students who have participated in the program.
“We are grateful that NASA will fund the AAA program through 2025 and we are thrilled to add middle school and community college teachers and their students,” said Dr. Dana Backman, program director AAA. ”“ These teachers will use their professional development and SOFIA experiences to provide their students with world-class content that highlights the value of scientific research and the wide range of STEM career paths available. to get them. “
The school districts and organizations that took part in the SEN program in 2021 are:
- Anaheim Union High School District, California
- Anchorage School District, Alaska
- Anne Arundel Community College, Maryland
- Canyons School District, Utah
- Chabot College, California
- Cobb County Schools, Georgia
- Fayette County Public Schools, Kentucky
- Foothill-DeAnza Community College District, California
- Fort Zumwalt School District, Missouri
- Harmony, Texas public schools
- William S. Hart Union High School District, California
- MiraCosta Community College District, California
- North Independent District School (San Antonio), Texas
- San Mateo Community College District, California
- Suffolk County Community College, New York
- Meadows School, Nevada
- Washoe County School District, Nevada
The 30 teachers selected as the 2021 Ambassador of Astronomy are listed below:
- Beverly Berekian, Junior Ball High School, Anaheim, California
- Alicia Black, Dubray Middle School, Saint Peters, Missouri
- Frank Cascarano, Foothill College, Los Altos Mountains, California
- Clief Castleton, Hillcrest High School, Midvale, Utah Fernando Cepeda, Harmony Academy of Science – Dallas High School, Dallas, Texas
- Erik Conkey, North Straths High School, Reno, Nevada Wesley Cullen, Dubray Middle School, Saint Peters, Missouri
- Dana Evans, Walton High School, Marietta, Georgia
- Rica French, MiraCosta College, Oceanside, California
- Marisa Heflin, Arroyo Seco Youth High School, Santa Clarita, California
- Scott Hildreth, Chabot College, Hayward, California
- Kathleen Kraus, Wallace B. Jefferson Middle School, San Antonio, Texas
- Deborah Levine, Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, Maryland
- David Marasco, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, California
- Stephen Martin, Damonte Ranch High School, Reno, Nevada
- Linda Martinez, Harmony Academy of Science – San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
- Geoffrey Mathews, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, California
- Milo Maughan, Corner Canyon High School, Draper, Utah
- Jenny McCall, Winburn Middle School, Lexington, Kentucky
- Tami McIntire, Palmer Primary School, Kennesaw, Georgia
- Jason Patterson, Clark Middle School, Anchorage, Alaska
- Zachary Richards, Suffolk County Community College, Brentwood, New York
- Richard Rochin, Brookhurst Youth High School, Anaheim, California
- Erin Schneider, Goldenview Middle School, Anchorage, Alaska
- Darryl Stanford, San Mateo College, San Mateo, California
- Scott Trujillo, Meadows School, Las Vegas, Nevada
- Shelley Turski, La Mesa Youth High School, Santa Clarita, California
- Shannon Ventresca, East Cobb Middle School, Marietta, Georgia
- Stacy Wade-Robb, Rio Norte Youth High School, Santa Clarita, California
- Pamela Word, Jay High School, San Antonio, Texas
- Stacy Wade-Robb, Rio Norte Youth High School, Santa Clarita, California
- Pamela Word, Jay High School, San Antonio, Texas
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[Labeled pictures of Cycle 9 Ambassadors go here.]
SOFIA is a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a telescope with an effective diameter of 100 inches. It is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center, DLR. NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California manages the SOFIA program, science, and mission operations in collaboration with the Universities Space Research Association headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, and the German SOFIA Institute (DSI) at the University of Stuttgart. The aircraft is maintained and operated from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center air science facility in Palmdale, Calif.
(Figure 1) Two groups of AAA teachers with their flight attendants in front of SOFIA on the tarmac at NASA’s air science facility in Palmdale, Calif. (NASA / SETI Institute)
(Figure 2) AAA teachers and SETI Institute staff flight assistants at a special education console aboard the SOFIA during an overnight science flight. (NASA / SETI Institute)
About the Astronomy Ambassadors program:
? The NASA Institute of Air Astronomy Ambassadors SETI Institute program is one of ~ 30 awards to U.S. organizations competitively selected by NASA under the Science Action program. These collaborative agreements give learners of all ages a more effective engagement with NASA science. Selections were conducted by the group’s Science Mission Steering Group (SMD) in Washington, DC. The AAA program is funded under NASA SMD NNX16AC51A. NASA’s AAA program began in 2016.
About the SETI Institute:
Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multidisciplinary research and education organization that aims to study, understand and interpret the origin and nature of life in the universe and the evolution of information. Our research covers the physical and biological sciences and experiences advanced data analysis, machine learning and signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a renowned research partner for industry, academics and government agencies, including NASA and NSF.
Contact information
Rebecca McDonald?
Director of Communications?
SETI Institute?
[email protected]
Dr. Dana Backman?
AAA Program Leader?
SETI Institute?
[email protected]
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