AIAA Space Systems Essay Contest

Samantha InfeldAIAA SSTC

September, 2015

Concept

• Align and expand AIAA section contests to feed into SSTC-run space systems essay contest.– 2012: involved committee-members’ local sections (SF and LA

sections succeeded, a few others raised interest)– 2013: promoted to all sections through AIAA Education; 4

sections submitted, Northrop Grumman sponsored ($700)– 2014: 9 sections interested/partially participating, 5 sections

submitted winners (3 new), Michigan Space Grant and AMA, Inc. sponsored ($700)

– 2015: 13 sections interested, 8 submitted winner (4 new), AIAA funds covered ($700)

– Goals: more sections through SSTC contacts and AIAA Education, co-sponsor national contest with other TCs, consistent private sponsor

Space Systems Essay AwardBenefits– Encourage technical writing capabilities at a vital development time by

presenting technical problem to answer and support– Encourage local section connection with teachers and schools and

contribution to STEM educationAwards – One 7th grade and one 8th grade overall winner, $100 each– Certificate– Student membership– $250 to each teacher for class field trip or STEM-related educational

equipment – Post essay on AIAA website– Submit story and essays to Aerospace America– Each section do what they can for section-level awards (may differ

between sections)

Process Timeline• August/September:

– SSTC: Send essay question, national due date, other rules, guidelines, and resources to sections

– Local: Receive essay question, national due date, other rules, guidelines, and resources from SSTC and confirm participation

– Local: Start promoting contest• March:

– Local: Due date, judging, winners notified, winning essays forwarded to SSTC

• April: – SSTC: Judging, announcement of overall winners, – Local: awards presented (can announce national winner(s) at local awards)

• May: – SSTC: Presentation/mailing of national award(s)

Essay Guidelines• Qualifications

– 7th or 8th grade living in section counties– Double-spaced, typewritten (size 12 font) essay in 1000 words or less. – Student name, teacher name, and school name must be written in the

top right hand corner of the essay. – A summer mailing address is required for notification. Email-address

also requested.– Mail or email to…(section PO box, K-12 officer)

• Criteria– Originality of ideas presented– Soundness of logic used to develop ideas – Realism of ideas presented – Quality of composition and clarity of expression

2016 Essay Topic Candidates

• Discuss how either a moon base or a Mars base could help us learn about the Earth and space.

Past Topics• 2015: As a future space tourist, where would you go, and what would you do?• 2014: Describe an experiment you would like to do on the International Space Station. What would you

learn from it?• 2013: How can humans and robots work together to explore Mars?• 2012: Choose a science fiction movie and discuss how scientifically realistic the ideas and scenes are.• 2011: Propose a space mission using a CubeSat. Include

– where it would fly, – what data it would gather, – what type of instruments would be onboard to gather that data, – and the benefits expected for science, technology, or education.

• 2010: Next stop for human space exploration — a lunar base, near-Earth asteroid, or Mars? • 2009: How important is international cooperation for the growth of space exploration? • 2008: If Space is the answer, what is the question?• 2007: How big can passenger airplanes get, and what will they look like?• 2006: What steps can be taken to protect the earth from a major asteroid impact?• 2005:With the success of SpaceShipOne, space tourism may be just around the corner. Where would you

go, and what would you do?• 2004: Should we send humans to Mars?• 2003: What will be the new developments of flight in the next 100 years?• 2002: Where should we go next in the solar system, and why?• 2001: What should we do in Space?• 2000: How would your life be different if there were no satellites?• 1999: As a Settler on the Moon in the Year 2029, What Will the Moon Be Like?

Resources for Sections • Promotion: NOTE that you don’t need commitment from teachers to get entries!!

Just put the word out there where teachers, parents, and students can see it!– Put contact name, phone, email on announcement– Section emails, newsletters, events– Targeted mail to Educator Associates– Principals – PTA officers– Supervisor of STEM for County or District Board of Education– STEM teacher organizations, teacher workshops– Museum education coordinators/directors

• Judging– Collect essays in one file; if many (>50), discard entries that don’t meet qualifications– Recruit judges 1-2 months before due date– Hold a judging event at a home or coffeeshop or ?– Bring 1 hard copy of each essay, scoring matrices, and pencils for each judge– If many essays, may split them into groups to divide effort, but at least 2 judges per

essay– May select top 3-5 scoring essays in 7th and 8th grade and discuss to come to consensus

on winners

Resources for Sections

• Awarding– Can choose to award 2nd, 3rd places and runner-ups,

but send 1st place winners for both 7th and 8th grade to SSTC contact ASAP

– Ideas for awards (from section funds, not SSTC): certificates, checks, bonds, plaques, awards banquet, trip to a lab or science museum for their family or class

– If award includes an event, notify winners early with an invitation to the event or to schedule the trip

Judging MatrixPlease rate from 1-10 (10 highest) for each criteria

Reviewer’s name:

Strong, supported argument

Creativity and richness of ideas

Grammar and spelling

Correct science/technology

Score (out of 100)

WEIGHT 3 3 2 2 10

Writer 1 5 3 7 8 54

Writer 2 10 10 5 3 76