Browsing articles in "Latest Buzz"

JPL, David Delgado & Imagine Mars

Jun 18, 2011   //   by Pamela Greyer   //   Latest Buzz, NASA, Robotics, The Launch Pad  //  1 Comment

The 2011 JPL Tweetup was the second social media event hosted by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The day was packed full of incredible presentations on four new NASA missions launching in the very near future, Aquauarius, Juno, Grail, and the Mars Science Laboratory/Curiosity Rover as well as highlights of other JPL missions and a heartfelt farewell to the Mars Rover Spirit.

The last presentation of the day was David Delgado and the Imagine Mars Project which is a free online, fabulous resource for teachers, homeschool parents, communities, and students interested in space exploration and building communities. The following video is part 4 of the June 6, 2011 JPL Tweetup with David premiering “The Martians” videos of an incredible summer learning experience about Mars and how when given the tools and the expertise from the NASA JPL team, a NASA Solar System Ambassador, and the staff from the Neighborhood Network centers whose students were part of this program amazing things happen.

From the top and bottom of my heart and everyone in Chicago involved in this project, thank you David, Veronica, and the JPL Imagine Mars team for making this possible!

We Love you!

Priceless

Jun 14, 2011   //   by Pamela Greyer   //   Latest Buzz  //  No Comments

Pamela Greyer & David Delgado at JPL Tweetup

“Look who is on stage! @TheNasaLady! So honored to call her a friend. @thesuss

There haven’t been many times in my life when I can say that I’m, lost for words, but on Monday, June 6, 2011 during the NASA JPL Tweetup, I was completely overcome with emotion, gratitude, and such belief in how if you expose young people to knowledge they can take it to such great heights. Sometimes even as far as Mars!

I love what I do, and yes, dreams do come true and they can happen to you! Thanks to my friend @theSuss for capturing the moment!

Bye Bye Earth!

Jun 7, 2011   //   by Pamela Greyer   //   Latest Buzz, NASA, The Launch Pad  //  No Comments

Today’s JPL Tweetup was amazing! So many missions, so much science, and such cool people. Imagine my surprise when the last presenter of the day, David Delgado from the Imagine Mars team, showed this to the entire room and everyone watching NASA TV.

This video was part of a summer NASA outreach experience I volunteered for through the Solar System Ambassador program in 2010. The final cut is awesome and it’s been a long time since I became speechless.

@NASA, @NASAJPL David, @VeronicaMCG, and everyone who worked on this project, we definitely rocked this one!

STS-135 NASA Tweetup Register Now!

Jun 1, 2011   //   by Pamela Greyer   //   Latest Buzz, NASA  //  No Comments

Mission patch for STS-135

STS-135 Mission Patch

If you’ve always wanted to see a Space Shuttle launch up close and personal there’s no better opportunity than at a NASA Tweetup. This is so fantastic they could put it as a prize on Wheel of Fortune! Now, for one day and one day only you can register for the final and last NASA Space Shuttle Mission here

So don’t delay. Do it now! Registration closes tomorrow, June 2 at 11:59 am EDT. If you are lucky and get selected as a participant here’s what you’ll win!

Entrance into the NASA Kennedy Space Center and access to the media launch area for Tweetup events and launch viewing.

A day and evening full of out of this world events and presentations like meeting astronauts, NASA scientists and engineers, get suited for space, RSS retraction the daybefore launch, and lots more. *Each Tweetup is unique with events and activities and lately celebrities!

An opportunity to meet and hang out with the best Tweetup Social Media Manager ever, NASA’s Stephanie Schierholz.

Hanging out with 149 other like minded space enthusiasts who just can’t get enough of the excitement of watching humans ride a rocket to space.

A new community of friends that will last a lifetime.

Uncontrollable emotions as Atlantis lifts off which will include tears, jumps for joy, hugs, screams, applause, and happiness everywhere you look.

The ride to Florida and your accomodations are on you but when you look at all you get from the NASA end, it becomes a priceless expense and experience.

So what are you waiting for. Go sign up now! Yes, right now!!!!!!!!!!

Good luck!

A Final Farewell to Space Shuttle Endeavor OV-105

May 29, 2011   //   by Pamela Greyer   //   Latest Buzz, NASA  //  No Comments

As NASA approaches the end of the Space Shuttle program, Endeavor is preparing for her return to Earth on Wednesday June 1st.  Discovery is in the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building) undergoing decommissioning and preparing to be shipped to her new museum home.  Endeavor will follow as will Atlantis after her final flight in July.  There is so much to say about the space shuttle program and so many stories to continue to share for the years to come as we will remember  space shuttle missions and her crews like have the Mercury and Apollo missions.

Take a moment to reflect at the awe of a space shuttle launch and all the hard work that goes into getting the orbiters ready for and launched into space through the eyes of OV-105, Space Shuttle Endeavor.

 

 

Godspeed to the safe return of the Endeavor crew.  Enjoy!

 

 

STEM Girls Rock!

May 26, 2011   //   by Pamela Greyer   //   Latest Buzz, NASA, The Launch Pad  //  No Comments

On Tuesday May 24, I had the special honor of being part of Oakton Community College’s first STEM event for girls and their parents. We have long lists of evidence and reasons why girls do not choose to enter STEM career fields or become interested in and passionate about science, math, technology and most recently, engineering. While the event was designed for parents to provide them with ideas, strategies, and tools to help them inspire their daughters towards STEM, there were many young ladies present too with lots of questions for those of us who served in a lightening round table of questions and answers. It was definitely exciting and fun and it is always wonderful to share my passion of STEM with girls as well as their parents.

 

This video was shown during the event and it definitely does show how STEM girls rock!

Thanks to Gloria Liu and all the staff at Oakton Community College for organizing a fabulous event. Here are a few tips on inspiring girls to rock STEM:

1. Hook them early on some cool aspect of STEM. For me it was a microscope kit in 5th grade.
2. Encourage their participation in science fairs and other STEM competitions and challenges.
3. Buy them LEGO’s. Research shows that building with LEGO’s increases spatial skills.
4. Be positive and encouraging.
5. Introduce girls to fun STEM events and programs and encourage them to participate in after school,
summer, and enrichment STEM activities, events, competitions, and programs.
6. Mentor, mentor, mentor. Locate mentoring programs for girls interested in STEM.
7. Become involved and bring your ideas on involving and including girls in STEM to your school and community.

We can all make a difference one girl at a time!

Godspeed Endeavor!

May 16, 2011   //   by Pamela Greyer   //   Latest Buzz, NASA, The Launch Pad  //  No Comments

Space Shuttle Endeavor

Space Shuttle Endeavor Launches into Space

Space Shuttle Endeavor took to the skies at 8:56 am ET this morning on her 25th and final flight.
If you missed the launch watch it here as every time we send humans into space it is an awe inspiring moment.

Commanded by Mark Kelly, husband of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), and carrying a total of 6 crew members including one European Space Agency astronaut, Italian Andrew Feustal, Endeavor is also carrying a quite unique and possibly groundbreaking instrument as part of the payload. The the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), a $2 billion particle accelerator is Endeavour’s main payload and will search for cosmic rays that might help astrophysicists, scientists, and a few friends of mine that study dark matter, come closer to understanding not only what our Universe is made of but its origins as well.

Now, not to the top the scientific nature of the AMS and its importance to the study of our Universe, but there is another payload, one that is very near and dear to my heart, that is also worth mentioning aboard STS-134. LEGO’s! The LEGO Bricks payload is a series of toy Lego kits that are assembled on orbit and used to demonstrate scientific concepts. Some of these models include satellites, a space shuttle orbiter, and a scale model of the International Space Station (ISS). NASA launched the LEGO partnership with events at Kennedy Space Center during the launch of STS-133. Working with those little bricks in space will definitely keep the shuttle crew occupied!

LEGO kits in space!

Model of space vehicles made at KSC NASA/LEGO Event Courtesy NASA

Follow Endeavor’s 16 day mission on NASA TV and UStream and catch the excitement from lucky STS-134 Tweetup participants on Twitter hashtag #NASATweetup.

High School Students Register for NASA’s INSPIRE Program

May 6, 2011   //   by Pamela Greyer   //   Latest Buzz, NASA  //  1 Comment

High School students are invited to apply for NASA’s INSPIRE, Interdisciplinary National Science Project Incorporating Research and Education Experience, a multitier year-round program designed for students in ninth to 12th grade who are interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, education and careers.

Research is a primary component of the NASA’s operations and as we work to engage more young people in preparing for STEM careers to join our nation’s future workforce preparing students to enter post-secondary education with an interest in pursuing NASA research opportunties, we can impact change in increasing the number of STEM graduates as well as the innovators of tomorrow through programs such as INSPIRES.

Students need a 2.5 GPA and with an interest in pursuing a STEM career field in college. The deadline for applications for 2011-2012 is June 30th. Visit the NASA link to find out more information on the program. Click here to apply.

The New Cool: FIRST Robotics is a Rockstar

Apr 30, 2011   //   by Pamela Greyer   //   Latest Buzz  //  No Comments

The 2011 FIRST Robotics Competition season kicked off with a suprise appearance by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas. During the kickoff, with Dean Kamen right at his side, will.i.am pledged his support for FIRST as an inspirational program that not only those of us who are deeply involved in FIRST, but the whole world see the excitement and value of participating, sponsoring, mentoring, coaching, and volunteering with a FIRST team(s). We all knew that whatever will.i.am and Dean were planning it would be much bigger than the two of them standing in Manchester talking about will.i.am’s coming on board as a……………..

That was the tricky part. What exactly would will.i.am be bringing and doing to promote FIRST? That question was clearly answered last night as will.i.am and the Black Eyed Peas performed to a packed Championship FIRST Robotic Competition crowd in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Mo.
The performance itself was outstanding but what will.i.am has done is brought celebrity to the game where entertainers Snoop Doggy Dog, Miley Cyrus, Jack Black, and Steven Tyler talked about the importance of science and technology and ended their thoughts with “My robot is better than your robot.”

He received a FTC kit of parts and built a robot that competeted against Dean Kamen’s robot and according to the story, will.i.am’s robot beat Dean’s by a score of 73-9. After being involved in FIRST and building robots at all three FIRST program levels FLL, FTC, and FRC, I am ecstatic that will.i.am has taken the lead and brought rockstar status to FIRST. He told the crowd that in his initial conversations, Dean stated he wanted will.i.am to bring an element of cool to FIRST. Kick it up a notch, connect with a huge pool of young people who are so pluged in to their iPods and MP3 players that having a star power would elevate FIRST through the roof. He told Dean that FIRST was already cool but what he could bring was loud.

He was so right. The performance was videotaped as well as interviews around the pits with teams and will air on ABC this August. The performance was so loud smaller cameras don’t do it justice but here is a clip from last night. I’ll post several of the ones I shot when I get back from Championships. Not only was last night a good night but FIRST Robotics will never be the same. As always, enjoy!

Let the Games Begin!

Apr 28, 2011   //   by Pamela Greyer   //   Latest Buzz  //  No Comments

Excitement is everywhere at the 2011 FIRST Robotics Championships in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, MO. I’ll be covering the events and will stream video live beginning Friday, April 29 on the NASA Lady USTREAM channel. I’ll have interviews with teams, live action from the fields, and a cool behind the scenes peek of all the FIRST programs at the Championships.

Practice rounds start today for FLL and FRC. FTC matches begin today and full match action starts tomorrow for FLL and FRC. If you’re there, don’t forget the FIRST Conference. Every year there is a wealth of information you can gather from the presentations which also are located in the Edward Jones Dome. FRC events willl be be streamed live on NASA TV beginning tomorrow at 9:30 CST. http://1.usa.gov/d9D0vM.

Teachers, your classes can follow the action via my tweets as well as my live video feed on Ustream where you can ask questions and provide comments during the live feed.

See ya there!

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