Explore Stem Plan Book

2. 1

3. Table of Contents
Executive Summary .......................................................... 04
Situation Analysis ............................................................. 07
Budget Summary .............................................................. 10
Secondary Research ......................................................... 12
Primary Research .............................................................. 23
Key Findings ....................................................................... 31
Target Audiences .............................................................. 35
SWOT Analysis ................................................................... 38
Strategic Messages .......................................................... 43
Planning Section .............................................................. 54
Executions .......................................................................... 64
Sources ................................................................................ 112
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4. Executive
Summary

5. Executive Summary
The Coalition for Space Exploration is an alliance of space industry leaders and advocacy
groups that consists of a board of 20 space experts. It supports the agenda of human and
robotic space exploration by NASA. It also supports America’s space industry that drives
new technology to progress daily life. The Coalition believes educators need to motivate
their students by using classroom tested lesson plans, projects and other resources. This
prepares students to be part of an important workforce, one that assures the future of space
advancements and helps the United States to remain a leader in technological innovation.
We conducted research using a variety of methods including: pooled class research, a
SurveyMonkey online survey, a focus group, and observation at the University of Kansas
Engineering Expo, Great Plains Region Future City Competition and the Douglas County
Science Fair. Our secondary research included STEM and space-related articles and Web
sites. After analyzing the results of our research, we found that though the majority of people
support space exploration, they lack an interest in STEM-related careers. Though we also
observed that many kids are interested in math and science, there is a stereotype about these
subjects being “uncool.” This stereotype ultimately affects students’ interests, hobbies and
careers.
Although the Coalition is a strong force in space advocacy, it faces challenges in today’s
modern society. The first key challenge is that other career paths are viewed as more appealing
to America’s youth than STEM-related careers. Our research shows that overall, Americans
support space exploration. However, the second challenge the Coalition faces is that the
majority of American people do not turn their support into action.
Our plan’s main goals for supporting the mission of the Coalition are:
1. To create awareness and to inspire young people to pursue STEM-related careers.
2. To encourage public involvement for an ongoing program of space exploration.
To achieve our first goal, our group proposes to distribute information packets about the
Coalition and its purpose to a National Education Association affiliate in each of the 50 states.
The packets would include a letter describing the contents of the packet, a fact sheet about
the Coalition and its goals, and a backgrounder about the Coalition. It would also include a
brochure detailing the proposed Speaker’s Bureau. The goal of this packet is to encourage
educators and parents to include more STEM education in and out of classroom.
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6. Exectutive Summary
To support our second goal, we propose using the Internet to make space appear “cooler.” We
propose a YouTube channel and a new Web site entitled www.spaceiscool.com. We suggest
that the Coalition sponsor a carnival in conjunction with Moon Day. Boys and Girls Clubs in
four major cities — Houston, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles — would receive informa-
tion packets with a news release, flier and a sign-in sheet.
The budget allotment is $100,000. The total amount is $103,279.50
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7. Situation
analysis

8. Situation Analysis
Client:
The Coalition for Space Exploration is an alliance of space industry leaders and advocacy
groups. It supports the agenda of human and robotic space exploration by NASA and
America’s space industry that drives new technology to progress daily life. According to its
Web site, the mission of the Coalition for Space Exploration is “to promote the importance
of space exploration to the national agenda via cost-effective, high-yield public outreach
activities that include both traditional and new media to help secure political support and
budget resources for NASA and space exploration.”
Challenges:
As the youth of America grow older, the allure of space diminishes. A lack of interest in math
and science among middle school students is the biggest challenge facing the Coalition. In
the eyes of 10- to 14-year-olds, math and science seem “uncool” and “nerdy.” This could be a
result from growing up in a commercial society where Americans mainly focus on appearance
and status. Some people believe that for space to gain popularity, the nation needs a fresh
idea of an “american hero.” Steve Hawley, a former astronaut, reasoned that astronauts in the
past have been private which is why they are not typically viewed as heroic figures. Instead,
Americans tend to idolize famous celebrities or athletes. According to a survey conducted by
the nonpartisan research organization Public Agenda, “more than 40 percent of students said
they would be quite unhappy if they ended up in a career with a math or science focus.” The
Coalition for Space Exploration seeks to find solutions to increase student interest and desire
to pursue science, technology, engineering and math careers.
Along with a lack of interest, America is losing its international status as a leader in the space
industry. According to Gwen Griffin, the managing director of the Coalition’s integrated
marketing agency, Griffin Communications Group, “international students are taking their
skills and knowledge from America back to their own countries.” Coalition members worry
that other countries are rapidly advancing their space programs while NASA remains static.
The last major challenge that the Coalition for Space Exploration currently faces is the
question of “who cares about space?” Many American taxpayers are unhappy giving their
money to space exploration because of its intangible results. People would rather spend
their money on more immediate issues that have quick and visible results. Miles O’ Brien,
a former CNN broadcast journalist specializing in space, emphasizes that America needs
encouragement or a motive to care about space. He explained that because we have already
been to the moon, many people see no point of returning. O’Brien believes Americans
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9. Situation Analysis
have lost sight of a “new frontier.” The Coalition for Space Exploration views these three
challenges as obstacles it needs to overcome. Without conquering these challenges, the future
of American space exploration is bleak.
Environment:
Despite these challenges, the Coalition for Space Exploration is working in an environment
that offers an opportunity for it to expand its programs and discover new ways space can
benefit the United States. Although NASA has experienced severe budget cuts and is retiring
the space shuttle fleet, it hopes to “revitalize and realign” itself to “function as an efficient
21st century research and development agency” (President Obama’s 2011 National Budget
Plan). Because of the impact of the economic recession, President Obama says there is no
point investing in something that isn’t going to take us anywhere. According to O’Brien, the
cancellation of the Constellation Moon Landing program will not hurt NASA, but rather,
allow it to allocate money to more useful programs. The Coalition can promote the benefits of
NASA’s new budget to America and help gain support for the “revitalization” of NASA.
Last November, President Obama launched a national campaign that has a significant
impact on the Coalition’s functioning environment. The purpose of the campaign, “Educate
to Innovate,” is to “improve the participation and performance of America’s students in
science, technology, engineering and mathematics.” This campaign provides incentive for
the Coalition’s efforts to promote the importance of space. The education of America’s youth
determines the future of space exploration. An increase of interest in STEM education could
result in a future with a plethora of intelligent aerospace engineers.
Why Action is Necessary:
Considering the challenges the Coalition for Space Exploration faces and the opportunities
its current operating environment offers, there is a need for the Coalition to take action now.
There is no better time than now to promote space exploration and increase STEM education
in America’s schools. As previously mentioned, middle and high school students are rapidly
losing interest in math and science. Together, “Educate to Innovate” and the Coalition have
the ability to capture their attention. It is essential now, more than ever, that the Coalition
promotes the importance of space exploration through traditional and new media.
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10. Budget
Summary

11. Budget Summary
The Coalition for Space Exploration Campaign
Budget
Coalition Speaker’s Bureau - free
Informational packet for education policy makers and educators - $71.50
Grant program for field trips - $5,568
Rocket-building kits - free
Moon Day carnival - $9,100
Triangle members to speak to high schools - $2,160
Scholarship for high school senior - $5,000
Print ad - $21,680
Billboard - $28,000
Online newsletter - free
“Space Days” radio program on NPR - $675
Radio PSA - free
Sonic “Mission to Space Camp” contest - $22,025
Web site - www.spaceiscool.com - $9,000
YouTube channel - free
TOTAL: $103,279.50
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12. Secondary
Research

13. Secondary Research
Our group’s secondary research findings are separated into the following seven categories: the
Coalition for Space Exploration, NASA, STEM education, President Obama’s 2011 Budget,
President Obama’s “Educate to Innovate” campaign, middle school, high school and college
students and parents. We were able to find multiple articles and Web sites that provided vital
information about our client and NASA, the current status of space exploration in America
and student’s views of STEM education.
I. Client
A.) The Coalition for Space Exploration
The Coalition for Space Exploration is an alliance of space industry leaders and
advocacy groups. It supports the agenda of human and robotic space exploration by NASA
and America’s space industry that drives new technology to progress daily life.
The mission of the Coalition is “to promote the importance of space exploration to
the national agenda via cost-effective, high-yield public outreach activities that include both
traditional and new media to help secure political support and budget resources for NASA and
space exploration.”
The coalition continues to recruit members for its campaign. Membership is open to
any U.S. based company or organization that supports the exploration of space and is willing
to commit funding or other resources toward increasing the support for space exploration.
Research conducted in space provides vital information for the U.S. and the future
generations. According to the Web site, space is important because of the scientific and
technological skills of the program that helps America better understand the Earth, universe
and people. Space exploration helps aerospace technology and other fields. Helping increase
food safety and improve medical treatments are among its benefits.
The Coalition believes educators need to motivate their students by using classroom
tested lesson plans, projects and other resources. This prepares the students to be part of an
important workforce, one that assures the future of the space advancements and helps the U.S.
to stay the leader in technological innovation.
More than 1,500 products have been developed because of space technology. The
following page presents a table of some of the developments and other factors that coincide to
space exploration.
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14. Secondary Research
B.) Table of Coalition for Space Exploration Research
Products Developed because of Three Ways Space Exploration Other Relevant Facts
Space Technology Drives New Technology and
Boosts Venture Capital
Fire-resistance material Medically – digital hearing aids, Space exploration helps people
miniature hear pumps, cancer understand the history and make-
detection devices, common up of our planet and how to
smoke detectors, fire-resistance manage the planet (climate and
aircraft sears, safety grooving resources)
on roads, Lasik eye surgery and
humanitarian devices
Weather-forecasting tools The Economy- fifteen firms that The environment affects human
received an initial $64 million physiology
in NASA life science research
and added $200 million of their
own money created a $1.5 billion
return on investment in the form
of sold commercial goods and
services during 25 years
Medical devices (insulin pumps The Environment – learned how Guides how to live, work and
and De Bakery heart pumps) to best preserve and protect it thrive in hostile environments
due to improved software and
images from the space program.
Space technology is responsible
for rainwater purification systems
for developing countries and
numerous environmentally
friendly products
Food safety Leadership in the U.S. and
technological superiority
(knowledge and discovery)
especially for China who military
aspirations on the moon
Rainwater purification system in NASA’s annual budget is less
developing countries than 1 percent of the total annual
federal budget or about 15 cents
per day for the average citizen
Satellite Radio The business has created countless
industries, jobs and money for the
economy (return on America’s
investment)
Digital and satellite television Investment in space improves
our economy, fuels our
commercial space industry
promotes leadership in the global
community of nations, all of
direct advantage and payback
to taxpayers as a result of our
spending to explore the frontiers
of space
Cell phone technology
Cordless tools and GPS (in cars,
boats and family farms)
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15. Secondary Research
II. NASA
A.) Public Opinion About Space Exploration – America Rates NASA’s Performance
This article cites Gallup as its source and says that national public opinion of NASA
has been mostly positive over the years. There have been peaks and valleys, but overall
Americans support the space program. Seventy five percent of Americans say the losses of
the Columbia and Challenger were regrettable, but that the fatal tragedies of human lives is an
expected price to pay to advance the nation’s space program.
However, a 2005 CBS news poll discovered that only 59 percent of respondents
thought that the space shuttle program was worth continuing, down from 72 percent in 2003.
B.) Majority of Americans Say Space Program Costs Justified
The Gallup Poll has rated the value of the space program over time, and the consensus
has been generally positive. People who are at least 50 years old are less likely to say the cost
of the space program is justified. Only 54 percent of those who are at least 50 years old think
the costs are justified, while 63 percent of 18- to 49-year-olds think the costs are justified.
While Americans broadly accept the space program, the numbers are lower than they
have been in the past. The high point of support was in 1998 when John Glenn made a return
trip to space, and the low point was in September 1993 because of poor economic conditions.
III. STEM Education
A.) The White House Blog
Two young women, Li Boyton and Gabriella Farfan, are committed to studying STEM
education. Boyton’s passion for math and science began in fifth grade when she designed a
solar-distillation device after reading Life of Pi. She won the Intel International Science and
Engineering Fair for her potentially groundbreaking method of testing drinking water. Farfan
also won for her research that describes why gemstones appear to change colors at certain
angles. They were invited to Obama’s State of the Union Address.
B.) STEM Education
This article addresses the question of how science got left behind. One possible reason
is President Bush’s education-reform initiative, No Child Left Behind (NCLB). In its initial
years, NCLB required that students be tested only in reading and math, causing a switch in
teaching focus.
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16. Secondary Research
A shocking statistic is that 28 percent of teachers who teach at least one science class in the
seventh to 12th grades do not have a major in science. The teachers are recruited to teach
subjects they are not specialized in because of the shortage of science teachers. One proposed
action is to give the science teachers more money.
IV. Obama’s Budget
A.) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): President Obama’s
2011 Budget
President Obama’s 2011 budget for NASA adds $6 billion to the program’s budget for
the next five years. By embracing the commercial space industry, it hopes to create thousands
of new jobs. It also canceled NASA’s Constellation program and wants to develop “more
capable and innovative technologies for future space exploration.” The budget “extends
the International Space Station and enhances its utilization, bringing nations together in a
common pursuit of knowledge and excellence in space.”
The budget also focuses on enhancing the nation’s global climate change research and
monitoring system, providing a robust program of robotic solar system exploration and new
astronomical observatories, and revitalizing and realigning NASA to put in place the right
workforce and facilities to function as an efficient 21st century research and development
agency. The President’s budget aims to allow NASA to fulfill its mission: “to improve the
knowledge of the Earth, explore space with humans and robots, advance strong partnerships
with other nations, and educate and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.”
The budget will lay the foundation for a bold new course for human flight, develop and deploy
technologies to reduce future space mission costs, expand opportunities and strengthen the
American economy. It also supports extension and enhanced utilization of the Space Station
and promising commercial space transportation. Finally, the budget increases support for
green aviation and a more efficient air transportation system.
B.) National Science Foundation (NSF): President Obama’s 2011 Budget
The president’s budget for the National Science Foundation provides $7.4 billion as
part of his plan for science and innovation. It drives the creation of the industries and jobs of
the future by doubling funding for multidisciplinary research targeted at next-generation
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17. Secondary Research
information and biological technologies. The budget provides $19 million for graduate and
undergraduate fellowships and scholarships to inspire tens of thousands of American students
to pursue careers in science, engineering, and entrepreneurship related to clean energy.
The budget creates a $766 million, cross-agency sustainability research effort focused on
renewable energy technologies and complex environmental and climate-system processes. It
also increases funding by 14 percent for a new consolidated program aimed at building the
science and technology workforce by recruiting and retaining undergraduates from under-
represented groups. It will also broaden reach and increase funding to promote the study of
science and technology.
V. Educate to Innovate
A.) President Obama Expands ‘Educate to Innovate”’Campaign for Excellence in
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education
The “Educate to Innovate” campaign strives to lift the American people to be at
the forefront of the math and science fields during the next decade. Major companies,
universities, foundations, nonprofit organizations and government agencies will join the
campaign to inspire students to excel in STEM subjects. The lack of STEM field teachers has
created a shortage of up to one million teachers. These partnerships will be challenged to find
innovative new ways to recruit, train, and reward all teachers for STEM field education over
the next five years.
B.) Making Science Cool: ‘Educate to Innovate’
“Educate to Innovate” aims at making math and science “cool.” More than $4 billion
in federal grants will be allotted to those who can innovate STEM education. Many after-
school programs related to math and science are underfunded and can only do so much.
Teachers are not going to believe this campaign until they see it.
The White House continues to be a platform for increasing STEM education through
hosting events for student success. The White House hosted an Astronomy Night that centered
on young students who made astronomical discoveries and plans on hosting many events in
the future. STEM events can inspire students at an early level to pursue a career in science,
math and engineering.
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18. Secondary Research
C.) President Obama Highlights Michigan Education Program to Improve
Preparation of Math and Science Teachers
President Obama has recognized W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Woodrow Wilson
Michigan Teaching Fellowship as one of the new partners of the “Educate to Innovate”
campaign. He also has announced that six universities — University of Michigan, Michigan
State University, Eastern Michigan University, Western Michigan University, Grand Valley
State University, and Wayne State University — have been selected to participate in the
Fellowship program.
Highly qualified and exemplary teachers with master’s degrees will be placed in hard-
to-staff middle and high schools. Through this program, 90,000 students will receive high-
quality instruction in critical subject areas of STEM.
VI. Middle School, High School, and College Student Research Findings:
A.) NASA – Envisioning Future Flight
Every year NASA provides students with an opportunity to compete in a competition
that challenges their ability to research a particular aeronautics world issue, recognize the
problem and develop a sufficient solution. This competition also opens the door for students
to receive internships and future jobs with NASA. This program targets high school students
who described the competition as a rewarding and exciting opportunity.
There are many other programs and opportunities for high school and college students,
however, there are not as many opportunities for younger kids.
B.) Iowa State University Science Bound
According to their Web site, Iowa State’s Science Bound program was created to
“increase the number of ethnically diverse students who pursue ASTEM (agriculture, science,
technology, engineering, mathematics) degrees.” This pre-college program invites students to
participate at the end of their seventh grade year. The preparatory program begins in the eighth
grade and involves students attending monthly meetings with SB teachers and visits to Iowa
State. The high school program meets weekly.
The Science Bound program benefits students by providing them with a full-
tuition scholarship if they successfully complete the high school program, meet admission
requirements to ISU and pursue a technical degree. Research has proven that students in the
SB program show more positive attitudes toward science and score higher on academic tests.
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19. Secondary Research
SB has offered scholarships to more than 200 program graduates. The site offers many links
for current SB participants and anyone in the Des Moines, Dension and Marshalltown, Iowa
areas that might be interested.
C.) Purdue University Science Bound Program
Purdue University’s Web site describes their Science Bound program as an “exciting
program” created by the University, Indianapolis Public Schools and the Indianapolis business
community. SB mentors eighth- through 12th-graders in Indianapolis and encourages them to
enroll in classes and pursue careers in STEM education fields. If a student completes the five-
year SB program, gains acceptance to Purdue University and pursues an SB approved field,
they will receive a full-tuition scholarship.
This program was modeled after the Science Bound program at Iowa State University.
The program also offers summer camps and workshops such as, Summer Biology Experience,
Vet Camp and Math Intensive Workshop. SB students get to participate in an industrial or
academic internship during the summer before their senior year of high school.
D.) Engineering by the Numbers
Michael T. Gibbons, the director of data research for the American Society for
Engineering Education, wrote this article to illustrate and describe the statistics of students
receiving engineering bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 2008.
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20. Secondary Research
The article includes many important facts pertaining to engineering students, including:
Engineering bachelor’s degrees earned from 2007 reaching 74,170 — a 1.2 percent gain.
68,206 engineering bachelor’s degrees were awarded — highest total since 1988.
Enrollment grew by 4.5 percent--403,191 full-time undergraduates.
Master’s degrees awarded in engineering grew by 5.4 percent.
Enrollment in the engineering master’s program was 93,000.
The article summarizes the changes in engineering enrollment and number of graduates in
relation to gender, ethnicity and popularity of the different engineering fields.
E.) In Pursuit of a Diverse Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Workforce:
There is currently a nationwide problem of educational policies limiting science
resources for K-12 schools. The American Association for Advancement of Science found
through research the key contributing factors that influence high school students who chose to
pursue STEM-related majors and careers. These factors include teacher effectiveness, the high
school resources, parental income/education/wealth, out of school opportunities, the number
of advanced math/science classes taken, quality of school curriculum, the students test scores,
class rank and grade point average.
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21. Secondary Research
F.) Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) Test Results
Beginning in 2000, the PISA test has been administered by the Program for
International Student Assessment to 15-year-olds in each country to assess their knowledge
of math and science. The test is given every three years. In 2006, approximately 400,000
students, including 5,600 in the U.S., took the test. The average science score of U.S. students
ranked 17th out of 30 countries tested. Finland ranked in the top scores while Mexico was
at the bottom. Tenth graders in the U.S. received an average science score of 489 on a
1,000-point scale. These results were 11 points below the average of the other countries.
Canada, Japan and Korea were among the countries that outperformed the U.S. The results
of the U.S. were similar to those in eight countries and exceeded those from five others.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the 2007 U.S. ranking in the Trends
and International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS) was the same as its 2003 ranking.
The article states a strong need of government funding to aid the lack of qualified
math, science and computer science teachers in the U.S. In India, computer science
education begins in kindergarten, but the U.S. doesn’t begin teaching it until the end of
high school. There are alternative schools that put emphasis on math, science and computer
science, but their availability is too limited to assist the students who struggle in those
subject areas.
VII. Parents
A.) Math and Science Magnet Schools: Are They Right for Your Kids?
The author addresses public schools called National Consortium for Specialized
Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology. These schools offer specialty
math, science and computer science classes, and are sought out by its students. A benefit
of these specialty schools is the opportunity to hire teachers that are experts in their fields.
Because these schools are rare, high admission standards are created from large enrollment.
Not only is there a lack of opportunity, but also the issue translates into low test
scores in math and science in the U.S. The rank of the U.S. consistently drops as compared
to other countries.
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22. Secondary Research
B.) Survey: Parents and Students Satisfied with Current Math/Science Education
According to the 2006 survey from the nonpartisan research organization Public
Agenda, parent concern for STEM education has declined since the mid 1990s. Neither
parents nor high school students share worries that math and science skills are a threat to both
students’ and the nation’s future. Forty percent of students said they did not want a math or
science career. When asked to rank the problems of their own skills, math and science were
ranked as not a problem. Between minority and white students, there were major differences.
Fifty-three percent of minority students and 48 percent of white students thought that math
and science were essential for real world success. Thirty-one percent of minority students,
compared with 20 percent of white students, said that not being taught math and science was a
“serious problem” in their own school.
C.) Survey Shows Parents Would Rather Talk Drugs Than Science or Math
According to the Intel survey, 53 percent of parents of teens admit they have trouble
helping their children with math and science homework. Twenty-three percent of parents say
that their lack of knowledge in math and science is a key barrier to the lack of involvement
in their child’s math and science education. Twenty-six percent of parents who are less
involved wished there was an easier way to refresh their knowledge of math and science to
help their children. According to the survey, parents prefer talking to their children about
drugs and alcohol rather than math and science because it is a vague subject. Likewise, they
would rather discuss subjects critical to their survival, not to their success. The generation gap
between the parent and child can cause parents to ignore STEM education. “Math and science
have not changed, but the amount of knowledge and understanding has.”
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23. Primary
Research

24. Primary Research
We conducted research using a variety of tactics including: pooled research, a SurveyMonkey
online survey, a focus group, and observation at the University of Kansas Engineering Expo,
Great Plains Region Future City Competition and the Douglas County Science Fair. The
ethnographic research we conducted at the Expo, competition and science fair provided us
with insight into different ages of students’ perspectives about STEM-related subjects and
careers. The surveys and focus group revealed the strong influence parents and educators have
on students’ interests. Surprisingly, the students who participated in our focus group seemed to
have little to no knowledge of President Obama’s “Educate to Innovate” campaign, but shared
strong views during the discussion of his NASA budget plan.
I. Statement of Methodology
A.) Pooled Research - Space Camp Survey
This survey was conducted March 3-13, 2010, under the auspices of the Kansas
Cosmosphere and Space Center. Students enrolled in JOUR 676 Strategic Communication
Campaigns at the University of Kansas generated questions for the survey on behalf of its
class client, the Coalition for Space Exploration. KCSC e-mailed a link to an online survey
to 1,242 former Space Camp participants. Two hundred seventy-nine e-mail accounts were
invalid and 411 of e-mails were opened. Twenty-eight students and one professor from JOUR
676 were also invited to participate. The survey response rate was just over 10 percent.
Overall Results:
Our group found a lot of useful information when analyzing the results of the Space
Camp survey. We were most surprised to find that the majority of respondents said their
interest in school is influenced by their parents rather than their friends. It seems that most
students in high school are usually concerned with fitting in with their friends and rebelling
against their parents. This made our group hopeful that kids are beginning to study subjects
that interest them, regardless of what their adolescent peers think. This insight is also
supported by the overwhelming 92 percent of participants that said they liked science. In our
class interviews with Miles O’Brien and Steve Hawley, we discussed the growing lack of
interest in space exploration among today’s youth. Ninety-six percent of the participants said
they admired astronauts, proving that there are still people who respect and are interested in
space exploration.
After analyzing the results of the survey questions pertaining to social media usage, it
is clear that Facebook is the most popular form of media among the survey participants. This
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25. Primary Research
survey result did not surprise our group because Facebook is constantly gaining popularity and
adding more applications. The most significant finding is the vast differences in blog usage
between women and men. Only 0.8 percent of men said they use blogs, versus 23.4 percent
of women. This could mean that young women are more concerned with staying in touch
with their emotions and are more likely to post their opinions online. The survey also showed
that Twitter was more popular among women. These two results led our group to believe that
girls are more social than males and enjoy keeping up with not only their own social lives, but
others as well. These findings could be very helpful for the future when we are determining
what types of tactics to use to reach our target audiences.
The results of the TV viewership portion of the survey revealed very interesting
information. The Discovery Channel was rated number one among survey participants for
being viewed regularly and occasionally. This shows that the participants show an interest
in the facts and the realities of science. In contrast, the “SyFy” channel was rated the lowest
regularly watched channel among participants. Though the kids show an interest in science, it
appears that they would rather watch shows that reflect natural, realistic science than fantasy
programs.
The participant’s strong interest in facts is also supported by the high percentage of
interest in the History Channel. While the results displayed a strong interest in nonfiction
programs, ABC, CBS, and FOX also received high ratings. This could mean that while the
participants may spend more time watching informational programs in their leisure time, they
enjoy watching entertaining sitcoms. They could also consider ABC, CBS and FOX as their
main source of news, which also reflects their interest in facts.
The majority of the students surveyed have parents who are interested in science, math
and space. However, more than 92 percent of kids surveyed were also interested in science,
math and space, while their parents show no interest in the subjects. Again, this information
provides our group with optimism that kids are beginning to pursue their interests, regardless
of what others think.
B.) Math, Science and Engineering Students Survey
Our group contacted the department of aerospace engineering at the University of
Kansas. Amy Borton, an administrative assistant in the department, sent a link to our online
survey to 140 undergraduate and 40 graduate students. Our group also sent the survey to
friends majoring in math, science or engineering and posted it on Facebook.
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26. Primary Research
Overall Results:
We found that 65.5 percent of students chose their major before college and 54.5
percent became interested in high school.
When did you chose your major?
40
30
20
10
Before College Freshman Year Sophomore Year Junior Year Senior Year
Approximately 43 percent of the participants became interested in their major through hobbies
and 40 percent became interested through their education. We were surprised the highest
level of interest in their major was during high school because we expected students would be
influenced by their peers, but only 9.1 percent said they became interested through friends and
peers.. Approximately 82 percent favor the problem solving aspect of their major, 67.3 percent
favor future career opportunities and 63.5 percent favor the challenging aspect.
What is your favorite part of your major?
40
30
20
10
Problem-Solving Future Career Challenging Financial Stability Experiments Logic Computer Numbers Formulas
Opportunities after College Technology
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27. Primary Research
Almost three-fourths of the participants are involved in KU clubs and organizations,
but more than half are not involved outside of KU. Five of the 19 women surveyed are
involved in the Society of Women Engineers. We feel it is important for women to form
their own community within the engineering department because women represent such a
small percentage in the department. Nine students are involved in the American Institute of
Aeronautics & Astronautics and seven are involved in honors society programs. Almost all
are involved in more than one outside activity which was a surprise to our group because of
the students’ heavy academic workload. Their activities range from rock climbing to National
Society of Collegiate Scholars.
With more than three-fourths of the participants interested in a STEM career, 63.6
percent of those are very interested in a career in the aerospace industry, however, the high
number of aerospace engineering students who completed the survey biases this percentage.
More than half said they strongly agree that space exploration is worth spending money on.
The students surveyed were born between 1983 and 1991, and two-thirds are male.
C.) Engineering Focus Group
We conducted a focus group consisting of five science and engineering students at the
University of Kansas. The majors of the group participants were cellular biology, electrical
engineering, bio-mechanical engineering, a double major in mechanical engineering and
business administration, and aerospace engineering. We began the discussion by asking what
they liked or disliked about their majors. Overall, the answers were positive. The participants
agreed that their majors were interesting. The students mentioned that their majors are fun,
they do “cool” projects, apply concepts to their daily life, enjoy taking things apart and putting
them back together, and had a natural curiosity from a young age.
Overall Results:
When asked about STEM education and Obama’s “Educate to Innovate” campaign,
none of the participants knew about either. However, they were very interested in learning
more about the subjects.. After explaining to the group a little about each concept, one
participant discussed the lack of science and math teachers at the college level. Another
participant discussed his dissatisfaction with his educational experience and explained how
he had to seek out external sources on his own. The discussion took an interesting turn when
another participant explained his opinion about why there is a shortage of engineers.
26

28. Primary Research
Our group’s speculation about the lack of media portrayal surrounding engineers
was confirmed when a student mentioned that engineers are not portrayed as glamorously
as other professions, such as doctors. This was an interesting conversation because all of the
participants agreed with this thought. Another idea mentioned by three different participants
was if more people knew what engineers accomplish, then the negative stereotypes could
possibly change.
This particular thought sparked a more in-depth discussion on the different stereotypes
of engineers. Our group thought women were discriminated against the in the engineering
profession. Although, the females agreed that they did not receive the same amount of respect
as their male peers, the male’s opinions were surprising. The males believed that females,
particularly non-white, had an advantage because there are so few of them in the field. One
white male participant explained how a nonwhite female is more likely to get a scholarship
when competing against a white male. This participant also said that if scholarships were
awarded based solely on quality of work and GPA rather than race or gender, more people
would choose engineering because of the available funding. However, each participant agreed
that peers and the general public viewed their major as “nerdy” or “uncool.”
Finally, the group discussed NASA and space exploration. Overall, the participants
described NASA as an “overall good program.” An interesting concept that three participants
mentioned was that exploration was part of human nature. Before the focus group, our group
thought that most college students would think exploration was important because of the
competitive aspect. We thought students would want America to be seen as a leader among
other countries in space exploration. Our focus group findings suggested the opposite. The
participants agreed that exploration was a part of human nature and without exploration there
would be few technological advancements. They felt that exploration itself was important, no
matter who was the leader in the industry.
D.) Engineering Expo Ethnographic Research and Interviews
Our group attended the University of Kansas Engineering Expo on Feb. 12. The event
aims to stimulate interest and provide information about engineering for elementary, middle
and high school students. While attending the Expo we conducted ethnographic research by
observing the environment and documenting it with a camera and a video camera. In addition,
we interviewed a graduate student and an undergraduate student majoring in aerospace
engineering and a fourth-grade teacher.
27

29. Primary Research
Overall Results:
We observed and documented student interactions as they explored rooms with space
exhibits. The younger students were interested in driving a flight simulator in front of a screen
displaying digital space, making paper and bottle rockets and playing a space exploration
video game. The older students were more absorbed in playing with their cell phones, iPods
and talking with their friends. The excitement of the younger students made it evident that
high-tech visual aids sparked their attention and interest, while the older students disregarded
the visual aids and avoided fully participating in the Expo.
Though the ethnographic research was helpful, interviews provided another essential
component to our information gathering. The interviews gave our group insight into the
importance of STEM education and careers, and concerns regarding space exploration for the
future. The graduate and undergraduate aerospace engineering students discussed their reasons
for pursuing an engineering degree. They also spoke about their science interests and reasons
that influenced their degree selection. The fourth-grade teacher stressed the importance of
students being interested in STEM fields because it opens doors for young students later
in life.
The information we gathered from interviews and ethnographic research encouraged
critical thinking on the importance of STEM education. We concluded that there is a need for
innovative ideas to revive the lack of STEM education and encourage elementary, middle and
high school students to pursue an interest in a STEM career.
E.) Great Plains Region Future City Competition Ethnographic Research and
Interviews
On Friday, Jan. 22, our group attended the Great Plains Future City Competition,
hosted by the University of Kansas School of Engineering. We interviewed participants and
also conducted ethnographic research among the students.
Overall Results:
We interviewed one of the volunteer engineering students and a group of students
from Concordia Middle School in Salina. A senior in the KU School of Engineering spoke
about how he chose his degree, and his childhood experiences attending summer camps. He
explained how his interest in repairing objects, math and science all influenced his decision to
pursue engineering. Also, he though kids could have more of an interest in math and science
by “experimenting and just trying things in an encouraged environment, like school.”
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30. Primary Research
The seventh-grade students gave their opinion on why more adolescents are not
participating in math, science or space camps. They mentioned that money and distant
locations prohibit them from attending space camps. One student commented that if there
were more available scholarships to attend these camps, she would absolutely attend an out-
of-state space camp. She also mentioned that her middle school was unable to fund a math,
science or space club because of a shortage of funding.
In addition to the interviews, the ethnographic research showed that students were
more interested in science than math. During the competition, students were eager to support
their teammates and excited for the winners to be announced.
The research proved that students want to attend space, science or math camps but
unfortunately insufficient funds combined with the high price of the camps prevent them from
doing so. The engineering student emphasized the need to challenge students in math and
science curriculums to encourage them to develop their skills for a future STEM career.
F.) Douglas County Science Fair Ethnographic Research
Our group attended the science fair at the Douglas County Fairgrounds on February 5.
Approximately 50 elementary and middle school students created a variety of science projects
that focused on different topics of science including biology, ecology, chemistry and space.
Overall Results:
Many students chose to do experiments on the lifecycle of plants, bacteria in food, and
chemical reactions. Only one student chose a space related project. We think this means that
students are more interested in other aspects of science than they are with space.
We went to the fair hoping to find students experimenting with aspects of space. It was
disappointing to discover only one student was interested enough to do her science fair project
about space.
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31. Key Findings

32. Key Findings
Research Key Findings
Within the seven categories of our research, there were a significant number of key
findings. In addition to providing a lot of background information on our client, we were also
able to gain a better understanding of STEM education and President Obama’s “Educate to
Innovate” campaign.
One of the most significant findings was the influence space has on our society’s
technology and the number of products produced from space. This research suggests that
if the Coalition informed the public of the many ways space effects our daily lives, the
overall support of space exploration could increase. One possible way that could help gain
support would be to use a variety of viral media tactics such as podcasts, YouTube and online
advertising. This would not only display the impact space has on technology, but also help
promote space to our technologically advanced society.
Another interesting key finding was that although the majority of Americans support
the space program, the numbers of supporters have drastically decreased over the years. The
high point of support was in 1998 when John Glenn made a return trip to space. This suggests
that an effective tactic could be to keep the public more informed of current happenings in the
space industry or seek out astronauts or NASA employees who could be seen as heroes.
Our research of STEM education revealed a large shortage of seventh- through 12th-
grade science teachers. Twenty-eight percent of teachers who teach science classes did not
graduate college with a science-related degree. This suggests that high school and college
students would be valuable target audiences. In order to increase the number of science
teachers in the future it is important to create awareness of STEM-related subjects to students
when they are making decisions about their careers.
President Obama’s new budget for NASA will provide thousands of dollars in
scholarships for high school and college students. There are also other programs such as Iowa
State and Purdue University’s Science Bound programs that encourage students to pursue
STEM-related majors and provide scholarships. We found this research to be a significant key
finding because it highlights the many scholarship opportunities that are provided for students
who are interested in math and science. These findings provide support for the creation of a
tactic that promotes the vast amount of funding opportunities available for science and math
students. It also encourages that the Coalition could help contribute to these scholarships by
providing a set amount of money to students who work towards pursuing a career in STEM
education.
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33. Key Findings
Our group conducted primary research using a variety of methods including: pooled
class research, a SurveyMonkey online survey, a focus group, and observation at the
Univeristy of Kansas Engineering Expo, Great Plains Region Future City Competition and
the Douglas County Science Fair. From these tactics there are many key findings important to
note.
Those who participated in the class survey were high school students. This is
interesting because our group thought that high school students would allow their peers to
influence their educational choices more than their parents. However, the opposite was proven
when the results showed that parents have the biggest influence on their children’s interest in
education.
Another key finding from the pooled class research was that Discovery Channel was
viewed the most by the participants whereas the SyFy Channel was viewed the least. This
information proves that students like the reality aspect of science rather than the fantasy
aspect.
In contrast to the pooled research, our online survey showed that the students were
more influenced by their schooling and hobbies rather than their parents. The online survey
also showed that the students were interested in math, science and engineering regardless of
their parent’s jobs or interest in similar subject matter.
We conducted a focus group consisting of KU science and engineering students. The
focus group highlighted shared ideas held by the participants. Three or more participants
stated that if more people knew what exactly engineering entailed, it might generate more
interest and help diminish stereotypes.
Participants agreed that if engineers were portrayed in a better light by the media,
more people would be interested in pursuing an engineering career. This idea reverts back to
our group’s discussion about how important media portrayal is to our culture. One participant
mentioned that the media glamorizes other professions such as doctors. Each participant
agreed that popularizing engineering careers through the media would benefit the industry.
The focus group participants discussed the lack of educational resources available
to them in middle and high school. Our secondary research showed that there is in fact a
shortage of qualified science teachers. Former President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” act,
shifted teaching focus to math and reading. According to our research, math and reading were
considered more important than science, which seemed to create less student interest in the
subject.
Our group attended the Engineering Expo on the KU campus, which consisted
of 1,000 students from more than 70 elementary, middle and high schools in Kansas and
Missouri. Our ethnographic research showed that the high-tech visual aids, such as the flight
32

34. Key Findings
simulator, and hands-on experiments were by far the most popular attractions. We also
observed that the Expo sparked more interest and excitement in younger children than the
middle or high school students.
Another event we attended was the Great Plains Region Future City Competition.
After talking with some of the seventh- and eighth-graders, we found that price and location
were the main reasons that the students did not participate in space camps. Also, the students
mentioned that their interest in school was most influenced by their parents.
We also went to the Douglas County Science Fair. The most interesting observation
was that only one out of 50 students chose to do a space-related project. The main focus of
other projects were ecology, biology and chemistry.
The primary and secondary research findings revealed different results on similar
subjects. For example, in our secondary research, we included results from the Gallup Poll,
which showed the general consensus that the value of the space program has been positive.
Most Americans agreed that space exploration is important to the U.S., while the students in
our focus group were more concerned with space exploration as being a part of human nature.
The focus group was less concerned with America being the leader in space exploration, while
the secondary research proved the opposite. This contradiction surprised our group because
we thought college students would be more concerned with America being the leader in space
exploration.
Overall, both the key findings from our primary and secondary research provided
our group with insight and ideas for how to help accomplish our client’s goals. Our primary
research provided perspectives from students that we could have not have found in our
secondary research. The secondary research helped us gain a better understanding of the
current environment in which our client operates.
33

35. Target
Audiences

36. Target Audiences
List of Publics:
Target audiences:
9- to 11-year-old students
12- to 15-year-old students
16- to 19-year-old students
Intervening publics:
Parents
Educators
Media
Coalition members
Target audience: 9- to 11-year-old elementary school students
Rationale: This target is important because the students are old enough to be influenced by
STEM education yet they are still young enough to be easily persuaded, which could continue
a lasting interest in STEM.
Key message: Students should become interested in STEM-related subjects early in their
education because it will develop a strong foundation for a future STEM-related education.
Target audience: 12- to 15-year-old middle school students
Rationale: It is important to influence the students before high school. Our online survey
found that more than half of the students chose their college major in high school. Influencing
students to choose STEM-related education at an early age is imperative to our campaign.
Key message: Middle school students should maintain an interest in STEM education into
the beginning of high school because that interest will help them potentially choose a STEM-
related major in college.
Target audience: 16- to 18-year-old high school students
Rationale: Our survey found 54.5 percent participants said they chose their major in high
school. This is a crucial age to target because high school students are beginning to think
about a college major as well as what to pursue as a career.
Key message: High school students should consider careers in the aerospace industry because
they are both personally and financially rewarding.
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37. Target Audiences
Intervening Publics
Intervening public: Parents
Rationale: Our pooled research showed that the majority of those surveyed had parents who
were interested in STEM-related subjects. The same research showed that the participants
were most influenced by their parents when it came to their education.
Key message: : Parents should incorporate STEM-related learning outside of the classroom
because it is a key factor in their child’s educational success.
Intervening public: Educators
Rationale: We define educators as teachers, leaders of extra curricular activities and members
of the school board. Each of these groups influences the material in the classroom as well as
the student’s attitudes toward STEM education.
Key message: Educators should encourage and reward students when pursuing STEM-related
interests because when a child feels they have succeeded, they are more likely to maintain that
interest.
Intervening public: Media
Rationale: The media is important because it is the best method to reach a variety of target
audiences. The media will help promote the Coalition and its efforts. It will also help publicize
the Coalition’s events related to STEM education and space exploration.
Key message: The Coalition should use the media to emphasize the importance of STEM
education because it should report on issues that are in the nation’s best interest.
Intervening public: Coalition members
Rationale: It is important for Coalition members to demonstrate internal cohesiveness
because it will help promote its accomplishments and future efforts. Through informational
packets, events and member outreach, the Coalition will strengthen its credibility. Also, these
efforts will make its involvement more visible to its target audiences.
Key message: Demonstrating internal cohesiveness is important because it will send a
positive message to the public that the Coalition works together toward a common goal.
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38. SWOT
Analysis

39. SWOT Analysis
Description:
A SWOT analysis is a close examination of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats of a client’s needs. It describes the environment in which the Coalition currently
operates and will operate in the future.
Strengths and weaknesses are both internal factors that an organization has control over,
however strengths are positive and weaknesses are negative. Opportunities are positive and
threats are negative external factors that an organization cannot control or that may exist in the
future.
Internal External
Strengths Opportunities
Positive
Negative
Weaknesses Threats
Strengths:
The strengths quadrant represents current issues or conditions that have a positive influence
on the Coalition’s ability to achieve its goals. The “Educate to Innovate” campaign is a
strength that encourages an educational focus in the areas of science, technology, education
and math. This campaign helps students expand their knowledge and helps persuade them to
pursue a career in a STEM-related field. The reputation of high-paid space industry careers
help encourage students to pursue the industry as a reward for their hard work. Inspiring
leaders in the space industry promote the importance and capabilities of NASA. For example,
achievements such as the first man on the moon motivate young people to want to understand
the mysteries of space exploration. Americans who witnessed these historical events are more
likely to support NASA and its efforts than those who are unfamiliar with space.
With vast advancements in modern technology, the desire to stay up-to-date with current
trends is constantly growing. The longevity of space industry careers reveals employees’
strong commitment and passion for what they do. This has helped create a positive image for
employees of space-related careers. The retirement of the space shuttles allows NASA to pay
more attention to other areas of the space program that have previously been ignored.
38

40. SWOT Analysis
Weaknesses:
The weaknesses quadrant represents current negative factors that have an influence on the
Coalition’s ability to achieve its goals. Movies such as Star Trek, Avatar and Star Wars can be
seen as an unattainable portrayal of space. Rather than providing people with a realistic view
of space, Hollywood depicts space as a fantasy world. This heightens the public’s expectations
of space exploration and often leaves them disappointed with the reality of space missions.
Becoming an engineer requires rigorous course work and knowledge of difficult concepts.
The amount of time engineering students spend studying can intimidate other students from
pursuing the degree. Many students only hear about the negative aspects of engineering
and disregard it as a possible career choice. One major weakness that currently exists in the
Coalition’s environment is the large number of people who are uninformed about space.
There also appears to be a lack of units about space in the school curriculum. Adolescents
view anything related to math and science as “nerdy” or “uncool.” Growing up in a society
revolving around appearance makes it difficult to promote space as “popular” and “cool.”
The space industry constantly battles with the competition of people choosing other career
paths. The idea of becoming an engineer is not at the top of many students’ minds. More
traditional professions such as doctors, lawyers, teachers and journalists usually seem more
attainable and appealing. Unlike the Army and the Navy, NASA is not allowed to market
itself. It is prohibited from using any sort of advertising, marketing or lobbying to recruit
people. This creates a large disadvantage for NASA and adds to the challenge of promoting
space exploration.
Opportunities:
The opportunities quadrant represents current external positive factors that have an influence
on the Coalition’s ability to achieve its goals. The president’s budget redistribution gives
NASA a chance to expand and create new technology. NASA has the potential to make
advancements in space exploration, while regenerating positive publicity. Retiring the space
shuttle gives NASA means to expand and develop new innovations for space exploration.
The retirement of the shuttle will allow the U.S. to refocus its space program and maintain
a prominent leadership status among other countries in space exploration. NASA has been
using old technology for the past 40 years, and now they can focus more on advancing new
technology.
39

41. SWOT Analysis
The popularity of environmental efforts in the U.S. provides NASA with a chance to integrate
“going green” within its programs. Also, the realistic portrayal of space in documentaries
such as Hubble 3D, shed a positive light on the space program. These films use the power of
Hollywood to influence young minds into thinking space is “cool,” while demonstrating to
the public the continuous impact of space exploration. Celebrities in support of “going green”
efforts, such as Hubble’s narrator, Leonardo DiCaprio, use their status to heighten awareness
of environmental issues. Ultimately, the association of celebrities and space exploration
will benefit and possibly increase NASA’s popularity and credibility among Americans.
Combining the retirement of the shuttle with innovating new technology toward advancing
the space program, NASA can work toward preventing future tragedies and easing Americans’
doubts associated with the space industry.
Threats:
The threats quadrant represents current negative external factors that have an influence on the
Coalition’s ability to achieve its goals. Although the budget redistribution is an opportunity
to expand the space programs, NASA is still under pressure to advance. If NASA is unable
to accomplish its goals with the budget redistribution, the public’s opinion of NASA may
decline, which could decrease NASA’s funding in the future. The lingering effects of President
Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” act created a stigma among middle school children, parents
and teachers that science is less important than reading and math. Therefore, the reputation of
science among the growing youth is still “uncool.” In the 50s and 60s, space was a new and
exciting career path. Today, companies such as Google are snagging the best and brightest of
our country.
Retiring the fleet of space shuttles creates pressure for NASA to invent more advanced
shuttles. It also suggests a regression in the space program to the public. Another risk is the
potential of future budget cuts that could restrict advancements in the space industry. For
example, if NASA does not receive enough money to design a new space shuttle, Americans
will lose hope of another mission to space. In addition to the threats among American space
exploration, the space industry suffers from foreigners learning valuable information in the
U.S. and taking that information to their countries to use for their own space advancements.
40

42. SWOT Analysis
The Gallup Polls show that the majority of Americans favor spending money on space
exploration. An example of a threat for funding is the war in Iraq. It causes the federal
government to spend millions of dollars on resources for the military. Space exploration could
lose funding for their space programs and research because of the war. Americans would
rather spend money where they can see the results. Because of the large amount of threats, the
space industry struggles as a whole.
Conclusions:
The SWOT analysis shows that there are many weaknesses and threats, but still potential
strengths and opportunities to get students involved in STEM education and to encourage
them to incorporate their interests into future careers. While NASA is rich in history and
support it is also an outdated program that needs to modernize itself to fit in the 21st century.
NASA needs students to be excited about space and science so they will be more likely to
pursue a STEM-related career in the future.
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43. Strategic
Messages

44. Strategic Messages
Strategy Statement: Goal 1
Strategic Message Planner #1-To create awareness and inspire young people to
pursue STEM-related careers.
1.) Client and Product
The Coalition for Space Exploration began in 2004 in response to President Bush’s
“Vision for Space Exploration,” which was also unveiled in February of 2004. Jeff Carr, a
former NASA public affairs director was working for the United Space Alliance at the time
the Coalition started. Carr saw a need for a sustained push to communicate and advertise
the importance of Bush’s “Vision.”To support his need, Carr worked to pull together major
aerospace companies who were in support of a robust program of space exploration and thus,
the Coalition began.
The Coalition is a collaboration of both NASA and space advocacy groups that support
an inspiring agenda of human and robotic space exploration by America’s space industry.
Their mission is “to promote the importance of space exploration to the national agenda via
cost-effective, high-yield public outreach activities that include both traditional and new
media to help secure political support and budget resources for NASA and space exploration.”
The Coalition consists of a board of advisors and a public affairs team. The Board of Advisors
is comprised of former astronauts and space experts, educators and young professionals who
provide insight and reach out to various audiences. The Public Affairs team works alongside
with Governmental Affairs and tracks the progress of space exploration policy and develops
messages to help support public outreach efforts. The Coalition continues to recruit new
members and partners in its campaign to increase support for space exploration. Membership
in the Coalition is to open to any U.S. based company or organization that supports the
exploration of space and is willing to provide funding or other resources toward supporting
their mission.
The Coalition believes that the young people will provide the necessary political sup-
port for space exploration and also comprise the future of the aerospace industry. To gain this
support, the Coalition works with President Obama’s “Educate to Innovate,” campaign which
was designed to improve the participation and performance of America’s students in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). By promoting the president’s campaign,
the Coalition hopes to help influence young people across America to excel in STEM-related
subjects.
43

45. Strategic Messages
The product goal is to create awareness and inspire the youth in America to pursue
STEM-related careers with the following objectives: to get members of the Coalition for
Space Exploration to reach out to middle and high school students, to break down the stereo-
type of STEM-education being “uncool,” and to increase enrollment in STEM-related majors.
2.) Target Audience
To create awareness at an early age will help motivate students to become interested
in STEM. The target audience is 9- to 11-year-old elementary school students. This target is
important because influencing students at a young age is beneficial in developing a strong
foundation for future STEM-related education.
The next target audience is 12- to 15-year-old middle school students. It is important
influence students before high school because our online survey found that more than half of
the students chose their college major in high school. Targeting this audience can potentially
help students to participate in STEM-related education in high school.
The final target audience is 16- to 19-year-old students. High school students are
beginning to think about a college major. Targeting this audience is crucial for developing an
interest in STEM and pursing that interest in college.
3.) Product Benefits
To get members of the Coalition for Space Exploration to reach out to middle and high
school students, we proposed a Speaker’s Bureau from the members of the Coalition. The
Speaker’s Bureau could speak with students about their own experience in school and careers.
This is beneficial because it could create awareness about the aerospace industry and help
relate to students on a more personal level. It could help improve student’s knowledge and
ideas of the space industry that would appeal more to a younger audience.
Creating a Web-based game and STEM-related activities on a new Web site will
help spark more interest and awareness to students in the classroom. Teachers will be able to
reinforce the benefits of space in a fun and interactive way. This will save time and money by
using the Web as the medium.
An informational packet would be made to reach education policy makers and
educators. The packet would be sent to the National Education Association in an effort
to influence the national middle school curriculum. The packet would contain a brochure
detailing the Speaker’s Bureau, photos, news releases, fact sheet and backgrounder about why
STEM education is important in the classroom. This is beneficial because it could help create
awareness in the upper-level education system while bringing new innovative ways to better a
student’s education.
44

46. Strategic Messages
To break down the stereotypes of STEM-education being seen as “uncool,” we
proposed a grant program that could fund field trips to space-related centers for inner-city
elementary schools. This is beneficial because it is another way to allow students to learn
about aspects of space and encourage excitement.
A space-related carnival could be held in conjunction with Moon Day for the Boys and
Girls Club in four large cities — Houston, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. This would
create awareness and publicity for a celebrated event.
To increase enrollment in STEM-related careers, we propose sending members of
Triangle, a national engineering fraternity, to local high schools to talk about their STEM-
related majors. The college students would be beneficial because they would be able to relate
to younger students.
Giving scholarships to high school seniors based solely on academic performance will
encourage more students to participate and provide an opportunity to become more involved
in academic success.
4.) Current Brand Image
The mission of the Coalition for Space Exploration is “to promote the importance
of space exploration to the national agenda via cost-effective, high-yield public outreach
activities that include both traditional and new media to help secure political support and
budget resources for NASA and space exploration.”
5.) Desired Brand Image
To remain the leader of the aerospace industry in America. This will be done through
the strong relationship the nation’s youth has with STEM-related education and careers. The
Coalition and STEM education will have strong public and governmental support. STEM
education and space exploration will be top of mind nationwide.
6.) Direct Competitors
The main direct competitors for the Coalition for Space Exploration are other nonprofit
space advocacy groups such as the National Space Society, Pro Space, and the Moon Society.
The National Space Society operates under their mission “to promote social, economic,
technological and political change in order to expand civilization beyond Earth, to settle space
and to use the resulting resources to build a hopeful and prosperous future for humanity.”
The National Space Society’s Web site also provides space-related breaking news, videos and
advertisements for space-related activities.
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47. Strategic Messages
7.) Indirect Competitors
Indirect competitors include CNN, FOX News and other national news organizations
that provide information and current events pertaining to space exploration. These news
mediums are better known among mass audiences and people may find them easier to access.
Other competitors include different advocacy groups that support popular causes, such as
going green, re-building Haiti or animal rights groups. People may have stronger feelings
towards causes like these and believe in promoting them more than space exploration.
8.) Advertising Goal
To increase awareness to the nationwide youth that STEM education and space
exploration is a part of American’s growth and future.
9.) Strategic Message
America’s youth should become involved with STEM education and activities because
it will increase public support for the space industry.
10.) Supporting Benefits
Feature Benefit
Members of Coalition become involved Involvement of target audiences
with community
Increased brand awareness of the Gain knowledge of space and
Coalition NASA
Knowledge of STEM education Influence target’s interests in
school
Desire to pursue STEM-related
career
Target gains knowledge of STEM-
related opportunities
Speaker’s Bureau Experts speak directly to target
Web activities Entertaining and informative
Involvement of Target
‘Tech-Savvy’
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48. Strategic Messages
Informational packets Creates awareness to large
audiences.
Grant program Students receive hands-on
experience with space-related
subjects.
Cost-efficient for elementary
schools
Space-related carnival Reaches large target
Entertaining and Informative
Promotes historical event
College speaker’s Increases opportunities for high
school student’s futures.
Relatable to target
Scholarships Influences student’s academic
performance
Appeals to a diverse target
Minimizes student’s college funds
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49. Strategic Messages
Strategy Statement: Goal 2
Strategic Message Planner #2—To reach out to organizations that have large audi-
ences in order to increase support for an ongoing program of space exploration
1.) Client and Product
The Coalition for Space Exploration began in 2004 in response to President Bush’s
“Vision for Space Exploration,” which was also unveiled in February of 2004. Jeff Carr, a
former NASA public affairs director was working for the United Space Alliance at the time
the Coalition started. Carr saw a need for a sustained push to communicate and advertise the
importance of Bush’s “Vision.”To support his need, Carr worked to pull together major aero-
space companies who were in support of a robust program of space exploration and thus, the
Coalition began.
The Coalition is a collaboration of both NASA and space advocacy groups that support
an inspiring agenda of human and robotic space exploration by America’s space industry.
Their mission is “to promote the importance of space exploration to the national agenda via
cost-effective, high-yield public outreach activities that include both traditional and new
media to help secure political support and budget resources for NASA and space exploration.”
The Coalition consists of a board of advisors and a public affairs team. The Board of Advisors
is comprised of former astronauts and space experts, educators and young professionals who
provide insight and reach out to various audiences. The Public Affairs team works alongside
with Governmental Affairs and tracks the progress of space exploration policy and develops
messages to help support public outreach efforts. The Coalition continues to recruit new
members and partners in its campaign to increase support for space exploration. Membership
in the Coalition is to open to any U.S. based company or organization that supports the
exploration of space and is willing to provide funding or other resources toward supporting
their mission.
The Coalition believes that the young people will provide the necessary political sup-
port for space exploration and also comprise the future of the aerospace industry. To gain this
support, the Coalition works with President Obama’s “Educate to Innovate,” campaign which
was designed to improve the participation and performance of America’s students in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). By promoting the president’s campaign,
the Coalition hopes to help influence young people across America to excel in STEM-related
subjects.
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50. Strategic Messages
The product goal is to reach out to organizations with large audiences in order to
increase support for an ongoing program of space exploration with the following objectives:
to get members of the Coalition for Space Exploration to reach out to the community and to
utilize viral media to promote space exploration.
2.) Target Audience
The primary target audience consists of elementary, middle school, high school and
college students. It is important to introduce the younger students to STEM education at an
early age so that by the time they enter high school they will have more of a desire to pursue a
degree or career in a science or math-related subject.
The intervening publics consist of parents and educators. Our pooled research showed
that the majority of the participants surveyed had parents who were interested in STEM-
related subjects and were highly influenced by their parents when it came to their education.
We define educators as teachers, leaders of extra curricular activities and members of
the school board. Educators influence the material in the classroom as well as the student’s
attitudes toward STEM education.
3.) Product Benefits
To get members of the Coalition for Space Exploration to reach out to the community,
we proposed sending rocket-building kits to Boys and Girls Clubs in four large cities —
Houston, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. The kits would contain basic background
information about space exploration, while also focusing on new products and developments
in the space industry. Middle school students involved in Boys and Girls Clubs could find the
kit beneficial because it would direct the kids’ focus toward space by doing something fun.
We also suggested sponsoring a radio program on National Public Radio called “Space
Days: My Life as an Astronaut,” that features astronauts speaking about their experiences in
space. This program could also be available as a podcast on iTunes. The program could benefit
parents and educators because it would provide them with more information about careers in
the aerospace industry and it could encourage them to get their kids involved in STEM-related
activities. In addition to this program, we also propose that the Coalition produce a radio PSA
to promote the new HYPERLINK “http://www.spaceiscool.com” www.spaceiscool.com Web
site to persuade parents to get their kids involved in STEM-related activities.
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51. Strategic Messages
In order to reach a mass audience, we suggest that the Coalition to form a partnership
with SONIC® to create a space camp opportunity for middle school students. The contest
would ask students to produce a video of why they want to go to space camp and members of
the Coalition Contest Advisory Board would review the videos and choose five winners. The
five contestants would win a trip to the Space Academy at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in
Huntsville, Ala. This would benefit middle school students because they could be motivated to
express their interest in space through a creative and innovative manner.
To increase support for an ongoing program of space exploration we also suggest that
the Coalition utilize viral media to promote space exploration. To do this we would create
a public service announcement for television to promote awareness of space exploration.
The announcement would also be placed on the Coalition’s homepage HYPERLINK “http://
www.spacecoalition.com” www.spaceiscool.com, and other frequently viewed sites such
as YouTube and HYPERLINK “http://www.hulu.com” www.hulu.com. Elementary school
students and parents will benefit from this commercial because it will inspire children to not
only think about the possibility of space exploration, but also to follow their dreams.
We also propose that the Coalition produce a YouTube channel consisting of videos
pertaining to advancements or the most recent news in space exploration. The Coalition
already had its own YouTube channel, but we thought creating one specifically for www.
spaceiscool.com, would help direct attention to the Web site and its mission. The YouTube
series is a modern and creative way to show the nation how inspiring the space industry is to
America.
Finally, we decided the best way to help space exploration become more viral
would be to construct a new Web site that would reach all target audiences and serve as
an entertainment outlet directed toward space. The Web site, HYPERLINK “http://www.
spaceiscool.com” www.spaceiscool.com, would include a link to the YouTube channel
and promotions for the SONIC® space camp competition. Children could also access the
site to play games and participate in online flight simulators, while learning about space.
All members of the target could benefit from using this Web site because of the variety of
entertainment and educational information about space exploration.
50

52. Strategic Messages
4.) Current Brand Image
The mission of the Coalition for Space Exploration is “to promote the importance
of space exploration to the national agenda via cost-effective, high-yield public outreach
activities that include both traditional and new media to help secure political support and
budget resources for NASA and space exploration.”
5.) Desired Brand Image
To remain the leader of the aerospace industry in America. This will be done through
the strong relationship the nation’s youth has with STEM-related education and careers. The
Coalition and STEM education will have strong public and governmental support. STEM
education and space exploration will be top of mind nationwide.
6.) Direct Competitors
The main direct competitors for the Coalition for Space Exploration are other nonprofit
space advocacy groups such as the National Space Society, Pro Space, and the Moon Society.
The National Space Society operates under their mission “to promote social, economic,
technological and political change in order to expand civilization beyond Earth, to settle space
and to use the resulting resources to build a hopeful and prosperous future for humanity.”
The National Space Society’s Web site also provides space-related breaking news, videos and
advertisements for space-related activities.
7.) Indirect Competitors
Indirect competitors include CNN, FOX News and other national news organizations
that provide information and current events pertaining to space exploration. These news
mediums are better known among mass audiences and people may find them easier to access.
Other competitors include different advocacy groups that support popular causes, such as
going green, re-building Haiti or animal rights groups. People may have stronger feelings
towards causes like these and believe in promoting them more than space exploration.
51

53. Strategic Messages
8.) Advertising Goal
To increase awareness of the Coalition for Space Exploration and STEM education
among organizations with large audiences in order to increase support for an ongoing program
of space exploration.
9.) Strategic Message
Organizations with large audiences should promote the Coalition for Space Explora-
tion and STEM education because they will help gain more support for space exploration.
10.) Supporting Benefits
Feature Benefit
Members of Coalition become involved Involvement of target audiences
with community
Increased brand awareness of the Gain knowledge of space and
Coalition NASA
Knowledge of STEM-Education Influence target’s interests in
school
Desire to pursue STEM-related
career
Target gains knowledge of STEM-
related opportunities.
National Public Radio Reach large number of target
Credibility
Rocket Kit to Boys and Girls Involvement of target
Club Entertaining and informative
Viral Media Entertaining and informative
Involvement of target
‘Tech-Savvy’
52

54. Planning
Section

55. Planning Section
Goal 1 -- To create awareness and to inspire young people to pursue STEM-related
careers.
Objective 1 -- To get members of the Coalition for Space Exploration to reach out to
high school students.
Tactic 1 -- Create a Speaker’s Bureau out of Coalition members.
Brief description: The Speaker’s Bureau will consist of Coalition members
interested in speaking about their careers. They will communicate to students
through Skype conferencing. The speakers will preferably be young so that
they can relate to students. For example, a Coalition member could talk
about his or her blog, and the challenges and rewards of their particular
career. This will introduce or excite students about careers they might not
have considered before.
Targeted Audiences: High school students
Timetable: Start organizing in August 2010, launch program in February
2011
Cost: Skype (free)
Tactic 2 -- Create an informational packet to reach education policy makers and
educators.
Brief Description: We propose that the Coalition sends an informational
packet to the National Education Association (NEA) in an effort to influence
the national middle school curriculum. It would consist of a brochure
detailing the Speaker’s Bureau, photos, news releases, fact sheet and
backgrounder about why STEM education is important in the classroom.
Targeted Audiences: Middle school policy makers and educators
Timetable: January 2011
Cost: Informational brochure about members of the Speaker’s Bureau
($1.00 per brochure + $0.43 per stamp x 50 states = $71.50)
54