Grant allows STEM teachers to learn more directly from NASA personnel

Grant allows STEM teachers to learn more directly from NASA personnel

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Media Contact: Tanner Holubar | Communications Specialist | 405-744-2065 | [email protected]

For more than 30 years, the NASA Oklahoma Space Grant Consortium has passionately worked to support educators who inspire their students to shoot for the stars, literally.

The OSGC is a collaboration between universities in Oklahoma and NASA to elevate science, technology, engineering and mathematics in Oklahoma. The College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology houses OSGC's Educator Resource Center on the Oklahoma State University campus.

Through a program called STELLAR (Stem Teachers Experience Linking Learners to Aerospace Research), educators participate in a variety of activities to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

This yearlong mentorship program for pre-service/in-service educators and undergraduate engineering majors, where participants learn from NASA scientists, educators and researchers on how to implement the NASA curriculum in their classrooms.

Those who complete STELLAR then become mentors to the next class of educators who take the program. Thanks to an $8,000 grant from the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority, an expansion of the program, called STELLAR 2, will allow 10 alumni to receive mentorship directly from NASA OKSG industry and government partners.

The 10 alumni will take part in a three-day professional development session followed by a one-week internship with one of NASA OKSG's industry partners. Then, the educators will be tasked with creating workforce development-based hands-on STEM lesson plans for their classroom, derived from their internship experience.

"The NASA OKSG STEM Engagement Center saw this as an opportunity to enhance our existing program, STELLAR, while providing internships/workforce development experiences for our alumni (pre-service and in-service educators), which do not require them to relocate to a NASA center for 10 weeks during the summer," said Dorinda Risenhoover, education coordinator with NASA OSGC/NASA EPSCoR.

The NASA-inspired lesson plans created by educators will allow their students to be able to see themselves as STEM thinkers and doers, regardless of their skill level, background or goals.

"STEM is so much more than just the science, technology, engineering and mathematics career fields - its interdisciplinary reach is astronomical," Risenhoover said.

This type of experiential learning greatly benefits both educators and their students. As the ones at the forefront of inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals, they can make a huge impact on their students, inspiring them to pursue scientific careers.

"When educators receive firsthand experience within the STEM workforce, they gain a better understanding of the skills, training/schooling and interdisciplinary connections within all STEM career fields, which they can in turn translate into hands-on STEM within their classrooms," Risenhoover said. "It's a win-win … for industry, the community, universities, career techs, the school, the students, their families, and STEM as a whole."