Clemson, NASA contest for middle-schoolers aims for asteroids
February 9, 2012
Sound like an old episode of Mission Impossible? Not quite. This time, it’s NASA, Clemson University and other members of the NASA Human Health and Performance Center that are challenging students in the sixth through eighth grades to dream of going where no one has gone before.
The contest is open to teams of one to four students who will submit aslide show presentation to NASA that outlines their plans for sending ahuman crew on a trip to an asteroid.
The goal of the contest, according to Clemson psychology professorBenjamin R. Stephens, is to engage more students in the fields ofscience, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and to stimulatestudents by providing an opportunity for them to explore and discover.
Asking kids to create a presentation for NASA is a very coolchallenge,” Stephens said. “That creative process can enhance theirinterest in science and technology, setting the stage for their nextsteps toward STEM topics in higher education.
Although winners of this Asteroid Contest will not receive prizes ormonetary awards, select winners of the challenge who have displayedexemplary workmanship and creativity, will have the opportunity to havetheir presentations highlighted on the NASA website.
Creative Inquiry students at Clemson working with Stephens have been involved in designing the challenge and creating the website.They will promote the competition regionally, judge the submissions andevaluate the impact/effectiveness of the challenge. Creative Inquiry isa program in which small groups of undergraduates work alongsidefaculty on research projects.
Complete guidelines and instructions for submitting an entry can be found on the website. The competition officially opens Feb. 20 and closes March 30, 2012.
Creative Inquiry
Creative Inquiry is a uniqueprogram that gives Clemson University undergraduate students theopportunity to work on research projects that span disciplines andmultiple semesters. Students work in teams with faculty mentors, takeownership of their projects and take the risks necessary to solveproblems and get answers. Creative Inquiry participants develop criticalthinking skills, learn to solve problems and hone their communicationand presentation skills. For more information, go to www.clemson.edu/ci.
