iMeK: I Mentor K-12 Students
The iMeK project is focused on enhancing the STEM connections between undergraduate education, early secondary education, and the career opportunities associated with NASA missions. The participating undergraduate students will engage in a science and engineering design process workshop aligned with a current NASA mission. They will then act as classroom mentors for K-12 students preparing for mission simulations hosted by the CLC of ME. This will not only train the undergraduate and K-12 students in connected STEM content, but also develop their leadership, team work, problem solving, and communication skills.
Education Focus
Exploring a chained training philosophy is proposed. PI and his collaborators at the CLC of ME will engage undergraduate students at different UMS campuses in the science and engineering design processes for selected NASA missions. The trained undergraduate students will in turn work in the classroom with selected K-12 students to prepare them for a space simulation mission at the CLC of ME.