NES Career Video Chat – NES Teachers Corner

Video Chat for Students: Dawn Stanley — The Space Launch System: NASA’s Heavy Lifter

Join Dawn Stanley May 13, 2014 as she answers questions about the agency’s Space Launch System and her journey to become a systems engineer with NASA.

During this video chat, students will have a chance to ask about the engineering design process and what it looks like at NASA. Our guest for this video chat is Dawn Stanley, a systems engineer with NASA’s Space Launch System Program Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. She works directly with the Space Launch System program providing day-to-day support and mission assurance. Her job gives her unique insight into the development of NASA’s new heavy-lift vehicle.

During the chat, Stanley will discuss how she became an engineer and how she got involved in developing spacecraft systems.

NES Video Chat for Students — Astronaut Stephanie Wilson: Living and Working in Space

NASA Explorer Schools is hosting a 45-minute live video chat for students in grades 4-12 on May 2, 2014, at 3 p.m. EDT. During the video chat, astronaut Stephanie Wilson will answer students’ questions about living and working in space. She was selected to become an astronaut in April 1996 and flew as a mission specialist astronaut on three shuttle missions. She has logged 42 days in space.

For more information and to participate in the video chat, visit https://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/nes2/home/steph-wilson-chat.html.

NES Video Chat: International Space Station — Experiments in Microgravity

Date: Feb. 20, 2014
Time: 1:00 p.m. EST
Topic: International Space Station: Experiments in Microgravity

Former NASA astronaut Gregory H. Johnson and Dr. Michael Roberts of the Center for the Advancement of Space In Science, or CASIS, will answer student questions about experiments on board the ISS.

Join this exciting video chat for students by going to the video chat login page 15 minutes prior to the start time and submit your student questions via Twitter, email or chat. Selected questions will be answered during the broadcast.

Video Chat Today: Asteroid Retrieval

At 1 p.m. EST, Paulo Younse will answer your students’ questions about how his team put together a proposal for NASA’s asteroid retrieval mission. He will also answer questions about his career at NASA. Younse is a robotics engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. He designs new types of robots for future NASA solar system exploration missions. Recent projects he has worked on include the latest Mars Rover, “Curiosity.” Currently, he is developing techniques for a proposed Mars Sample Return mission that will collect Martian rock samples and bring them back to Earth. He is also part of a team of scientists and engineers who are going to submit a proposal for the Asteroid Retrieval Project. Younse has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and a master’s degree in agricultural engineering from the University of Florida.

In order to submit questions all you need a computer connected to the Internet. 15 minutes prior to the start of the chat, go to the event page and log into the chat window. Video chat event pages can always be accessed by going to the NES Virtual Campus and clicking on the link in the “Ask an Expert” panel on the left side of the page.

Video Chat: Solar Max Storm Warning!

Join us on March 14 from 1 – 2 p.m. EDT when Lou Mayo, a Planetary Scientist, will field student questions about the importance of tracking and understanding the impacts of solar activity on Earth and the increase in solar activity during the upcoming solar maximum period. You do not want your students to miss this solar storm warning and an opportunity to ask May about how Earth will be affected.

15 minutes prior to the start of the video chat, go to the event page and log into the chat window. Questions can be submitted by typing them in the chat window, or through Twitter by tagging the tweet with #NESChat, or by emailing them to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov. Include the grade and school name. Questions will be answered as time allows.

Link to the NASA Explorer Schools home page.

Video Chat: Space Shuttle Atlantis Roll Over Celebration

NASA’s Digital Learning Network and NASA Explorer Schools are hosting a special event and video chat on Nov. 2, 2012, at 1 p.m. EDT to commemorate the departure of space shuttle Atlantis. DLN hosts Rachel Power and Joshua Santora will broadcast live from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida as space shuttle Atlantis is transferred from the Vehicle Assembly Building to its permanent home at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

The “Roll Over” celebration will feature special guests including NASA Administrator and astronaut Charles Bolden, members of the space shuttle’s processing team and members of the team responsible for the design of the new home for Atlantis, who will answer student questions, as time permits.

The chat will be live on the NES Virtual Campus. Up to 15 minutes prior to the start of the chat, go to the event page and click on the big red “join chat” button. Student questions can be submitted by typing them in the chat window, or through Twitter by tagging the tweet with #NESChat, or by emailing them to NASA-Explorer-Schools@mail.nasa.gov. Include the student’s name, grade and school name.

Live Video Chat: Life as an Astronaut

Bob Cabana Date: Sept. 25, 2012
Time: 1:00 – 1:45 p.m. EDT

During this live video chat, NASA Explorer Schools offers students in grades 4-12 an opportunity to ask questions of astronaut and Director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Bob Cabana about his education, astronaut training, living and working in space and the future of space exploration.

Participate in the chat by going to the chat page at 12:45 p.m. EDT.

NES Events Next Week (May 21 – May 25)

Video Chat: Robonaut Technology Aboard the Space Station

May 18, 2012, from 1-2 p.m. EDT

Students in grades 6-12 can ask CJ Kanelakos questions about designing, testing and building a lower body for R2 that will enable it to be more mobile on the International Space Station.

Video Chat: The Amazing World of Nanomaterials

May 23, 2012, from noon-1 p.m. EDT

In recognition of Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, NASA Explorer Schools is offering students in grades 9-12 an opportunity to ask questions of Mia Siochi, a research materials engineer working on nanotechnology, self-healing materials and other emerging aerospace materials and systems of the future.

Professional Development Seminar: Ultraviolet Radiation and Yeast: Radiation Biology Web Seminar

May 23, 2012, at 8:15 p.m. EDT

The student activity featured in this seminar demonstrates the effects of radiation on living organisms. Learn how sun-screening materials protect live yeast cells from harmful ultraviolet, or UV, radiation, countermeasures for UV radiation and discuss phenotypic changes in yeast as a result of radiation damage. Also see how you can expand the range of items tested in this lab by using different sun protection materials. Use this activity to establish a connection for your students between science and a real-world situation.

NASA Now: Cryogenics Testing
May 23, 2012
Wesley Johnson, a cryogenics engineer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, describes the three methods of heat transfer, shows samples of various insulation materials and demonstrates what happens to a flower exposed to extreme cold. Find out why NASA researchers study fluids and materials at super cold temperatures for applications on Earth and in space.

Link to the NES Virtual Campus home page.

NES Events Next Week (May 14 – May 18)

Professional Development – Chemistry of Water: Mars Exploration — Is There Water on Mars?

May 14, 6:30 p.m. EDT

Learn to use an inquiry-based lesson about how atmospheric pressure and vapor pressure affect the boiling point of water. See why water’s boiling point is pressure-dependent, rather than temperature-dependent. Then, by extension, you will deduce if there could be liquid water on Mars.

Live Video Chat – Astronaut Greg Johnson — Living and Working in Space

May 15, noon – 1 p.m. EDT

Opportunity for students in grades 4-12 to ask astronaut Greg Johnson questions during a live video chat about his education, astronaut training and experiences while living and working in space.

Professional Development – Engineering Design Challenge: Thermal Protection System

May 15, 8:15 p.m. EDT

Learn about the science of heat transfer and heat dissipation related to NASA vehicles, and receive an introduction to the associated engineering design challenge, Thermal Protection System.

NASA Now – Microgravity Research

May 16

Nancy Hall, a research scientist at NASA Glenn Research Center, discusses different ways matter acts in the gravity on Earth and in microgravity and how she uses a drop tower for testing.

Professional Development – Linear Regression: Exploring Space Through Math – Space Shuttle Ascent

May 16, 8 p.m. EDT

Discover how you can use the Space Shuttle Ascent activity to construct a knowledge bridge for your students between the algebra concepts they learn in your classroom and space exploration.

Live Video Chat– R2 Technology Lends a Helping Hand

May 18, 1 – 2 p.m. EDT

C.J. Kanelakos, a mechanical design engineer on the Robonaut 2 project will answer student questions about Robonaut 2, or R2. Join the video chat for an opportunity to ask CJ about her career path, how she became interested in technology and any questions you may have about engineering at NASA!Link to the NES Virtual Campus home page.

Link to the NES Virtual Campus home page.

NES Events Next Week (Apr. 23 – 27)

NES Video Chat: NASA Untamed

Apr 23 from 1-2 p.m. EDT

In celebration of Earth Day 2012, Becky Bolt, a wildlife ecologist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, will answer student questions about how scientists study wildlife and how this research helps support space operations.

Heat Transfer: MESSENGER — My Angle on Cooling Web Seminar

April 23, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. EDT

Learn how to use the mission’s Staying Cool activities to lead students through an examination of different solutions to the problem of how to deal with too much sunlight and energy.

Live Video Chat: 100,000,000,000 Planets in Our Galaxy and Counting

April 25, 2012, from noon – 1 p.m. EDT

NASA research scientist Stephen Kane will answer questions from students in grades 4-12 about a study he co-authored showing there are 100 billion planets in our galaxy.

Review the NES calendar for other upcoming events.

Link to the NES Virtual Campus home page.