ExWorks Gets NASA Grant
In June of this year ExWorks found out that we were one of 13 science centers nationally to receive a NASA grant for the promotion of NASA educational objectives. The 4–year grant for $499,048 will support our collaboration with MIT, as together we develop exhibits and programs that deal with the exploration of space and with the underlying science, engineering and math that supports that exploration.
Our main collaborator in this effort is Dava Newman, a Helena native who is now a Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT, involved in studying the physiology of adaptation to the microgravity of space, ad working on the prototype of a next–generation space suit. Dava visited her friend and collaborator Buzz Aldrin when he came to Helena last summer, and she encouraged us to pursue the grant.
Most of the grant ($309,000) will be used to develop and produce a series of exhibits about space exploration that will be first introduced at ExWorks. Dava will work with long–time collaborator Gui Trotti, an architect who has designed for 'extreme environments' like Antarctica and space, to produce an interactive exhibit called 'The Knowledge Station' that guides exploration to the moon, Mars, and even Jupiter's icy moon Europa. This first exhibit and associated computer simulators will be unveiled at ExWorks in May 2010 by Dava and Gui. At that time, we will also host visits from NASA researcher Dr. Jessica Marquez and MIT grad student Allie Anderson, who will visit schools and present to the public as the first part of a yearly series of 'Distinguished Space Speakers.' A variety of astronauts and mission specialists currently active in NASA will bring the latest in space research to Helena and Montana on a yearly basis.
The second year we will receive the Moonwalker Exhibit, which will allow visitors to fell the effects of decreased gravity on the moon or Mars and they try to perform an exploration task, an exhibit based on actual experiments in Dava's MIT lab. The third and final exhibit piece will be the 'Advanced Spacesuit and Mission Planning Exhibit,' which will showcase the contributions of women in Aerospace missions and research. Parts of all these exhibits will travel throughout the Northwest in support of regional collaborations.
One–third of the money ($144,000) will provide educator materials and programs at ExWorks, particularly robotics education. IN addition to providing extra robotics sets for use of elementary and middle–school students, the Capital High Robotics Team will receive $6000 to help them enter advanced competition levels in the FIRST Robotics League. A significant amount of this money to ExWorks will support field trips from students around the state, with special efforts made for outreach to rural and Native American communities. ExWorks staff will also travel out to communities with programs and a special 'Space Exploration' trunk supported by the grant.
A final and important piece of the grant will go toward ongoing evaluation of our educational efforts. Josh Turner of Turner and Associates will work with grad students from MIT to produce educational evaluation suitable for publication, as NASA works to stimulate the minds of young scientists around the country with inquiry–based learning, and to foster scientific literacy in the American public as we face the decisions necessary to explore the universe we live in.
Links:
Grad Student Allie Anderson and MIT Prof. Dava Newman demonstrate early and later prototypes fo new spacesuit design. Allie will be visiting Helena and surrounding communities on a regular basis.
Dava Newman with educational programming at her MIT lab
Gui Trotti and Prof. Dava Newman pose with Trotti's space vehicle conception drawings.
Liz Gundersen and Dava with prototype Biosuit at Boston Museum of Science.
Jessica Marquez volunteering as a participant in space biomedical engineering research, experiencing lunar gravity.
