Goddard A Life Altering, Real World Experience

As students and teachers across the country take a summer break from the rigors of the classroom setting, a select few have been welcomed for a brief stay within the working environment of leading edge aerospace technology. Goddard Space Flight Center for years has sponsored education programs coordinated through the Education Office and Equal Opportunity Programs Office designed to inspire and motivate. The summer programs are a part of the ongoing NASA initiative to inspire the next generation as only NASA can.

Summer Intern Jared Lee confers with Claef Hakun, aerospace engineer about a problem he is working.

At Goddard the students are given the opportunity to actually work alongside some of the world's premier scientists and engineers devoted to research in Earth Science, Space Science, technology, space communications and a host of supporting activities. Over the next several months nearly 1,000 students and teachers will spend between one and 10 weeks aboard Goddard.

"The work done at Goddard is so compelling that it will ultimately inspire, but the question is how do we give students that compelling experience," said Dr. Robert Gabrys, Education Officer at Goddard. "Students and teachers come here to experience the essence of Goddard that they would not experience in the classroom setting," added Gabrys.

Gabrys stated that the summer programs allow the student an intense working environment, which allows for work that will hopefully inspire the student who is thinking of a career in aerospace or a related field of study. This experience also gives students a better understanding of course work they need to complete to be successful in their chosen career.

	Dr. Robert Gabrys addresses a group of teachers about inspiring the next generation.

According to Gabrys, teachers that visit Goddard are also inspired and motivated. The Goddard experience gives teacher a better perspective as to how to incorporate into their lesson plans the intense work experience the student has been exposed to. Teachers are given an opportunity to attend workshops and other programs designed to explain what is done at Goddard. They are also presented information about assistance Goddard can provide to their efforts. Gabrys said the whole idea is to build and maintain a system that inspires and supports to include the community of educators.

Each student goes through an intense selection process, which includes being interviewed by the scientist they are to work with. The scientist selects the student they believe can assist them in their work and not slow them down. If chosen, the student is expected to work with the scientist and complete work normally done by the scientist.

"The student gets a sense of the real world experience," said Gabrys. He added that for some students the experience will provide them with the confidence they lack to pursue a career in aerospace technology. "We want this experience to be life altering," said Gabrys.

Sean Booker is doing preparation work on a circuit board which is a part of his summer project. Photos by Chris Gunn/293

Sean Booker, senior from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, is spending his second consecutive summer working aboard Goddard. "What I learn here reinforces what I was taught in class," said Booker. "I appreciate it more because I am now working in the real world. "I've also found working here more beneficial because people are right here to help you and not just mentoring," he said.

Booker said the experience has also been valuable because it has provided guidance and focus. "Here you get to work on different projects which can help you focus on specifically what you want to do. Overall, I've found this to be a wonderful learning experience," concluded Booker.