Eighteen teachers from six Midwestern states recently attended a workshop at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. The teachers are members of NASA’s Network of Educator Astronaut Teachers (NEAT) program.

During the workshop, the NEAT participants learned about the unique research that NASA Glenn conducts in power generation. The teachers also participated in facility tours and hands-on activities that will allow them to share NASA research in their classrooms and in community engagement activities. The teachers were able to take part in research activities involving fuel and solar-cell cars, stirling engines and wind turbines.

The NEAT program was founded in 2003 as a result of the overwhelming numbers of nominees for the Educator Astronaut Program. Approximately 200 educators were chosen out of a field of 1,600 by a peer-review panel during the application process. Through workshops and seminars at NASA centers across the country, the educators enhance their skills in conveying to students the importance of math and science education.

With this program, NASA continues the Agency’s tradition of investing in the Nation’s education programs. It is directly tied to the Agency’s major education goal of attracting and retaining students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines. To compete effectively for the minds, imaginations and career ambitions of America’s young people, NASA is focused on engaging and retaining students in STEM education programs to encourage their pursuit of educational disciplines critical to NASA’s future engineering, scientific, and technical missions.

The teachers who participated in the workshop are listed below by state and city.

Illinois

Margaret Corp, Joliet
Amy Kunz, Island Lake
Damian Simmons, Hawthorn Woods

Indiana

Daniel Wray, Warsaw

Michigan

Russell Billings, Davison
Cindy Hasselbring, Milan
Casmir Teliczan, Cedar Springs

Minnesota

Virgil Boehland, Duluth
Steve Brehmer, Wanamingo
Ken Fiscus, Albert Lea

Ohio

Warren Porter, Harrison
Kathryn Schultz, Parma Heights
Lisa Suarez-Caraballo, Cleveland

Wisconsin

Alan Gomez, Sun Prairie
Jeremy Kessenich, Mt. Horeb
Angela Krause, Altoona
Anna Mika, Amery
Ellen Van Pay, Green Bay