March 27: ARISS put on a strong presence at the 2022 ARRL Virginia State Convention in Annandale, setting up an exhibit table and providing guest speakers for an ARISS forum. ARISS-USA Director of Education Kathy Lamont and ARISS-US Education Committee member Melissa Pore (the latter via Zoom) took turns giving a 50-minute presentation describing space and radio-related hands-on activities for elementary and high school students. Melissa spoke about her high schoolers’ STEM interests and a satellite she and elementary students at her previous school had built. Kathy explained the role wireless radio can play in elementary education and provided details on a variety of teaching activities that amateur radio operators use to enhance STEAM curriculum at various grade levels. 32 people came to the forum and another 138 tied in via Zoom including VIP ARRL Roanoke Division Director Jim Boehner in North Carolina. Zoom views jumped to 224 within a few days. At the exhibit table, 102 people stopped and learned about ARISS; several were George Mason University students and others were informal educators. Kathy, along with ARISS-USA Executive Director Frank Bauer, Associate Director Marty Schulman, and Janet Bauer staffed the booth. Two VIPs, ARRL Atlantic Division Director Tom Abernethy and ARRL Roanoke Division Vice Director Bill Morine sought out the ARISS table to shower compliments on the ARISS team.
March 28: The ARISS team began plans for Hamvention, the world’s largest convention for amateur radio operators, which is held near Dayton, Ohio in May. Hamvention officials honored ARISS, recently selecting the team for one of the coveted forum slots; this is the second year that has happened. Listeners will hear about current and future ARISS projects such as one involving student interaction with telerobotics. ARISS team members will also set up and staff a booth, inviting wireless and space enthusiasts to learn about ARISS. The team will relate how formal and informal educators can engage in ARISS radio contacts. Passersby will be able to handle tools in the ARISS Radio Kit that can enhance science curriculum. They’ll learn that different versions of the kit are a main aspect of two new ARISS education initiatives.
March 31: The April issue of the QCWA Journal featured a cover story about ARISS penned by Rosalie White. The Quarter Century Wireless Association, a US and Canadian organization, posts its journal every month. The three and a half page article highlighted the ARISS radio contact last December at the Savannah River Academy (SRA) in Grovetown, GA. The story’s focus covered SRA’s six months of wireless- and space-related hands-on student lessons along with ARISS’s new education initiatives.
ARISS Upcoming Events
April 6 Leonardo Da Vinci Campus-Nauen, Nauen, Germany ARISS contact, ARISS-Europe team
April 7 Space Hardware Club with area schools, Huntsville AL ARISS contact, ARISS-US team
TBD Axiom Canada & Israel school contacts, ARISS-Canada & ARISS-Europe team