Space Education Day 2023: Inspiring The Next Generation Of Innovators
Microsoft News, Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Space engages people of all ages by sparking curiosity of the unknown. With NASA's progress toward its first lunar missions in more than 50 years, a new generation of Americans can witness the awe-inspiring power and joy of a moon landing. It can also inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to pursue space-related science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers, from astronauts to engineers and physicists to technicians.
In recent years, we have witnessed significant diversity milestones in space exploration. Among these are the first all-female spacewalk and NASA's diverse international crew of astronauts for the Artemis II lunar mission, where the first woman and first person of color will step foot on the moon. Although these achievements signal an important shift in the industry, women still represent only 20% of the space workforce. Black and Hispanic professionals remain underrepresented in STEM professions. Of the entire STEM workforce, a total of 24% are members of an underrepresented minority group. These statistics highlight the urgent need to continue expanding access to STEM education and the study of space - a core tenet of the Microsoft-NASA partnership that aims to address these inequities head on.