Spring '23--AAKDay + cool science = FUN


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Spring 2023 NEWSLETTER

AAK Day + cool science = Fun

Hooray! There will be Crane Observatory viewing! 8-9:30 pm (weather permitting)

For more information about the celebration, plus a map, click HERE

Interested in volunteering? Let us know. Contact by email

KU physics major awarded Goldwater Scholarship

LAWRENCE-- Physics major Kate Wienke is KU's newest Barry M. Goldwater scholar.

This congressionally-established science award recognizes achievement in the STEM fields. Nominees must be sophomores or juniors with outstanding academic records, significant research experience and high potential for careers in STEM fields.

Wienke aspires to earn a doctorate in astrophysics and lead a team conducting research on astrobiology or exoplanets, as well as to teach at the university level and start a physics mentorship program for youth.

She is now doing research within the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute. Read more about her impressive work and research. Courtesy photo

Kansas high school selected for NASA TechRise Student Challenge

Osage City High School is one of 60 student teams selected as a winner in the 2022-23 nationwide TechRise student challenge. The team will work together to build a science and tech experiment for a suborbital balloon flight test. They receive $1500 to build an experiment involving UV light and seeds. It will be launched on one of two NASA flights scheduled for this summer. Read more.

K-State chemist receives prestigious NSF Career Award

MANHATTAN--Tendai Gadzikwa, assistant professor of chemistry at K-State, has received a $779,556 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program Award. It "recognizes outstanding scientists and engineers who, early in their careers, show exceptional potential for leadership at the frontiers of knowledge."

The award is to fund a catalysis project. According to Gadzikwa, "We design and study metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that structurally resemble enzymes, [which are] nature’s catalysts. Enzymes are our best catalysts by far, so we try to mimic their structure to make more efficient synthetic catalysts.

MOFs can also be thought of molecular sponges that can absorb small molecules from the atmosphere, so they could help keep the atmosphere in space cabins safe to breathe. Similar to cat litter, but with a much larger range of molecular contaminants that they can capture. And if the MOFs were catalytically active, not only could they capture toxins, they could also convert them to something less harmful. " Courtesy photo

Read More

Robotics teams quality for VEX World Tourney

The 2202-2023 Kansas State Championship VRC High School Vex Robotics Championship was held March 3-4 at Textron Activity Center in Wichita. These winners qualify for the Vex Robotics World Championship to be held in Dallas on April 25-May 4 2023.

Excellence Award

Maize Career Academy Centrifuge Team 67101C

CHAMPIONS AWARD

Maize Career Academy Centrifuge

Hesston HS Duckies 7862D

Tournament Finalists

Hillsboro M/HS Team Off Balance 4101J

Maize Career Academy Team Unhinged 67101X

Other Awards

DESIGN: Seaman HS / Topeka Team Vex Ed 15352B

ROBOT SKILLS: Maize CareerAcad. Centrifuge

Other Awards

JUDGES: Maize Career Academy Unhinged

INNOVATE: Hesston HS Duckies

K-State award recognizes outstanding high school science teachers

Manhattan--Five outstanding Kansas high school science teachers are being honored with the inaugural Kansas State University High School Science Teacher of the Year Awards.

The awards highlight and reward inspirational and impactful high school science teachers throughout the state. The chemistry, geology and physics departments in K-State's College of Arts and Sciences selected the five award recipients.

Read more. Photos courtesy of K-State.

CHEMISTRY

Nikki Chamberlain--gifted facilitator and former chemistry teacher, Salina South H.S., Salina

GEOLOGY

Staci Cavanaugh--earth and space science teacher at Olathe North H.S., Olathe

PHYSICS

Drew Smith--Olathe Northwest H.S. Olathe

Mitchell Spade--Shawnee Heights H.S., Tecumseh

INTEGRATED SCIENCE

Mariah Ramos--Spring Hill H.S., Spring Hill

Flint Hills Discovery Center awarded NASA STEM education grant

Manhattan--The FHDC has been awarded a Community Anchor designation by NASA as well as funding for a series of aerospace-themed STEM education programs.

The Center is one of 17 institutions named in 2023 as a Community Anchor, an official NASA STEM and space science hub to reach students and families in traditionally underserved areas.

The FHDC project is titled “Flying Cleaner and Faster: Connecting Kansas Kids to the Future of Aviation” and will focus on reaching / inspiring youth in STEM fields to pursue education and careers in aerospace. The one-year grant award of $40,000 will directly support onsite programming at the Discovery Center, including aerospace summer camps, field trips, and a special community event.

The community event includes a planned “Aerospace Day” at the FHDC on Saturday, August 26 in partnership with K-State University Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus. This ties in with the summer traveling exhibit titled "Mission Aerospace", which will be on exhibit at the FHDC from May 20 through September 10, 2023.

This grant is part of NASA’s Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II) Community Anchor Awards, funded through NASA’s Next Generation STEM program. More details and a list of all funded NASA projects can be found HERE. For more about the FDHC and Community Anchor award, e-mail here.

Upcoming Events:

April 22-Ad Astra Space Celebration--Topeka

See flyer at the top of the newsletter.

April 22-- 2023 SWE Engineering Expo--Wichita

FREE fun and hands-on STEM activities for families since 1998. More info here.

April 29--Kansas Science Festival--Manhattan

More info here or contact

May 19 & 20--2023 National Science Olympiad Tournament--Wichita

Wichita State University will host over 1800 middle and high school students from across the U.S., Canada and Japan competing in 23 science events. Read more here. On the 19th will be a STEM Expo, part of the tournament with a full day of talks, lab tours and activities involving STEM. This is part of the event, but it is also FREE and open to the public.

May 20-Sept. 10, 2023--"Mission Aerospace Exhibit"- Flint Hills Discovery Center--Manhattan

Explore the history of flight, navigation and NASA's vision for the future. With activities. Read more.

For full-sized copy click here.

Ad Astra Kansas Foundation

534 So. Kansas Ave, Suite 1000

Topeka, Kansas United States

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