Summer Experience

Students selected for the summer workshop will be notified in May. The summer workshop dates are June 23-28, 2013 and July 7-12, 2013.

Important things to know prior to your visit to JSC:

  1. Sunday Arrival
    • Flying
    • Driving
  2. Rules of Conduct
    • Chaperones
    • Dress Code
    • Telephone Use
    • IT Resources (computers, internet, etc.)
    • Laptops, PDAs, etc.
    • Safety, Hazard/Injury
    • Conduct
  3. Lodging and Meals
    • About Lodging
    • Directions to hotel
    • Meals
  4. Closing Event
  5. Teams
  6. What To Bring

On-Site Activities
Cooperative and Competitive Activities:
 

Scholars are grouped into four teams and will have a chance to design a mission to Mars while onsite. The teams will work on a final project to be presented on the last day of the onsite experience. The teams will also have an opportunity to participate in competitve enginering events against other teams throughout the week.

Two students working with a spectrometer

  

Tours:
Scholars and teachers participate in tours through various buildings, typically not accessible to the public. Students have the opportunity to see a vast array of careers in the areas of math, science, engineering, and technology.

Student sits inside Space Shuttle simulator

Mentoring
During the program a mentor, usually an engineer or someone working in a science-related field at NASA, is assigned to each team. They facilitate team chat sessions and the team project presented at the closing event.

Follow-Up Commitment
As an Aerospace Scholar, once the distance learning activities and the summer workshop has ended, the responsibility continues. Scholars are encouraged to:

  • Maintain an e-mail relationship with your team counselor
  • Stay in touch with fellow scholars
  • Encourage and recruit other students to participate in the project
  • Continue contact with WISH and maintain information concerning college, major, and post-graduation plans

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Summer Workshop Experience
Sunday Arrival

Flying

  • Do NOT purchase an airline ticket. Travel arrangements will be made for you.
  • To receive travel assistance, the online-travel form must be received by the deadline.
  • Students and teachers who are flying to Houston will be met at the airport baggage claim by a WISH counselor holding a NASA sign at 2:30 p.m on the day of their arrival and then transported to the hotel.
     

Driving
WISH staff will be at the hotel beginning at 3pm on Sunday to check-in students. Rooms are pre-assigned and may NOT be changed or traded with another student. Students should arrive at the hotel no later than 3:30pm.

Students will NOT be able to access their vehicle during the week if they drive themselves.
 

Registration
WISH staff will be at the hotel beginning at 3pm to register and check-in students. Rooms are pre-assigned and may NOT be changed or traded with another student.

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Rules of Conduct

Chaperones
Students are required to be under the supervision of the WISH Program staff, counselor, or mentor at all times. This includes while onsite and at the hotel.

Dress Code

  • Students must wear jeans, dress pants or capris. Shorts are not permitted.
  • As NASA cannot endorse products or corporations, clothing with logos or brand names will not be permitted. However, very small logos associated with business attire or school logos are permitted.
  • Students must tuck in their shirts. Button down or polo shirts with sleeves are acceptable.
  • Closed toe shoes must be worn.
  • Skirts are not allowed during the week due to facility tours requiring some climbing and bending.
  • No tank tops or spaghetti strap shirts.
  • For the closing event, scholars will wear their WISH polo shirts and clean pressed khakis pants or skirts. Dress shoes are appropriate as the event is business casual.

 

Telephone Use
Cellular phones are permitted but must be left at the hotel. In the case of an emergency when a parent or guardian must reach the students, they can call the WISH Program Manager. Before students arrive for the summer weeks, they will be given contact phone numbers.

IT Resources (computers, internet, etc.)
Information Technology devices (computers, networks, electronic mail, computer FAX, and other electronic information transfer devices) have become increasingly important tools for communication, research, and other work at JSC. It is important to remember that, like all other forms of Government property, JSC I/T resources are provided only for official business. Keeping this in mind, the following information will help assure proper use of government-furnished I/T:

  • Use common sense and good judgment when using the Internet. This resource is provided only for official business. When you use the Internet, you leave an electronic "footprint" wherever you go (your address includes the suffix "jsc.nasa.gov"). Additionally, any message you send is unavoidably electronically signed by you and placed in an "electronic envelope" with NASA's name on it. On the Internet, you are NASA.
  • Never use a computer to receive, store, display, or transmit sexually explicit images, messages, or cartoons, or send messages that contain ethnic slurs, racial epithets, or anything that may be construed as a threat, harassment, or disparagement of others.
  • Protect JSC computer resources: Prevent the spread of computer viruses by always checking diskettes and download software for viruses before executing them on a JSC computer system. If a user believes their system has been compromised or infected with a virus, they must inform the instructor so that it can be remedied.
  • Since JSC I/T resources are provided only to support the work of the Center, there is no personal expectation of privacy. Information in JSC computers may be reviewed by managers, supervisors, and other authorized individuals at any time. Additionally, Internet activity at JSC is recorded and periodically examined for security and policy compliance purposes. Like other forms of misconduct, misuse of JSC I/T resources is grounds for disciplinary action.

Laptops, PDAs, etc.
Laptops, PDAs, or other electronic devices are not to be brought onsite to JSC as they pose an IT security risk. These items, however, can be used while offsite at the hotel to connect to the internet using a local or toll-free number. However, WISH nor the hotel is responsible for items left in the hotel.

Safety, Hazard/Injury
JSC is equipped with the resources to respond to emergency treatment of illness or accidents resulting in injury.

Participants are required to bring to the attention of the WISH counselor any condition appearing harmful or dangerous to the well-being of the visitors or employees of the center. If you are injured while onsite at JSC, you must notify your counselor immediately so appropriate action can be taken. For treatment of minor injuries occurring onsite, visitors and employees of JSC are sent to the JSC Clinic located on-site.

Conduct
NASA has high expectations for employees as well as students who are on-site. Students are in a business setting. They are treated as an employee and expected to behave in that manner. The following is not allowed:

  • Swearing, ethnic slurs, racial epithets, or statements that may be construed as a threat, harassment, or disparagement of others
  • Fighting
  • Stealing
  • Smoking
  • Unsafe behavior

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Lodging and Meals

Lodging
Lodging is provided for participants in the program.

Students are assigned rooms and may not change rooms.

Teachers stay in the hotel and serve as chaperones to the students.

A WISH representative also stays at the hotel throughout the duration of the program and is responsible for WISH interaction at the hotel. Students should report any problems to this staff member.

Meals
All meals are provided for students and teachers during the summer workshop. Students may choose to bring additional snacks.
 

Closing Event
At the conclusion of each week, a closing event is held at JSC's Gilruth Center. Closing event dress is business casual. In addition to scholars, interns, mentors and co-ops, invited guests are, NASA senior staff and other NASA VIPs.

Upon completion of the summer workshop, each participant will receive the following:

  • Certificate of completion for participating in WISH
  • Group photograph taken by NASA Photography
  • WISH polo shirt
  • The scholars will return to the hotel after the event by school bus and will depart the hotel at 2pm on Friday.

Directions

  1. Take the NASA Parkway exit off of I-45 heading east. JSC is located on your left 4-5 miles east of the interstate.
  2. Continue past JSC to Space Center Boulevard.
  3. Turn Left onto Space Center Boulevard (Hilton will be on right) and then left into Gate 5 (Gilruth Center). Enter the Gilruth Center from the front of the building.

What To Bring:
Camera/Film: There are many "photo opportunities" during on-site tours of JSC. It is suggested students bring a camera. Take advantage of this great opportunity to capture the past, present, and future of the space program on film! Small video cameras are also allowed. Digital photos and team projects will be available online to the participants at the end of each week.

Light Jacket or Sweater: Some rooms at JSC are very cold so come prepared.

Spending Money: All meals, field trips, and lodging are provided for students. Spending money should be brought for items such as additional snacks, film, and souvenirs.

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