Looking for ways to spark STEM interest in your students?
Check out our Alternative Pathways to STEM Resource Page!
Thank you to this season's sponsor:
| AUDIENCE WITH AN ASTRONAUT SESSIONS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Session Date | Grade Level | Topic | Featured Astronaut | Curriculum | |
| May 8, 2025 | 6th-12th | What Does It Take to Become an Astronaut Living in Space? What do you do when your plans don’t go according to plan? How do you think astronauts have to adapt when things don’t go according to plan in space? Tune into our interview with Dr. Kjell Lindgren, a NASA Astronaut with a strong skillset in emergency and aerospace medicine, who has been on several missions and has spent a cumulative total of 311 days in space! He also participated in two spacewalks and in more than a hundred different scientific experiments aboard the International Space Station. Dr. Lindgren’s latest trip to space was as commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission, which launched to the International Space Station joining Expedition 67 crew. The linked STEM Activity focuses on the topic of bone density, as astronauts experience a loss of bone density after living in space compared to living on Earth. This experiment highlights how the medical field of knowledge surrounding how our bodies respond and react to living in space is ripe with discovery and exploration. |
 Dr. Kjell Lindgren |
||
| April 28, 2025 | 6th - 12th | A Peek Inside Being a Commercial Astronaut Join us as we sit down with SpaceX Commercial Astronaut Scott "Kidd" Poteet to hear about his serendipitous journey to the stars. Scott “Kidd” Poteet is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, elite Ironman triathlete, and Mission Pilot for SpaceX’s historic Polaris Dawn mission. His path to space was anything but ordinary. He overcame motion sickness, a fear of heights, and academic challenges, and a turning point in college sparked his drive to become a fighter pilot. Scott has over 20 years of service, including time as a U.S. Air Force Thunderbird and graduate of the prestigious Fighter Weapons School. Alongside his military career, he pushed his physical limits with 16 Ironman triathlons. Watch his incredible journey of grit, purpose, and perseverance. The linked STEM Activity focuses on the topic of 3D Printing, a key component of progressing novel solutions to space problems. Today’s space-industry companies and missions, like SpaceX and Polaris Dawn, are on the frontlines of developing this technology to launch the future of human space exploration. |
 Ret. USAF Lt. Col. and SpaceX Astronaut Scott "Kidd" Poteet |
||
| October 4, 2024 | 6th-8th | AI & Robotics in Space Join astronaut Duane "Digger" Carey for an inspiring virtual event where he shares his journey from Air Force pilot to NASA astronaut, offering insights into alternative pathways to STEM careers. Explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming education for students and teachers, and discover the mechanics and operation of robotics in both daily life and space exploration. Whether you're curious about technology, space, or new career paths, this program will inspire you to reach for the stars and embrace the future of STEM. |
 Retired USAF Lt. Col. Duane “Digger” Carey |
||
| May 14, 2024 | All | Lunar Outpost - Looking Ahead Students will learn about our future lunar outposts and how we can successfully build a sustainable lunar community and what kinds of jobs and careers will be needed. To celebrate the end of the AWA Season, our featured astronaut, Duane "Digger" Carey will be demonstrating some stellar STEM experiments LIVE! |
Retired USAF Lt. Col. Duane “Digger” Carey |
||
| March 19, 2024 | All | Future of Solar Weather - Total Solar Eclipse & STEM Careers Students will learn all about space weather - what it is, how it's formed, and how it impacts life here on Earth, such as in the form of Northern Lights and especially eclipses. We will focus on how to best engage with the upcoming totality eclipse in April. They'll also dive into ideas for current and future STEM careers we will need to better protect ourselves from solar weather and engage with the resulting phenomenon. |
 Retired USAF Col. Eileen Collins |
||
| February 26, 2024 | 3rd-5th | What's It Like to Live in Space? Students will learn about what it takes for humans to live long term in space, specifically the medical and mental health problems we face when considering longer-term space travel like going to Mars, and what kinds of solutions we have in place and need to create to make this exploration possible. |
Dr. Kjell Lindgren |
||
| November 14, 2023 | 6th-12th | Space Technologies - Past, Present, and Future Students will learn about a variety of technologies we have used to explore space, such as space vehicles, satellites, space stations, launch vehicles, and deep space communication, such as telescopes. We will discuss some of the amazing technologies Dr. Thornton has worked on in her career, explore present experiments and technologies being used today, and then discuss what the future might look like with so many things in Earth's orbit and how we solve those problems. |
 Dr. Kathryn Thornton |
||
| October 4, 2023 | 3rd-5th | Back to the Moon Students will learn about the first missions to the Moon, the Apollo missions, that took place over 50 years ago, as well as our current return to the Moon missions known as the Artemis missions. They will explore how we are getting to the moon, why we are going to the moon, and what to expect when we get there. |
Retired USAF Lt. Col. Duane “Digger” Carey |
||
| May 9, 2023 | 3rd-5th | Earth: Our Home, Our Mission Students will learn about our home planet. Earth: what makes it unique, why we should take care of it, and how we can take care of it, from space research that benefits Earth, to at-home ideas. |
 Retired USAF Lt. Gen. Susan Helms |
||
| February 27, 2023 | 3rd-5th | Humans in Space Students will learn what happens to the human body when living in space versus on Earth, the challenges humans face with this, and required current and future spacecraft safety features. |
Retired USAF Lt. Gen. Susan Helms |
||
| March 7, 2023 | 3rd-5th | Moon to Mars Students will learn about plans for humans to colonize the Moon and then Mars. They will learn about the Artemis Missions, constraints for getting to the Moon and Mars, and what a future life on Mars truly entails. |
Retired USAF Lt. Gen. Susan Helms |
||
| March 21, 2023 | 6th-12th | Solar System & Beyond Students will learn about Earth-like exoplanets and moons that may either contain life or have the ability to support life, such as on Europa and Enceladus. What does life beyond Earth look like and how can we find it? |
Retired USAF Lt. Gen. Susan Helms |
||
| April 5, 2023 | 6th-12th | Aeronautics Students will learn about the science of sound, specfically the speed of sound, Mach, sonic booms, and resulting effects on humans and animals. They will learn about a current Space Mission known as QUESST (Quiet Supersonic Flight Over Land) which utilizes a newly created aircraft, the X-59, designed to reduce loud sonic booms to quiet thumps. |
Retired USAF Lt. Gen. Susan Helms |
||
| May 16, 2023 | 6th-12th | Technology Drives Exploration Students will dive into the phrase 'necessity is the mother of invention' through exploring how technology plays a role in driving human exploration of our universe and learning about one such mission known as DART. |
Retired USAF Lt. Gen. Susan Helms |
||