National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

March 2024 NASA Aeronautics No. 34 

Monthly STEM Newsletter 

INSIDE 

Celebrate Women’s 

History Month 

Dream with Us Design 

Challenge 

_ 

N3, Virginia Space 

Grant Consortium, 

NASA Internships, and 

more! 

March 2024 

Spring is coming, Aeronauts! This month we celebrate Women’s History Month. NASA 

pays tribute to the contributions of women all over the agency both past and present 

who are inspirations to future generations. Check out our Aero Crew Highlight of the 

month, Elizabeth Ruth. She is a research pilot with NASA working to collect important 

data that drives the future of aeronautics. The 2024 Dream with Us Design Challenge 

launches this month, so read on to learn how students can submit their visions of the 

future of flight to NASA experts. New student internship projects are available and 

extended deadlines end this month, so apply today for NASA internships, challenges, 

and other opportunities to be a part of change and the future of NASA. Learn more 

about how you can stay up to date with new flights and opportunities to engage with 

NASA Aeronautics. 

Do you need to see more of something or have a new idea for upcoming newsletters? 

Let us know! Do you know someone else who needs this monthly update? Share the 

good news and sign up for our monthly STEM newsletter. Have questions or want to 

be removed from the list? Send an email to april.a.lanotte@nasa.gov or 

holly.o.gutierrez@nasa.gov. 

NASA’s Dream with Us Design Challenge asks students in grades 6-12 to share their

ideas for the future of aviation to help with natural disasters. Dream with NASA and 

NASA’s ACERO project on new ways to prevent natural disasters, mitigate during a

disaster, and help rebuild after a disaster has occurred. Image Credit: NASA 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Women’s History Month 

March 

Women have played a vital role in history, and this month 

we celebrate their contributions and achievements. In 

1981, women were celebrated during “Women’s History 

Week”, but after a petition by the National Women’s 

History Project in 1987, that week became the whole 

month of March. Year after year, women’s historical 

achievements and milestones are celebrated around the 

country. 

NASA recognizes amazing women who are trailblazers for 

future generations. Women of NASA are celebrated for 

their expertise, contributions, and dedication to the 

mission around the agency. They fill roles such as 

engineer, scientist, pilot, and educator throughout NASA. 

They inspire girls to explore and dream big for their 

futures. Here are a few examples: 

Jerrie Cobb (1960) 

Some aircraft pilots also dream of flying in space. Jerrie 

Cobb obtained her private aircraft license at age 16 and 

her commercial license when she turned 18. She was an 

accomplished pilot breaking records and receiving 

awards for her achievements. Because she dreamed of 

flying in space, Jerrie Cobb volunteered to test the 

Gimbal Rig, a multi-rotational device that teaches 

astronauts to control tumbling spacecrafts. Although she 

did not achieve her dream of going to space, Jerrie Cobb 

is celebrated for her philanthropy in flying supplies and 

medicine into needed areas for non-profit organizations. 

Christine Mann Darden, D.Sc. (1967) 

You don’t have to be a pilot to support the Aeronautics 

mission. Dr. Christine Darden joined NASA Langley as the 

last generation of “human computers”. She earned her 

doctorate from George Washington University in 

mechanical engineering and became a researcher in 

aerodynamics. In 1999, she was appointed as director of 

NASA’s Aero-Performing Center Management Office 

responsible for research in air traffic management and 

aeronautics programs in other centers. During her 30 

years of service, Dr. Darden wrote over 50 publications 

covering aeronautics topics such as sonic booms, 

supersonic wing design, and many others. 

Learn more about the women at NASA supporting the 

mission towards a brighter future. Celebrate their 

accomplishments and the women that came before them 

for Women’s History Month. 

Aeronautics Crew Highlight 

Elizabeth “Liz” Ruth, NASA Research Pilot 

Elizabeth Ruth is a NASA Research Pilot who helps 

NASA do important research. She has also visited 

all 50 states and all 7 continents. Read on and get 

inspired by Elizabeth’s journey. 

I am a NASA Research Pilot. I fly aircraft to 

support NASA scientific research projects under 

the Airborne Science Program. I have flown the 

Stratospheric Observatory for Infra-Red Astronomy 

(SOFIA) and a Boeing 747 that holds an infra-red 

telescope with a 9-foot diameter mirror, now 

retired. I also flew the Gulfstream III, which 

conducts precision ground mapping using a JPLdesigned and operated synthetic-aperture radar 

pod. I currently fly the Global Hawk remotely 

piloted vehicle. 

I grew up at China Lake Naval Air Station, a Navy 

base in the upper Mojave Desert used for missile 

testing. With all the fast-moving jets and sonic 

booms during the day and the brilliant stars in the 

night, there was always a reason to be looking up 

to the sky. I always wanted to be up there to be 

part of the action and knew that one day I would 

be a pilot. Luckily enough, the military began 

training women to fly (for the first time since World 

War II) right as I was graduating from high school, 

so I set my sights on joining the Air Force. I 

attended USC in the Air Force ROTC program and 

was selected to attend Undergraduate Pilot 

Training. I flew for the Air Force for 8 years as a T38 instructor pilot and a T-43 (Boeing 737-200) 

aircraft commander and instructor. After the air 

force, I joined United Airlines, where I flew the 

Boeing 737-300, 757, 767, and 777 aircraft as a 

domestic and international pilot. 

I took a break from professional flying to raise my 

daughters, but I still had the flying bug. I 

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NEW STEM Engagement! 

2024 Dream with Us Design Challenge 

Feb. 28th – April 30, 2024 

The 2024 Dream with Us design challenge is NOW 

OPEN! For students ages 13-18, this team-based 

challenge gives students a chance to share their vision for 

the future of aviation with NASA experts. This year’s 

theme is focused on natural disasters--students are 

developing new and improved ways aviation can help 

with natural disaster response. 

NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response 

Operation (ACERO) Project researches the capabilities of 

drones and advanced technologies to help improve 

wildfire coordination and operations. NASA is asking 

students to dream of new ideas that will be shared with 

NASA’s ACERO project and others to design or improve 

current systems and technologies responding to natural 

disasters with new aviation such as drones and air taxis. 

Challenge submissions will be accepted March 1 – April 

30, 2024. Learn more about the challenge and NASA’s 

ACERO project on the Dream with Us Design Challenge 

webpage. 

Student and Internship Opportunities 

Deadline Approaching! N3: NASA’s 

Neurodiversity Network Internship 

NASA’s Neurodiversity 

Network offers neurodiverse 

students an opportunity to 

apply for a summer internship 

to spark interest in STEM 

careers. Students must be 

happened to meet an Armstrong NASA pilot while 

traveling and found out about this cool flying job 

out in the desert, right near where I came from. I 

qualified with my extensive flying experience in 

different types of high-performance and heavy 

military and civilian aircraft. I got the job, and it has 

been very satisfying to fly missions to explore the 

unknown and do work that benefits the whole 

world. 

Now that I am at the far end of my career, I realized 

that I have been lucky enough to have fulfilled my 

personal and professional goals. I got to fly a 

variety of aircraft in a variety of missions, and I have 

the family I always hoped for. Flying with NASA has 

been fun and memorable, just by the nature of the 

job and the caliber of the people I got to work 

with. It never got old to be in a room with smart, 

dedicated people and witness the creative 

problem-solving process that makes NASA great. 

I remember SOFIA flights were always flown at 

night, and we normally flew out of Palmdale during 

most of the year, but in the Summer, we would 

relocate to Christchurch, New Zealand to take 

advantage of their long winter nights and clear, dry 

atmosphere at that time of year. New Zealand has 

amazing scenery, and the community of 

Christchurch was very welcoming to us, which 

always made the deployment fun. We would fly 

down south near Antarctica, where the aurora 

australis (the southern version of northern lights) 

would be visible. One night, we had the aurora 

dancing all around us for hours. It was incredibly 

beautiful, and I will never forget it. 

Another great memory was when I deployed with 

the Gulfstream up to Fairbanks, Alaska to support 

the ABOVE (Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment) 

project, and it was a terrific experience. The 

scientists from the program flew with us, took us 

on field trips, and invited us to a BBQ to meet the 

rest of the team, which really enhanced our 

understanding and appreciation of the project. 

One unique experience was exploring a tunnel 

that was dug into the perma-frost and used for 

research. We were able to see layers of frozen dirt, 

rocks, plant material, and water dating back to 

20,000 years ago. 

I love flying, so it has been a real privilege to be 

able to do my favorite thing for work. I also love to 

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enrolled in high school and are 16 year of age or older. 

Submit an application by March 8, 2024, to spend a 

summer gaining valuable experience from NASA experts 

in various STEM fields. Check out the N3 Internship site to 

learn more. 

Deadline this Month! Virginia Space Grant 

Consortium 

The Virginia Space Grant Consortium is partnering with 

NASA Langley Research Center to offer community 

college students hands-on research experience at the 

NASA Wallops Flight Facility. During summer 2024, 

students will work alongside NASA research advisors to 

learn more about project work, communication, 

teamwork, and exposure to various STEM careers. 

Applications must be submitted by March 18, 2024. 

Click on this link to learn more about this amazing 

opportunity. 

NEW! FALL Projects OPEN for Applications! 

NASA Internships 

Fall projects are 

available now. 

Apply for a NASA 

internship for the 

Fall 2024 session. 

Projects for STEM 

and non-STEM 

majors at various 

NASA centers 

that offer inperson, virtual, 

and hybrid 

opportunities are 

currently available. Get your application in by April 5, 

2024, and join NASA experts this fall to find solutions, 

create new innovations, and break barriers towards a 

better future. 

Design Challenges and Grant Proposals 

Extended Deadline! 

University Student Research Challenge 

travel, seeing new places and learning about 

different cultures has always fascinated me. I have 

always been a huge reader and enjoy listening to 

audio books. It’s like another version of travel. I 

enjoy almost any genre, but history and sciencefiction are high on my list. I suppose I like looking 

back to understand where we came from and 

looking ahead to where we could go. 

Professional Development 

Come See Us in Person! 

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) 

March 20 - 23, 2024: Inspire, connect, and learn 

best practices and strategies to bring science to 

life in the classroom. NASA will be presenting 

STEM activities that help students learn more 

about ACERO and aeronautics’ work with wildland 

fire mitigation. 

Women in Aviation International Conference / 

Girls in Aviation Day 

March 21 - 23, 2024: Get excited about aviation 

with keynote speakers, education workshops, an 

awards ceremony, and more at the Women in 

Aviation International Conference. The NASA 

Aeronautics STEM team will co-host an education 

workshop, host activities at Girls in Aviation Day, 

and be available for questions and information at 

the NASA booth. 

Virtual Opportunities 

NASA Dream with Us Design Challenge 

Educator Professional Development: DATE 

Coming! Do you want to learn more about the 

Dream with Us Design Challenge and other 

opportunities with NASA? Join the Aeronautics 

STEM team to learn how this challenge can 

support you and your students in both formal and 

informal learning environments. 

Sign up, today! Flight Log 

Sign up for Flight Log today and get notifications 

on new upcoming flights straight to your inbox. 

Earn an endorsement code for your flight log when 

you complete activities and join NASA Aeronautics 

STEM engagements online and in-person. We 

have new flights and opportunities being added to 

Flight Log all the time, and before we know it, your 

name can be flying on the X-59 first flight!! Add 

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The newest solicitation window is now open! Join the 

NASA University Student Research Challenge family and 

collaborate with peers to contribute to the evolving field 

of aeronautics! NASA is seeking creative ideas and 

concepts relevant to NASA Aeronautics from 

interdisciplinary student teams. 

• Receive up to $80,000 to pursue your ideas 

• Gain technical and entrepreneurial experience 

• Open to all majors and interdisciplinary teams 

(engineering, business, etc.) 

• Interface with NASA experts and receive exposure to 

the aerospace industry 

Proposals for the next round have been extended to 

March 21, 2024. 

In case you missed it... 

Watch it On Demand! 2024 imaginAviation 

Free to Watch and Free to Attend! 

This year’s showcase offered 

enriching resources and 

activities to infuse excitement in 

STEM and aeronautics subject 

matter. An early career panel, 

the first look at the NEW 2024 

Dream with Us design challenge, and the launch of 

imaginAviation’s NEW mentorship program are some of 

the things that made this event successful. Watch the 

showcase on demand and get excited for next year’s 

2025 imaginAviation showcase. 

your email to our contact list to stay up to date on 

upcoming flights and other opportunities. It’s a 

great time to fly with us! 

NASA CONNECTS: Are you interested in other 

professional development opportunities? Create a 

new account or log into NASA’s STEM Gateway to 

find a session that interests you. 

Did you know? 

March 4 – 10th is Women in Aviation Week. This 

week is celebrated in honor of the first woman to 

earn her pilot’s license. Raymonde de Laroche 

received her pilot’s license on March 8, 1910, in 

France. Honor this week for women while you 

create and fly your own paper airplane. 

March 14th is Pi Day, and who doesn’t love pie? 

Ok, not that kind of pie. This pi is the constant that 

represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to 

its diameter. Pi is approximately 3.14, but actually 

has 1,000,000 digits. How many can you accurately 

remember? 

March 31st is National Crayon Day. Coloring has 

evolved so much over the years, and it’s not just for 

kids anymore. Adults have their own coloring 

books too. It can also be used as a form of 

meditation and focus. Find your Zen again with 

these NASA Aeronautics coloring pages. 

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Links to our Aeronautics STEM Resources: 

Aeronautics Research Resources: (all ages) This link takes you to a wide variety of educator resources, 

Aeronautics@Home, ebooks, National Academies Reports, webinars, lithographs and mini posters, the NASA 

Aeronautics Research Institute, and more. 

Aeronautics@Home: (K-12) This web page contains aeronautics-based activities, videos, games, and more that can 

be completed at home, in the classroom, or in any number of settings. Topic areas include: “Build It!” “Explore It!” 

“Watch It!” “Solve It!” “Color It!” and “Aero Educator Resources”. Coming soon: “Read It!” and “Do It!” 

Aeronautics Innovations Challenges: Keeping up with our many design challenges and opportunities for both postsecondary and K-12 can be tough. In response, we created a “one-stop shop” to pull them all together in one 

location. 

Flight Log Experience: (K-12, post-secondary, general public) Sign up to send your name with NASA Aeronautics on 

X-planes, UAS flights, and more as you build your virtual NASA flight log. Earn virtual endorsement stamps and 

mission patches and access aeronautics STEM activities and resources. Educators can sign up their entire class. 

NASA Express Sign-Up: (K-12, post-secondary) Have you signed up for NASA’s NASA EXPRESS weekly newsletter? 

This newsletter contains the latest information for educators (K-12 and post-secondary) about new resources, design 

challenges, internships, and workshops. It is THE go-to for the latest STEM news. 

Aeronaut-X: (K-12) Our Next Gen STEM: Aeronaut-X team provides new and exciting STEM activities that focus on 

cutting-edge aeronautics education and the future of flight. 

Museum and Informal Education Alliance: (Informal Educators and Museums) Not in a classroom? Looking for 

informal education materials? Join NASA’s Museum and Informal Education Alliance, where you have access to 

NASA resources—including aeronautics—for your program, organization, museum, science center, or library. Find 

out about events happening near you and in the virtual world, and let the MIE Alliance help you build your 

programs! Access to guest speakers, the latest announcements about grant programs, and an active community 

network allow you to connect with other like-minded people in a supportive, engaging, and aerospace-focused 

neighborhood. 

NASA Aeronautics for Educators Facebook Page: (K-12, post-secondary) Join our NASA Aeronautics for Educators 

Facebook page, where the latest aeronautics updates, professional development opportunities, lessons and ideas 

are freely shared. 

NASA Connects: (K-12, post-secondary) NASA Connects is a network of educators who come together to 

collaborate, share NASA resources, and create personal collections of materials that can then be shared with others. 

Members can join groups tailored to their specific interests. 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration 

Headquarters 

300 E. Street, SW 

Washington, DC 20546 

www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch 6