Welcome To The Mavericks STEM Education Community

Understanding the Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) Education Challenge

The United States is facing a major crisis in terms of national security and global economic competitiveness, because we simply do not have enough qualified scientists, technologist, engineers, and mathematicians. As a result, our work force is falling further and further behind the world labor forces in readiness to apply skills in a technologically changing world. Our economic standing and prosperity that we have become accustom to is now at risk. Understanding importance of STEM education to our society is now more important than ever.

According to the National Science Foundation, scientific innovation has produced roughly half of all U.S. economic growth in the last 50 years. Standard & Poors recently reported that in 1970, the U.S. produced more than 50 percent of the world’s science and engineering doctorates. By 2010, the U.S. will produce less that 15%. U.S. students had an average score in mathematics, literacy, and problem-solving; higher than just five countries out of 30 OECD nations whose students participated. (From the Global Competitiveness Report 2006-2007. World Economic Forum, 2006). The national defense industry will retire over 65% of all of its scientific and engineering talent in the next 5-7 years, and there are not enough engineers and scientists with US citizenship to replace them. There is a call out to find a solution that re-engages our youth to pursue STEM disciplines as a career, and the Mavericks Civilian Space Foundation has created a STEM education initiative to answer this call.

Mavericks In The Classroom

Through our ‘Mavericks In The Classroom’ STEM education initiatives, we are completing the STEM education pipeline from primary schools to Universities. This focus on middle school and high school students is the critical link to driving the next generation into careers and post secondary education in STEM disciplines.

STEM education is a broad area of disciplines, funding focused on STEM education programs is limited, and there are lots of fragmented STEM education programs in specialized areas to support. There is a real need for a single initiative and activity that can provide broad exposure and experience, which is what we have focused upon and is a big part of why our programs are different than anything else available today. Check out our Explorers Program to find out more.

Connecting The STEM Education Pipeline

The Mavericks In The Classroom initiative facilitates and invests in the connection of a STEM education pipeline of students, from primary schools to post-secondary institutions. This is accomplished through creation of “anchor schools” in selected high schools geographically centered around NASA facilities.  Targeted STEM education programs are provided through this pipeline, by volunteer mentors from the community, who are certified and trained by the foundation staff in the first year of operation of each program. Once established and certified, the mentors continue the program flight mission, with foundation support, leveraging the initial investment over more and more students on a year-to-year basis.

Anchor Schools: STEM Education Hubs In A National Network

Anchor Schools make the commitment to continue to design, build and operate sub-orbital flight missions in conjunction with the foundation, but also agree to facilitate outreach to other high schools and middle schools in their community.  They assist them with establishing their own programs through shared resources and participation in the program established at the Anchor School by students and staff.

Join Us!!! Building The Worlds First Civilian Space Program

The Mavericks Civilian Space Foundation is currently focusing on establishing 28 anchor schools on the west coast of the United States over the next 3 years, built around NASA Centers. Sign-up TODAY and become a Maverick, create your own virtual philanthropy network using the MavNET, and support our efforts, programs and proposals.