Representatives from NASA, the U.S. Department of Education, Glenn’s scientists and engineers, teachers and over 300 students from schools across Northeast Ohio will celebrate National Lab Day at Glenn, Monday, May 19 at 10 a.m.
The event will take place in the Flight Research Building, also known as the hangar, located at 21000 Brookpark Road, in Cleveland.
National Lab Day is a nationwide initiative to encourage hands-on learning in schools to improve science and math education.
The celebration includes opening remarks; world-class facility tours to expose students to new career fields; and demonstrations and activities giving students memorable hands-on experiences in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, subjects to show that learning can be fun, engaging and exciting.
Members of the media are invited to cover the event, tours and activities.
Schools participating in National Lab Day are: St. Mary School, Chardon; Bolton, Clara E. Westropp, Denison, Hannah Gibbons-STEM, Memorial, Scranton and Willson, Cleveland Metropolitan School District; Ohio College Preparatory School, Maple Heights; Highland Middle School, Medina; Richmond Heights Secondary School, Richmond Heights; and ARCHERS Homeschool Group, Westlake.
Providing the welcoming and opening remarks are Robyn N. Gordon, director for Center Operations, Glenn; Dr. Roosevelt Johnson, associate administrator for Education, NASA; and Dr. Deborah Delisle, assistant secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education.
At 10:25 a.m. NASA astronaut Douglas Wheelock, a retired U.S. Army Colonel, will discuss his career and share a video of his spaceflight to the International Space Station. Wheelock began his long-duration stay aboard the orbiting outpost as a flight engineer for Expedition 24 and then assumed command of the station and the Expedition 25 crew. He has accumulated more than 178 days in space.
Speakers will be available for brief interviews as time permits following the remarks.
At 11:10 a.m. students will tour six world-class facilities, participate in hands-on activities, demonstrations and interactive exhibits in Glenn’s Briefing Center Auditorium. They also will explore NASA’s Journey to Tomorrow trailer, Glenn’s premier traveling exhibit.
Also available will be the popular “Picture Yourself in Space” photo booth, where students will receive a free souvenir photo taken as an astronaut.
The day’s activities conclude at 1:30 p.m.
Media wishing to attend National Lab Day should email jeannette.p.owens@nasa.gov or call 216-433-2990 by 9 a.m. Monday, May 19 to arrange for security clearance.