The Panasonic Foundation, National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) and bully! entertainment, in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has announced a new digital experience giving students the chance to get involved in activities related to a newly launched NASA challenge and engage with the STEM skills that are vital for the jobs of tomorrow.
Introducing LunaSustain, a one-of-a-kind online interactive programme supported by the Panasonic Foundation and designed by NIA and bully! This unique opportunity, tailored for middle school students, allows them to build skills connected with NASA’s Centennial Challenge, LunaRecycle. Through the LunaRecycle Challenge, NASA is seeking sustainable recycling solutions that address physical waste on long-term lunar missions. In the LunaSustain digital experience, students are encouraged to become ‘revolutionaries’ by using critical and creative thinking skills to look at sustainability in new ways.
Upon completing LunaSustain, students can sign their own ‘My Sustainability Pledge’, reflecting large-scale efforts such as Panasonic’s GREEN IMPACT. GREEN IMPACT is Panasonic’s pledge to reduce CO2 emissions in its own supply chain and society to realize a better life and a more sustainable global environment for all.
Commenting on the initiative, Alejandra Ceja, Executive Director of the Panasonic Foundation, said:
We are thrilled to partner again with NIA to bring this dynamic and inclusive STEM learning platform to life, giving all students – no matter their start in life – the opportunity to engage with the skills that will give them an advantage in the workforce of tomorrow. With early access and exposure to STEM education and related careers, students can gain an understanding and interest in fields that may align with their existing aptitudes. Projects like LunaSustain are essential to the Panasonic Foundation’s mission to bridge the divide between the educational inequities that exist today and tomorrow’s opportunities.
The online learning platform is the latest initiative in the Panasonic Foundation’s collaboration with the NIA and NASA to engage students in STEM skills. It follows last year’s STEM-focused event in Kansas City, A Space for All ’23, where participants had the chance to interact with STEM education experts, explore cutting-edge technologies, and learn about the future of work in the tech industry in the greater Kansas City region and beyond.
Harla Sherwood, Director of NIA’s Media Communications Group, stated:
We are excited to join forces with the Panasonic Foundation and advance our commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive pipeline of future STEM leaders. This platform will create a unique interactive STEM experience to engage underserved students, igniting curiosity and driving innovation.
Through LunaSustain, students will travel from the Earth to the Moon and beyond and complete two suggested activities in five destinations to learn more about sustainability. LunaSustain activities include Calculating your carbon footprint and making a reusable t-shirt bag on Earth, learning about plastic pollution and limiting waste, making space breathable on the International Space Station, and conserving energy to live and work on the Moon. Through other destinations, students will learn about water conservation and designing a device to reduce their water usage. They will also learn more about using renewable energy and energy storage on Gateway, NASA’s lunar-orbiting station, and create a homemade battery from coins.
As the philanthropic arm of Panasonic North America since 1984, the Panasonic Foundation has been a beacon of hope, bridging the divide between the educational inequities that exist today and the opportunities of tomorrow. It meets students where they are, in the regions where we live and work, to advance equitable access and early exposure to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, particularly among young learners from historically underserved communities.
