Meet Leah Norton, our STEM Education Intern at the River Museum, where she works in the MakerSpace on projects that help people understand both space and Earth science. This internship is through the NASA Iowa Space Grant Consortium internship program at Iowa State University. Leah is studying Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology at the University of Northern Iowa. Through her internship, she aims to spark curiosity in children and educate visitors about NASA's important work. In this Q&A, Leah talks about her daily tasks, project goals, insights from her internship, and how this experience is shaping her future in education and science.
Can you tell us about your day-to-day responsibilities at the River Museum?
My daily activities include opening and closing the MakerSpace, setting up different activities every few weeks, cleaning up, and helping and encouraging children with the activities we have going on in the MakerSpace. Other responsibilities include coming up with projects and activity ideas that can be used in the future to promote the learning of STEM and educate people on NASA’s achievements.
What are the goals of the projects you’ve been developing in the MakerSpace?
My main goal is to get people to learn and discover that NASA is not just about space exploration but about exploring and discovering more about our planet. I also want to get people excited about NASA-related work and encourage young people to pursue what makes them curious. I'm incorporating these goals in my project by coming up with activities that are focused on the data NASA has collected related to the Mississippi River that way everyone is excited to learn about NASA while being able to draw the connection in their mind that NASA is not just about space but is also about earth, extending it to the museum itself.
Why did you choose this direction for your projects?
I believe it's important for people to understand NASA’s contributions to Earth science. The data they collected has provided us with the crucial understanding we have of our river and planet currently. A lot of people are already aware of NASA’s achievements in space exploration, and I want to shine light on NASA’s less-mentioned achievements.
How has your on-site STEM internship broadened your horizons? What insights have you gained?
This experience has broadened my horizon by using what I have learned through my education and being able to apply it for people of all ages to understand. It has shown me how important it is to educate people. It has made me happy to see how people want to know more about the things in the makerspace and the River Museum as a whole.
In what ways do you think this experience will positively impact your education and future career?
This internship has helped me be able to take what I know and apply it in a way that is fun and educational to people. It has shown me that education really is a powerful tool and that people take what they learn at the museum to heart. I will help me in a future career by allowing me to effectively explain difficult concepts to people of all age levels and educational backgrounds.