The ISS National Lab Rolls Out New “CASIS Academy” Education Website
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. (April 16, 2013) – The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (the ISSInternational Space Station National Lab), the nonprofit organization promoting and managing research on board the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory, showcased its new education website, “the ISS National Lab Academy,” over the weekend at the National Science Teachers Association conference in San Antonio, Texas.
the ISS National Lab Academy is an interactive learning website created to educate middle school students about the ISS and to pique their interest through multimedia videos and features. The website incorporates multiple sections, including breakthroughs resulting from ISS research, a tour of the station and interactive definitions of key terminology.
Statistically, U.S. students are most likely to lose interest in science fields while in the middle grades. the ISS National Lab Academy targets students at this critical age, using the excitement of space as a tool to maintain and improve interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.
“The unveiling of the ISS National Lab Academy highlights a core function of our organization: advocating the ISS National Lab as a STEM-learning platform,” said the ISS National Lab Interim Executive Director Jim Royston. “Educating students on the innovative advances that have come from ISS exploration and the opportunities that exist in microgravityThe condition of perceived weightlessness created when an object is in free fall, for example when an object is in orbital motion. Microgravity alters many observable phenomena within the physical and life sciences, allowing scientists to study things in ways not possible on Earth. The International Space Station provides access to a persistent microgravity environment. will inspire today’s students to pursue careers in science and engineering tomorrow.”
The ISS National Lab chose to unveil the ISS National Lab Academy at the National Science Teachers Association conference in San Antonio, Texas, due to the abundance of science educators in attendance. Educator resources complementing the CASIS(Abbreviation: CASIS™) The nonprofit organization that manages the ISS National Lab, which receives at least 50 percent of the U.S. research allocation on the International Space Station to facilitate research that benefits humanity (NASA manages the other 50% and focuses on research for space exploration purposes). Academy, aligned to support national education standards, can be found at our Space Station Explorers website.
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About the ISS National Lab: The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (the ISS National Lab) was selected by NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration in July 2011 to maximize use of the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory through 2020. the ISS National Lab is dedicated to supporting and accelerating innovations and new discoveries that will enhance the health and wellbeing of people and our planet. The the ISS National Lab goal is to bring the magic of space down to earth. For more information, visit issnationallab.org.
About the ISS National Laboratory: In 2005, Congress designated the U.S. portion of the International Space Station as the nation’s newest national laboratory to maximize its use for improving life on Earth, promoting collaboration among diverse users and advancing STEM education. This unique laboratory environment is available for use by other U.S. government agencies and by academic and private institutions, providing access to the permanent microgravity setting, vantage point in low earth orbit(Abbreviation: LEO) The orbit around the Earth that extends up to an altitude of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Earth’s surface. The International Space Station’s orbit is in LEO, at an altitude of approximately 250 miles. and varied environments of space. The ISS National Laboratory Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center currently facilitates research initiatives on board the station’s National Lab, but management of America’s only in-orbit laboratory is transitioning to the ISS National Lab.
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