Press Release

NASA Glenn Partners with Cleveland Public Library to Inspire the Next Generation of Scientists and Engineers

By SpaceRef Editor
May 30, 2012
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CLEVELAND – NASA’s Glenn Research Center is partnering with the Cleveland Public Library to support the Library’s 2012 Summer Reading Club, “Feed Your Mind, Read!” The reading program will be held from June 11 through Aug. 4 and is designed to keep children’s minds active over the summer break. Glenn is supporting the Library’s efforts by providing outreach and engagement events focused around science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM.

Events at two Library branches will kick off the 2012 campaign: the Rockport Branch will host an event Saturday, June 2, 6-8 p.m., and the Woodland Branch celebration will be on Friday, June 8, also 6-8 p.m. Families attending the event will be able to participate in hands-on educational activities and demonstrations and talk with Glenn employees about NASA’s missions and educational opportunities.

Activities include demonstrations about comets and deep-space communications, outdoor physical challenges, online games and building your own Hubble telescope, foam rocket and edible Mars Curiosity Rover. Also available will be the popular “Picture Yourself in Space” photo booth, where children and adults can receive a free souvenir photo taken as an astronaut.

NASA subject matter experts and members of Glenn’s Speakers Bureau are also getting in on the adventure and will share information about NASA during visits to local library branches from 1 to 2 p.m., on Wednesdays from June 13 until Aug. 1.

NASA topics and speakers include:

June 13 – Langston Hughes Branch
Extreme Green: Growing Biofuels – Dr. Bilal Bomani, Biomedical
Researcher
Find out how NASA scientists are turning a common wild plant into a
clean and renewable food and energy source.

June 20 – Fulton Branch
Career Development: Careers at NASA – Danny Rodriguez, Contract
Specialist
Learn how diversity plays a key role in enhancing the NASA workforce
and how you may have “the right stuff” to work at NASA.

June 27 – Eastman Branch
NASA Sustainability: Sustainability and Recycling – Michelle Kenzig,
Environmental Protection Specialist
Discover ways Glenn reduces and eliminates impacts on the environment
and what you can do to help.

July 11 – Fleet Branch
Food Technology: Eating in Space, Astronaut Greg H. Johnson
Learn what it takes to feed astronauts, and see samples of authentic
NASA foods that are packaged and ready for space travel.

July 18 – Rice Branch
Gardening in Space: Christopher Hartenstine, Informal Education
Project Coordinator
Explore the challenges that come with food planning on long-term space
exploration missions. Create a solution for solving those challenges
and do some “space gardening” of your own.

July 25 – Collinwood Branch
Aug. 1 – Sterling Branch
Two Paths to Reach Your Goals You Choose: Barbara Wilson, Information
Technology Specialist
Hear this motivational story on the journey to NASA this East
Cleveland native and Shaw High School graduate took that led her to
NASA’s Glenn Research Center.

NASA continues its tradition of investing in the nation’s education programs and supporting the country’s educators who play a key role in preparing and inspiring the young minds of today to become the workforce of tomorrow.

For more information about NASA’s educational programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/education

For more information about Glenn, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/glenn

For more information about Cleveland Public Library’s Summer Reading Club, visit: http://readingclub.cpl.org/

SpaceRef staff editor.