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Robots Unite Future Aerospace Leaders over Labor Day Weekend
Event hosted by Colorado School of Mines
By Genah M. Burditt
At a robotics competition, hosted by Colorado School of Mines, and sponsored by Rocky Mountain Section of AIAA (see other sponsors below), future aerospace engineers/leaders, came together over a holiday weekend to learn about the potentials of a career in aerospace. The idea for the event came from first generation, undergraduate, mechanical engineering student, Amanda Camarata. The mission of the event is to increase participation and retention of students in underrepresented groups in aerospace, through hands-on experiences, building relationships with like-minded students, and networking with industry professionals.
So, who shows up over Labor Day Weekend to engage with strangers to solve a technical challenge and bump elbows with elite Industry professionals? It turns out that smart and motivated undergrads show up. Despite it being a holiday weekend, and, the first time this event has ever taken place, there were 6 teams of 6 students, droves of volunteers, and, quite a showing from Industry. It probably helped that there was free food and coffee on hand.
Keynote addresses came from Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid, of School of Mines, Space Resources Department, and Miguel Ayalla, CEO for Aphelion Aerospace. There were also diverse mentors, panelists, and judges from Rocky Mountain Chapter of AIAA, Ursa Major Technologies, EyasSat, Blue Foot Engineering, ATOMOS Space, Ball Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, CU, and Lever Photonics.
Sponsors included: Northrup Grumman, COSGC (Colorado Space Grant Consortium), AIAA, Atomos Space, Ursa Major Technologies, Aphelion Aerospace, EyasSat, and Blue Foot Engineering.
Based solely on attendance, the impressive symphony of Aerospace Professionals, and sponsors for an inaugural event, one would surmise the event was an unmitigated success. Ms. Camarata would likely employ a different set of metrics. Did the event achieve the objectives outlined in the mission? The attendees did represent diverse demographics. There were several opportunities to interact with professionals and other attendees. Building robots is undoubtedly, hands on. But, more importantly than all of that, were anticipated successes. For example, how students from varying backgrounds and no prior familiarity with each other, bonded over the technology challenge, discovered what role s/he plays best in a team, how to adapt and re-direct through the iterative and ideation processes. And, ultimately to gain a sense of personal success even while experiencing technical difficulties.
A message from Ms. Camarata, “I had a lot of fun organizing this event, which was born from my own personal struggles and successes pursuing a degree in STEM. Students in underrepresented groups face many underlying struggles that those in places of privilege don’t have to think about, such as immediately feeling excluded based on the representation of people who look like them in STEM. Mines is still a predominately white institution, so I was excited to see how engaged the students were with listening to the microaggressions our panelists have faced throughout their careers and having thoughtful discussions about how we, as allies, can recognize and address them. It will take the efforts of everyone to increase diversity in aerospace. While we still have much to improve upon, I hope this event can be one small step in achieving that goal.”
It is her hope that this becomes an annual event. If you are interested in participating, supporting, and/or organizing, please contact [email protected]. Or, for more information about the event click here.
The University of Colorado to join Space Force Partnership
Gen. David Thompson, second in command of U.S. Space Force, visits the aerospace program at the University of Colorado Boulder. With Thompson are, Regents Ilana Spiegel, from left, and Sue Sharkey and CU President Mark Kennedy. (Photo by Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado)
According to the Boulder Daily Camera (CO), The University of Colorado will partner with the Space Force in a new program aimed at developing a workforce, talent pipeline and research related to space.
CU’s membership in the Space Force University Partnership Program is agreed to in principle with some details yet to be finalized, Gen. David Thompson said Thursday after touring CU Boulder’s aerospace building. Thompson is the vice chief of space operations for the Space Force.
To continue reading… CU to join Space Force partnership (dailycamera.com)
The new program will create partnerships between the Space Force and approximately 10 universities across the country, Thompson said. Space Force leaders have been reaching out to universities about the program over the past year.
Thompson did not name all of the participating universities but said the list is similar to the universities with the top aerospace programs in the country and includes North Carolina A&T State University.
“This idea just seemed to develop and coalesce and it makes so much sense for us,” Thompson said. “First is the challenge we face, the recognition that there’s a next level of expertise and understanding and expectation of what these Space Force members have to bring to be able to operate successfully in an incredibly complex physical and technical domain.”
The approach of the Air Force, the Space Force’s sister branch, to training and educating its servicemembers has been broadly applied and worked well for a long time, Thompson said.
“But when you say a new service, a new challenge in this domain, we need to adapt our approach to education, training and workforce development to meet our needs,” Thompson said.
The foundation of training uniformed military members, including through ROTC programs, will remain. But a much heavier lift will be needed to develop the Space Force civilian workforce, Thompson said.
The University of Colorado will partner with the Space Force in a new program aimed at developing a workforce, talent pipeline and research related to space.
CU’s membership in the Space Force University Partnership Program is agreed to in principle with some details yet to be finalized, Gen. David Thompson said Thursday after touring CU Boulder’s aerospace building. Thompson is the vice chief of space operations for the Space Force.
The new program will create partnerships between the Space Force and approximately 10 universities across the country, Thompson said. Space Force leaders have been reaching out to universities about the program over the past year.
Thompson did not name all of the participating universities but said the list is similar to the universities with the top aerospace programs in the country and includes North Carolina A&T State University.
“This idea just seemed to develop and coalesce and it makes so much sense for us,” Thompson said. “First is the challenge we face, the recognition that there’s a next level of expertise and understanding and expectation of what these Space Force members have to bring to be able to operate successfully in an incredibly complex physical and technical domain.”
The approach of the Air Force, the Space Force’s sister branch, to training and educating its servicemembers has been broadly applied and worked well for a long time, Thompson said.
“But when you say a new service, a new challenge in this domain, we need to adapt our approach to education, training and workforce development to meet our needs,” Thompson said.
The foundation of training uniformed military members, including through ROTC programs, will remain. But a much heavier lift will be needed to develop the Space Force civilian workforce, Thompson said.
Full piece: https://www.dailycamera.com/2021/06/25/university-colorado-space-force-partnership/
Gen. David Thompson, second in command of U.S. Space Force, chats with students while visiting the Aerospace program at the University of Colorado Boulder on Thursday. (Photo by Casey A. Cass/University of Colorado)