NASA Astronaut and STEM Creator to Connect with Students for National STEM Day

According to NASA News Releases, students nationwide will have the chance to interact directly with the International Space Station during a live, interactive call featuring NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Mark Rober, who is the founder of the ClassCrunchLabs Foundation and a STEM content creator. This event, organized by NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, aims to bring real-world science, engineering, and exploration into classrooms across the country to celebrate National STEM Day.

The Earth-to-space call is scheduled to commence at 11 a.m. EST on Wednesday, November 4, and will be viewable on the agency’s main YouTube channel, with further engagement available through the Learn With NASA channels.

From the space station, Anil Menon will address student inquiries regarding life and work in microgravity, the process of becoming an astronaut, and the technologies enabling human spaceflight. Mark Rober, participating from California, plans to discuss how his career evolved from a NASA engineer to a STEM creator, shaped by curiosity, creativity, and hands-on problem-solving.

During the downlink, students will observe the space station in real time as Menon demonstrates how routine activities, such as eating and conducting experiments, are altered in a microgravity environment. This downlink supports NASA’s wider objective to connect students with authentic STEM experiences, thereby assisting in developing technical skills and introducing aerospace careers to students. National STEM Day is presented as an occasion to acknowledge the value of hands-on learning and to motivate the next generation of innovators, engineers, technicians, and scientists who will advance NASA’s exploration objectives.

This downlink also signifies the commencement of a new partnership between NASA and the ClassCrunchLabs Foundation. The two organizations intend to enhance access to STEM learning opportunities for students nationwide by integrating NASA’s educational resources, which are mission-driven, with CrunchLabs’ hands-on engineering content. Through shared outreach and programming, the partnership seeks to encourage more learners to engage with science, engineering, and problem-solving skills that prepare them for future roles in the aerospace industry and beyond.

Educators and families are encouraged to participate in celebrating National STEM Day by tuning in to an inspiring conversation between a NASA astronaut in orbit and a STEM educator on Earth.