The following was written by Beverly Berekian, a middle school science teacher and DoD STEM Ambassador. DoD STEM Ambassadors work with the Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC) to advance STEM outreach for students who are underrepresented in STEM or military connected. Berekian was selected by TGR Foundation, a DSEC partner, as its DoD STEM ambassador for the 2022-2023 school year.

How many times have you gone to a professional development (PD) workshop, had an amazing time, walked out feeling terrific, and then jumped right back into your hectic teacher life—where you placed the materials in a corner or file, fully intending to look at them “soon” or “next year,” only to find that they remain in the same location, likely never to be looked at again? I must admit that I have done this so many times! This cycle stopped after I learned about different types of PD that require a little more commitment and, in the long run, are more engaging for both me and my students.

I am in no way condemning countless amazing workshops offered each year through a myriad of conference opportunities. However, for this blog I’d like to highlight a different type of PD, one that lasts longer and provides layered opportunities for engagement by educators and students.

When I participated in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration/Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (NASA/SETI) Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors Program, I embarked on a year-long journey of learning and collaboration with amazing SETI trainers—education and industry folks who introduced us to a world where humans use ultraviolet light to view our universe in ways that are normally invisible to us on Earth. The first step was to complete an extensive application and ensure that my school district would support all that would be required of me during the coming year.

Upon acceptance, I attended a 40-hour online course in astronomy, as well as mandatory meetings to learn how to teach the curriculum and share the experience of NASA’s flying telescope. Known as SOFIA (for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy), the Boeing 747SP aircraft is modified to carry a large reflecting telescope. Our group gathered that summer for an in-person hands-on training session to learn how to use the tools that would inspire and engage our students, such as the really cool infrared camera attached to a cell phone. (Students loved it!) We then traveled to Palmdale, California, where we spent a week with Pamela Harman, director of education at SETI and our lead trainer. Coral Clark, education program manager at SETI, has worked with teachers and students for more than 25 years and shared this insight: “Connecting students to real-world phenomena, research, and professions can be challenging for teachers. The strongest teacher professional development programs not only help instructors make these connections, but also provide ongoing support. Effective support includes continued learning opportunities through a robust network of teachers and communities of practice, and through additional and relevant program experiences.”

I’ve also participated in another extended PD program, the Embedded Teacher Program in Microgravity through the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, led by Dr. Kevin Crosby at Carthage College. In this program, teachers work as researchers with their students and conduct their experiments onboard a zero-gravity plane. Students engage in real-world experiences and learn about the challenges of living and working in a microgravity environment. This program provides teachers with the fundamentals of microgravity and challenges them to work with their students to develop proposals for microgravity projects where students collect and analyze data. PD of this type truly has no end date because the program forges such strong relationships.

Finally, I would like to discuss the DoD STEM Ambassador Program. When the 2022-2023 program launched in the fall, it was clear right away that I was among some of the best of the best educators in the country. We have been presented with new opportunities for growth and PD each month, and are encouraged (and financially supported) to attend conferences and lead workshops. Networking with new peers and organizations is highly encouraged. It is clear that the DoD STEM Ambassador network will continue to grow even after each participant has completed their year-long commitment.

Longevity programs take work to develop, implement, and fund. However, the payback to all stakeholders well exceeds the cost of offering these programs to teachers interested in long-term PD.

I would like to mention one final comment about the NASA/SETI Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors Program. This program includes a specially designed airplane that was launched as a PD program for teachers. Sadly, Congress has discontinued funding. Program organizers are attempting to continue as a ground-based program using the infrared telescope at Mauna Kea in Hawai‘i; however, even this is in jeopardy. This makes me incredibly sad. We must continue to lobby Congress to support programs of this caliber. SOFIA is now grounded at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Arizona.