NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen will address dozens of public school educators and hundreds of public schoolchildren from across Massachusetts at two separate events hosted by the STEM Education Center at WPI.
Bowen's talks will take place during the NASA-WPI Centennial Challenge at WPI prior to the Second Annual TouchTomorrow Festival at the university.
Bowen, who flew on the Endeavour, Atlantis, and Discovery space shuttles during the past five years, will address the groups about space technology and general STEM initiatives. Bowen, a captain in the U.S. Navy, grew up in Cohasset, Mass., and graduated from Cohasset High School in 1982. He received his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the United States Naval Academy in 1986, and his master's in ocean engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in 1993.
On Thursday, June 6, pre-kindergarten to 12th grade teachers and administrators from nearly 30 school districts statewide, as well as informal educators, and home school parents will come to WPI to learn about the Centennial Challenge, meet with some of the robotics teams, and engage in a hands-on STEM session led by Rick Varner, an Aerospace Education Specialist (AESP) from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Bowen will address educators at 5:45 p.m.
On Friday, June 7, more than 300 elementary, middle, and high school students from Worcester, Douglas, and Quaboag school districts will come to WPI to learn about the NASA Centennial Challenge and about WPI. Bowen will address students at 9:20 a.m.
Who
NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen to address educators and students during events
Details
Special STEM events for New England educators and schoolchildren
• Educator event, Thursday, June 6; 4-6:30 p.m.; WPI Sports & Recreation Center; Capt.
Bowen to address teachers from 5:45 to 6:10 p.m.
• Student event, Friday, June 7, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; WPI Campus Center (Odeum) and Sports and Recreation Center; Capt. Bowen to address students from 9:20 to 9:50 a.m. in the Odeum
Parking
Guests may park on streets surrounding WPI and in the new Park Avenue garage.
