The primary purposes of the Aerospace Outreach Program will be to raise the general level of pre-college and public awareness in aerospace science, design, and technology in the state, and to increase interest, recruitment, and training of the next generation of students in the pursuit of NASA-related fields. The goal will be to support the precollege development of math, science, and engineering curricula for K-12, and to encourage high school, secondary, and elementary students in aerospace pursuits.
The Aerospace Outreach Program will provide planning grants to support new projects and supplemental grants enhancing new components of existing projects in the areas of K-12 and public outreach. Projects in this program addressing precollege are required to increase interest, recruitment, and training of the next generation of pre-college students in the pursuit of NASA-related fields, and encourage K-12 students in space-related pursuits. We will continue to require all programs to have an educator training focus.
Awards are fully competitive over all aerospace, space science, and space-related disciplines, and made available to the most qualified candidates, chosen through a review process defined by the Advisory Council and outlined in the WSGC Charter. The Associate Director for Special Initiatives receives and forwards proposals to Technical Advisory Panels (TAPs), comprised of leading K-16 educators and administrators from around the state and balanced as much as possible by geographic location, gender, and racial and ethnic background. Awards are made by the Assistant Director based on recommendations from TAPs and Associate Directors.
Award recipients are expected to make presentations at a subsequent WSGC Conference, to submit final reports and copies of all published papers, and to engage in the activities of the Consortium as may be deemed appropriate.