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NASA partnership advances STEM education

As NASA continues to push the These student awards were distributed Calista Lum is an undergraduate NASA’s Minority University Re- aerospace research, increase work-
boundaries of exploration further into to minority students including numer- physics student who participated in search and Education Project’s In- force diversity, and strengthen STEM
space than ever before, the agency is ous first-generation college students. an internship at NASA’s Langley Re- stitutional Research Opportunity, skills. These awards directly sup-
looking to the next generation to join search Center in Hampton, Virginia in or MIRO, managed through NASA’s port NASA’s four mission director-
STEM fields, which are critical to mis- Student Success the summer of 2019. She was placed Armstrong Flight Research Center Of- ates: Aeronautics Research, Human
sion success. As an undergraduate chemistry ma- with a NASA mentor to work on a fice of STEM Engagement in Califor- Exploration and Operations, Sci-
Students interested in science, tech- jor, Yaneth Hernandez has had the project related to understanding suit- nia, awards cooperative agreements to ence and Space Technology. There
nology, engineering and mathematics- opportunity to work in a UC Merced able nanomaterials that could shield universities around the nation to per- are currently 20 active MIRO award-
focused careers can engage in educa- chemistry lab with carbon nanotubes. space suits, ships and habitats from form research and education. ees across 14 different U.S. states and
tional opportunities at several univer- These tubes are made of composite solar radiation. Her dream is to one All MIRO awards are provided territories.
sities around the country. Through an materials that are potentially useful for day work at NASA on the mission to to minority-serving institutions to Learn more about MIRO at https://
award system, NASA provides minor- space applications, due to their unique Mars. promote research capacity, expand www.nasa.gov/stem/murep/miro
ity awardees the unique opportunity combination of electrical, thermal, and
to contribute directly to the agency’s mechanical properties. Through the
missions by delivering research and program, Hernandez has observed a
technology concepts. rising GPA, gained hands-on experi-
One of these awardees is the Uni- ence, and attained fuel for her drive
versity of California, Merced, where toward obtaining her doctorate in
the Merced nAnomaterials Center for chemistry in the near future.
Energy and Sensing, also known as Undergraduate student Jacqueline
MACES, was established through a Bustamante, a chemistry and materi-
NASA cooperative agreement in 2015. als science major, has partnered with
Since then, MACES has provided re- other students in STEM fields through
search and university student support, the mentor program. She has been in-
aligned with NASA’s Space Technol- volved in the development and im-
ogy Mission Directorate. These efforts provement of energy storage batteries
have developed innovative technolo- that could be used for long-duration
gies, including sensing platforms that and deep-space missions that depend
enable lightweight, compact, high- on efficient use of energy sources.
performance energy conversion and Bustamante says she wants to contrib-
storage for future space missions. ute to increasing the role of women
MACES has provided support to in science and give minority groups
over 1,600 K-12 students through further opportunities for growth. After
outreach activities such as hands-on completing the MACES undergradu-
STEM training with local high school ate program, Bustamante plans to at-
students, and has funded 170 under- tend graduate school, as well as work
graduate students with fellowship at a pharmaceutical company as a
awards to pursue degrees in STEM. chemist and researcher. Yaneth Hernandez Jacqueline Bustamante Calista Lum

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