astro marketing

2

S T E M u l a t e Yo u r M i n d

Table of ContentsExecutive Summary 3

Situation Analysis 5

Budget Summary 8

Secondary Research 10

Primary Research 21

Key Findings 35

Target Audiences 40

SWOT Analysis 44

Planning Section 49

Executions 61

Timeline 118

Sources 120

3


Executive Summary

4


Executive SummaryThe AstroMarketing team created an integrated marketing campaign to help the Coalition for Space Exploration achieve its goals of inspiring young people to pursue STEM related aerospace industry careers and building public support for an ongoing space exploration program. However, the Coalition is battling some problems, such as the shuttle’s retirement at the end of 2010 and the fact that U.S. students are struggling in STEM education. But after extensive research we have developed a series of recommendations to help our client achieve its goals. Our research showed that many students do not know what engineers actually do and they do not realize all the different career paths that STEM can lead to. A common theme present in our research is the fact that interesting students in STEM education at a young age is imperative to cultivating a long-term interest in STEM. For example, one KU engineering student said in an informal interview, “I did an aviation youth academy and then after that I decided to go into aerospace engineering. I don’t think I would have known what engineering was if I hadn’t gone to a STEM camp.”Research also pointed to heavy Internet usage, especially on the social media site Facebook. According to our survey of space camp alumni, 78 percent of respondents said they are Facebook users. It ranked No. 1 out of 6 options on the media usage list, while Twitter ranked No. 4 with only had a 20 percent usage rate. The plan we created primarily targets students who are currently making decisions about their educational paths and the people who have the greatest influence in this decision: parents and teachers. The AstroMarketing team has identified three goals for our strategic campaign for the Coalition:

• To interest students in STEM education who are not already interested• To encourage those with an existing interest in STEM to pursue aerospace careers• To increase public support for space programs and exploration

The plan includes detailed tactics on how these goals will be met. One important tactic is the development of a Web site that contains STEM education information and activities for teachers and students. For example, students can go to the Web site to look up STEM activities in their area or experiment how-tos. Teachers can also go to the Web site to find new ideas for lesson plans and discuss topics in forums, which is based on research results indicating teachers did not influence students as much as the lesson plans did. This Web site touches on more than one goal and objective, unifying the Coalition’s mission.Another important tactic uses a media kit to cover the last shuttle launch to help gain public support. The end of the shuttle program is a major turning point in the aerospace industry and there needs to be more focus on getting people excited about the new era of deep space exploration. The public also needs to be aware of the implications that the shuttle’s retirement will have on future missions to the Space Station. The formation of a strategic alliance with the PTA will be one of the most instrumental tactics in our plan. This alliance will give the Coalition the benefit of reaching 25,000 PTA chapters nationwide with feature stories in the PTA monthly newsletters as well as interview podcasts distributed via the PTA radio station and Web site.The primary budget for this plan is $97,416.63. This does not include the secondary budget items outlined in our Goals document. Although Ms. Gwen Griffin capped the budget at $100,000, she gave us the opportunity to expand the budget with just cause. The team has outlined in detail where and how all money will be spent.

5


Situation Analysis

6


SITUATION ANALYSISThe Client

The Coalition for Space Exploration is an advocacy group whose mission is to promote the

importance of space exploration to the national agenda via cost-effective, high-yield public

outreach activities that include both traditional and new media to help secure political

support and budget resources for NASA and space exploration. The coalition has two goals:

to inspire young people to pursue STEM-related aerospace industry careers and to build

public support for an ongoing program for space exploration.

The coalition has a board of 21 advisors including former astronauts Dr. Guy Bulford

Jr., Crystal Bloemen a teacher committed to STEM education, and filmmaker and avid

space enthusiast James Cameron to name a few. The coalition has member companies

that support the coalition’s goals to continue space exploration and encourage youth

to be involved in STEM education. Some member companies are also on the coalition’s

government affairs team, which works to gain support for space programs in Washington

D.C.

Current Situation

The coalition is currently operating in difficult conditions for building space exploration

support. President Obama’s new budget plan has canceled NASA’s Constellation program,

terminating NASA’s goal of returning astronauts to the moon by 2020 in favor of developing

new technologies that will allow unmanned missions further into space than ever before.

Federal budget cuts have led to a decrease of aerospace industry jobs. Additionally, the

space shuttle will retire by the end of 2010, forcing the United States to rely on other

countries to reach the international space station.

The United States is struggling to compete in math and science literacy. American students

ranked 21st out of 30 developed countries in science literacy in 2006, and 25th out of 30

in math literacy. President Obama has launched the “Educate to Innovate” campaign to

improve performance in STEM education for American students.

7


(Situation Analysis Cont.)

Challenges

The Coalition for Space Exploration is facing several challenges, including the current economic recession. Budget cuts have terminated several of NASA’s programs and eliminated thousands of jobs. The Coalition must persuade the youth to pursue STEM careers with NASA, although the amount of available jobs is decreasing due budget cuts.

A current trend is developing in STEM education in which foreign students receive their education in the United States, only to return to their home country to find a job with their new knowledge. A major challenge for the coalition is to keep this talent within our boarders to help support the growth of our space programs. A constant challenge for the Coalition is the fight for a technological edge in our country. Loosing talent individuals to foreign programs, the United States is slowly loosing its leadership in space exploration.

Presently, NASA struggles to recruit engineers for their programs because they are competing with companies such as Google and Microsoft. These companies are receiving the majority of the attention from engineering students and take a number of the potential employees from NASA. The coalition must renew the interest of engineering students in pursuing a career in aerospace technology over other engineering fields.

Why It’s Necessary to Take Action at This Time

With President Obama’s budget cuts and the cancelation NASA’s Constellation program, the U.S. faces loosing a large number of jobs as well its leadership in space exploration. Due to inadequate funding, NASA’s space shuttle program will be shut down near the end of this year. Future plans rely on the U.S. will have to rely on other countries, such as Russia, for future astronaut transportation into space. Shutting down programs and cutting NASA’s budget will result in the termination of It is necessary for the Coalition for Space Exploration to take action at this time to restore faith in NASA’s space exploration programs and to secure the resources to continue exploration.

With fewer engineers graduating and entering the workforce each year, human resources are scarce for NASA and other programs. Students’ interest in STEM related fields is steadily decreasing, threatening the operating ability of any space research or exploration programs. The Coalition for Space Exploration must take action now to promote interest and learning in STEM-related fields to students, and to draw those engineers already in the workforce into careers related to aerospace technology.

8


Budget Summary

9


Budget SummaryPrimary Budget

STEMulateYourMind.com web site $100 per year

Television Public Service Announcement $3,000

Teacher Experiment Kits $8,000

Facebook Side Advertisement $5,000

Facebook Flash Game $ 2,240

Boys and Girls Club Scholarship $6,000

STEM Career Path Posters $ 21,376.63

STEMulate Your Mind Day kits $24,000

STEM Competition Scholarships $25,000

All Things Considered Sponsorship $2,700

GRAND TOTAL: 97,416.63

Secondary Budget

Print Advertisement (Time Magazine) $300,000

Documentary (Titusville) $100,000

Additional Scholarships $100,000

GRAND TOTAL: $500,000

10


Secondary Research

11


Secondary ResearchSpace History

Werner Von Braun is the father of rocket science. Working under armed guard in Nazi

Germany, he designed the V-2 Rocket and drew up plans for manned space exploration

using rocket technology. After he escaped death at the hands of the Nazi soldiers, he was

captured by the Allied Forces and provided them with his plans and blueprints in exchange

for amnesty. Unfortunately the U.S. military only expressed interest in missile technology

for military applications, so Von Braun went to Walt Disney with the case that his

inventions should be used for scientific purposes, mainly to explore space, the next frontier.

Disney and Von Braun collaborated on a 1955 filmstrip, called Man in Space, to pitch space

exploration to the American people.

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy said, “No single space project in this period will be more

impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space. And

none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.” The race to space was one of the few

positive arenas in which the U.S. and former Soviet Union competed during the Cold War.

The first civilization to reach the lofty ambition of putting a human on the moon would be

able to claim that its technology was superior.

NASA was founded in 1958; the year after Sputnik was launched. The Soviets started out

strong. They launched the first satellite in addition to sending the first probe to the moon

and putting the first cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin, in space. The turning point for the American

side of the space race was the Apollo program. The Apollo program is the NASA spaceflight

endeavor that landed the first humans on the moon. As the space program gained

popularity, ten space stations were established across the country.

As a result of space exploration, technology has advanced to the point of household items

being able to trace their roots back to space missions. Technology resulting from space

exploration includes solar energy, cordless tools, health care, GPS, sunglasses and robotics.

12


(Secondary Research Cont.)

Public Opinion

While the first couple decades of the space program drew much attention from the

American public, it began to experience a slow decrease in popularity. Through its years,

NASA has faced challenges in public perception. A 2005 poll by CBS News, conducted in

August 2005, indicated that 59% of respondents thought the space shuttle program was

worth continuing. This value was down from 75% in 2003 and 72% in 1999.

NASA’s job rating is directly correlated to the success of their missions. According to a

September 2007 Gallup poll, 56% Americans rate the job NASA is doing positively. Since

1990, only twice has NASA had less-than-majority positive evaluations after a flaw in the

Hubble telescope was discovered and after a series of mishaps, including the loss of contact

with the Mars Orbiter and a couple of last-second decisions to terminate planned space

shuttle missions. Americans, as the following graph demonstrates. The most positive

evaluation came after Senator John Glenn made his return trip to space.

(According to a 2007 Gallup poll)

13



In general, older Americans are less likely to rate NASA positively than younger Americans.

According to several Gallup polls conducted between 1973 and 1999, Americans are not convinced in the possibility of extraterrestrial human life existing in the universe. In a March 1999 poll, the Gallup Organization asked 535 adults if they believed there is life of some form on Mars. Slightly more than a third (35 percent) expressed optimism that there is life on Mars, while 59 percent did not believe so. Another 6 percent had no opinion. A few months later in July 1999, Gallup asked 1,061 adults if they would support or oppose a project to send astronauts to Mars. A slim majority (54 percent) opposed the plan, while 43 percent supported it. These percentages are nearly identical to results obtained when Gallup asked the same question back in 1969.

STEM Education: Struggles

Students in the United States are not receiving the nurturing educational setting they need to flourish in areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. There is a chasm growing between the collaborative, exploratory, inquiry-based and problem-centered environments essential for nurturing these talents. Because of this, there is a need to transform our system in order to raise a generation of innovation and entrepreneurial leadership.

14



Rick Stevens of Boeing spoke up on behalf of the Aerospace Industries Association. His testimony cited a shortage of skills in the generation designated to replace the baby boomers as they retire. With this large percentage of people leaving the aerospace industry, there is a necessity to fill the void. Stevens outlined proposals to Congress for strengthening undergraduate and graduate education in the STEM fields and concluded by stressing America’s need to retain its leadership in science, technology and innovation.

President Obama recognized this problem and has outlined a program that will launch this summer. The Educate to Innovate campaign for the coming year is the combination of outlined efforts from the Federal government, leading companies, foundations, non-profits, and science and engineering societies. The initial commitment of the private sector is more than $260 million. Through the programs’ efforts, students’ STEM literacy is expected to increase, moving American students from the middle of the pack to the top.

President Obama has also begun an overhaul of the controversial No Child Left Behind law, creating a grant competition to reward effective school systems. The program, “Race to the Top”, already promises to distribute billions of dollars to spur states to innovate. “Race to the Top” has been a successful catalyst in education reform thus far, helping to turn around failing schools and provide better teacher preparation to improve future teaching methods.

15



International Comparison

The United States has fallen behind its international competitors in education, despite comparatively high spending. The United States is struggling to compete in math and science literacy. American students ranked 21st out of 30 developed countries in science literacy in 2006, and 25th out of 30 in math literacy. The following graph illustrates the U.S.’s international position in math education in 2007 by the National Center for Education Statistics:

16



The following graph demonstrates how despite higher than average educational spending,

the United States competes internationally to have their spending make an impact on

general education.

(National Center for Education Statistics: graph by The Heritage Foundation)

STEM Education: Programs

There are several programs that currently meet the needs of lacking STEM education

programs and set a standard in this area. By exploring these examples of STEM-related

programs in our society, we will be able to better form programs in the future.

Recently, there is an emergence of school programs to enhance children’s interest in STEM

education. One example of this is seen in Southern California in a string of after-school

17


programs called THINK Together. Thanks to a generous grant from Southern California

Edison, all THINK Together’s middle school sites across Southern California will now have

Academy of Robotics Labs. These labs will dramatically enhance existing STEM education

curriculum and provide additional hands-on enrichment activities that promote active

minds and positive skills development for Southern California Middle School students.

Exposure to the Robotics Lab will no doubt put some students on a path to STEM careers.

Another example is seen with a program known as Junior Achievement. Through a

dedicated volunteer network, they provide in-school and after-school programs for

students which focus on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship and

financial literacy. Junior Achievement, DeVry University and Career Corner Digital have

partnered to create a highly engaging career exploration resource for students.

The NASA Explorer Schools project is a three-year partnership between NASA and about

200 schools nationwide. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Dryden Flight Research

Center are the local NASA partners for 25 schools in Southern California. The project

teaches and encourages students to pursue disciplines critical to NASA’s future engineering,

science and technical missions.

In partnership with the Texas Business and Education Coalition, Microsoft and the state

of Texas, NASA is inviting Texas high school students to participate in the blink Web

design competition. The students work in small groups and are sponsored by faculty

members from their school. Student participants will design and develop a Web site using

Microsoft® Expression® suite of software tools, which is provided free of charge. Free

learning resources are also available. The purpose of the contest is to help promote science,

technology, engineering and math areas with high school students.

Insight Schools is a company that is building a national network of publicly-funded

online high schools. These online schools are in partnership with school districts and

organizations in the local area, which are actively seeking ways to meet the needs of high-

school-age children who choose an alternative approach to their high school education.

This unique perspective on education has opened the door for other ways of thinking about

education.


18



NASA will launch the Summer of Innovation program this summer in support of President

Obama’s Educate to Innovate campaign. The multi-week program hopes to boost interest

in STEM education among thousands of middle school students and teachers, emphasizing

the importance of broadening participation of low-income, minority students. The program

features design competitions, events and learning programs for both students and teachers.

Sparking Kids’ Interest

A unique tool that has been utilized to increase interest in STEM education is the popular

children’s toy, Lego. Space has long been one of Lego’s most popular themes. Lego recently

continued its line of space-themed toys after having put the line on hiatus during the

prominence of the Star Wars Lego sets. Space Police 3 Lego sets became available for

purchase in 2009. Lego has released multiple versions of the Millennium Falcon in varying

sizes. The 5,195-piece Lego model is physically the largest Lego set sold by the company.

The Explorer Schools engage in Lego robotics competitions in which student teams pit

their software-enabled Lego robots against the clock. The tabletop robots need to be able

to perform different tasks, such as retrieving planetary mineral formations and rescuing a

stranded “moon rat,” or small robot, within two minutes. Students build and program their

Lego robots over several months using laptop computers for this competition, which was

designed to engage them in math, science, technology and engineering.

There are many other ways Lego is used to stimulate interest in STEM education, for

example, Lego conventions. The First Lego League (FLL) is a global program created to get

children excited about science and technology. For Inspiration and Recognition of Science

and Technology (FIRST) is an organization dedicated to inspiring students in science,

technology, engineering and math, has collaborated with NASA for robotics competitions

since 1998.

FLL is a hands-on program for ages 9 to 14. FLL uses real world scientific challenges to

engage children in research, problem solving, and engineering. The FLL is generally held in

April and is traditionally hosted in Georgia. The 2009 theme focused on transportation

19



alternatives and was titled, “Smart Move.” Robofest is a similar program, but is limited to

students of a private school in Michigan.

Average Weekly TV And Peripheral Consumption

Among All Kids 2-5

Total TV DVR DVD VCR Game ConsoleOver 32 hrs

24hrs 51mins

1hr 29mins

4hrs 33mins 45mins 1hr 12mins

Among All Kids 6-11

Total TV DVR DVD VCR Game ConsoleOver 28 hrs

22hrs 9mins 59mins 2hrs

28mins 18mins 2hrs 23mins

Television would also be an effective way to get children interested in STEM education.

American children ages 2-11 are watching more television than they have in years past.

Findings from October 2009 from The Nielsen Company show children ages 2-5 now spend

more than 32 hours a week on average in front of a TV screen. The older segment of that

group (ages 6-11) spend a little less time, about 28 hours per week watching TV, due in

part that they are more likely to be attending school for longer hours. Both groups spend

multiple hours a week with a video game console. This study reiterates that television is a

valuable source for reaching out to kids.

Another way to reach children is through their teachers. A valuable source for educators

is a network known as Discovery Education. The network combines scientifically proven,

standards-based digital media and a dynamic user community in order to empower

teachers to improve student achievement. Giving teachers the tools they need to motivate

their students is essential.

NASA Future

President Obama has greatly influenced the direction NASA will take in the coming years.

He has outlined a new mission for the space program, which will shift their resources away

from the rocket-launching business and more towards laboratory-based research. This

research will also focus on the development of futuristic vehicles capable of going beyond

the moon. Along with these changes, Obama has increased NASA’s budget by 2 percent.

20



However, to cut back on costs, future NASA funding will favor the use of cheaper robotic

probes as opposed to costlier manned missions.

Due to the fact NASA will be shifting its attention away from a return mission to the moon,

there looms a shift of power within the space industry. With NASA changing focus and not

returning to the moon anytime soon, there would be more reliance on private start-up

companies. Encouraging smaller rivals would be a big blow to large contractors such as

Northrop and Boeing.

NASA will be outsourcing the shuttling of astronauts in low-earth orbit to private

companies and will shift its focus to the advancements of robots for deep-space exploration.

A list of highlights from the revised budget provides a clear view of NASA spending for the

next several years.

21


Primary Research

22


Primary ResearchOur class created a survey that was sent to former participants of the Space Camp program

by the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center (KCSC), and AstroMarketing then analyzed

the data gathered from the survey responses. AstroMarketing attended an engineering

EXPO hosted at KU, conducting ethnographic research and informal interviews with

35 middle and high school students, college engineering students and STEM education

teachers.

We also compiled important information from class conversations with former astronaut

Steve Hawley and NASA Advisory Council member Miles O’Brien. Finally, our group

conducted a focus group with seven KU engineering students. The following material is a

summary of the data gathered from all primary research methods.

23


(Primary Research Cont.)

KCSC Space Camp Survey

This survey was conducted March 3-13, 2010, under the auspices of the Kansas

Cosmosphere and Space Center. Students enrolled in JOUR 676 Strategic Communication

Campaigns at the University of Kansas generated questions for the survey on behalf of its

class client, the Coalition for Space Exploration. KCSC e-mailed a link to an online survey

to 1,242 former Space Camp participants. Two hundred seventy-nine e-mail accounts were

invalid and 411 of the e-mails were opened. The survey response rate was 8.7 percent.

The majority of survey respondents were high school students (58 percent), and junior high

students comprised the second most common level in school (26 percent). The following

chart displays the breakdown of the level in school of the respondents.

There were 40 female respondents (37 percent) and 68 male respondents (63 percent).

Though this sample is not an accurate representation of all high school or junior high

students as it represents only students who were inclined to attend a space camp program,

it does give insight into three main areas of those students: educational areas of interest

and influence, aerospace interest and media activities and interests.

24



Education - Areas of Interest

Because all respondents attended Space Camp, it is logical that the majority of respondents

are interested in math and science. Eighty-four percent of respondents either agreed (43

percent) or strongly agreed (41 percent) with the statement “I like math,” while 98 percent

of respondents agreed (29 percent) or strongly agreed (69 percent) with the statement “I

like science.” This shows that the large majority of respondents are scientifically inclined.

These students would be a likely target of campaigns designed to draw more technological

resources to NASA or other space organizations.

Education - Influencers

The responses showed that 79 percent of surveyed students agreed (44 percent) or

strongly agreed (35 percent) that their parents influenced their interests in school. This

demonstrates that parents are powerful influencers in their children’s scholastic interests

and can be targeted in campaigns for increasing STEM-related interest as an intervening

audience, or one that has the power to influence the target audience, which is students.

25



While parents were strong influencers in educational interests, responses to the level of

influence friends had on interests were extremely varied, averaging almost neutral. The

following chart shows the results of the question:

These results suggest that friends do not have as much influence in students’ interests as

parents, meaning they would not be a very productive audience to target.

Aerospace

The surveyed students’ responses state that 97 percent are interested in space

exploration. The responses also show that 94 percent admire astronauts. As this was not a

representative sample of every student who has attended space camp, it does not serve as

an indicator of overall opinion. While this data shows only the responses of students who

have attended Space Camp, it does show that these students have already formed positive

opinions about space and space exploration and would be profitable targets for NASA

recruitment.

26



Media Interests - Internet

The most-used medium by survey respondents is the Internet. Respondents were given

a list of the following media: television, computer (Internet use), computer (non-Internet

use), magazines, movies, newspapers, radio, and smart-phones with Internet applications.

The computer with Internet use ranked in the top 3 most-used media of 104 respondents,

or 98 percent, and in the top 2 of 97 respondents, or 92 percent. This indicates that the

Internet is a potentially strong tool to utilize in reaching junior high and high school

students.

More specific to the Internet, many students are using social network sites such as

Facebook (78 percent of respondents), which can also be an increasingly useful tool in

reaching students of all ages. Only 11 respondents (10 percent) selected Twitter as a social

media site to which they belong, indicating that it would not be a successful site as a means

of reaching this audience.

The survey results also showed that print media are not commonly used among

respondents. Newspapers appeared in the top three most-used media in only 9 percent of

responses from the students, and magazines appeared in the top three in only 10 percent of

responses.

Media Interestes - Television

Television is also a frequently used medium among respondents. The most popular channel

viewed is the Discovery Channel. Eighty-one percent of respondents either selected the

channel as one they watch regularly or watch occasionally, while 18 percent said they never

watch it. The second most commonly viewed channel is the History Channel, capturing 78

percent of respondents regularly or occasionally.

These responses offer insight into the interests and activities of students who are already

STEM-inclined and do not necessarily reflect the interest of those who are not interested in

STEM-related subjects.

27


(Primary Research Cont.)Engineering EXPO

The University of Kansas’ School of Engineering conducts an annual Engineering EXPO

during the second semester of every year. This EXPO is aimed at youth of all ages and its

goal is to motivate them to pursue STEM education careers. The EXPO features different

STEM-related activities that help youth learn about the wide world of science and

engineering.

Through conducting informal interviews AstroMarketing gained valuable insights into

the minds of youth between the ages of 10 and 18, as well as insights from current KU

engineering students. It is important to remember most kids in attendance at the EXPO

attended because it was part of a class trip or project.

Middle and High School Students

The event was generally the only exposure the students had to engineering and the main

outlet for them to put their science learning to use. Most had heard of engineering either

through parents working in the field or from classrooms being solicited to join clubs or

other science and engineering-related classes.

Students’ interests were extremely varied and ranged from playing sports and attending

parties, to watching television programs such as Saturday Night Live and Mythbusters. Most

said they would consider a major or career in engineering and would be open to working in

the aerospace industry, though they also seemed wary of the work involved.

The general consensus among the students was they were interested in math and science

(more than other subjects) and liked to do hands-on projects.

KU Engineering Students

The KU engineering students we talked to were almost all exposed to engineering and

STEM-related activities at an early age, which sparked their interest. Many first learned

what engineering was or got excited about engineering when they attended the EXPO

as middle and high school students. They were always interested in engineering-related

things, such as building with LEGOs, problem solving and taking things apart to understand

how they work, but never knew how to apply their interests until introduced to engineering

at school.

28



William Blake, a NASA researcher, attended and shared how he thought kids like to have

fun, and it is important to show the overlap with engineering. He built an arcade game that

the students played on and Blake explained to the students how the arcade game was built

using different elements of engineering.

“Kids like to have fun and they are attracted to fun things. Engineering and fun are not

mutually exclusive and there is a lot of overlap. I built a video game and I like to point out to

the kids that this is a combination of electrical engineering and computer science,” (William

Blake).

All the university students stressed the importance of catching students’ interest early on,

and involving them in activities like the EXPO to help make them aware of the possibilities

and applications of math and science.

Ethnographic Research

While at the EXPO we took some time to view our surroundings and watch the way the

youth interacted with each other and the types of things to which they were drawn to. It

was clear that almost all the youth were attracted to computer and video games over all

the other activities. We also noticed that when the youth were playing video and computer

games they were not talking to each other or interacting with each other, but rather

were in their own game worlds. However, when the youth stepped away from their video

games they all flocked back to groups of friends. Video and computer games are taking the

interaction away from people, but they are getting a different kind of interaction, a virtual

one.

Many of the kids said they and their friends thought math and science was cool, but current

trends in the U.S. show school age children are suffering in these areas. It is important to

remember that people do not always do what they say, but they always do what they do.

29



Quotes from EXPO Participants

• “I first decided I wanted to be an engineer my junior year in high school. I came to the KU engineering EXPO and that’s what got me interested. I had no idea what engineering even was until I came to the information session.” (KU Engineering Student, female)

• “I think in the middle of high school was when I really was thinking about what I wanted to do in college.” (KU Engineering Student, female)

• “I probably knew about middle school that I wanted to go into engineering.” (KU Engineering Student, male)

• “When I was in high school I didn’t even realize all that engineering entailed and I didn’t even think about it or think about it being cool. Now I definitely think it is cool.” (KU Engineering Student, female)

• “I thought about being an astronaut when I was little, but it seems impossible now.” (Wyandotte High School student, male)

• “In eighth grade there was a class about technology and engineering that got us all interested in engineering stuff.” (Wyandotte High School students, male and female answered)

• “I was part of an engineering program at my high school called Engineering Systems. The point of the program was to get kids interested in engineering. That program got me really interested in it. I decided to take the class because they came to my middle school to get kids excited about taking the class.” (The program took place at Olathe Northwest in Shawnee Mission, Kan.) (KU engineering student, male)

• “A lot of people get scared away from engineering because they don’t exactly know what it is. People are also scared of the math. I think it would be a good way to show kids where math applies in different engineering situations.” (KU engineering student, male)

• “It is important to be a problem solver if you want to be an engineer. The hard math and science will come later. If students don’t develop those skills, you are like a craftsman with a needle that doesn’t know what to do.” (William Blake, NASA fellow)

• “My dad is an engineer so I have grown up around it. My dad has always gotten me interested in this kind of stuff.” (Seventh grade student, female)

• “I like doing hands-on activities and math.” (Freshman, male)

• “I think it would be fun to be an astronaut, but I don’t know if I would want to do all the training.” (Sophomore, female)

• “I think most kids just say they don’t like math because they don’t feel like doing the work.” (Sophomore, female)

• “I came to the KU engineering EXPO when I was young and it really helped to pique my interest, I also went to space camp in Hutchison, Kan.” (Anthony Fry, KU Engineering student)

• “I did an aviation youth academy and then after that I decided to go into aerospace engineering. I don’t think I would have known what engineering was if I hadn’t gone to a STEM camp.” (KU engineering student, female)

30



Insights from Miles O’Brien

Miles O’Brien is a broadcast news journalist specializing in aviation, space and technology. He was a correspondent for 16 years at CNN. He is currently a member of the NASA Advisory Council (NAC) as the Chairman of the Education and Outreach Committee. The following insights are all pulled from a lecture he presented to the class.

Two criticisms of the current educational model are that “nerds” are not held in high regard and natural inquisitiveness is being replaced with a rigid curriculum. Students with an aptitude for STEM career paths should be encouraged. Our nation does not put smart people on a pedestal.

There is a gap in public perception between what people think NASA is doing versus what it is actually doing. NASA could benefit from a spokesperson to draw the distinction between the two and explain complicated research to the public in layman’s terms.

O’Brien believes that Hollywood’s vision of space exploration sets the bar too high for NASA because the discoveries in real life don’t measure up to the epic proportions of Hollywood. Back in the 1960’s, Americans dreamed that the U.S.’s technology would be more advanced by 2010 and that is not the reality. The Jetsons and 2001: A Space Odyssey both represented the optimism our nation once had about the future of humanity in space.

According to Miles O’Brien, Franklin Chang-Díaz, engineer, physicist and former NASA astronaut, would make a good representative for NASA because people are looking for someone to hold accountable for the billions of tax dollars spent on research. Díaz is working on a plasma rocket propulsion system (VASIMR), which will make planetary exploration easier because humans will be less dependent on gravity.

According to the Ad Astra Rocket Company’s Web site, “VASIMR represents the future of translunar and interplanetary transportation as well as propulsion within Earth orbit. It has superb efficiency compared to a conventional chemical rocket and it has the capacity to double the payload mass for lunar delivery and cuts the transit time to Mars in half. Its robust design allows much greater power levels than existing electric propulsion systems and promises longer lifetimes.”

Another space race is not a viable option. The two most significant motivators in the history of humanity have been greed and fear. While the idea of the Chinese flag on the moon is scary, the Cold War is over. It should not take a space war to inspire the U.S. to explore space. The U.S. should turn to the private sector and allow for entrepreneurship.

31



Insights from Steve Hawley

Steve Hawley is a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Kansas. Formerly,

he was an astronaut with a total of 770 hours and 27 minutes logged in five space flights.

Dr. Hawley was asked how he became interested in space exploration and his answer was

interesting as it revealed a good deal of psychographic information. He traced his interest in

space exploration back to his grandfather, who was a professor of physics. What interested

Hawley was exploring the universe and putting together the pieces of a puzzle. He wanted

to figure out something that no one had figured out before. The appeal of a NASA career

was not only figuring out how to explore space but actually doing it as well.

Hawley also expressed his concern that most of the American public wants to explore

Mars more than the Moon. The Moon is only two days away from Earth whereas Mars is a

nine-month journey. The lessons for colonizing Mars, such as deriving resources from the

environment, should be learned on the Moon first in Hawley’s opinion.

32



Focus Group With Engineering Students

AstroMarketing conducted a focus group with seven engineering students to determine why they chose to pursue a STEM education field and how they were influenced to do so. The following graphs represent the demographic information about our participants.

33



All of the respondents were in agreement about how their interest in math or science may

have developed much earlier than middle school, but it was hands-on experiments in sixth

or seventh grade that really piqued their interest in science or math as a problem-solving

technique. While none of them noted a single field trip that had a big impact on their

education, several attended to camps that did. Many attended the University of Kansas’

pre-engineering camp as a junior or senior in high school to help them decide on which

concentration within the School of Engineering to focus.

The importance of teachers in the students’ choice of career was minimal. None of the

participants had a mentor teacher, it was rather the lesson plans of the teacher that

influenced their decision. They remember doing experiments and dissections as influential,

as well as outside clubs with teacher sponsors, such as Science Olympiads. The most

influential people in their lives were their parents. Several participants were heavily

encouraged by their parents to study engineering, either because their parents were in a

related field or they appreciated the job security and pay of an engineering job.

All of the participants agreed that they stumbled into engineering without knowing much

about it, and continued on towards graduation.

The engineering students provided a unique perspective of their views of STEM education

as well as their personal experiences with it. All participants agree they were not

adequately prepared for math and science classes upon arrival to the university. One

participant attended a high school in western Kansas in which pre-calculus was the highest

level of math available. She was left feeling completely unprepared for her first calculus

classes in college. They agree that their secondary math classes could have been much more

challenging as well.

The participants stressed the fact that engineering was never presented to them as

an option in high school as a career, and they would have liked to have known more.

Engineering is more than math and science, it also requires creative thinking and the ability

to build and test things. The engineering program is very hands-on, with little emphasis on

sitting down and writing papers. The participants think most people believe they are not

34



smart enough to be an engineer, but the engineers disagree, saying, many people are smart

enough, but they do not pursue it because they are intimidated by the coursework.

The participants plan on doing a variety of things with their engineering degrees after

graduation. Several of the participants have applied to law or medical school. They

discussed other uncommon careers for engineering majors such as building rock climbing

walls, designing roller coasters, and developing mascara for makeup companies.

35


Key Findings

36


Key FindingsPrimary and secondary research conducted by AstroMarketing for the Coalition for Space

Exploration revealed several significant findings and common themes. We conducted

an online survey, a focus group and informal interviews at the University of Kansas

Engineering Expo, which reinforced key concepts derived from secondary research.

Reoccurring themes in both primary and secondary research include strong parental

influence in STEM education participation and a need for math and science education

reforms. Additionally, the public’s perception of NASA is positive, however the American

public doesn’t understand what research is being conducted and how it benefits them,

creating problems for NASA to gain support and resources for its programs.

Public Perception of NASA

American interest in space exploration has been steadily declining. Through secondary

research, we found the rise and fall of public opinion appears to be directly correlated

to NASA’s prominent successful missions and unplanned mishaps. Miles O’Brien, a CNN

correspondent for NASA, affirms this secondary research finding in saying, “There is a gap

in public perception between what people think NASA is doing versus what it is actually

doing.” While NASA may receive media attention, people are unaware of its goals.

For instance, recent budget cuts affecting NASA have eliminated anticipated programs such

as Constellation. While the media has focused on the end of the program, many people fail

to realize this is not the end of space exploration. Ending programs generates incorrect

perceptions when it should create buzz around the shift to the emphasis on deep space

exploration. Instead of costly manned missions to previously investigated destinations,

resources can now be reallocated to the development of deep space probes to reach

unexplored regions of space.

While a misinformed public’s perception can be skewed, a lack of information reduces their

knowledge of job possibilities. STEM-related fields are drawing attention away from space

exploration. A focus group conducted by AstroMarketing explored the opinions of current

engineering students, revealing that while some wanted to be astronauts at a young age,

they did not realize that space exploration was a viable option in their fields. They are not

37


(Key Findings Cont.)

interested in working for NASA after graduation. Rather they are pursuing careers with

private companies or continuing their education.

Education Reforms

Despite comparatively high spending, the United States is falling behind its international

competitors in STEM education. Students from the United States ranked 21st out of

30 developed countries in science literacy in 2006, and 25th out of 30 in math literacy.

Participants in AstroMarketing’s focus group shared a similar feeling; primary and

secondary schools left them under-prepared for their college curriculum. The participants

felt as though the mathematics courses in high school were not challenging enough.

The United States is slowly losing its leadership in the science and technology fields, and

without qualified individuals to replace current workers, the trend is expected to increase.

The U.S. government has recognized this problem and the Obama administration is in

the midst of overhauling the controversial No Child Left Behind law and moving toward a

program called, “Race to the Top,” which will reward effective school systems with grant

money.

The Educate to Innovate program, which will launch in Summer 2010, is an effort of the

U.S. federal government in conjunction with various companies, foundations, non-profit

organizations and science and engineering societies. The private sector has already

contributed more than $260 million to the Educate To Innovate program in order to

revitalize STEM literacy.

Building STEM Interests

Recently, there has been a wave of school programs aimed at encouraging interest in

STEM education. Insight Schools and Junior Achievement programs tend to focus more on

changing perceptions about learning, and engaging in career exploration. THINK Together

developed out of after school programs, before receiving a generous grant from Southern

California Edison, which allows middle school students access to Academy of Robotics

Labs. NASA Explorer Schools engage in robotics competitions similar to the FIRST (For

Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Lego League.

38



All members of the focus group had hands-on experience in a STEM related activity

between 6th or 7th grade. Hands-on programs are more likely to inspire the target audience

to pursue a STEM career than television or any other medium. Events such as the Lego

League and school programs, as well as parental influence, are several ways to get the

target audience involved. Directly targeting children using marketing tactics is another

useful tool to increase awareness of STEM careers and activities. High school and junior

high students can be reached in a variety of ways.

The focus group participants seemed to have been primarily influenced by their parents to

pursue a STEM-related career. A former astronaut at the University of Kansas, Steve Hawley,

commented on his grandfather’s influence to pursue physics and astronomy.

Media Usage

AstroMarketing’s online survey shows the target market’s most used medium was

predominantly Internet usage, followed closely by television. Survey respondents also

attributed television, videos games and movies as motivation for pursuing STEM education

and/or an aerospace career.

While the results of the AstroMarketing focus group revealed that parents are key

influencers in students’ interest in STEM education, educators remain a solid point of

contact in promoting science careers. Discovery Education, a network for educators,

provides a combination of scientifically proven, standards-based digital media and a

dynamic user community to help provide teachers with the tools to motive students.

Secondary key findings from the Nielson Company show American children 2 to 11 years

old watch more television than they have in years past. The October 2009 study showed

children ages 6 to 11 years old spend about 28 hours per week watching television and

multiple hours per week on a gaming console of some type.

Movies and television help shape children’s perception of subjects like space exploration.

These media tend to portray space exploration in a way that make the real NASA seem like

an unattainable dream job to America’s impressionable youth. This discrepancy provides a

39



point of improvement, in which media efforts could evolve to accurately portray NASA.

As far as social media is concerned, our survey research reveals that members of the target

demographic (students) are primarily using facebook. Most students use facebook to keep

in touch with their social network or play flashgames such as Mafia Wars and Farmville.

Capturing a student’s interest in STEM subjects using facebook as the medium would be a

gamble because most students wouldn’t make life decisions based on something they read

on facebook. The way people use social media is always changing and it’s a good idea to use

social media to let students know what career paths are out there, but students need to be

engaged by teachers and parents.

40


Target Audiences

41


Target AudiencesPrimaryThe publics being directly targeted

Middle school students: We are targeting middle school students because their interest in STEM-related subjects is crucial to the future success of space exploration programs. Our research shows that U.S. middle school students are currently behind other developed countries in math and science literacy rankings. Middle school students are also not being adequately exposed to STEM programs that would encourage their interest in science and math subjects, increase their awareness of technological education paths and strengthen their desire to pursue aerospace careers.

• Key Message: Middle school students should work hard in math and science class in order to achieve a rewarding career and a good life.

Students with an interest in STEM-related fields: Students in this group are ages 16-19 and include both college-bound and new college students. They have displayed an interest in STEM education, but have yet to declare a college major. Through their existing interest in STEM education, they are more likely to pursue STEM-related programs and eventually seek a career in the aerospace industry.

• Key Message: Students with a preexisting interest in STEM education should pursue a career in aerospace technology because it’s something they enjoy doing and it will benefit them.

Technology-age young adults: Members of this target are vital to reach because they are old enough to have children in the primary target audience or be working in the education sector. This group was around to see technology flourish with the advent of the Internet age and Web 2.0. Space technology such as GPS and smart phones are part of their everyday lives. They tend to take technology for granted even when it plays a role in their everyday lives.

• Key Message: Technology-age young adults should increase their awareness in STEM subjects and aerospace technology because it affects their daily life and their future.

42


(Target Audiences Cont.)

SecondaryNot the direct target audience, yet it is still important to maintain good relationships with

these publics.

Baby Boomer Adults: Members of this group were born between 1946 and 1964. They were alive for the first man landing on the moon and the launching of the first space shuttle. These adults still remember when space was intriguing, astronauts were inspiring and the nation was excited about space exploration. However, space exploration is not top of mind for them anymore, as they focus on issues in the news that affect them directly. They value education and have sent their children to college. While they still have great respect for space exploration, they are in need of a reminder that it still exists and requires their support.

• Key Message: Baby-Boomer adults should support the aerospace industry because it will provide their children’s generation with rewarding jobs and the technological benefits will help them lead longer, healthier lives.

InterveningThe publics being indirectly targeted that have great influence over the primary target

Parents of pre-college youth: Members of this target are parents of school-aged children that have not yet left for college. They have a vested interest in ensuring a successful future for their children. Our research shows that parents are one of the most important influences in the educational interests of youth, and that by targeting them, we can gain their support in encouraging participation in STEM activities and education paths.

• Key Message: Parents of pre-college youth should encourage their children’s interest in STEM education if they want their children to have successful careers and meaningful lives.

STEM middle school teachers: Members of this target include middle school teachers of subjects relating to science, technology, math or engineering. Teachers at this grade level have tremendous influence on whether their students will continue to study STEM subjects. If they have interactive lesson plans they can directly influence a student’s enthusiasm about pursuing STEM career options.

• Key Message: STEM middle school teachers should do everything they can to enhance their students interest in STEM-related fields because success for the student will provide benefits for the teacher in the future.

43


(Target Audiences Cont.)

News Media: The news media decide the topics of conversation for the day and has the ability to shape public perception.

• Key Message: The news media should shed light on the advances in space exploration because these stories have relevance and affect the everyday lives of their audience.

The entertainment media: The entertainment media are a powerful and influential force in the daily lives of the primary target audiences. They have the ability to shape and change public perception and inspire the target audiences. In the past, the entertainment media have depicted the future vision of space exploration as being much further advanced by the 21st century, which leaves its audience members slightly disillusioned. The entertainment media selects our cultural heroes and smart people are not traditionally among them.

• Key Message: The entertainment media should increase the presence of the aerospace industry in its various media because it is a fascinating subject for the American people with endless possibilities for stories that will earn them money.

SpecialSpecial publics are publics you want to maintain a good relationship with but who do not

directly help achieve the goal

Youth organization leaders: This target includes leaders of groups such as The Boys and Girls Club of America and Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. They have interaction with members of the primary audience and serve as key influencers in their decisions to possibly pursue a STEM-related career.

• Key Message: Youth organization leaders should encourage an interest in STEM education because through their interaction with the primary audience, their support has a tremendous effect on the children’s future decisions.

44


SWOT Analysis

45


SWOT AnalysisDescription:

A SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning method used to create a situation forecast and

monitor the internal and external factors that influence the client to help it make informed

decisions. Information gathered from primary and secondary research is used to determine

the factors that influence in an organization’s situation1

• Strengths: Internal-positive; these are factors in which the Coalition is successful.• Weaknesses: Internal-negative; these are factors in which the Coalition could improve. • Opportunities: External-positive; these are helpful factors in the Coalition’s environment.• Threats: External-negative; these are factors which could be harmful to the Coalition.

Internal and external factors can coincide, for example, an external opportunity can be

taken advantage of to eliminate an internal weakness within an organization. A grid is

divided into a four quadrants, which allows clear organization of information to evaluate all

the factors that affect the situation. Then the team can properly organize this information in

hopes that a solution or plan of action will emerge from different factors.

Strengths

NASA has a long and successful aerospace history that was jump started during the Cold

War. The U.S. was the first nation to walk on the moon and has been successfully advancing

its space program ever since. America’s fast-paced society thrives on advancements in

technology that space exploration helps make possible, resulting in both the need and

by- product of research. Some of the products that have been developed in space included:

cordless tools, weather tracking devices and G.P.S’s. Space has given way to health care

advances and as well as fire and safety advances . Strong STEM education programs in

U.S. universities and colleges provide high-quality degrees to engineers, mathematicians,

physicists and astronomers. Given the current economic recession candidates are attracted

to more lucrative jobs offered in STEM-related fields.

46


(SWOT Analysis Cont.)

Weaknesses

President Obama’s recent budget cuts have downsized NASA’s efforts in space exploration

and have eliminated programs such as the Constellation Program (NASA plan to revisit

the moon), creating poor publicity. NASA is faced with the fact that there is decreased

public interest in aerospace industries and it is harder today than ever before to get

people excited about space. This could be due to the fact that the U.S. is facing a severe

economic downturn and people are more worried about increasing the amount of jobs

at home as well as keeping tax money literally on the ground. Hollywood’s depiction of

space exploration is misleading and ultimately disappoints the public when compared to

the reality of the situation. Coupled with the difficulty of pursuing an aerospace career

and competing technical career paths, it is increasingly difficult to attract individuals to

aerospace careers. Another factor that the U.S. is faced with is the increased number of

foreign nationals who are educated in STEM related fields at U.S. universities, but then

return to their home countries to work.

Opportunities

The “green movement” owes credit to NASA for advancements in solar energy and recycling

programs. Continued space exploration research could increase solar energy and energy

efficiency technology, promoting green movement efforts. Due to the cancellation of

the Constellation Program, funding and resources will be redistributed to deep space

exploration. This will create a new direction for NASA and will offer the public a more

exciting perspective.

Space exploration is experiencing another shift as well. While space exploration has

remained predominantly in the public sector, some tasks are being outsourced to private

sectors. Cooperation between public and private sectors could bring in more resources

because private sectors have the ability to market, while public sectors do not.

The Obama administration has created the Educate to innovate program which will launch

in summer 2010. This program is expected to increase interests in STEM fields among

America’s students. While a general lack of public knowledge may be viewed as a negative

47



factor the coalition could use this as an opportunity to reframe the discussion about space

exploration.

Threats

Outsourcing space exploration puts the public sector at risk of loosing control of the

industry to the private sector. United State’s space exploration also faces competition from

other technologically advanced countries, such as China and Russia, which threatens the

U.S.’s longtime leadership in space exploration. Currently, there is a shortage of prospective

employees and with baby boomers starting to retire the U.S. could face a lack of potential

astronauts and aerospace engineers. Along with the baby boomers the U.S. space shuttle is

also retiring at the end of 2010, with no budget planned to build a new one. This will create

the need for the U.S. to partner up with other countries for rides to the space station and

will also create bad PR for the already struggling aerospace industry. NASA also continues

to compete with other technology fields to obtain employees and with the budget cuts and

the space shuttle retiring this could persuade prospective employees to choose other career

paths.

Conclusions

The outsourcing of space exploration to the private sector is both a threat and an

opportunity. The private sector can do things that NASA is not allowed to do, such as

advertise to generate revenue to fund further space exploration; however NASA will no

longer have complete control over the aerospace industry.

The focus of the Educate to Innovate campaign is to inspire future generations to pursue

STEM related paths of education. This campaign is expected to increase STEM literacy as it

is implemented. By taking advantage of this opportunity, the Coalition can decrease its own

weaknesses.

Although the elimination of the space shuttle and the cancelation of the Constellation

Program are weaknesses, an opportunity arises because the focus and funding is shifted to

deep space exploration. New technologies will be needed to reach unexplored parts of

48



the universe, which will create a bigger public interest in something NASA has never done

before.

It is easier and more economic to send an unmanned probe into space. Competition with

other countries may be a threat, but it puts pressure on the United States to ensure the

success of programs such as Educate to Innovate. Federal programs may persuade state

legislature to follow suit and to supplement this, as well as appropriate more funds towards

education.

SWOT Grid

49


Planning Section

50


Planning SectionGoal #1: To increase student interest in STEM-related subjects

Objective #1: Provide information for parents that would allow them to

communicate the importance of STEM to their children Tactic #1: Create a Web site for parents

Brief Description: Create a Web site to promote STEM education that includes three sections. In the first section, parents can access information about the benefits of STEM education. The Web site will include lists of all the jobs science and math can help their children attain, videos and recipes for Do-It-Yourself home experiments, and information about science camps and organizations listed by state. It will be called STEMulateYourMind.com.

Target Audience: Parents of pre-college age youth

Timetable: June 2010

Cost: $100 for a hosting package including domain names for all three sections. The package lasts for a year and does not include the cost of site maintenance or design. The Coalition already has a social media manager to update the Web site

Tactic #2: Form a strategic alliance with the Parent-Teacher Association

Brief Description: Forming a strategic alliance with the PTA would allow the Coalition and its focus of STEM education topics to be featured in articles in the national newsletter, post podcasts with interviews of Coalition spokespeople and be able to post links supporting STEM education on the PTA Web site.

Target Audience: Parents of pre-college youth

Timeline: September 2010

Cost: Free

51


Tactic #3: Run a national Public Service Announcement

Brief Description: Brief Description: Create a television PSA replicating the “talk to your kids about drugs” ads. The PSA would have a serious tone in which the parent would initiate a conversation with their child. They would go on to express how science and math would open up a lot of opportunities for them. The call to action would be to parents to talk to your kids about science, technology, engineering and math.

Target Audience: Parents of pre-college youth

Timeline: June 2010

Cost: $3,000 for production cost of PSA, or free with Coalition contacts

Objective #2: Help teachers to engage students in STEM learning Tactic #1: Create a Web site for teachers

Brief Description: Create a Web site to promote STEM education that includes three sections. In the second section, teachers can access information about how to make STEM education engaging. The Web site will include sample lesson plans, videos of experiments and a discussion forum.

Target Audience: Middle school teachers

Timeline: June 2010

Cost: (See goal one, objective one, tactic one)

Tactic #2: Distribute teacher experiment kits

Brief Description: Create and distribute experiment kits to middle school teachers. The purpose of the kits will be for teachers to perform the experiment for their classes. The kits will consist of enough materials for one experiment, however a list will be included detailing what is needed to recreate the experiment. Teachers will order kits on the teacher Web site. The Coalition will cover the cost of the kits.

Target Audience: Middle School teachersTimeline: August 2010Cost: $8 (includes price of kit and shipping) X 1,000 teachers (estimated number of requests)= $8,000

(Planning Section Cont.)

52


Tactic #3: Send a digital media kit to American Teacher

Brief Description: Send media kits in the hopes of having an article in American Teacher. The purpose of the article would be to increase awareness among teachers of the importance of engaging students in STEM activities as well as informing them on the current state of STEM education in the U.S. The kit will also be focused on National STEMulate Your Mind Day.

Target Audience: Middle school teachers

Timeline: October 2010

Cost: Free

Objective #3: Create awareness surrounding STEM-related careers and activities

Tactic #1: Create a partnership with Popular Science online

Brief Description: Create a partnership with Popular Science to utilize their experiment videos to include on the teacher and student Web site to engage students and teachers with hands-on STEM activities. This would initiate an exchange of advertisement space, allowing both Web sites to advertise on the other’s site.

Target Audience: Middle school students and teachers

Timeline: July 2010

Cost: Free

Tactic #2: Utilize a spokesperson to promote STEM education

Brief Description: Use the spokesperson you are currently negotiating with. Alternately, if that individual does not meet the needs of this campaign, use a pop culture celebrity, such as Disney’s iCarly actress, Miranda Cosgrove, or the stars of Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, to promote STEM activities and competitions. Spokesperson could be utilized in a variety of ways such as: featured in the PSAs, print ads, podcasts, interviews or any other communication efforts.

Target Audience: Middle school studentsTimeline: June 2010Cost: Dependent on Coalition’s contract with spokesperson


53


Tactic #3: Facebook Side Advertisement

Brief Description: Create a pay-per-click advertisement using Facebook’s targeting software. The ad should direct targeted individuals to the student/teacher Web site.

Target Audience: Middle school students

Timeline: July 2010

Cost: Blind bid of approximately $5,000

Tactic #4: Flash Game

Brief Description: Create a simple flash-based videogame that can be shared and played between Facebook users via wall posts and invitations. The game could resemble a Sims or Farmville style videogame.


Timeline: October 2010

Cost: $2,240 (estimated at $20 per hour for labor). A single programmer can develop the game in one week; costs include one week of programming one week of software quality assurance. This covers cost of creation, but not placement.

Tactic #5: Scholarships to space camp for underprivileged youth

Brief Description: Award 20 scholarships to members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to a space camp program nearest to them. The scholarships would be awarded based on essay response to questions distributed to Boys and Girls Clubs.

Target Audience: Middle school students, youth organization leaders

Timeline: December 2010

Cost: $300 scholarship towards camp tuition x 20 scholarships = $6,000


54


Goal #2: To encourage students with an existing interest in STEM to pursue aerospace careers

Objective #1: Address misconceptions about aerospace careers

Tactic #1: Visual representation of STEM career paths

Brief description: In order to inform student of the nearly limitless career options available in STEM-related fields, this visual will resemble a tree, with each new branch and leaf representing the various career fields and professions made possible by an education in STEM. The visual will be created into a poster and distributed to schools for use in classrooms.

Target Audience: Students with an interest in STEM

Timeline: August 2010

Cost: Cost: $21,376.63 for 96,000 posters (17x24 full color gloss on lightweight paper).

Tactic #2: Have college students visit high schools to inform students about STEM majors

Brief description: Set up a program to allow volunteer college students to visit high school classrooms and get younger students excited about STEM by doing a variety of activities, including perform experiments and answer questions about STEM educational paths.


Timeline: 2010-2011 school year

Cost: Free


55


Objective #2: Increase awareness of STEM-related careers

Tactic #1: National STEMulate Your Mind Day- Celebrate Science

Brief description: Similar to the national “Read Across America Day,” we plan to join forces with schools around the country and the Department of Education to create a day that educates and informs students about the importance of STEM education. The day will be held annually and information packets will be distributed to school districts to educate schools on how to have a successful “STEMulate Your Mind Day”


Timeline: February 2011

Cost: Price per information kit $1.60 (price per information kit) x 15,000 (approximate number of school districts in the United States) = $24,000

Tactic #2: PSA telling parents about how to get their kids involved in STEM

Brief Description: (See Goal one, objective one, tactic three)

Tactic #3: Create video campaign communicating different STEM jobs with the theme, Think outside the beaker

Brief description: The campaign would focus on highlighting lesser-known exciting careers available for those who major in STEM subjects, such as roller coaster architect and makeup engineer. It would include video interviews with STEM professionals with these unique jobs. The videos would be posted on STEMulateYourMind.com, the Coalition’s web site and on YouTube.



Cost: Free using Coalition’s resources


56


Objective #3: Provide students with tools to enhance their STEM knowledge

Tactic #1: Space publication for schools

Brief Description: Create a monthly e-publication about STEM education that will target upper elementary and middle school students. The publication will have articles about the current events in STEM along with hands-on experiment descriptions. Teachers will be able to order this supplement online. It is suggested that there be a small subscription fee. This will be in a downloadable PDF format.

Target Audience: Middle school students Timeline: September 2010

Cost: Free

Tactic #2: Videoconference sessions between schools and space expert

Brief Description: Once a semester an expert on space topics, possibly a member of the Coalition, will have a video conference call with students across the country. There will be two different video conferences, one that targets upper elementary and middle school students and one that targets high school students. There will be different topics for each conversation and students can e-mail the expert with questions before the videoconference. Examples of topics include: STEM career exploration, current NASA events, everyday items that were created in space and how to be involved in STEM activities.


Timeline: 2010-2011 school year

Cost: Free


57


Tactic #3: Competition for students to a solve problem using STEM knowledge

Brief Description: The Coalition will create a contest in which it sends out disassembled gadgets to high school students. For example, it will send out a disassembled cell phone, video game controller or MP3 player. The first 50 students that send in the gadget reassembled will win a $500 college scholarship from the Coalition. The only restriction is that scholarship must be used for a STEM-related major. It is suggested that the Coalition partner with a company, such as Nokia, willing to donate parts and supplies. Recommended that there be a $5 entrance fee to cover the cost of shipping


Timeline: Contest will start in January 2011 and will run until 100 students successfully complete the challenge

Cost: 50 students X $500 scholarship = $25,000

Tactic #4: Create a Web site for students

Brief Description: Create a Web site to promote STEM education that includes three sections. In the third section, it will provide STEM information to students such as STEM activities occurring in their areas, experiments, viral videos, STEM career paths and the presence of the celebrity spokesperson.


Timeline: June 2010

Cost: (See goal one, objective one, tactic one)


58


Goal #3: To increase public support for space programs and exploration

Objective #1: Increase media attention on current events regarding space

Tactic #1: News releases

Brief Description: Infiltrate national media by sending out press releases that detail current events about NASA and space happenings. Include new media outlets such as Popular Science Magazine as well as CNN. The news releases will include information about all of the various tactics proposed in this document.

Target Audience: Baby Boomer Adults, technology-age young adults

Timeline: May 2010

Cost: Free

Tactic #2: Media kit to cover last shuttle launch

Brief Description: Send out a full media kit to national media outlets highlighting the final shuttle launch. Explain in the media kits the effect the shuttles retirement has on American astronauts and American space dominance. Include videos, backgrounders, fact sheets, news releases, brochures and photos.

Target Audience: Baby Boomer Adults


Cost: Free

Objective #2: Emphasize the importance of space exploration to the American Public

Tactic #1: News releases to highlight international competition

Brief Description: News releases to national media outlets will raise awareness about the U.S.’s position in international competitions to claim a leading position in space exploration as well as to catch up to other developed nations in STEM education rankings.



Cost: Free


59


Tactic #2: Print Advertisements about advances from space technology

Brief Description: This ad features commonly used products that are the result of advances from space. These images with include a brief description of how the products are space-related with a link to the Coalition’s Web site for more information.

Target Audience: Technology-age young adults

Timeline: June 2010

Cost: Secondary: (Will depend on publication vehicle, size of ad, color, etc.)

Tactic #3: Underwrite NPR’s All Things Considered

Brief Description: The Coalition will sponsor a weekly NPR program, directing listeners to their web site to gain readership and interest.


Timeline: June 2010

Cost: $33.75 per 15 second spot X 4 times a day X 5 times a week for4 weeks= $2700

Tactic #4:Documentary (Titusville)

Brief Description: Create a short documentary about the small U.S. town, Titusville. Facing the loss of the community’s main source of employment, The Kennedy Space Center, this town provides a down-to-earth perspective on how the retirement of the U.S. space shuttle will directly affect citizens.



Cost: Secondary: $100,000 for production


60


Tactic #5: Monthly newsletter addressing current events of space

Brief Description: Send newsletters addressing topics such as the retirement of the space shuttle and the need for continued space travel. Web sites will be provided for further inquiry. We will utilize the e-mail list provided by the Coalition.


Timeline: Beginning June 2010 Cost: Free

Objective #3: Drive traffic to the Coalition’s Web sites

Tactic #1: Attach link in collaterals to direct traffic to the Coalition’s Web sites

Brief Description: All of our executions will have a link to a Coalition Web site as a call to action. Based on whether the focus of the execution is towards space or STEM education, the attached link will direct the audience to either the Coalition’s Web site or the www.STEMulateYourMind.com

Target Audience: Parents of pre-college youth, Baby Boomer adults, middle school teachers, middle school students

Timeline: June 2010

Cost: Free

Tactic #2: Utilize existing Coalition social media to drive parents and students to STEMulateYourMind.com

Brief Description: Use the Coalition’s existing Facebook and blog to advertise the STEM parent/student/teacher web site and viral videos. The Facebook group can send event invitations to members for STEM contests and events, with the ability to invite friends who are not members to spread word of the events virally.

Target Audience: Parents of pre-college youth, students with an interest in STEM

Timeline: June 2010Cost: Free


61


Executions

62


ExecutionsCommunications Package Description #1

Title: www.STEMulateYourMind.com – Parents Web site

Brief Description: A Web site created to address the needs of three targeted groups:

students, parents and teachers. The home page of the Web site will allow the visitor to

choose the group to which they belong and direct them to the corresponding, secondary

group page. The mission and values statements of the Web site would also be available

through the home page. The Parent Web site will include:

• A news column focusing on the scientific innovation of both STEM professionals and college students in STEM fields.

• A blog written by a STEM professional pertaining to the topics of parenting and the degree of influence parents have on their child’s career choice.

• Suggestions for how parents can communicate the importance of STEM to their children.

• Sample experiments that parents can perform with their children ranked by age of the child and difficulty.

• Information on science camps and organizations in their area provided by the state.

• Information on the alliance with the PTA. (see goal one, objective one, tactic two for more information)

The goal of the Parents site is to engage parents in their child’s educational growth and to

connect parents with information on STEM opportunities. Traffic will be guided to the Web

site by the inclusion of the Web site’s address on the most of the promotional materials

included in this plan.

Status: Sample mock-ups of the home page and Parents Web site are complete.

Location: A Mock-up of the home page and follows this description.

64


ExecutionsCommunications Package Description # 2

Title: Strategic Alliance with the PTA

Brief Description: Forming a strategic alliance with the PTA allows the Coalition and its

focus of STEM education topics to be featured in articles in the national newsletter, post

podcasts with interviews of Coalition spokespeople and be able to post links supporting

STEM education on the PTA Web site.

Research revealed that parents are one of the number one influencers on children. Forming

an alliance with the PTA will help to get the message out to parents and their children about

the importance of STEM education through multiple outlets.

Status: A proposal letter is complete.

Location: The proposal letter follows this description.

Dear PTA Advisory Board members, National PTA Officers, PTA Board of Directors and PTA Chief Executive Officer,

The AstroMarketing team created an integrated marketing campaign to help the Coalition for Space Exploration achieve its goals of inspiring young people to pursue STEM related aerospace industry careers and building public support for an ongoing space exploration program.

However, the Coalition is battling some problems, such as the shuttle’s retirement at the end of 2010 and the fact that U.S. students are struggling in STEM education. Currently, students in the U.S. are ranked 21 out of 30 developed countries in STEM-education performance.

Our research showed that many students do not know what engineers actually do and they do not realize all the different career paths that STEM can lead to. A common theme present in our research is the fact that interesting students in STEM education at a young age is imperative to cultivating a long-term interest in STEM. For example, one KU engineering student said in an informal interview: “I did an aviation youth academy and then after that I decided to go into aerospace engineering. I don’t think I would have known what engineering was if I hadn’t gone to a STEM camp.”

Our research also pointed to the fact that parents are the number one influencer in student’s lives and teacher’s lesson plans influence them more than the actual teacher.

We would like to form a partnership with the PTA to help students in the U.S. improve in STEM-education as well as to raise awareness among students about all the career and education possibilities that STEM can bring to them.

Thank you in advance for working with us. Please let me know if there is any more information that you need. We look forward to hearing from you in the near future concerning the decision to form a strategic alliance.

Sincerely,

The Coalition for Space Exploration and the AstroMarketing Team

66



Title: Run a National PSA, “Have you talked to your kids about STEM”

Brief Description: A brief public service announcement in which a trustworthy speaker

communicates to parents the need to talk to their children about the importance of a

strong foundation in science, technology, engineering and math to prepare for the jobs of

tomorrow. The world is changing with technology and it is imperative that the future of

America be strong in the areas of STEM.

The PSA will also feature facts and figures about STEM education in the United States to

make parents realize it is essential to talk to their kids about the importance of STEM

education.

Status: A script has been written, but the PSA is not produced.

Location: The script follows this description.

69



Title: www.STEMulateYourMind.com – Teacher Web site

Brief Description: A general description of the Web site can be found under the tactic for

www.STEMulateYourMind.com for parents. (see goal one, objective one, tactic one)

The goal of the Teacher Web site is to provide educators with current and relatable content

to share with their students. Traffic will be guided to the Web site by the inclusion of the

Web site’s address on the most of the promotional materials included in this plan.

The Teacher Web site will include:

• A blog written by a STEM educator, at either the middle school or high school level, which would discuss their individual efforts to engage students in the sciences and provide advice for teachers who wish to do the same.

• Application for ordering the teacher experiment kits. (see goal one, objective two, tactic two for more information)

• Experiments and lesson plans that teachers can utilize in the classroom, ranked by grade level and equipment needed.

• A brief description of the content available under the Student Web site and how it could be utilized in the classroom.

• Information on science camps and organizations in their area provided by the state.• A news column focusing on the scientific innovation of both STEM professionals and

college students in STEM fields.• Information on the alliance with the Parent Teachers Association. (see goal one,

objective one , tactic two for more information)

Status: A sample mock-up of the Teacher Web site is complete.

Location: N/A. See Parents and Students Web site executions for more information.

70



Title: Teacher Experiment Kits

Brief Description: These are the experiment kits that teachers can order off the teacher

section of the Web site. The kits will include the materials needed for a simple, but

interesting experiment that they can do in their classrooms.

The kit will also include instructions on how to complete the experiment. The purpose

of the kits will be to provide teachers with a simple way to make their science class more

interesting and possibly spark an interest in science for students.

Status: Sample completed.

Location: The Teacher Experiment Kit is located within the portfolio accompanying the

book.

71



Title: Digital Media Kit for American Teacher

Brief Description: This media kit will be sent in digital form to the publication American

Teacher, a magazine that covers a wide range of topics of interest to educators. The kit will

be focused on National STEMulate Your Mind Day. The kit will include news releases, fact

sheets, backgrounders and a social and Web media information sheet.

The main goal of the kit is to have the publication publish articles about the national

day, informing and exciting teachers about the day. This kit will as well help increase

awareness among teachers on the current state of STEM education in the U.S., as well as the

importance of engaging students in STEM activities.

The media kit is scheduled to be sent out in October 2010, giving teachers a chance to

prepare the national day scheduled for February.

Status: Kit assembled.

Location: The digital media kit follows this description.

3101 NASA Parkway, Suite LSeabrook, TX 77586

[email protected]

Backgrounder FOR IMMEIDATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:Jan 10, 2011 AstroMarketing Team Media Relation Contact 281-335-0200 [email protected]

National STEMulate Your Mind Day

The Coalition for Space Exploration and the Department of Education have joined

forces to launch National STEMulate Your Mind Day as a way to stimulate an interest in

science for students across the country.

The mission of The Coalition for Space Exploration is to ensure the United States

remains a leader in space, science and technology. However recently, the U.S. students

ranked 21st out of all 30 developed nations in science performance. In response to this, the

Coalition decided to team up with the Department of Education to establish a national day

in which schools will focus on the sciences known as, National STEMulate Your Mind Day.

-more-

National STEMulate Your Mind Day will take place Friday February 4th, 2011 in

schools across the country. The day will highlight topics related to science, technology,

engineering and mathematics, otherwise known as STEM related subjects. Science will be

emphasized in every area of study such as reading about famous scientific discoveries in

English, or calculating the density of various objects in math.

Activities will vary depending on grade levels. Elementary students may participate

in hands on science activities while high school students have the opportunity to learn of

various career opportunities available within the industry. The purpose of day is to inspire

an interest in science in today’s students in hopes of steering them towards a STEM-related

career in the future.

Information packets have been sent out to every school district in the country in

order to encourage maximum participation and more information about this event can be

found on the Web site, www.STEMulateYourMind.com.

###


[email protected]

Fact Sheet FOR IMMEIDATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:Jan 10, 2011 AstroMarketing Team Media Relations Contact 281-335-0200 [email protected] STEMulate Your Mind DayWhat: The Coalition for Space Exploration and the Department of Education to hold its first annual, National STEMulate Your Mind Day.

The day is a result of The Coalition for Space Exploration and the Department of Educations’ efforts to stimulate an interest in subjects relating to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, otherwise known as STEM related subjects, for students of all ages.

Who: The Coalition for Space Exploration and the Department of Education organized National STEMulate Your Mind Day for students of all ages across the country.

Where: All school districts across the nation are encouraged to participate.

When: Friday, February 4th, 2011. National STEMulate Your Mind Day will be celebrated annually on the first Friday in February.

Why: The purpose of National STEMulate Your Mind Day is to stimulate an interest in STEM related subjects in students across the country. With an increased interest in the subject matter, the United States hopes to increase their world ranking in science performance as well as encourage students to eventually pursue a STEM-related career. Students also have a vested interest in STEM education because a solid STEM education could open up the doors for high paying careers.

###


[email protected]

News ReleaseFOR IMMEIDATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:Jan 10, 2011 AstroMarketing Team Media Relations Contact 281-335-0200 [email protected]

National STEMulate Your Mind Day Scheduled for February

Houston, Texas-- The Coalition for Space Exploration and Department of Education will kick off National STEMulate Your Mind Day on February 4th in schools across the country.

The purpose of the day is to educate and inspire students to be more active in science, technology, engineering and math, otherwise known as STEM-related subjects.

“We thought of this idea based on the National Read Across America Day,” AstroMarketing team, developers of the idea said. “With America’s current global ranking in science performance being 21st out of 30 developed countries, STEM education is something that needs to have more focus in schools.”

The day will be celebrated by every age, with different activities for each grade level and subject.

For example, high schools will focus on STEM majors as well as STEM career exploration, while elementary students will participate in hands-on activities related to STEM subjects. “Our hopes are that more students are inspired to pursue STEM majors when they reach the college level as well as to become involved in STEM programs from an early age,” the AstroMarketing team said.

###


[email protected]

National STEMulate Your Mind DayFebruary 4, 2011 News Facts

• The Coalition for Space Exploration and the Department of Education will kick off National STEMulate Your Mind Day on Friday February 4, 2011.

• The event will take place in all schools across the country.

• The purpose off this national day is to raise interest, awareness and inspire students to be more active in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

• The Coalition for Space Exploration is a non-profit advocacy group that works to inform the public about space in order to secure public support and funding for NASA.

Quotations • “We thought of this idea based on the National Read Across America Day. With

America’s current global ranking in science performance being 21st out of 30 developed countries STEM education is something that needs to have more focus in schools.”

-The AstroMarketing team, developers of the idea• “Our hopes are that more students are inspired to pursue STEM majors when they

reach the college level as well as to become involved in STEM programs from an early age.”

- The AstroMarketing team, developers of the ideaMultimedia

• Viral STEM career video

• STEMing Into Careers- PDF Poster

Related Links• STEMulateYourMind Web site

• The Coalition for Space Exploration

NASA

• Subscribe to RSS Feed for Coalition news

• Follow the Coalition on Facebook

• Follow the Coalition on YouTube

77



Title: Partnership with Popsci.com

Brief Description: The homepage www.STEMulateYourMind.com will direct teachers

and students to a specialized subpage, which will feature Popsci.com’s five minute video

experiment clips. The experiment videos will be provided on the teacher and student

sections of the Web site as well. An introductory offer will be made to teachers who register

on the Web site and the offer will include the materials for one person to complete a simple

project correlating to the Popsci.com five minute project video. Teachers will be encouraged

to post video responses of their class to each project video.

The idea is that if teachers and students are equally engaged there is a better chance of

long-term continuation of the participants.

This partnership will include an advertising exchange between The Coalition and Popular

Science, allowing both Web sites to advertise on each other’s Web site.

Status: Request letter and sample proposal complete.

Location: The sample request letter and proposal follow this description.

Proposed 2010 promotional partnership for The Coalition for Space exploration and Popsci.com. Partnering with the Coalition will help you reach:

• Long-term STEM orientated teachers and students.

• Reach a preliminary database of over 8,000 students, teachers and space enthusiasts.

The Coalition for Space exploration looks forward to sponsoring Popsci.com 5-minute project videos. In addition to Popsci.com’s videos will be featured to a highly targeted audience via a special Science, Technology, Education and Math (STEM) focused website, STEMulateYourMind.com. Overview of Coalition’s Web siteThe homepage of the STEMulate Your Mind Web site will direct teachers, students, parents and the public to a specialized subpage. The teacher section will focus on providing lesson plans/ideas pertaining to different STEM related fields. Both the teacher and student section will provide useful links to STEM related clubs and activities broken down by state. Popsci.com’s 5-minute videos will be provided on the teacher and student sections. Other features include:

• Links to various clubs

• News feed

• Information on upcoming events

A few tactics to help build an email list-server database include:

1. Providing teachers with a simple project and the necessary materials for one person to complete it. Web site registration will be required as well as providing shipping and handling.

2. Video responses to Popsci.com’s 5-minute project videos will require site registration as well.

The Following proposal outlines various opportunities that will be provided to Popsci.com, in exchange for being the exclusive sponsor of Popsci.com’s 5-minute project videos.

Newsletter• A monthly e-newsletter will be sent to every site member. The newsletters will include

information of upcoming events, news stories and other related STEM and space information. A bottom of the page banner advertisement featuring Popsci will be provided on each e-newsletter.

Website Advert• A sidebar advertisement will be provided to Popsci.com.

Logo Listing• Prominent display of Popsci.com’s logo on STEMulateYourMind.com and on e-newsletters.

Resources Popsci.com may provide the Coalition as the exclusive sponsor:Sponsor Status

• “Sponsor” partnership status

• Sponsor status announced at the end of each 5-minute project video

5-minute videos• Use of current and future 5-minute videos

• Videos should be STEM-related, focusing on educational aspects of these hands-on projects.

• Popsci.com will award one short-term subscription to the best video response for each project video.

Dear Ms. Amanda McNally, The Coalition for Space Exploration is an organization focused on promoting STEM education. At the Web site STEMulateYourMind.com we have a constant stream of traffic consisting of STEM-centered youth, adults, teachers and professionals. Since Popsci also markets to these populations, we propose a mutually beneficial alliance.

We would like to feature Popsci.com 5-Minute Project videos on STEMulateYourMind.com and in return enable you to promote your brand. The Web site is divided into three sub-homepages designed for students, teachers, and parents. Through projects, competitions, current events, as well as articles the Web site will promote STEM education and interests.

While not all of your current 5-minute videos suite our needs, some excellent examples are the Cereal Box Spectrometer and DIY Slime. The idea for using your videos came about when we realized the importance of students and teachers being equally involved and interested in STEM subjects, ensuring long-term mutual interests. DIY Slime even generated teacher/student response videos, exemplifying our thoughts. Please take a look at our current website, at www.STEMulateYourMind.com as well as www.spacecoalition.com.

AstroMarketing will contact you in a few days to discuss how we might work together.

Thanks,

The AstroMarketing Team and The Coalition for Space Exploration

81



Title: Utilize a Spokesperson to Promote STEM Education

Brief Description: Use the spokesperson you are currently negotiating with. Alternately,

if that individual does not meet the needs of this campaign, use a pop culture celebrity,

such as Disney’s iCarly actress, Miranda Cosgrove, or the stars of Discovery Channel’s

Mythbusters, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, to promote STEM activities and

competitions. Spokesperson could be utilized in a variety of ways such as: featured in the

PSAs, print ads, podcasts, interviews or any other communication efforts.

Status: N/A

Location: N/A

82



Title: Facebook Side Advertisement

Brief Description: Create a pay-per-click advertisement using Facebook’s targeting

software. Facebook allows advertisers to select demographics based on who it would like

to view the advertisement. For example, an advertiser can choose the race, age, gender,

educational status and keywords to name a few. This allows the advertiser to create a target

filter.

Facebook then allows advertisers to set-up a daily budget, with a minimum of budget of $1

a day. The Coalition will be charged per-click on its advertisement; the minimum cost per-

click is $0.01.

Facebook also allows advertisers to view demographic information on who, when and

where is viewing its advertisement. This will allow The Coalition to properly manage its

advertising campaign as well as make adjustments when necessary.

The ad will direct targeted individuals to the student/teacher/parents Web site. The

advertisement will also promote scholarship competitions, as well as information about

STEM activities.

Status: Created sample side advertisement.

Location: A sample Facebook side advertisement follows this description.

84



Title: Planet Colonizer Flash Game

Brief Description: A flash game that students can play on Facebook (similar to Farmville

or Mafia Wars) that simulates the creation and sustainment of a colony on Mars. Players

can mine dust from the surface of their colony’s planet and refine the material into useful

technologies such as solar panels to produce energy that can be sent back to Earth. As

colonies grow, the technology and resources can be shared with participating friends in the

player’s social network as in Mafia Wars. The game at its basic level imitates the challenges

of Mars, but tweaks can be made to this story line when/if the game is produced to include

other complex challenges such as neutralizing an asteroid or encountering alien life.

Research indicates that Facebook is the most popular social medium among members of

the target audience. Videogames were another activity that respondents in our survey

ranked as something that sparked their interest in STEM education and aerospace industry

careers.

Status: N/A

Location: N/A

85



Title: Scholarships to Space Camp

Brief Description: Award 20 full-ride scholarships to members of the Boys and Girls Clubs

of America to a space camp program of their choice. The scholarships would be awarded

based on essay response. Information will be distributed about the scholarship as well

as the essay prompt, what do you like best about science, technology, engineering and/or

math?

The information will be distributed to various Boys and Girls Clubs across the country. The

scholarship will be for $300 and cover the cost of the average day space camp. Winners will

be able to use the scholarships towards attendance at a space camp near them.

Status: Completed

Location: Contest mailing follows.

To The Boys and Girls Clubs of America,

Do you know kids who are interested in science? Would they love the opportunity to go to space camp? The Coalition for Space Exploration is conducting an essay contest with Boys and Girls Clubs of America to give away 20 full-ride scholarships to space camp. The scholarships can be used at any space camp across the country and are valued at $300 each.

The scholarships will be awarded based on responses to the attached essay prompt. If you know kids who would love the opportunity to go to space camp, give them a copy of the attached essay prompt and encourage them to let us know their favorite thing about science, technology, engineering and/or math.

Participants must be ages 13 or under. Entries should be mailed to the following address:

Essay ContestCoalition for Space Exploration


Entries must be received by February 1 and winners will be contacted by March 1.

Help spread the word about this awesome opportunity to send 20 kids to space camp by distributing the essay prompts today.

Thanks for your help and continued support.

Sincerely, The Coalition for Space Exploration

Want to go to space camp? Write a one-page response to the following question:

What do you like best about science, technology, engineering and/or math?

Thanks for participating and keep reaching for the stars.

88



Title: STEMing into Careers- Visual Representation of STEM Career Paths

Brief Description: A 17-by-24 inch poster distributed through the PTA to the nation’s high

schools for display in the classroom. The image resembles a tree in structure: the basic

STEM categories composing the trunk would branch out into the various divisions within

each field and guide the viewer to an end career made possible through that path.

The poster utilizes graphic design that should appeal to the student age group. The goal of

the poster is to show students the importance of their current STEM courses and the logical

progression one would take to achieve careers in these fields.

Status: Completed.

Location: A miniature version of the poster follows this description. A full size version is

available in the collaterals provided.

90



Title: College STEM students Visit High Schools

Brief Description: This is a program that would be set up between colleges and high

schools to allow college students majoring in STEM-related subjects to visit local high

schools to excite and educate younger students about pursuing STEM educational paths.

The program would be volunteer-based, meaning college students would visit schools

voluntarily or in conjunction with class assignments and credit. Students would be

responsible for the materials they wish to present, including any experiments or

information.

For this tactic, we suggest The Coalition contact engineering clubs or departments on

college campuses to find willing volunteers. This resource can be promoted on the teachers’

Web site portion, where educators could access a list of colleges with students who will

make high school visits and get in contact with campuses in their areas.

Status: N/A

Location: N/A

91



Title: STEMulate Your Mind Day

Brief Description: The Coalition will join forces with schools around the country and the

Department of Education to create a day that educates and informs students about the

importance of STEM education. Similar to the well-known, Read Across America Day, the

day will be held annually in schools across the country.

The Coalition and the Department of Education will educate schools have on how to have a

successful STEMulate Your Mind Day, through information kits that will be sent out to each

school district. In these information kits, there will be example activities for schools to do

on STEMulate Your Mind Day as well as posters that schools can hang around the school to

get students excited for the upcoming day. There will also be information provided on the

teacher Web site.

In elementary schools the day will focus around hands-on activities, in middle schools

the focus will be informing students about STEM opportunities in high school and in high

school the day will be focused around career paths and STEM major information. STEM-

related activities will be available in all subject areas for the day.

Status: Sample information kit complete.

Location: The information kit is located following this description.

What is National STEMulate Your Mind Day?The Coalition for Space Exploration and the Department of Education have come together to launch an annual celebration of all things STEM. This day, known as National STEMulate Your Mind Day, will be held on the first Friday of February each year. On this day, schools across the nation will come together to celebrate STEM-related subjects by participating in various activities, competitions and studies.

The Big IdeaThe AstroMarketing team had a mission, get students interested in science, technology, engineering and math so one day, they may consider a career in the industry. After extensive research, the team discovered students do not have access to sufficient STEM-related outlets and are generally unaware of the opportunities that STEM has to offer. The solution: create a day in schools in which students and teachers focus solely on STEM-related subjects. Following the huge success of National Read Across America Day, The Coalition hopes that STEMulate Your Mind Day will have a similar effect on students feelings towards STEM-related subjects.

The Purpose of National STEMulate Your Mind DayCurrently, students in the United States rank 21st out of 30 developed nations in STEM performance. As the U.S. struggles to preserve its status as a leader in space, science and technology, teachers struggle to maintain students’ interest in STEM-related subjects. The purpose of the day is to educate and inspire students to be more active in science, technology, engineering and math. By providing entertaining and innovative ways to express their interests, students will be more likely to consider a career in the field for their future.

This is Just The BeginningEncouraging and inspiring students to pursue their goals in science, technology, engineering and math doesn’t stop with this event. The spirit of National STEMulate Your Mind Day should inspire students to practice STEM every day, and

possibly lead them towards a career in the field.

Where to Start

Discuss the idea with your principal. In order to receive approval for the event at your school, the principal must be onboard. With the principal’s approval, they can move forward to support the event and become involved in any way possible.

Clear your calendar. National STEMulate Your Mind Day encourages schools to focus solely on STEM-related subjects. Make sure the day is free to devote all your attention to STEM.

Get advice from your science teachers. They’re your own specialists in the area. Talk to them to get ideas for your school’s activities. They will serve as a good source of information.

Coordinate your staff. Coordination among departments is essential for a cohesive and successful day. The sooner everyone is made aware of the day, the more time they will have to plan their activities.

Inform parents about the big day. Having the support of parents can be a big help. They can serve as volunteers as well as get their kids excited for the day’s events.

Use our Web site as a resource. By registering on STEMulateYourMind.com, you will be able to share information about your school’s activities and communicate with other participants across the country.

Get excited for the big day. Once all the plans are set, relax and don’t forget this day is a celebration of STEM subjects in order to inspire students. Have fun with it.

Ideas for Celebrating Your Own National STEMulate Your Mind Day

• Incorporate STEM into all subject areasScience, Technology, Engineering and Math cover a broad range of subject material. For your school’s National STEMulate Your Mind Day, these topics will be incorporated into all subjects. In English, students may write about how science has been a part of their lives. In history, they may explore the lives of famous scientists and mathematicians. In music, student could think outside the box by creating instruments out of unconventional items. With a little creativity, STEM subjects can be incorporated into all classes.

• Have a partyStudents are always looking for an excuse to have a party. Throw your students a party, a celebration of science. Take the opportunity to remind students of the fun side of STEM. And don’t forget to include the beaker-shaped cake.

• Initiate some friendly competitionsNothing gets students involved like a competition between classes. Start your own competitions and get creative. This will give them the motivation to do their best and have fun while learning the subject matter.

• Invite guestsPeople who work in the field can serve as an inspiration to children who hope to one day follow in their footsteps. Guest speakers such as your local meteorologist will excite the students and let them see that a career in STEM is a real possibility.

Pledge To Participate

Interested in participating in National STEMulate Your Mind Day? Help us spread the word by registering for the event on our Web site, STEMulateYourMind.com

By registering for the event, you will be able to… • Share information about your school’s STEMulate Your Mind Day• Communicate with other participants• Become a part of The Coalition’s newest tradition.

97



Title: Video Campaign Communicating Different STEM Jobs with the Theme, Think Outside

the Beaker

Brief description: The campaign will focus on highlighting lesser-known exciting careers

available for those who major in STEM subjects, such as roller coaster architect and makeup

engineer. It would include video interviews with STEM professionals with these unique jobs

and end with a link to the STEMulate Your Mind Web site.

The videos will be posted on the STEMulate Your Mind Web site, The Coalition’s Web site

and on YouTube.

Status: N/A

Location: N/A

98



Title: Space publication for Schools

Brief Description: A monthly publication focusing on space will be featured www.

STEMulateYourMind.com. The publication will highlight current space related events,

innovations, discoveries, as well as prominent figures and companies in the industry. Due

to the high costs of printing a publication it will be available for download as a .PDF file.

Ideally, teachers or school districts could purchase the publication in the form of a hard

copy.

Status: N/A

Location: N/A

99



Title: Video Conference Sessions between Schools and Space Expert

Brief Description: Once a semester an expert on space topics, possibly a member of the

Coalition’s board of advisors, will have a video conference call with students across the

country. This conference call can be pre-taped or live.

It is suggested that The Coalition get in contact with school districts to promote these

video conference calls and an option is to broadcast these video conference calls on

local education programming channels that schools have access to. Another option is to

broadcast these sessions over the internet, allowing easy access for all schools.

There will be two different video conferences, one that targets upper elementary and

middle school students and one that targets high school students. There will be different

topics for each conversation and students can e-mail the expert with questions before

the video conference. Examples of topics include: STEM career exploration, current

NASA events, everyday items that were created in space and how to be involved in STEM

activities.

The Coalition could also use its celebrity spokesperson in these video conference sessions.

Even though the celebrity spokesperson is not a space expert, they could encourage

students to get involved in STEM activities as well as teach them the importance of STEM

education.

Status: N/A

Location: N/A

100



Title: STEM Problem Solving Competition

Brief Description: Simple disassembled devices will be sent to students. These should

be devices that most students come in contact with on a daily basis. The first 50 students

to return the device correctly assembled will win a $500 dollar scholarship to be applied

to a STEM-related major of their choice. It is suggested that The Coalition look to partner

with a company such as Motorola or Nokia. There is a National Cell Phone Recycling Day

encouraging consumers to recycle obsolete handsets. A company could be interested

providing these recycled cell phones for this STEM competition. Information on this event

could be featured on www.STEMulateYourMind.com

Status: N/A

Location: N/A

101



Title: www.STEMulateYourMind.com - Student Web site

Brief Description: A general description Web site can be found under the tactic www.

STEMulateYourMind.com for parents. (see goal one, objective one, tactic one)

The Student Web site will include:

• Recognition of achievement section, highlighting students in both primary and secondary education who have excelled in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

• News columns focusing on the scientific innovation of both STEM professionals and STEM college students.

• A blog space provided to select winners of the STEM Competition (see goal two, objective three, tactic three as well as goal one objective three tactic five), in which they would discuss their journey toward STEM achievement and any obstacles they may have overcome in following their passion for the sciences.

• A college locator, powered by Google Maps, allowing high school students to evaluate colleges based on availability and excellence of STEM majors.

• Streaming video of experiments which students can replicate. The experiments should be chosen and framed to connect with current cultural and technological topics.

• Information on science camps and organizations in their area provided by the state.• Application information for entering the STEM competition and scholarships.• The Flash game will also be available on the Web site. (see goal one, objective three,

tactic four)

The goal of the student Web site is to create educational outlets for students with an

interest in STEM, along with providing positive role models and encouragement for STEM

interests. Traffic will be guided to the Web site by the inclusion of the Web site’s address on

most of the promotional materials used in this plan, including the Flash game, which will be

available on other Flash game Web sites.

Status: Sample mock-up of the Student site is complete.

Location: A mock-up of the Students site follows this description. A digital format is also

provided on the disc which accompanies this plan.

104



Title: Challenges for Future Aero-Space Engineers- News Release

Brief Description: A news release highlighting what obstacles need to be overcome to

accomplish President Obama’s hope to send a manned mission to Mars within the next

three decades.

Status: Completed.

Location: The news release follows this description.


[email protected]

News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:June 17, 2010 AstroMarketing Team Media Relation Contact 555-335-0200 [email protected]

Next generation of engineers needed to respond to Obama’s 30 year goal

CAPE CANAVARAL, Fla – President Barack Obama paid a visit to NASA this past

Thursday to set long-term goals for NASA. Most notably, Obama expressed a desire to put

astronauts on Mars in three decades and land on an asteroid in just 15 years.

Compared to a return visit to the Moon, these are some lofty goals as the journey

to Mars takes nine months whereas the journey to the Moon takes only two days. It is

believed that landing on an asteroid first will provide vital training for a future mission to

Mars and insight into how our solar system was created.

The Obama administration has set goals within the American education system as

well. The upcoming Educate To Innovate program, stated to kickoff in June, will replace the

controversial No Child Left Behind Act. President Obama has plans to address the fact that

American children are lagging behind in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)

education.

-more-

Some American students are failing to recognize the role technology will play in the

future job market and the benefits associated with having a strong foundation in STEM

subjects. These students have the opportunity to be the first human being to walk on Mars,

but they need to cultivate the skill set to capitalize on this opportunity.

Movies and popular culture in the past predicted that astronauts would be in deep-

space much earlier than 2040 and this may explain the lack of public enthusiasm for space

exploration, but technology may be further along than the public knows.

For example, the Ad Astra Rocket Company is currently developing a plasma rocket

propulsion system which will decrease our dependence on gravitation pulls during space

voyages. The Variable Specific Impluse Magnetoplasma Rocket, or VASIMR®, can propel

a spacecraft using less propellant mass, once the craft has reached Earth’s orbit, than a

chemical rocket. VASIMR’s are more efficient compared to a conventional chemical rocket

and has the potential to allow double the payload mass for lunar delivery and half the

transit time to Mars.

There are changes going on in the aero-space industry, which is not only opening

the industry’s stake up to private companies, but the focus is also shifting from manned

missions to deep-space exploration.

Commercial space travel and flying cars are not as far-fetched as they seem.

Programs like the F.I.R.S.T. Lego League hone the skills needed to develop these

technological advances by engaging children in real-world scientific problem solving

and hands-on engineering. The challenge to be the first person to figure out how to land

astronauts on an asteroid, to diffuse a potential Armageddon or Deep Impact is a potential

real life situation.

Other challenges within future space missions will focus on discovering where

resources are on the Moon and Mars, in addition to what is needed to extract them for use.

Not to mention, the challenge sustaining life during an extended mission to Mars. ###

107



Title: Media kit to cover last shuttle launch

Brief Description: Send out a digital media kit to national media outlets highlighting the

final shuttle launch. Explain in the media kits the effect the shuttle’s retirement has on

American astronauts and on American space dominance. Include videos, backgrounders,

fact sheets, news releases, brochures and photos.

Status: N/A

Location: N/A

108



Title: News Release Highlighting International Competition

Brief Description: These news releases will be sent to national media outlets; both print

and broadcast, to raise the public’s awareness of the U.S.’s position in the international

competition to claim a leading position in space exploration. Other releases would focus on

the lagging U.S. student rankings in STEM education among developed nations.

These news releases, scheduled to be sent out in October 2010, will educate the public

on the necessity of advancing our nation’s position in both space exploration and STEM

education, and raise its support for space and education programs nationwide.

Status: N/A

Location: N/A

109



Title: Print Advertisements about advances from Space Technology

Brief Description: This ad features commonly used products that are the result of

advances from space. These images will include a brief description of how the products are

space-related with a link to The Coalition’s Web site for more information.

Status: Created.

Location: The print ads follow this description.

111



Title: Underwrite NPR’s All Things Considered

Brief Description: The Coalition will sponsor the All Things Considered NPR program,

informing listeners about their Web site and cause to gain readership and interest. The

sponsorship will be heard five days a week during the hours of four to six p.m. and will air

for the month of June.

The script for the spot will read:

“This edition of All Things Considered is brought to you by The Coalition for Space

Exploration. Information about the Coalition’s support of NASA and space-related

programs can be found on their website, www.spacecoalition.com.”

Status: Completed.

Location: The underwrite script is featured above.

112



Title: Titusville Docudrama

Brief Description: This is a concept for a docudrama which will “put a face” on the people

being affected by the shuttle fleet being retired. The docudrama will focus around the town

Titusville, Fla., where the Kennedy Space Center is located.

Status: Concept created pitch complete.

Location: The pitch for this docudrama follows this description.

Titusville, Fla. Documentary Proposal

Target Audience: Baby boomers and students interested in STEM

Key Message: The space program has only been a part of U.S. history and the aerospace

industry is something that brought great pride to America during the space race. With

current budget cuts and the retirement of the space shuttle scheduled for 2010, the U.S.

is starting to lose its stake in the aerospace industry. U.S. citizens have a key stake in the

aerospace industry because other countries are becoming technologically more advanced

and could take over the space industry. Also with the retirement of the baby boomer

generation young people have the opportunity to get involved in the aerospace industry

and have successful careers.

Broadcast channels: Through research it was revealed that the most popular channel

viewed is the Discovery Channel. Eighty-one percent of respondents either selected the

channel as one they watch regularly or watch occasionally, while 18 percent said they never

watch it. The second most commonly viewed channel is the History Channel, capturing

78 percent of respondents regularly or occasionally. AstroMarketing recommends either

channel.

Titusville, Fla.- A City with a History

The Kennedy Space Center is located in the community of Titusville, Fla. as well as the

Astronaut Hall of Fame and as a result it has close ties to the aerospace industry. In fact,

the aerospace industry has the same relationship with the Titusville community that

automotive industry has in Detroit, Mich.

One of the ideas that formed during a group brainstorming session was a television

documentary focusing on Titusville, Florida. With the space shuttle’s retirement scheduled

for the end of 2010, the city’s 45,000 residents share the same uncertain future as the space

program.

As of now it is estimated 23,000 jobs will be lost around Titusville due to President Obama’s

budget cuts for space, the cancellation of Project Constellation as well as the shuttle’s

retirement. There is no doubt the economic situation in Titusville will only get worse and

that there will be major changes that take place in the community.

The documentary will in the present, but flash back to the past, it will remind the baby

boomer generation about the glory days of space program. There will be flashbacks to the

era of the Apollo program while creating awareness about the uncertainty facing the people

who live and work near the space center.

The documentary will capture the essence of what space exploration is about by retracing

its history and depicting the lives of those who will be affected by changes within the

aerospace industry.

Certain citizens will be focused on to tell their stories of the changes they have seen in the

space program, highlighting the real people that are being affected. This will also help bring

the point home to taxpayers that although tax money that is for space does not mean that

all the money goes into the sky, but also helps to employ people as well as helping to create

jobs in the U.S.

The documentary will convey the message that space exploration is a sort of manifest

destiny of the freest country in the world, the U.S., and the backbone the Titusville

community, people will in-turn be more sympathetic to The Coalition for Space

Exploration’s cause.

There will also be points made about the dangers of not staying competitive in the

aerospace industry. For example, there is the possibility that a country could claim the

moon for their own like China, a current technology leader, as well as the fact that U.S.

astronauts will have to depend on other countries for rides to the space station.

115



Title: Monthly E-newsletter

Brief Description: A monthly newsletter will introduce www.STEMulateYourMind.com

and the newsletter will be posted on the Website. Additionally, the newsletter will be

sent to those on The Coalition’s email list, be posted on Facebook, sent as a link to The

Coalition’s Facebook friends as well as posted on its Twitter news feed. After the first issue

introducing the new Web site, the newsletter will feature an overview of recently posted

material to the Web site, current events and opportunities.

Status: N/A

Location: N/A

116



Title: Web Site Links in Collaterals

Brief Description: Links to the Coalition’s Web site as well the STEMulate Web site will

be placed on all printed and digital materials to promote awareness of space exploration

happenings and STEM education resources. Media kits to American Teacher, information

packets for STEMulate Your Mind Day, and all materials to do with contests or kits will

display a link to the STEMulate Web site. All media kits and news releases sent to the news

media, as well as the script to underwrite and NPR program, will contain a link to the

Coalition’s Web site.

Status: Completed.

Location: See examples on tactical executions.

117



Title: Utilize Existing Social Media

Brief Description: Use the Coalition’s existing Facebook and blog to advertise the

STEMulate Your Mind Web site and viral videos. The Facebook group can send event

invitations to members for STEM contests and events, with the ability to invite friends who

are not members to spread word of the events virally.

The Coalition’s blog writers can also blog about scholarship competitions to its adult

readers, giving parents ideas on how they can get their children involved in STEM activities.

Status: N/A

Location: N/A

118


Timeline

119


Timeline2010

JuneSTEMulateyourmind.com Web sitePSA for parents airsUtilize spokespersonPrint Advertisement runsUnderwrite All Things ConsideredMonthly Newsletter

JulyPop Science partnershipFacebook side advertisement

AugustTeacher experiment kits sentSTEM posterFinal shuttle launch media kitsInternational Competition News Release

SeptemberPTA allianceThink Outside the Beaker video campaignE-publication for schools

OctoberNews release to American TeacherFacebook flash game available to users

DecemberScholarships to Boys and Girls

2011JanuaryGadget Competition begins

FebruarySTEMulate Your Mind Day

SeptemberTitusville Documentary opens

2010-2011 School YearHigh school visits by college studentsVideoconference sessions

120


Sources

121


Sources

• “2010 Siemens Teacher Scholarships Awarded.” Siemens Foundation press release via PR Newswire, February 25, 2010. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2010-siemens-teacher-scholarships-awarded-85340552.html.

• “America Falling Further Behind in STEM Education.” Aerospace Industries Association press release via PR Newswire, February 4, 2010. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/america-falling-further-behind-in-stem-education-83563167.html.

• “A Brief History of NASA.” NASA History Division. http://history.nasa.gov/factsheet.htm.• “Coalition for Space Exploration Awaits Collaboration Between the White House and

Congress on America’s New Space Initiative and FY2011 Budget.” Coalition for Space Exploration press release via Business Wire, February 1, 2010. http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100201007360&newsLang=en.

• “Educate to Innovate.” Education, Whitehouse.gov. • http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education/educate-innovate, accessed January 21,

2010.• “NASA Langley Teams with Local Students in Robot Competition.” NASA press release

via PR Newswire, February 8, 2010. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-langley-teams-with-local-students-in-robot-competition-83827972.html.

• “NASA Partners With Microsoft for Student Web Design Competition.” NASA press release via PR Newswire, February 4, 2010. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nasa-partners-with-microsoft-for-student-web-design-competition-83583092.html.

• “National Lab Day Launches.” National Lab Day press release, November 23, 2009. http://www.nationallabday.org/pdfs/NLD_PRESS_RELEASE_Nov23.pdf.

• “New Teen Career Exploration Tools are Just a Mouse-Click Away.” Junior Achievement Worldwide press release via PR Newswire, February 1, 2010. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-teen-career-exploration-tools-are-just-a-mouse-click-away-83236572.html.

• “The Programme for International Student Assessment.” Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2006. http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/15/13/39725224.pdf.

• Atkinson, Nancy. “The Faces of the “New Frontier” of NASA’s Commercial Space Flight Plan.” Universe Today, February 2, 2010. http://www.universetoday.com/2010/02/02/the-faces-of-the-new-frontier-of-nasas-commercial-space-flight-plan/.

• Block, Robert and Mark K. Matthews. “NASA Funding Plan Takes a Broader View.” Los Angeles Times, February 2, 2010. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/feb/02/nation/la-na-budget-nasa2-2010feb02.

• Borja, Rhea. “NASA Explorer Schools Compete in Lego Robotics Contest.” Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, March 18, 2009. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features.cfm?feature=2087.

• Dillow, Clay. “NASA Budget: Constellation Officially Canned, but the Deep-Space Future is Bright.” Popular Science, February 1, 2010. http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-02/nasa-budget-constellation-officially-canned-deep-space-future-bright.

122


• Hanner, Karen. “Students Hone Engineering Skills in Robotics Competition.” NASA Ames Research Center, December 9, 2009.http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/features/2009/FLL_2009.html.

• Hennigan, W.J. “Proposed NASA Budget Plots Entrepreneur-Friendly Course.” Los Angeles Times, February 4, 2010. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/feb/04/business/la-fi-nasa4-2010feb04.

• Leech, Jon. “Space FAQ 12/13 - How to Become an Astronaut.” FAQs.org. September 17, 1996. http://www.faqs.org/faqs/space/astronaut/.

• Library Index.com. “Public Opinion about Space Exploration - Opinions about Space Topics.” http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/1056/Public-Opinion-About-Space-Exploration-OPINIONS-ABOUT-SPACE-TOPICS.html#ixzz0ht75bPbu.

• Marshall, Stephanie P. “STEM Talent: Moving Beyond Traditional Boundaries.” Science News, January 2, 2010. http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/50904/title/STEM_talent_Moving_beyond_traditional_boundaries.

• Matthews, Mark K. “Can NASA’s New Technology Chief Give Agency a Boost?” Orlando Sentinel Washington Bureau, March 9, 2010. http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/os-nasa-technology-chief-20100309,0,6216772.story.

• McDonough, Patricia. “TV Viewing Among Kids at an Eight-Year High.” The Nielsen Company, October 26, 2009. http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/media_entertainment/tv-viewing-among-kids-at-an-eight-year-high/.

• National Geographic Channel. “Space Race: The Untold Story.” June 4, 2006. • Newseum. “From the Earth to the Moon.” Washington D.C. http://www.newseum.org/

cybernewseum/exhibits/dateline_moon/.• NewsRx. “A $250,000 Grant From Southern California Edison Will Promote STEM

Learning At Think Together After-School Programs.” December 11, 2009. http://www.newsrx.com/article.php?articleID=1702154.

• The Digital Media and Learning Competition. http://www.dmlcompetition.net/, accessed February 28, 2010.

• Weinberg, Steven. “Obama Gets Space Funding Right.” The Wall Street Journal, February 3, 2010. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704259304575042920971568684.html.