DeSTEMber Outreach Campaign
Targeted for students in grades 3-6, a virtual classroom experience dubbed “DeSTEMber” was originally conceived as a localized outreach program, but quickly blossomed into a nationwide campaign.
DeSTEMber engagements typically consisted of a 30-45-minute virtual interaction between Space Force Guardian and an elementary school classroom. Guardians opened the sessions with an introductory video and then interacted with students, answering questions about space and their unique experiences in space career fields.
SpaceWERX
This initiative exists to streamline innovation and commercial partnerships.
“The global space economy continues to grow at rapid rates, and SpaceWERX is going to help us continue our momentum,” said Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson, Space and Missile Systems Center commander and program executive officer for space in a Dec. 8 press release. “The goal is to expand the space industrial base by guiding additional partners, leveraging commercial investment, and pursuing new space technologies that could be game changers for our space warfighters.”
University Partnership Program
Announced at the AFWERX Accelerate Event in early December, the University Partnership Program is slated to kick off Spring 2021 with 10-12 universities participating.
“This past year we had two cohorts participate in the Hyperspace Challenge; John Hopkins University and New Mexico State University,” said Col. Rich Williams, AFWERX/CTIO integration lead. “As interest amongst academic intuitions has expanded, we have tailored the Hyperspace Challenge to work with academic institutions.”
Originally launched in 2018 targeting startups and industry partners, the Hyperspace Challenge was reimagined to work within the academic setting.
For more information on the Hyperspace Challenge and the University Partnership Program visit hyperspacechallenge.com
