Georgia Space Grant Consortium

A3, Aviate, Aerospace, Aspire Convention

Program Type: Pre-College

PinkSTEM is a professional learning community of STEM educators, undergraduate and post-graduate students organized to promote a series of workshops with active-learning. The goal is to Promote 21st century skills of teamwork, communication, and collaboration, as well as economic literacy, through engaging, hands-on challenges that merge invention and entrepreneurship for girls. Four teachers from computer science, computer aid-devices and engineering will explore approaches for including active-learning and integrity literacy and technology in STEM workshops. To support this inquiry into active learning in STEM fields, two Georgia Institute of Technology doctoral candidates will lead a STEM teaching circle for educators to take back to their classroom setting and to share with the community.

Pink STEM hosted its first annual A3 Convention (Aviate. Aerospace. Aspire), on Earth Day weekend at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Titusville, Florida. The purpose of this Convention is help encourage the next generation of women in aviation with activities to introduce girls to the possibilities of aviation as a career / vocation. The impact of this activity builds awareness through educational and social activities at no cost to students, thus alleviating stress of students unable to attend due to financial strife, helping the girls and their families. Girls between the ages of 5 and 18 had a fun-filled, action-packed day introducing them to aviation and expanding their growing interest, while in the presence of amazing role models ranging from airline pilots to aircraft mechanics to aviation industry executives. They learned how to read a sectional chart, how to read the phonetic alphabet, how to fly a flight simulator, how to build an airport, how to use various tools by making wire bracelets, and many more hands-on activities. Teachers were able to network and attend STEM Workshops to increase their STEM classroom fluency.