NASA OKSG STEM Engagement Center

02/18/2026

Please check out this message (and see the flyer below) about this up and coming FREE event for females in 8th-12th grade from Morrow Entrekin, OSU SWE President (registration is REQUIRED to attend the event, closes this Sunday, Feb. 22nd):

I am so excited to share that SWE Day is returning to OSU! SWE stands for the Society of Women Engineers; our mission is to empower women in engineering and provide them with community and opportunities for professional development. We have not hosted a SWE Day in a few years and are so excited to be bringing back this awesome (and free!) event that helps girls in grades 8th-12th learn more about the College of Engineering, Architecture, and Technology (CEAT) at OSU as well as connect with members of our SWE branch and learn about their experiences. SWE Day will include a panel of SWE members, a tour of our Endeavor labs, and a stations activity for each CEAT major.

I am reaching out to you in hopes that you could help us spread the information about this event to girls in grades 8-12th or to families that might have girls in those grades. Please let me know if there is any additional information you would like about this event or if there are other emails I should reach out to in hopes of getting this information out there! I have attached the flyer for the event.

Quick event facts:
When: March 1st from 12-3PM
Where: Oklahoma State University's Endeavor Building
Included: Panel of SWE members, Stations for each type of engineering, tour of Endeavor labs, free lunch
Price: $0!!
Deadline to RSVP: Feb. 22nd (coming up quick!)

Registration link: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=HclpKknoNE6iMM34sn4ZZBjDdLTpfHBNq8fcPRIWdYhUM0pCTURRM0o3UUFMNUhPTjNTUURLVldBQS4u&origin=QRCode&route=shorturl

For more information, contact OSU SWE at: [email protected]

11/18/2025

UPDATE: ONLY 7 SPOTS LEFT FOR THIS UP AND COMING PD!

Calling all educators (formal and informal; Pre-K through 12th)! Would you like to experience some presentations which will be presented at the International Conference in Houston known as the Space Exploration Educators Conference without having to leave the state? Then we have just the PD for you!!!! Only 16 spots available- so act fast!

When: Saturday, December 6th, 2025; 9AM-3PM

Where: NASA OKSG STEM Engagement Center on the OSU Campus

Who: ANY educator (formal or informal) teaching students in grades Pre-K through 12th

What: Over the course of 6 hours, you will be immersed in not one but three different fast-paced hands-on STEM presentations which can be adapted for grades Pre-K through 12th grade, all subject areas. These are four of the nine hands-on STEM sessions which the NASA OKSG will be presenting at Space Center Houston’s International Educator Conference this February!

STARGAZING FOR ALL: IMMERSING LEARNERS OF ALL ABILITIES IN STARGAZING ACTIVITIES
Participants will learn how to use practical modifications to engage learners with all abilities in hands-on stargazing STEM engagement events and activities.

CATCHING THE SOLAR WIND WITH NASA'S PUNCH MISSION
Blast off into heliophysics with “Catching the Solar Wind with PUNCH”! This high-energy PD for K–5 educators explores
NASA’s PUNCH mission through hands-on, NGSS-aligned STEM stations—model solar wind, create magnetic field viewers, simulate auroras, and engineer satellite shields. Classroom-ready activities make big space science accessible and unforgettable.

NASA NEEDS YOU: AN EXPLORATION OF VARIED SPACE CAREER PATHS
Explore the careers of a food scientist, graphic designers, and a soft goods manufacturer through the use of hands on STEM activities. Activities can be adapted for various age groups and number of students.

Lunch will be provided! Register at this Google Form link: https://forms.gle/rw7SxFnVhSxr84s46 ! Please contact our Education Coordinator via e-mail ([email protected]) or cell (405-314-9161) with any questions!

Help us spread the word!

10/27/2025

This FREE event for STEM Enthusiasts of ALL ages occurs this Sunday, November 2nd! Please help us spread the word to your friends, family, colleagues, schools, organizations, etc! It is confirmed that the 501st Legion will be present with lots of opportunities to take pictures with Star Wars characters in addition to a LOT of make and take hands-on STEM activities provided through 20+ booths! There will even be a super cool NASA surprise- so don't miss out!

Calling all Pre-K through 12th Grade Students, their families, educators, and STEM enthusiasts of ALL ages! The NASA OKSG will be hosting our FREE come and go 4th Annual NASA OKSG STEM Engagement Event for ALL abilities on Sunday, November 2nd, 2025 from 2PM-4PM at the Endeavor Lab on the OSU Campus!

When:Sunday, November 2nd, 2025; 2:00PM-4:00PM
Where: ENDEAVOR Lab on the OSU Campus(215 N Hester St, Stillwater, OK 74078)
Who: Pre-K through 12th Grade Students, Families, and STEM Enthusiasts of ALL ages and abilities
What: NASA OKSG is hosting their fourth annual come and go STEM Engagement Event for ALL abilities which will include at least 20 hands-on STEM booths, each adapted for all abilities (including low visibility, autism, nonverbal,etc.)! In addition, a quiet room and sensory bags will be available. Those participants who complete all of the booths will receive a NASA prize and will be entered into the door prize drawings!

For questions and/or further information, please contact our Education Coordinator via e-mail ([email protected]) or cell (405-314-9161)!

10/07/2025

Check out this FREE event for families and STEM enthusiasts of all ages occurring THIS week (Thursday evening) in Tulsa at the Discovery Lab! Not only will you be immersed in hands-on STEM, but you can also meet/hear Astronaut Herrington speak! Please see TRSA's post below! Please note, you must register for this event at the link in the post!

Explore Space with an Astronaut! 🌌

Join us Thursday, October 9, from 6–8 PM at Discovery Lab for FREE hands-on fun for the whole family!

✨ Meet Commander John B. Herrington, former NASA astronaut and the first Native American in space!

Don’t miss this chance to spark curiosity and explore the wonders of the universe!

🎟️ Get tickets at TulsaSTEM.org/Space-Week

10/04/2025

SECOND UPDATE: As of 8:37AM on Sunday, October 5th, 2025, there are only 9 spots left for this PD!

UPDATE: As of 12:56PM on Saturday, October 4th, 2025, there are only 14 spots left for this PD!

Are you a formal or informal educator in the state of Oklahoma who works with students in grades Pre-K through 12th, any subject area? Would you like to be immersed in hands-on inquiry/discovery based lessons which bring authentic STEM experience, across the curriculum, to your students? Have you ever dreamed of visiting Johnson Space Center to see the real-world application of space exploration? Then we have the opportunity for you!

On Saturday, October 25th, 2025, from 9AM-12PM, at our NASA OKSG SEC on the OSU Stillwater campus, we will be hosting a free educator PD to share information about our NASA OKSG Year-long Pre-service and In-service Educator Mentorship: STELLAR, how to apply for STELLAR Class of 2026-2027, and a couple of hands-on activities which illuminate the "How We are Going Back to the Moon" and "How We will Land on the Moon." There are only 20 spots! Registration will remain open until 12Noon on Tuesday, October 14th, 2025 or until all 20 spots are filled (whichever comes first)!

To register, please complete this Google form: https://forms.gle/yjudsgxtL7Gmmigh9 .

Please help us spread the word about this fantastic opportunity for Oklahoma formal and informal educators!

09/15/2025

Calling all in-service Oklahoma educators (formal and informal; public and private: any subject area; grades Pre-K through 12th), pre-service education majors (any subject area), and undergraduate engineering majors! The NASA OKSG Year-long Mentorship for Pre-service Educators, In-service Educators, and Engineering Majors: STELLAR Class of 2026-2027 application process has begun! The deadline to apply is 12 Noon on Friday, November 14th, 2025!

What is it?
The NASA Oklahoma Space GrantConsortium (OKSG) is sponsoring a yearlong mentorship for pre-service educators, in-service educators, and undergraduate engineering majors known as STELLAR (STEM Teachers Experience LinkingLearners to Aerospace Research). Over thecourse of a year and a variety ofopportunities (a 10-day summer institute,VIP trip to NASA’s Johnson Space Center,STEM in Action Weekend, a SpeedfestWeekend, and more), participants are immersed in hands-on STEM-based activities for classroom application(taught by NASA educators, researchers,and scientists), which includes the integration of iPad applications. Only 4 undergraduate pre-service or graduate pre-service/in-service applicants (from each ofour ten affiliateuniversities/community colleges- OU, OSU,Cameron, Langston, SNU, ECU, SWOSU,SEOSU, Redlands CC, and TulsaCC), 3 in-service public/private/informal educators (any subject area, Pre-K though 12th), and 3 undergraduate engineering majors (must also be attending one of our 10 OKSG affiliate universities/communitycolleges) will be accepted to attend!

Who?
* Elementary, Secondary (any subject area), Early Childhood, Special Education, Ag Education, School Administration, STEM, etc. pre-service undergraduate or in-service/pre-service graduate majors who will be taking classes throughout the 2026-2027 academic year. Undergraduate/ graduate participants must attend one of our ten NASA OKSG affiliate universities/ community colleges (OU, OSU, Langston, Cameron, SEOSU, SWOSU, SNU, ECU, Redlands CC, and Tulsa CC) and have a 2.9 cumulative GPA or higher.
* In-service (can be public or private) and informal educators teaching any grade level/subject area
* Undergraduate engineering majors (must also be enrolled at a NASA OKSG affiliate university/community colleges throughout the 2026-2027 academic year.

Requirements?
n order to participate in this prestigious opportunity, participants must follow a professional dress code and code of conduct set by the NASA OKSG (both provided at time of selection). Participants will have monthly challenges (1 to 3 hours each month) from July 2026 to May 2027, as well as additional assignments during each of the required dates. In addition, participants will be required to host a 45-minute hands-on recruitment booth at their university or in their school district during Fall 2026 or Spring 2027. Upon successful completion of all aspects of the program, participant will receive the honor and title of STELLAR Star.

Cost?
Selected participants will receive NASA funding (over $5,000 per participant) which covers most of the costs of this year-long STEM-based NASA mentorship (lodging, meals, morning and afternoon refreshment breaks, iPad with Apple Pencil, handout materials, curriculum, orientation flight in University owned aircraft, model rocket projects, and more) for the Ten-day Summer Institute, VIP JSC/SEEC Trip , STEM in Action Weekend, and Speedfest Weekend! Participants are responsible for a supply box (general classroom supplies, list provided upon selection), a few meals on the trip to Johnson Space Center, as well as your own travel to and from the NASA OKSG STEM Engagement Center in Stillwater, OK for each of our required and optional events.

When (REQUIRED DATES)?
July 23rd-August 1st, 2026: 10-day Summer Institute- OSU
Oct/Nov 2026 (Dates TBD): Three-day STEM in Action Weekend-OSU
April 2027 (Dates TBD): Three-day Speedfest Weekend- OSU

When (OPTIONAL DATES)?
February 2027 (Dates TBD):: 6-day VIP trip to Johnson Space Center/ SEEC Conference (optional, earned, by invitation)

How?
Completed applications are due via e-mail to the NASA OKSG Education Coordinator, Dorinda Risenhoover, by 12 Noon on Friday, November 14th, 2025.

All applicants will be competitively selected based on their completed applications and a phone interview.

To receive an application or for questions, please contact our Education Coordinator via e-mail
([email protected]) or cell (405-314-9161)!

Please note that a PDF of the flyer and all 3 applications can downloaded on our website: https://spacegrant.oknasa.org/stellar/ .

09/10/2025

Calling all Pre-K through 12th Grade Students, their families, educators, and STEM enthusiasts of ALL ages! The NASA OKSG will be hosting our FREE come and go 4th Annual NASA OKSG STEM Engagement Event for ALL abilities on Sunday, November 2nd, 2025 from 2PM-4PM at the Endeavor Lab on the OSU Campus!

When:Sunday, November 2nd, 2025; 2:00PM-4:00PM

Where: ENDEAVOR Lab on the OSU Campus(215 N Hester St, Stillwater, OK 74078)

Who: Pre-K through 12th Grade Students, Families, and STEM Enthusiasts of ALL ages and abilities

What: NASA OKSG is hosting their fourth annual come and go STEM Engagement Event for ALL abilities which will include at least 20 hands-on STEM booths, each adapted for all abilities (including low visibility, autism, nonverbal,etc.)! In addition, a quiet room and sensory bags will be available. Those participants who complete all of the booths will receive a NASA prize and will be entered into the door prize drawings!

For questions and/or further information, please contact our Education Coordinator via e-mail ([email protected]) or cell (405-314-9161)!

09/10/2025

UPDATE on September 11th, 2025: Friday (10/3) Rocketry 101's registration is completely full, but there are still 12 spots available for Saturday (10/4) Bringing Aerospace to the Early Childhood Classroom!

Calling all Pre-K through 12th Grade Oklahoma Educators (public and private; informal and formal; any subject area)! We will be collaborating with TRSA again this year on two FREE educator PDs for their Space Week! Please note, there are ONLY 20 available spots for each session and these will fill up fast! You can sign-up for one or both! Here is what is being offered each day:

Model Rocketry 101
Friday, October 3, 2025 | 9AM-3PM | NASA OKSG STEM Engagement Center, Stillwater
Are you ready to ignite curiosity and fuel STEM learning with model rocketry? Join us for a high-energy, six-hour hands-on workshop where you’ll build, launch, and explore rockets while learning how to bring these exciting experiences into your classroom. Hosted by the NASA Oklahoma Space Grant STEM Engagement Center at the OSU campus in Stillwater, this session will take you step-by-step from rocket assembly to liftoff.
What to Expect:
• Build Two Estes Model Rockets: Learn the process from start to finish with guided, step-by-step instruction.
• Launch at OSU’s Unmanned Airfield: Experience the thrill of seeing your creations soar into the sky.
• Explore Classroom Applications: Gain ready-to-use activities to connect rocketry with core STEM concepts and spark student engagement.
• Discover High-Powered Rocketry: Get a glimpse into advanced rocketry to inspire your future innovators.
This workshop is perfect for educators and youth program leaders looking to combine excitement, creativity, and STEM skill-building. Come ready to build, launch, and learn!
$100 Substitute Reimbursement Available
Registration: https://airtable.com/appm6QH1YLzF0Em00/pagMgFR8ToB6noeh3/form

Bringing Aerospace to the Early Childhood Classroom
Saturday, October 4, 2025 | 9AM-3PM | NASA OKSG STEM Engagement Center, Stillwater
Are you an early childhood educator looking to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation of explorers? Want to bring the wonder of aerospace into your classroom in ways that are hands-on, culturally relevant, and developmentally appropriate? Join this fast-paced, six-hour workshop packed with over 13 interactive STEM and aerospace activities designed especially for young learners! Hosted by the NASA Oklahoma Space Grant STEM Engagement Center at the OSU campus in Stillwater, this session will have you ready to launch new ideas in your classroom right away.
Workshop Highlights:
• Experience 13+ Ready-to-Use Activities: From lunar landings to galaxy sounds, gain engaging tools to connect aerospace concepts to early learning.
• Integrate Culture into STEM: Learn how Native American culture can enrich aerospace exploration in “Culture Meets STEM.”
• Inspire Through Sound: Harness music and sound as gateways to space exploration with “Sounds of the Galaxies.”
Registration: https://airtable.com/appm6QH1YLzF0Em00/pagMgFR8ToB6noeh3/form

Questions and/or need more information? Please contact our Education Coordinator via cell (405-314-9161) or e-mail ([email protected])!

07/16/2025

Calling all Oklahoma State University Engineering Majors!!!! The NASA OKSG is officially opening up 2 spots for the NASA OKSG Year-long Mentorship for Pre-service and In-service Educators: STELLAR Class of 2025-2026 to Oklahoma State University engineering majors!!!!

Over the last 5 years, we have had numerous interns at our NASA OKSG STEM Engagement Center who were engineering majors. We know first hand how this exposure for these majors has solidified their ability to complete community outreach once they are in their engineering career fields. It has been a long-time dream of our Education Coordinator to create a course (undergrad or graduate) for both education majors and engineering majors which focused on STEM engagement and outreach. By opening these spots up to the engineering majors it will give us data and a chance to research the possible impact of such an endeavor- not to mention it will have on these future engineers and their ability to conduct community outreach within their career field once they graduate!

If you know of ANY Oklahoma State University engineering majors (undergrad or graduate, either is fine), please share this information with them! We will be filling these 2 spots no later than 5PM tomorrow (Thursday, July 17th, 2025)- if not sooner!

All interested Oklahoma State University engineering majors who are interested should e-mail our Education Coordinator ([email protected]) for the application (this one cannot be found on-line)!

Questions? Please contact our Education Coordinator via e-mail or cell (405-314-9161)!

07/11/2025

Calling all pre-service (still working on a degree program in education) and in-service educators (both formal and informal) who are completing either a graduate or undergraduate education-based degree at one of our 10 NASA OKSG Affiliate universities (OU, OSU, Cameron, Langston, ECU, SNU, SWOSU, SEOSU, Tulsa CC, and Redlands CC)! We currently have a few spots available for our Year-long Pre-service and In-service Educator Mentorship: STELLAR Class of 2025-2026 which we will hopefully be filling by end of business this Tuesday (7.14.25).

If you meet the above requirements: Would you like to learn new and exciting ways to empower your future/current students as STEM thinkers and doers as participatory stakeholder in the future of STEM? Have you ever dreamed of touring Johnson Space Center and collaborating with NASA researchers, scientists, and educators? Are you looking for discovery/inquiry-based and cross-curricular resources to bring into your classroom?

If you answered yes to the above questions, then the NASA OKSG Year-long Mentorship for Pre-service and In-service Educators: STELLAR Class of 2025-2026 is for you! If you qualify- must be a pre-service (still working on a degree program in education) or in-service educator (both formal and informal) completing either a graduate or undergraduate education-based degree at one of our 10 NASA OKSG Affiliate universities (OU, OSU, Cameron, Langston, ECU, SNU, SWOSU, SEOSU, Tulsa CC, and Redlands CC)- please call our Education Coordinator via her cell (405-314-9161) to set-up a virtual interview before Tuesday (7.15.25).

Please help us spread the word about this prestigious opportunity! See the flyer below for further information! YES, this is also open to informal educators, as long as they meet the above requirements!

06/30/2025

Calling all pre-service and in-service educators! We currently have 4 spots available for our NASA OKSG Year-long Pre-service and In-service Educator Mentorship: STELLAR Class of 2025-2026 and are currently filling these spots on a first-come, first-serve basis with qualified applicants! Please help us spread the word to your friends, colleagues, peers, family member, friends, etc!

Please see below for the ways in which pre-service and in-service educators in Oklahoma can qualify for this prestigious opportunity!

IN-SERVICE
*Be completing a graduate education degree (any area) at one of our 8 affiliate universities

PRE-SERVICE
*Must attend one of our ten NASA OKSG affiliate universities/community colleges (OU, OSU, Langston, Cameron, SEOSU, SWOSU, SNU, ECU, Redlands CC, and Tulsa CC) and have a 2.9 cumulative GPA or higher.

For more information about this out of the world mentorship for in-service and pre-service educators, please see the flyer below and/or our website (contains a brief video with further information, in addition to PDF versions of the flyer and applications): http://spacegrant.oknasa.org/stellar .

All interested and qualified applicants for this opportunity should call our Education Coordinator (Dorinda Risenhoover) via cell (405-314-9161) ASAP! We hope to hear from you!