FAMES® | Finance, Arts and STEM: The Sun sustains life on Earth, but we know surprisingly little about it. Students from The Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore, a K-12 independent school for girls, learned a lot about our Sun from Dr. Nicola Fox of JHU APL, the project scientist for NASA’s new Parker Solar Probe. The Parker Probe, a mission some sixty years in the making, was launched on August 12, 2018 towards a direct encounter with the Sun. It will be the first satellite to enter the sun’s corona, where the material is heated to about 3 million degrees.
Dr. Fox spoke with seventy students attending
4th and 5th grade, explaining the mission of the Parker Solar Probe and some of the challenges that the scientists and engineers working on the project encountered. The students learned about the new material invented by NASA engineers to withstand the intense heat of the future encounter while protecting the sensitive instruments inside. Dr. Fox showed video clips of women scientists and engineers working on the probe which enthralled the students. She explained that one of the objectives of the mission was to discover why the corona of the sun is hotter than its surface.
Impact on students: Dr. Fox is an accomplished scientist and an excellent speaker. She is also a leading figure in understanding our favorite star. The story of Dr. Fox’s career intensely inspired the students sparking one to say: “I loved how you highlighted the women’s roles in the making of this instrument… it was very empowering that we as women and girls could work at NASA just like you and your peers.” Dr. Fox’s ability to explain science in an understandable way helped the students appreciate the science behind one of the most exciting missions. She emphasized the importance of studying and understanding math and science, whether or not you decide to make it your profession.
The students will remember Dr. Fox’s talk as the Parker Probe continues to reveal the mysteries of the Sun as they enter high school and consider their future as STEM professionals. They are fortunate to have Ms. Bobbie Miyasaki as a teacher, who has an exceptional commitment to STEM. She noted, “I cheered out loud when I heard that the Parker Solar Probe had launched successfully.”
FAMES thanks Dr. Nicola Fox for her time and support, and Dr. Michael Ryschkewitsch, Head, Space Exploration of Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU APL) for introducing Dr. Fox to FAMES. This program is sponsored by Women in FAMES® (www.famesusa.org), which inspires more girls to enter and succeed in STEM fields.
FAMES® (www.famesusa.org) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to mentoring and educating underserved and underrepresented youth in Grades 4-12 in finance, arts, and STEM subjects. FAMES promotes creativity and engagement through hands-on activities, technology-driven learning, and mentorship program with inspiring role models.
This program is sponsored by Women in FAMES® (www.famesusa.org) which inspires more girls to enter and succeed in STEM fields. #STEM #STEMEducation
Listen to Dr. Nicola Fox: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_nGluS5-B0
http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/Multimedia/Videos.php#Solar-60
Update: Dr. Fox is now at NASA HQ as the Director of Heliophysics Division.