On Wednesday Alex presented a paper that he and  Val Caldwell wrote on the IPN’s activities around Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM), focused on space. The presentation was met with great interest and some discussion around our proposed programmes and the conference in South Africa. there are no photos of the presentation but I have attached one of Alex and Jamie Semple. Jamie worked at the Space Centre Houston and led a team of educators who provide hands on experiences to space school participants. He now works with NASA in the education team which runs a unique education programme flying teachers and students, with their experiments , in the zero G plane so that they can experience weightlessness and carry out experiments in this environment.

Alex and Jamie

Alex had a pretty packed schedule! He met Connie Spinner, the Dean of the Community College at the University of DC. They reminisced about previous joint involvement in the National Association of Partners in Education, NAPE, and the conferences they both attended here in Washington and in other cities, including Houston. The meeting was set up by Betsy Nelson as she is a long time colleague from the days of NAPE. Connie and her staff work with communities of DC and have extensive partnerships with business and others in the community. She is also developing a ” Charter School”. Connie is keen to re-engage with the IPN and will help us to extend our reach in America. She is also keen to come to South Africa and present on her activities here in DC. The IPN will definately keep in touch with Connie!

Alex and Connie

Ok, so some of us came home from Paris, but Alex was off to Washington DC, for the Global Space Exploration Conference and a series of meetings…. ! Its a hard life being the CEO of the IPN. Before delivering a paper at the education ‘Technical Session of the conference, Alex met up with a couple of old friends, Doug Cooke, who headed up NASA’s mars exploration programme and Rob Alexander who works with NASA at the Johnson Space Centre on ISS safety at mission control. Rob also runs an International Space School so there may be opportunities for some partnership working. He also has contacts in South Africa which he will pass on!!