Students from Willow Road Elementary School observed a conversation between astronauts on the International Space Station and student researchers from across the United States and Canada during a NASA webinar on Nov. 15.
During the webinar, astronauts aboard the space station provided an inside look at what life is like aboard a microgravity and space environment research laboratory. International Space Station Commander Sunita Williams has been operating student-created microgravity experiments since arrival at the station, and she answered questions about her research work.
Willow Road Elementary School librarian Carol Anne Gravert has participated in NASA Educator workshops in the past, and she believes the NASA webinar inspired several Willow Road students to think about someday pursuing careers in science and engineering. “While our fifth-grade students were not actually conversing with the astronauts, they were able to see the interchange and exchange of ideas between NASA and the students researchers,” Gravert said of the special event. “The webinar was shown in the library and the science lab to accommodate all students in grade five. It was an inspiring event, showcasing role models for all of our children who might aspire to become scientists and engineers.”
This live video conference was enjoyed by 9,500 students across 24 Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) communities in the U.S. and Canada, and was webcast simultaneously by NASA TV and the Smithsonian for classrooms everywhere. The event was sponsored by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education, NASA and the U.S. Department of Education.
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