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| NASA JPL Education Office | |
|---|---|
| Name | NASA JPL Education Office |
| Formation | 20th century |
| Location | Pasadena, California |
| Parent organization | Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
NASA JPL Education Office
The NASA JPL Education Office supports public engagement and workforce development at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. It develops programs that connect audiences to missions such as Voyager program, Mars Science Laboratory, Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, Cassini–Huygens, Deep Space Network, and Juno (spacecraft), while partnering with institutions like California Institute of Technology, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Smithsonian Institution, National Science Foundation, and American Association for the Advancement of Science. The office aligns outreach with national priorities exemplified by initiatives linked to STEM Education Act of 2015, Every Student Succeeds Act, Next Generation Science Standards, President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and collaborations with museums and observatories including Griffith Observatory and Planetary Society.
The Education Office operates within the Jet Propulsion Laboratory alongside divisions such as Mars Exploration Program, Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, Planetary Science Division (NASA), Jet Propulsion Laboratory Small Projects Office, and Mission Design Division. It serves audiences from Los Angeles County to national networks through exhibits at sites like Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and programs tied to missions including Voyager 1, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Pioneer program, Galileo (spacecraft), and New Horizons. Leadership coordinates with stakeholders including California State University, Los Angeles, University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and federal entities such as United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
The office administers initiatives modeled on successful efforts like NASA Explorer Schools, NASA Space Grant, NASA Minority University Research and Education Project, STEM Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Program, and mission-based engagement exemplified by Mars Exploration Rovers and Cassini–Huygens. Signature offerings include curriculum resources, public events, digital media tied to National Air and Space Museum, citizen science projects akin to Zooniverse, and competitions reminiscent of FIRST Robotics Competition and Regeneron Science Talent Search. Programmatic evaluation references frameworks used by Institute of Education Sciences and National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
K–12 outreach emphasizes connections to standards from Next Generation Science Standards and federal initiatives like STEM Education Act of 2015, with materials referencing missions such as Mars 2020 Perseverance rover, Spirit (rover), Opportunity (rover), and Curiosity (rover). Offerings include classroom modules modeled after GLOBE Program, virtual field trips similar to activities at American Museum of Natural History, summer camps in partnership with organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and school partnerships with districts including Los Angeles Unified School District and Pasadena Unified School District. Outreach leverages content partnerships with PBS, National Geographic Society, BBC Science, and Smithsonian Institution.
Higher education programs include internships, fellowships, and research opportunities paralleling NASA Internships, NASA Postdoctoral Program, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program, and collaborations with universities such as California Institute of Technology, University of Southern California, University of California, Los Angeles, University of Michigan, and Princeton University. Internship tracks support mission teams from Mars Science Laboratory to Europa Clipper, with mentoring structures influenced by practices from National Institutes of Health training programs and industry partnerships with firms like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and SpaceX.
Teacher professional development adapts models from National Science Teachers Association, American Association of Physics Teachers, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and district-led programs in Pasadena Unified School District and Los Angeles Unified School District. Workshops and summer institutes focus on content from missions such as Cassini–Huygens, Voyager program, Mars Exploration Program, and curriculum integration aligning with standards by Next Generation Science Standards and assessment guidance from Council of Chief State School Officers.
The Education Office fosters partnerships with entities including California Institute of Technology, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Smithsonian Institution, National Science Foundation, American Museum of Natural History, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Planetary Society, Griffith Observatory, Kennedy Space Center, University of California system, and corporations such as SpaceX and Northrop Grumman. Collaborative projects involve professional societies like American Chemical Society, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and funding stakeholders such as Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
Impact assessments reference evaluation approaches from Institute of Education Sciences, reports by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and metrics used by National Science Foundation program reviews. Outcomes trace influence on career pipelines leading to roles at institutions like Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, SpaceX, and federal laboratories including Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Ames Research Center. External recognition aligns with awards and honors from organizations such as American Association for the Advancement of Science and National Science Board.