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6NorthernMichiganUniversityAnnualReportAboveandBeyondwithNASAExcellenceMatthewMenzespenttheallohisjunioryearatNMUasaninternattheNationalAeronauticsandSpaceAdministrationsAmesIntelligentRoboticsGroupinMountainViewCali.MenzesmissionatNASAwascontributingtoateamefortolayingthegroundworkoranovelconceptthatmayleadtoamorenimbleormorobotsandexploratoryvehiclesbyincorporatingtensegritydesignprinciples.ItwasntuntilIhadthisopportunitythatItrulyunderstoodthepositiveimpactspaceresearchandexplorationhashadonsocialandtechnologicaladvancementhesaidaddingthatworkingatNASAwaslikesteppingaewyearsintotheuture.FromSpacetoSTEMNorthernMichiganUniversityseniorelementaryeducationmajorKristenBustrakpicturedhereatcenterrightparticipatesinanexerciseledbyNASAsDirectoroftheExpeditionEarthandBeyondProgram.ThirtyundergraduatestudentsfromuniversitiesacrossthecountryspentoneweekatNASAsJohnsonSpaceCenterinHoustonlearninghowtointegrateNASAsworkintolessonsonscienceengineeringtechnologyandmath.NMUelementaryeducationmajorKristenBustrakoBruleWis.alongwithAlannaHameloChampionweretwoo30educationundergraduatesromacrossthecountrywhospentoneweekthissummeratNASAsJohnsonSpaceCenterinHoustonatthehighlycompetitivePre-ServiceTeacherInstitute.ThereNASAproessionalsincludingastronautsandrocketscientistsshowedthecountrysnewestteachers-to-behowtointegrateNASAsworkinspaceintolessonsonsciencetechnologyengineeringandmath.ItsveryimportantromsuchayoungagetoeelcondentinSTEMandbeinterestedinSTEMandeelHeyIcandothisBustraksaid.ThereswaytoomanystudentsallaroundtheworldthateelOhIcantdothatitstoohardorme.Whenyoustartatayoungageitinstillscondenceromthegetgo.TheastronautsandtheactualrocketscientiststhatImetwereallsopassionateaboutquestioningandlearninganddiscovering.BustrakistakingNASAsteachingstylebacktotheclassroomwithherasastudentteacheratabilingualschoolinGreenBay.Illbeleadingmystudentsindiscoveringbyaskingquestionsnotjusttellingtheminormationbutaskingthemquestionsshesaid.WhatdoyouthinkthisiswhydoyouthinkthishappensThatsjustanexcellentwaytolearnandasateacherIwanttoteachsciencethatway.Wewillrecognizeandembracethepowerfulconnectionsbetweeneducationenterpriseandentrepreneurismbypromotingfnancialliteracyandbyhelpingtheregionandthenationtocreateandflljobs.6NorthernMichiganUniversityAnnualReport