Iowa Near Space Project Integrating Research and Education (INSPIRE) employs High Altitude Ballooning (HAB) to engage undergraduate students in a research project to advance Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) content knowledge among pre-service teachers. Through the use of hands-on high altitude balloon design, launch, and data analysis, undergraduate science, geography, and education students continue to conduct research and develop curricular materials to promote K-12 education.
The Process
First, pre-service teachers learn the basics of HAB, data instruments, and capsule building.
Then, students participate in an actual HAB launch. The capsules they create with data instruments are sent into the atmosphere to take photographs of the earth's surface and take atmospheric readings.
At the end of the year, students travel to Wallops Island, VA to experience NASA's HAB program and visit their research facilities.
Check out more photos from INSPIRE below!
INSPIRE at NCGE- Denver, 2013
High-Altitude Ballooning & the Properties/Functions of Water
INSPIRE at NCSS- St. Louis, 2013
High-Altitude Ballooning, Populations: Movement, Growth, & Decline
Looking Over Lukeville: Migration and the Border Fence
The Economic Lanscape of Cedar Falls, Iowa: A Case Study
INSPIRE at NCSS- Boston, 2014
Using Geographic Tools to Investigate Water Environments
Using Geographic Tools to View Environmental Changes
Using the Potential of Geographic Tools to Find a Solution
