Presenting at the first Science & Technology Youth Conference in Machala, Ecuador

      On May 28th, high school students from the Science & Technology Obelisk Club in Machala, located in the south of Ecuador, invited me to be a speaker at their first Science & Technology Youth Congress; which took place a the Machala Technical University. The topic included aerospace education opportunities, as well as information on the ASTERIA satellite pilot program.
 
      After presenting to an audienc of 300 hundred students, comprised of several high schools, club members then took me to their school (Colegio 9 de Octubre), where I was pleasantly surprised by a greeting of 2,000 applauding students...Wow!
 
     To top off the day, I was then welcomed by the Vice-Governor of the Oro Province, and gifted many lovely items; including a colorful, handmade hat made out of banana fibers. I was then shown the beautiful new room that the governor's office is letting the science club students use so that they can have a meeting place, and it will soon be stocked with computers as well...Bravo!

     After getting to know these students in the course of this school year, I am very impressed by their motivation, engagement and leadership skills; especially with respect to their inspiring club president, Rony Torres. These kids are movers and shakers, and I look forward to watching them lead the way for Ecuador's youth!      

 

Keynote speaker at the first Science & Technology Youth Congress in Machala, Ecuador. Topic will be "Space Science and the ASTERIA Satellite Pilot Program".

Ecuadorian High School Obelisk Science & Tech Club Students Share Their Thoughts (in Spanish)

High school students from The Science & Technology Obelisk Club in Machala, Ecuador, share their perspectives on our upcoming Science & Technology Youth Congress 2013 on May 28th, 2013; as well as the direction that Ecuador is heading with regard to space exploration. (Video in Spanish).

Radio Quito Interview with Andres Carrion about Pegasus (NEE-01) Satellite for Educational Purposes - In Spanish

This radio interview (in Spanish), took place on April 26, 2013,  the day following the launch of Ecuador's first satellite, Pegasus; made possible through the Ecuadorian Civilian Space Agency (EXA).

The purpose of the interview was to share the embedded satellite education taking place in my classroom since piloting "A Satellite in the Classroom" Program in 2009, as well as how Pegasus - with its live camera onboard -  would now be used to implement the second pilot program, titled ASTERIA. The objective of this second program, a collaboration between Academia Cotopaxi and two other Ecuadorian schools, is  to learn how to apply this new technological tool within the classroom, and with the purpose of then sharing this newfound information for the benefit of others.

Ecuador TV (ECTV): Interviews Regarding Pegasus Satellite and the ASTERIA Education Program

(The video is in Spanish, with English subtitles)

 

ECTV interviews Ecuador's only astronaut, Commander Ronnie Nader, regarding the educational implications to be derived from launching its first satellite, Pegasus. Interviews also include teachers from the schools participating in this ASTERIA pilot program.