{"685239":{"#nid":"685239","#data":{"type":"news","title":"A Beacon of Light to the State","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESpace has long served as a powerful gateway for sparking curiosity and igniting passion in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Globally, STEM fields are in high demand. In Georgia, aerospace is the state\u2019s top export \u2014 a thriving landscape that underscores the importance of cultivating a robust STEM pipeline. Georgia Tech has played a central role in fueling that pipeline through the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gasgc.org\/wp\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Space Grant Consortium\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E (GSGC)Georgia Space Grant Consortium (GSGC)\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESince 1989, Georgia Tech has successfully managed GSGC, a statewide network of higher education institutions, nonprofits, strategic industry allies, and partners who develop and administer STEM programs. Established in 1988 by Congress and implemented by NASA, GSGC has grown into a powerful source for STEM innovation and opportunity.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEach year, GSGC receives federal funding to support a wide range of programs, including fellowships and scholarships for college students, research initiatives, internships, hands-on STEM activities for K-12 students, professional development for educators, and workforce development programs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInitially, there were only four affiliate institutions: Clark Atlanta University, Georgia State University, Tuskegee University, and Kennesaw State University. Today, that number has grown to more than 21 affiliate institutions and an additional six partner organizations. Affiliates are elected to membership and actively advance the program\u2019s mission through the financial support of GSGC.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022There is a tremendous need for the nation\u2019s workforce to be innovative and highly skilled to support a wide range of business, defense, and critical societal needs. \u0026nbsp;In this, America is competing on a worldwide stage. Georgia has an aerospace industry of its own that needs a skilled workforce, and we\u2019re helping to fuel it,\u0022 said \u003Cstrong\u003EStephen Ruffin, \u003C\/strong\u003EGSGC director, professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering (AE), and an associate dean in the College of Lifetime Learning.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESetting the Foundation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESetting the Foundation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOver 35 years ago, AE Professor \u003Cstrong\u003EDavid Peters\u003C\/strong\u003E submitted a Space Grant proposal to NASA on behalf of Georgia. NASA accepted the proposal, setting the stage for incredible work to come. As he implemented and administered the program, Program Manager \u003Cstrong\u003EWanda Pierson\u003C\/strong\u003E, was by his side.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cInviting Apollo astronaut \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/duke_charles.pdf\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECharlie Duke\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E to our first GSGC gathering and to visit K-12 schools was one of the highlights of my career. He discussed his experience of being on the moon. Seeing the children\u2019s faces light up, I knew we were onto something important. \u0026nbsp;Another one of my fondest memories was the kiosk we had in Centennial Olympic Park for our Space to Sports exhibit during the 1996 Olympics. It was so amazing,\u201d said Pierson.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EExpanding the Vision \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EProfessor \u003Cstrong\u003EErian Armanios\u003C\/strong\u003E became GSGC director in 1991, driven by a passion for Ph.D. fellowships for nontraditional doctoral scholars because he saw a lack of representation. The program provided these scholars with graduate research assistantships, reduced tuition, and access to professional conferences and organizations. During Armanios\u2019 tenure, over 23 Ph.D. students from various backgrounds graduated with STEM degrees, made possible with GSGC support.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Education, research, and\u0026nbsp;progress in society are\u0026nbsp;never the product of\u0026nbsp;a single thread \u2014 they are woven from the collective talents\u0026nbsp;of many. At GSGC, we wanted to\u0026nbsp;ensure that every ounce of\u0026nbsp;talent\u0026nbsp;across Georgia had\u0026nbsp;the chance to shine and contribute\u0026nbsp;to\u0026nbsp;discovery,\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003Cstrong\u003E \u003C\/strong\u003EArmanios\u0026nbsp;said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGSGC developed a speaker series in which GSGC fellows presented to middle and high school students. One of the fellows included \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/mark-francis-costello\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMark Costello\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, an AE graduate student who later served as AE chair from 2018 to 2023.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGSGC Ph.D. students formed tight bonds, and the program provided a sanctuary during their studies because they could pop into the GSGC office anytime to study or for friendly conversation. Even though the students came from various schools at Georgia Tech, they found their way into Pierson\u2019s office.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cTo this day, I can probably track 25 of the graduate students easily and say what is going on with them,\u201d said Pierson.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOne such graduate is \u003Cstrong\u003ECalvin Mackie\u003C\/strong\u003E, ME 1990, M.S. ME 1992, Ph.D. ME 1996. Mackie spent countless hours studying in the GSGC offices, and he brought along his little brother, Anthony Mackie, who later rose to fame as an acclaimed actor. Calvin Mackie founded and now runs\u0026nbsp;STEM NOLA, a program providing STEM activities to students in New Orleans.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPurpose Driven\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2009, Ruffin took the GSGC helm and developed a strategic plan to unite the consortium under a clear vision and a strong mission statement.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Our mission is to maximize the number of Georgia students from all backgrounds who are well prepared in STEM fields and motivated to support space and aeronautics programs vital to this nation,\u0022 Ruffin said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gasgc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/2022-2023-Annual-Report-Final-1.pdf\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2022-2023\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, GSGC programs served 6,214 K-12 students, 1,043 K-12 educators, 439 undergraduate students, 70 graduate students, and awarded 57 fellowships, scholarships, and internships. In \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gasgc.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/2023-2024-Annual-Report-Final.pdf\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2023-2024\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E, GSGC programs served over 9,184 K-12 students, 4,848 K-12 educators, 2,012 undergraduates, 114 graduate students, and 12 post-doctoral students in Georgia. The consortium also awarded 179 fellowships, assistantships, scholarships, and internships across the state. It shows the reach the program is having throughout the state.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/lori-skillings\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELori Skillings\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E administers the program now and keeps it running like a well-oiled machine. She works closely with GSGC Program Coordinator \u003Cstrong\u003EAlysia Watson\u003C\/strong\u003E and AE Senior Lecturer and K-12 Outreach Lead\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/directory\/person\/kelly-griendling\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKelly Griendling\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u2019m grateful to be a part of a program that inspires students in Georgia to seek STEM degrees. Witnessing the growth of students is the most rewarding experience I\u2019ve ever had. I\u2019m like a proud mom,\u201d Skillings said. She especially enjoys when she hears about the successes of former students as they forge their career paths.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAround the State\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGSGC funds its affiliate institutions and partners across Georgia to carry out the program mission. Affiliate directors bring their ideas to the table to serve their communities in both rural and urban areas of the state. Orchestrating collaboration with affiliate institutions and partners has been crucial to the consortium\u0027s growth and longevity. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Working with GSGC has allowed me to open doors to fields students may never have explored before,\u201d said AE graduate student \u003Cstrong\u003EErik Goeke\u003C\/strong\u003E. In addition to mentoring students, Goeke accompanied the GSGC staff to Capitol Hill to promote the program while also working on \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ceismc.gatech.edu\/studentprograms\/nasa-ml-bots\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENASA\u2019s ML-Bots,\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E a Georgia Tech created program focused on machine learning missions.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAt Georgia Tech, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/about-ae-school\/ae-school-k-12-outreach\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESTEP Summer Camp\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E brings over 50 high school students to campus to learn engineering design and complete a NASA-inspired project in two weeks. The program started 10 years ago with 20 students and now has almost 60; this year, under Griendling\u2019s leadership, STEP received more than 500 applications. They bring space to life for Georgia high school students.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EAt Athens, University of Georgia graduate student \u003Cstrong\u003EMatthew Olson\u003C\/strong\u003E worked on a project to develop and test a compact thermal vacuum chamber, using thermoelectric coolers for CubeSat environmental testing. Meanwhile, at the Griffin campus, a program developed CyanoSense 2.0 \u2014 a satellite-connected sensor system designed to detect the location and size of harmful algal blooms using space-based communication. CyanoSense 2.0 has been deployed at six locations across the country.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EMercer University collaborated with the Warner Robins Air Force Base\u2013STARBASE program, the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts, and the Hines Family Foundation to create a summer camp for middle school kids that introduces students to climate science and agriculture.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli\u003EFarther south, Georgia Southern University hosts the Eagle Engineering Ambassadors program. There, students mentor local high school students and teachers each semester through various engineering projects like design prototyping using CAD, 3D printing, Arduino programming, and autonomous robots.\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI\u0027ve worked with GSGC since my first year, as an undergraduate student,\u201d said graduate student \u003Cstrong\u003EJalen Caluey,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EAE 2025, \u201cI\u2019ve done logistical and technical work in STEP. I\u2019ve mentored K-12 students, but I also learned more technical skills while doing so.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGSGC also offers \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gasgc.org\/wp\/for-everyone\/\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003Eactivities\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E for the public throughout the year, including presentations at the University of West Georgia\u2019s Planetarium, STEM Summer Camps at the Museum of Aviation next to Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins and solar system walks at Georgia Southern University and the University of North Georgia.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith aerospace being the state of Georgia\u0027s No. 1 export, the consortium helps to\u0026nbsp;cultivate Georgia\u2019s next generation of skilled STEM professionals. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ch4\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h4\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"NASA\u2019s Georgia Space Grant Consortium celebrates 35 years of service "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EEach year, GSGC receives federal funding to support a wide range of programs, including fellowships and scholarships for college students, research initiatives, internships, hands-on STEM activities for K-12 students, professional development for educators, and workforce development programs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Since 1989, Georgia Tech has successfully managed GSGC, a statewide network of higher education institutions, nonprofits, strategic industry allies, and partners who develop and administer STEM programs."}],"uid":"36345","created_gmt":"2025-09-24 17:06:44","changed_gmt":"2025-09-24 18:05:42","author":"gwaddell3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-09-24T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678130":{"id":"678130","type":"image","title":"GSGC-Timeline-Graphic.jpg","body":"\u003Cp\u003EThis is a timeline for the Georgia Space Grant Consortium team.\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1758736997","gmt_created":"2025-09-24 18:03:17","changed":"1758736997","gmt_changed":"2025-09-24 18:03:17","alt":"GSGC Timeline","file":{"fid":"262116","name":"GSGC-Timeline-Graphic.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/24\/GSGC-Timeline-Graphic_3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/09\/24\/GSGC-Timeline-Graphic_3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":125696,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/09\/24\/GSGC-Timeline-Graphic_3.jpg?itok=PObc77tr"}}},"media_ids":["678130"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2024\/07\/ae-step-camp-going-strong-after-10-years","title":"AE STEP Camp Going Strong After 10 Years"},{"url":"https:\/\/ae.gatech.edu\/news\/2023\/10\/georgia-tech-students-share-wonders-science-young-minds-space-day-atlanta","title":"Georgia Tech Students Share the Wonders of Science with Young Minds at Space Day Atlanta"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"136","name":"Aerospace"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1325","name":"aerospace"},{"id":"136451","name":"Georgia Space Grant Consortium"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMonique Waddell\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["monique.waddell@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}