Join the next generation of Space Entrepreneurs in launching the Spring 2023 Space Entrepreneurs Academy.

In this 90 minute virtual symposium you will learn from experts about the future of space-based technologies and businesses. You will hear from a panel of Space Station technologists and researchers about the future of the ISS and upcoming space stations in development. You will learn about the Space Entrepreneurs Academy and the Space Station Technology Badge from the Institute of Competition Sciences. And you will explore future space technologies to gain insight into exciting new space entrepreneurship opportunities. Finally, you will learn how you can help the next generation of space entrepreneurs get trained through the Space Entrepreneurs Academy courses and pitch their ideas for new space-based technologies, products, and businesses in the 2023 Space Entrepreneurs Academy Pitch Competition.

Symposium Guest Speakers

Event Agenda 3:00pm to 4:30pm Pacific Time, January 25th 

  • Welcome [Ms. Jordan Seward, Entrepreneurship Programs Coordinator, ICS]
  • Space Entrepreneurs Academy Introduction [Mr. Joshua Neubert, CEO, ICS]
  • ISS Space Station Technologies [Dr. Michael Roberts, Chief Scientist, ISS National Laboratory]
  • Space Stations Guest Panel [Mr. Mike Lewis, CIO, Nanoracks; MS. Rachel Clemens, Business Development Manager, Axiom Space; and Dr. Gene Boland, Director Talaris Therapeutics and ISS Researcher]
  • Why Space? The Future of the Commercial Space Industry [Mr. John Dankanich, Chief Technologist, NASA MSFC]
  • Closing [Mr. Joshua Neubert, CEO, Institute of Competition Sciences]

About the Space Entrepreneurs Academy

The Space Entrepreneurs Academy (SEA) helps train the next generation of great aerospace entrepreneurs and technologists. The SEA includes two main components for budding high school, college, and university space entrepreneurs:

Training Courses: the pilot Space Entrepreneurs Academy includes two online training courses designed to teach high school and college students the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and opportunities in the rapidly expanding commercial space industry. The curriculum from either course can be incorporated into classrooms, after-school programs, or completed on a student’s own time. The Space Entrepreneurship 101 course provides a broad overview of the commercial space industry and helps students learn the fundamentals of how new entrepreneurs and startup enterprises can get a foothold in the rapidly expanding commercial space industry! The Space Station Technology Badge course introduces students to details about the technologies needed to operate a space station, and guides students through learning how new technologies and entrepreneurial services or products could leverage and support future space station activities. Students can register for either of these courses at anytime throughout the year, but must be registered no later than March 31st, to participate in the 2023 Space Entrepreneurs Academy Pitch Competition.

Pitch Competition: the 2023 Space Entrepreneurs Pitch Competition introduces high school and college students to the world of startup enterprises and helps them experience what it is like to bring an entrepreneurial concept to life. Students throughout the world are eligible to submit their own space entrepreneurship concept to this competition in two categories: (1) Commercial Space, and (2) Space Station Technologies.

All participants in this Space Entrepreneurs Symposium event will receive a discount code to share with high school students and teachers to join either of the Space Entrepreneur Academy Training Courses at a 50% discount. You can visit these links to explore more about SEA Access Packs and the Space Station Technology Badge registration options. Professionals that wish to donate a registration fee for their participation in this event will sponsor a student enrollment into the SEA.

 

Join the Institute of Competition Sciences and leaders from four of the top Robotics Competition programs to learn insider tips and information about how to do well in these incredible programs. This webinar is valuable for students who want to improve their skills in robotics competitions, teachers who want to increase engagement in robotics competitions in their classrooms or afterschool programs, and parents who want to help their kids gain the most of out their participation in these programs. This event will help anyone wanting more information about how to get started and succeed in robotics competitions. In this hour-long program, participants will:

  • Be introduced to four organizations managing leading robotics competitions for K12 and college students.
  • Network with other students and educators excited about robotics education
  • Learn tips for enhancing common skills that are valuable across all robotics programs.
  • Learn from the Institute of Competition Sciences about foundational skills in using educational competitions to enhance learning.

Learning Objectives

From this free 75 minute event, you will learn about:

  • Effective funding/fundraising/grant/sponsors tips, especially for new teams
  • How to choose & maintaining effective communication channels between your coaches/team members/parents/advisors and others supporting the student teams
  • Best-practices for onboarding and engaging new team members of varied skill levels
  • Effective collaboration & team-dynamics skills
  • Where to find resources for teaching the various skills related to robotics competitions (coding, engineering design, etc.)
  • Next steps after competing, preparing for the next challenge
  • Basics to robotics judging/scorekeeping, tips for nailing the interview.
  • How to use robotics competitions for success in college and career opportunities

Register today to save your spot!

 

About the Speakers:

Mr. Joshua Neubert, CEO, Institute of Competition Sciences

Mr. Neubert is a regular public speaker and lecturer in entrepreneurship, innovation, and STEM education topics. In 2012, he founded the Institute of Competition Sciences to create an online community and support system for academic competitions. During his time as the Institute’s CEO he has been an NSF Principal Investigator, managed NASA technology competitions, led science policy workshops with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and helped award over $13,000,000 to students. His passions center on accelerating science, technology, and learning to make the world a more knowledgeable, exciting, and inspiring place. He trained as a Planetary Scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and continues to hold space exploration and education close to his heart.

 

Mr. Dan Mantz, Executive Director, Robotics Education and Competition Foundation

Dan Mantz is Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board for the Robotics Education and Competition (REC) Foundation. Dan has more than 25 years of engineering experience, solving complex problems in the software, electrical, and mechanical fields. The REC Foundation is one of the worlds leading science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) nonprofit organization whose mission is to spark student interest and involvement by engaging students through hands-on, affordable, and sustainable curriculum-based robotics and workforce development programs.

 

Ms. Lindsey Groark, Program Director, Robonation

Lindsey leads RoboNation’s program portfolio. She has extensive experience managing government and industry-funded STEM education research projects. Her experience spans program management, planning, and evaluation as well as community engagement and relationship building. She brings a passion for inclusive participation in education and her experience spans the nonprofit, academic, and industry sectors. Her work is influenced by graduate studies focused on community with an emphasis on youth engagement through participatory research models.

 

Dr. Christopher Cartwright, Director of Robofest, Lawrence Technological University

Chris Cartwright is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Lawrence Technological University (LTU), where he has taught since 2003. He has been actively involved in Robofest, LTU’s autonomous robotics competition, since 2010 and became the Director in 2021. He is interested in K-12 Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education and participated in a Michigan Department of Education grant EMATHS (Embracing Math Technology in High Schools). He is actively involved in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and engages in innovative pedagogy such as active and collaborative learning, problem based learning, entrepreneurial mindset learning, and course-based research experiences. He holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics and Computational Sciences from the University of Iowa.

 

Ms. Jill Zande, Executive Director, MATE Inspiration for Innovation

Jill Zande is the President/Executive Director of MATE Inspiration for Innovation, the Principal Investigator (PI) of two National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education program grants, and a Co-PI of the National Center for Autonomous Technologies. Highlights of her 24 years with MATE include working with the Marine Technology Society (MTS) ROV Committee to establish the global student MATE ROV Competition and coordinating the development of MATE’s Underwater Robotics: Science, Design & Fabrication textbook. Jill is an active member of MTS and currently serves as the chair of the MTS-Monterey section and the Education Track Chair for the Underwater Intervention Conference.

 

 

About the Programs:

RECF’s Drones and VEX Robotics Competitions

The Robotics Education & Competition (REC) Foundations mission is to increase student interest and involvement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by engaging students in hands-on, affordable, and sustainable robotics engineering programs. We see a future where all students design and innovate as part of a team, experience failure, persevere, and embrace STEM. These lifelong learners emerge confident in their ability to make the world a better place. Learn more – https://www.roboticseducation.org/

RoboNation’s RobotX, Robosub and Roboboat

RoboNation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit with the mission of providing a pathway of hands-on educational experiences that empower students to find innovative solutions to global challenges. Working together with industry, researchers, and educators, we have grown to include nine programs (seven of which include a competition element) and engage more than 250,000 students per year. Programs include SeaPerch, SeaGlide, GoSense, RoboBoat, RoboSub, RobotX, the Student Unmanned Aerial Systems competition, Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition, and International Aerial Robotics. Learn more – https://www.robonation.org

Lawrence Technological University’s Robofest

Robofest, hosted by Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI, is an international festival of competitions and events with autonomous robots. Students have fun while learning principles of STEM and Computer Science. Students design, construct, and program their robots using any robot kit and any programming language to act independently and compete for trophies in a variety of competitions. Since 1999, over 32,600 students have competed in the junior (grades 5-8), senior (grades 9-12), and college divisions including teams from 18 United States and 30 countries. Learn more – https://www.robofest.net/

MATE ROV Competition

MATE Inspiration for Innovation’s (MATE II) mission is to inspire and challenge students to learn and creatively apply STEM skills to solve real-world problems and strengthen their critical thinking, collaboration, entrepreneurship, and innovation.  MATE II administers the annual global MATE ROV (aka underwater robot) Competition, a workforce development platform that challenges students in grades K-16 to engineer ROVs to complete tasks based on the real world. The competition requires students to organize as start-up companies that also prepare technical reports, engineering presentations, and marketing displays that are delivered to STEM professionals, further solidifying the connection to the workplace. Learn more – https://www.materovcompetition.org

 

Join the Institute of Competition Sciences for a free webinar to learn about building competition-based learning (CBL) into STEM course curriculum.

Designed with K-12 educators and family members in mind, this free workshop will cover the following:

  • – What competition-based learning is and how it can benefit STEM curriculum
  • – How to adapt current efforts into a CBL model
  • – Resources to get started and learn more

Check your email for information after clicking the “Register” button.