Community partnership will prioritize STEM efforts in present, future generations

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. — Last Monday, representatives from Robins Air Force Base and the 21st Century Partnership established an official proclamation to combine their efforts to prioritize science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Middle Georgia schools through educating, mentoring and a shared vision to increase the number of potential STEM workers in the future.

John Kubinec, the CEO of the 21st Century Partnership; Edward Ayer, the Robins director of the Air Force Sustainment Center (AFSC) Engineering and Technical Management; and Col. Lindsay Droz, commander of the Robins Installation and the 78th Air Base Wing met to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will partner AFSC Engineering and the 21st Century Partnership Middle Georgia Stem Outreach Office.

Charles Goolsby Jr., AFSC/EN and Robins STEM coordinator, expanded on what this MOU represents.

“With all organizations highly involved in various STEM efforts and events in and around the Middle Georgia area, this MOU will create opportunities in STEM Outreach activities to the communities within and around the Middle Georgia area,” Goolsby said. “The MOU identifies the general roles and responsibilities of the parties per the agreement and lays a unified way forward in cooperating and working together to achieve the ultimate goals.”

On the topic of recent STEM outreach in the community, the National STEM Academy of the Museum of Aviation Foundation recently hosted a Mission Quest Summer Camp program for middle and high school students in an effort to potentially increase career interest in the field of aviation.

Students were able to use state-of-the-art software and hardware to experience simulated flight as well as learn about non-combat applications in aviation. Other topics of discussion included aerodynamics, communications, flight planning and chart use, teamwork, risk assessment, flight physics, decision-making and aerospace math.

Maj. Ryan Leadens, an Air Force test pilot, was a featured guest speaker, providing some outlook and perspective on his choice of career.

With any new updates in STEM development and community outreach efforts on behalf of Robins Air Force Base and its partners, you can read about them in The Houston Home Journal.

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