Thank you to the students and educators who joined us on October 20th from all over the DC Metro Area and beyond!

Emcee Maynard Okereke "Hip Hop M.D." kept our audience entertained and informed throughout the event. 

Senior Airman Lucille Voeun showed students what it’s like to be a Cyber Systems Administrator working in Special Operations for the U.S. Air Force!

Air Force aviator Master Sergeant Travis Ervine taught students how STEM has played an important role in his career as an Airborne Mission System Specialist for the U.S. Air Force.

Dr. Padhu Seshaiyer helped change students' perception of math by demonstrating the importance of using mathematics and data in a meaningful way to help solve real-world challenges.

Check out this special educator resource from Dr. Seshaiyer!

Dr. Ashley Rasys is a veterinarian and clinical scientist. She amazed students by highlighting all of the cool things lizards, yes lizards, are doing for vision research!

Dr. Rebecca Johnson established the first wildlife forensics laboratory in Australia and led the sequencing of the koala genome! Dr. Johnson gave insight about her role as the Chief Scientist & Associate Director for Science at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

NASA engineer Ray Lundquist has worked on many high-profile projects including the James Webb Space Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the Artemis Mission! Students got to take a deep dive into space and into the work that went into making these projects a success. 

Not only did engineer and Grammy-nominated musical artist Roy Moye III give X-STEM NOVA attendees a chance to rock out between sessions, but he also shared his personal journey to become an aerospace engineer!

We are so thankful to all of our X-STEM NOVA speakers for coming together to create this wonderful event!

Being an Air Commando is not just a job, it’s a relentless pursuit of excellence. Our mission transcends barriers, ensuring access and shaping outcomes wherever our Nation needs us – in the air, on the ground, and in cyberspace. Air Commandos are more than warriors – they are pioneers of innovation, embracing challenges as opportunities to redefine the possible. Every Air Commando embodies a legacy of valor, imagination, courage and precision. These attributes shape the Air Commando ethos as we deliver unique airpower and capabilities. To learn more about who we are and what we do, follow us on social media @AFSpecOpsCmd on Facebook and Twitter and @afspecopscmd on Instagram or check out our web site at www.afsoc.af.mil. When the Nation calls, Air Commandos answer – any place, any time, anywhere.

Watch the special U.S. Air Force video that played live at X-STEM NOVA!

Interested in learning about STEM careers in the USAF? Check out these X-STEM All Access episodes featuring U.S. Air Force Airmen! 

Want to stay up to date on the latest U.S. Space Force news? The U.S. Air Force has a quarterly newsletter for those interested in all things space-defense related! From rocket launches to technological developments, there is no shortage of news to discover. Subscribe to the “Get Updates” Space Force newsletter to receive regular news related to USSF milestones, future developments and all the latest info by signing up here!

Interested in learning about STEM careers in the USSF? Check out these X-STEM All Access episodes featuring U.S. Space Force Guardians! 

Maximus provides transformative technology services, digitally enabled customer experiences, and clinical health services that change lives. As they create transformational digital solutions through leading-edge practices, they see the importance of investing in the next generation of STEM leaders to drive human innovation. Maximus, moving people forward.

Developers of all skill levels can get hands-on with machine learning through a cloud based 3D racing simulator, fully autonomous 1/18th scale race car driven by reinforcement learning, and a global racing league.

Students also had the opportunity to get hands-on with STEM in special workshops!

Ready, aim, fire...a catapult! The U.S. Space Force hosted two engineering workshops at X-STEM NOVA that were based around a catapult challenge. Students got to work together in teams to design, test, and show off their engineering creations. All of this hard work led to a friendly competition to hit the target and score the most points! Students got to walk away with a better understanding of the engineering process, the importance of precision and accuracy, and the fun it all could be. 

Amazon Web Services (AWS) in conjunction with Rosie Riveters hosted two creative workshops that dazzled students. One workshop tested the question, “Who is the Artist? The engineer or the machine itself?". The test consisted of students making an Art "Robot" that would create its own artwork. Students got to explore how robots, artificial intelligence, and machine learning can work together to create a masterpiece! The other workshop helped students better understand kinetic energy through beautifully crafted butterflies! Students crafted a colorful paper butterfly that sprung to life as potential energy became kinetic energy. This workshop was a treat for students and educators alike as they got to watch the butterflies spread out their wings and fly through the air.

What do marshmallows and firewalls have in common? Students that attended the Maximus workshop found out! Students learned about the first defense in computer network security, firewalls. They worked in teams to build a model firewall out of spaghetti and marshmallows. The goal, build a structure that lets the good data through and keeps the bad data out. When teams were ready their model firewalls were put to the test to see whose were secure and whose were vulnerable. 

Thank you to our wonderful workshop hosts for bringing STEM to life for our X-STEM NOVA students! 

Congratulations to the winners of the X-STEM NOVA Gift Card Drawing! See the lucky winners below and check out their classes at X-STEM NOVA in the photos above. 

Grand Prize Winner- Wakefield High School

Second Prize Winners- St. Theresa Catholic School and Graham Park Middle School

Unlock the roadmap to STEM success with TeenLife's 'Your Future in STEM' Guide. Browse through curated opportunities, expert insights, and tailored resources for budding STEM enthusiasts. Embark on your journey to excellence now!