- Year 2022
- NSF Award #1852868
- Registration Former Noyce Scholar
- First Name Abigail
- Last Name Velasco
- Discipline Mathematics
- Institution Pacific University
Abstract
Despite being the second fastest growing minority group in the U.S., the Latinx population continues to be underrepresented in STEM. Research has shown that exposing Latinx students to culturally relevant STEM-focused education and Latinx role models in STEM at early ages can increase their interest in STEM fields and eventual participation in the STEM workforce, leading to increased academic performance and long-term broader economic opportunities. How can I create a STEM classroom in which students take pride and grow curiosity in these subjects to a point in which they want to pursue STEM careers? During student teaching, my classroom became a space where students explored and learned about math, space, and the diverse group of men and women involved with the NASA Artemis Mission. The resulting engagement and excitement of my math students shows promise for further implementation of NASA resources to increase their interest in STEM fields .
