Reaching Out to Aerospace Technology

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This project seeks to improve student recruitment into commercial aerospace education. By partnering with the SpaceTEC consortium, the project adopts their core of fully developed aerospace courses and inserts them into the new Associate of Applied Science Degree in Aerospace Technology, with a specialty in commercial aerospace. The project contributes to meeting the workforce demands in this field. The local Spaceport America currently under construction in New Mexico is a potential partner to this project. To enhance recruitment for the new program, a mobile van is equipped with scientific equipment (such as a Solar Power Trainer) of the type used in actual classroom instruction. The mobile van makes scheduled on-site presentations at secondary schools and specific organizations that provide access to the region's Hispanic community. Trained faculty members conduct demonstrations and provide students with information about employment potential and entry level requirements in commercial aerospace. The project also provides professional development for faculty in key areas such as composite fabrication techniques. In addition, technical workshops are given to area K-12 teachers.