“I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way,” sang Whitney Houston, in “The Greatest Love of All.”
Members of the Air Force Research Lab participated in the Big Brothers Big Sisters, Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math discovery festival at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, N.M., Nov. 9, 2018.
Discovery Festival is an interactive S.T.E.A.M. event that introduces more than 3,500 local students to S.T.E.A.M. business and job opportunities through hands-on activities and discovery.
“AFRL and the Air Force have a large S.T.E.M. outreach program. We are a technology organization and it’s critical we help inspire young people to become involved with and stay in S.T.E.M. careers,” said Matt Fetrow, AFRL New Mexico Technology Engagement Office director. “S.T.E.M. careers are tremendously important to us, we need engineers and scientists to help us provide technology and fore-structure to make the Air Force great at defending the country.”
AFRL New Mexico efforts are focused on leading the way in the nation’s laser, optical, and space supremacy technologies and is home to two directorates: Space Vehicles and Directed Energy. At the Discovery Festival, AFRL chose to display some of its directed energy projects, with the “Making Light Work,” project under the spotlight.
According to Fetrow, “Making Light Work” is a showcase of different laser projects that are interactive and show how lasers affect different materials, how light energy can burn through things, and how it helps protect the country and its assets.
“This one of the many events that happen around the year in Albuquerque and New Mexico like this, there are others we participate in, but this a great one that happens during the school year that is great and accessible for kids,” said Fetrow.
Visit www.afrlnewmexico.com/stemys/, for upcoming AFRL STEM and STEAM events around Albuquerque.