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Local gets up close at NASA |
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Thursday, 31 July 2008 |
By MARY BARGDILL
Staff Writer
ST. MARYS — A local science teacher recently completed a week long program with one of the most distinguished institutions in the nation — NASA.
St. Marys Memorial High School teacher Tami Golliday traveled to the Langley Research Center in Virginia in June to learn more about My NASA Data, a science program designed to serve as a bridge between scientists and students. Golliday was one of 21 teachers nationwide to be selected for the workshop.
“It was an amazing experience,” Golliday said. “I’m very excited to be able to bring this back to my students — it’s real.”
Golliday said their group listened to lectures as well as worked in small groups on projects. They released weather balloons, did experiments with lasers and collected solar reflection data.
“They’re trying to stimulate students to go into science,” Golliday said, noting the last significant interest in science occurred in the 1960s when man went to the moon.
President George Bush issued a challenge to go back to the planetary body by 2020, she said.
The teachers worked with a live access server (LAS), a computer program that processes data collected from satellite sensors and turns it into an electrical format as it is brought to earth.
“It’s open to anybody if you want to do your own research,” Golliday said.
While at Langley, Golliday said their teams collected data from the Chesapeake Bay and studied land data versus water data. The teacher said she would like her students work on similar projects.
“My students can compare data of Auglaize County,” Golliday said. “It becomes more meaningful for students when they’re doing their own scientific research instead of a teacher telling them what they have to know.”
Golliday said she had experience working in the private sector as well as with the government before going into education. This is her second year at Memorial High School, where she teaches chemistry and environmental science.
She would like her students to develop enough of an interest in science that they might choose a career in that field.
“Science is something that is done, it’s a real job,” she said.
At the end of the week, the teachers presented a lesson plan to their instructors which were reviewed. Golliday said she will be able to use the lesson plan she developed for her students later this fall.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 05 August 2008 )
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