SHPE Foundation

NSSD-El Paso

Overview

In partnership with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and the Advancing Hispanic Excellence in Technology, Engineering, Math and Science Foundation (AHETEMS), the El Paso NASA Space Science Day is an expansion of existing, successful NASA Space Science Day (NSSD) programs that the Johnson Space Center Astromaterials Research Exploration Science Office (JSC ARES) and the University of Texas Brownsville/Texas Southmost College (UTB/TSC) have conducted for the past six years.

The NASA Space Science Day events utilize NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and other space-related hands-on activities at one-day events with an average attendance of over 700 Hispanic 5th and 8th grade students from various Hispanic serving schools. These grade levels are targeted because it is a very malleable stage in life, when career choices can be influenced by participation in these hands-on STEM activities. The Saturday event consists of approximately 10 different space science activities throughout the day.

By adding SHPE and AHETEMS as partners, the intent is to increase the scale and scope of impact by replicating the program throughout the country and reach 5th and 8th Hispanic grade students from local and immediately surrounding school districts with a predominantly underserved Hispanic population.

The goals of the NSSD are to:

  1. Engage pre-college students in SMD content and attract them to STEM disciplines
  2. Expose pre-college students to NASA SMD content in direct relation to SMD’s vision for Education and Public Outreach
  3. Provide leadership and mentoring opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in STEM, thus strengthening NASA’s and the nation’s future workforce
  4. Complement STEM-based education that students already received at school

Logisitics

Date: Saturday, April 24, 2010
Time: 8 AM - 5 PM
Location: The University of Texas at El Paso

Target Audience

This program intends to host 200 Hispanic 5th grade students and 200 Hispanic 8th grade students.

Registration

Students may not register on their own.  All students must be registered in groups by a recognized chaperone from their school.  Our policy requires at least one chaperone for every ten students.

Registration is based on a first-come, first-saved basis.  To register, please download the application.

Registration Deadline

Early Registration - Friday, April 17, 2010

Mission Flight Patch Competition

Participating schools are invited to submit two mission flight patch designs related to the theme "Exploring Our Solar System -- Understanding the Surfaces of Planets and Other Solar System Bodies by Understanding Earth's Surface Processes." First, second and third place prizes will be awarded at the 5th grade category and 8th grade category.  For complete rules and entry, download the Mission Patch Competition Guidelines.

Agenda

Please click here for the most updated agenda.