NASA-funded consortium to support science education in Washington, Oregon and Montana

UW space scientist Robert Winglee and a student prepare to launch a bottle rocket. As part of the new effort, more teachers will be trained to do rocketry demonstrations.

A new program based at the University of Washington will bring together educational institutions, K-12 teachers and informal education organizations to inspire, teach and recruit the next generation of students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The new Northwest Earth and Space Sciences Pipeline, or NESSP, has begun a $10 million, five-year cooperative agreement with NASA that broadens existing programs and launches new efforts throughout Washington, Oregon and Montana, with a particular focus on underserved and underrepresented communities.

“The goal is to create a virtual NASA hub in the Northwest to provide excellence in the teaching of STEM disciplines, from middle school to high school, and provide a conduit for students from across the region, including from underserved and underrepresented groups, to move into STEM careers,” said principal investigator Robert Winglee, a UW professor of Earth and space sciences.