Fairmont State University Receives NASA Grant to Host STEM Outreach Event for Middle Schoolers

The National Aeronatics and Space Administration (NASA) West Virginia Space Grant Consortium (WVSGC) has awarded Fairmont State University's College of Science and Technology Education Resource Center (ERC) $2,000 to host a NASA Day event for local middle school students.

North Central West Virginia NASA Day will aim to introduce students to various science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers and educational pathways, allowing them to envision themselves as future aerospace professionals.

Fairmont State College of Science and Technology ERC employees will coordinate a wide range of hands-on activities for attendees led by local industry and education organizations, including robot programming, air rockets, a planetarium presentation, 3D printing, microcontroller demonstrations, and balsa airplanes. Students will also attend a keynote presentation by Dr. Scott Murchie from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory on NASA's Dragonfly Mission to Saturn's moon, Titan.

"Programs such as NASA Day can provide a spark that ignites the imagination of our students and introduces them to a wide range of local companies, universities, and government agencies performing advanced manufacturing or aviation maintenance, and even supporting NASA missions," said Todd Ensign, Ed.D., STEM Outreach Specialist at Fairmont State.

The WVSGC is dedicated to building research infrastructure and promoting STEM education in West Virginia, focusing on student fellowships, research collaborations with industries, and K-12 and public outreach programs. Their NASA Day initiative is intended to support STEM outreach and engagement efforts across West Virginia by providing funding and resources to develop high-impact educational programming. This funding was secured with the assistance of Fairmont State University's Office of Sponsored Programs.

North Central West Virginia NASA Day will take place on Friday, April 9, 2027 at the Robert H. Mollohan Research Center. Middle schools in the region will be eligible to attend and should reach out to Dr. Ensign at [email protected] for more information on registration.