NASA and STEM Next present Million Girls Moonshot: Meeting the Artemis Generation

By Shannon Olsen, NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement. This web article was originally published on NASA's website on October 16, 2020.

NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement aims to engage students in NASA’s mission by immersing youth in NASA’s work, enhancing STEM literacy, and inspiring the next generation to explore. NASA resources reach students in a variety of different ways — both in and outside the classroom — and through original content and external partnerships.  

A key component in engaging students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields is through extracurricular development. Afterschool programs across the country help students explore STEM content and career pathways, building academic knowledge and critical skills like problem solving and teamwork. NASA supports afterschool programs through dynamic partnerships and innovative resources, including the NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative, Museum Alliance, and U.S. Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers. 

This year, a new afterschool partnership emerged with the STEM Next Opportunity Fund, focused on engaging students in engineering. As STEM fields are traditionally male-dominated, the Million Girls Moonshot emphasizes the vital importance of attracting more females to these specialized careers.   

“We’re excited to team up with Million Girls Moonshot — we share their vision to make STEM more accessible,” said Mike Kincaid, associate administrator for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement. “To build a strong and diverse STEM workforce, we must spark student interest in STEM and engage students in unique learning opportunities through partnerships like this.”  

In honor of the partnership with Million Girls Moonshot, NASA is hosting a live event, Million Girls Moonshot: Meeting the Artemis Generation, on Oct. 23 with NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli. Selected by NASA to join the 2017 Astronaut Class, Moghbeli graduated with the rest of “The Turtles” in January 2020. Moghbeli will answer student questions, discuss her journey to NASA, and provide more information about Artemis and STEM careers. Students can prepare for the event by designing a crew module — the perfect afterschool activity.  

In addition to afterschool alliances, NASA collaborates with leading educators across the country to develop high-quality resources for afterschool programs. These resources are delivered through NASA’s STEM @ Home platform, using research and discovery as a basis for student exploration of STEM topics. The platform even offers a brand-new set of opportunities tied to the Artemis mission, which will put the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, and inspire generations of students and explorers to come.