Space Grant Workforce Development Initiative: Initial Survey Results

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Space Grant Workforce Development
InitiativeInitial Survey Results

• Michaela Schaaf
• Karisa Vlasek
• Mary Fink
• Brent Bowen
• Melissa Wurdeman
• NASA Nebraska Space Grant Consortium

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Workforce Development Surveysand Roundtables

• Thank you for your participation

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Roundtable Discussion
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Workforce Development An Operational Definition

• NASAs view
• Hands on application of content that students
  have already received in the classroom which will
  increase STEM field career paths
• Outcomes focused
• Metrics and longitudinal tracking
• Pyramid

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Surveys Some Initial Results
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What NEEDS exist that SG might fulfill in
workforce development?
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Needs

• Higher skilled and better prepared STEM workforce
  
• Diverse STEM workforce
• More role models for women

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Needs

• Generate more university-trained scientists and
  engineers
• More graduate funding in STEM-related disciplines

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Needs

• Retention in the freshman year of college
• 1/3 of all entering freshmen indicate they wish
  to pursue STEM studies

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Needs

• Hands-on experiential education and training of
  Americas scientists and engineers
• Provide such experiences with an experienced
  mentor for on the job type training that cannot
  be achieved in the classroom

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Needs

• More slots in the NASA Academy and USRP
• This experience boosts career opportunities for
  students
• Expand eligible majors for intern and Center
  programs
• Specific skill sets dont always match existing
  HR/Co-op designations

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Needs

• Resurrection of a national robotics effort
• Pre-college
• Potential for major payoff 10-15 years in the
  future
• Possible collaboration between NASA and other
  agencies

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Needs

• Increase the number of science and math teachers
  utilizing NASA education materials
• Enthusiastic teachers

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Needs

• Database and publicity of all higher ed
  internships and co-ops for federal agency,
  industry, etc. nationwide
• Facilitator or coordinator for public private
  partnerships
• Organization such as SG can fulfill

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What NEW OR INNOVATIVE IDEAS do you have for SG
workforce development initiatives?
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New or Innovative Ideas

• Strengthen Student Satellite Program
• Work with NASA and aerospace industry to provide
  new launch and mission opportunities for students
• Students in Japan, Canada, and Europe have far
  better access to space for their students
  satellite projects than students do in the U.S.

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New or Innovative Ideas

• More student engagement in NASA missions and
  projects
• Develop engineering capstone projects with NASA
  and industry
• Multi-consortia research activities for students
  and faculty

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New or Innovative Ideas

• National Space Grant Design Competition
• Modeled along lines of RASC-AL or LaRCs
  Aerospace Vehicle Systems Technology
• Divisions could include
• Robotics
• Biomedical
• Etc.

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New or Innovative Ideas

• Innovative new models for workforce development
• Aero Institute at NASA Dryden
• www.Areoi.org
• NASA Ames ACES
• www.Alliancespace.net
• Hawaiis Small Satellite Initiative with industry
  know-how
• Louisianas High Altitude Student Platform (HASP)
• America View

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New or Innovative Ideas

• Establish national student conference for
  students
• Present research
• Poster sessions
• Publish papers
• Receive feedback from professionals

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New or Innovative Ideas

• Contracting with SG Foundation
• Alumni tracking
• Market research to develop programs that appeal
  to the target group

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What BEST PRACTICES will allow Space Grant to
facilitate the workforce pipeline to NASA?
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Best Practices

• Existing Programs
• The National Student Satellite Program
• Retention tool for STEM majors
• Hands-on training
• Continue to expand geographically and
  programmatically
• More time at semi-annual meetings
• Develop a K-12 workshop for teachers to expand
  into the classroom

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Best Practices

• Existing Programs
• Provide paid internships for students in industry
• Geospatial training and research programs

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Best Practices

• Additional partnerships with NASA Centers
• Need Advocates such as Linda Rodgers, Mike
  Freeman, and Dave Rosage to help SG connect more
  to workforce on the inside at the Centers

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Best Practices

• Incorporate research and engineering projects
  into the existing fellowship scholarship
  program with a required research mentor
• Undergraduate student research opportunities

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Best Practices

• Research mentor evaluate student performance
• Much like an employer would evaluate their
  employee
• Provide research mentors with a how to handbook
  on mentoring students and some guidelines for
  providing high quality experiences

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Best Practices

• Bring research mentors to student seminars and
  encourage feedback and Q A sessions to allow
  the students to experience constructive criticism
  without the fear of employment consequences

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Best Practices

• Conduct post-experience seminars and poster
  sessions so the students can share in the
  experiences of others
• Feedback from participants
• Such as evaluation forms

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Best Practices

• Space Grant inclusiveness
• Involving all community colleges and universities
• Interdisciplinary approach
• Involve multiple departments and majors

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Where Do We Go From Here?

• Additional Feedback Surveys
• Follow-up Instruments
• Planning process
• Alignment of needs, best practices, and new and
  innovative ideas