WAIAM Inspires Young STEM Students with a Visit to Michigan Aerospace
Middle school students tour FXB as part of winning WAIAM challenge
Middle school students tour FXB as part of winning WAIAM challenge
On Friday, February 14, the University of Michigan Aerospace Engineering Department welcomed a group of fourth through eighth grade students, along with their parents, to campus as part of the Women of Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan (WAIAM)‘s Michigan Girls Future Flight Challenge (MGFFC). The day-long visit provided an opportunity for the MGFFC winning teams to experience and learn about the world of aerospace engineering from U-M students, faculty and staff members.
“Early exposure to the exciting and rewarding careers in aerospace is critical to sparking interest in young students and helping them see the incredible opportunities available—many right in their own communities. Research consistently shows that middle school is a pivotal time for career exploration, influencing students’ confidence, aspirations and long-term success,” stated Brittany Telander, executive director of the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan Foundation and organizer of the visit. “Experiences like our Michigan Girls Future Flight Challenge and visiting the Michigan Aerospace campus provide an invaluable bridge between classroom learning and real-world career pathways.”
WAIAM is a group within the Aerospace Industry Association of Michigan which works to create advocacy, education and visibility for women and girls across Michigan who are interested in the aerospace field through outreach, mentorship and representation. Through the opportunity offered by WAIAM, the MGFFC participants had the chance to tackle real world aerospace challenges and navigate engineering, design, finance and business planning to create innovative flight solutions.
Over the past three years, WAIAM stated that this initiative has impacted 245 students across 57 cities with a continuing mission to inspire young girls to explore STEM careers. This year, the four week MGFFC brought together 78 students from across Michigan and was supported by 27 mentors from 18 companies, one of the mentors included Michigan Aerospace graduate student instructor Lillian Croghan, from Professor George Halow’s Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) Lab.
“These hands-on experiences empower students, especially young girls, to envision themselves in STEM careers, ultimately helping to build a more diverse and innovative aerospace workforce for the future,” concluded Telander after the event.
The visiting student teams came from across Michigan and toured many of Michigan Aerospace’s labs, workshop areas and the Wilson Student Team Project Center, to see firsthand the exciting things happening within the department. They also had the opportunity to meet and learn from esteemed professors, including Professors Mirko Gamba, George Halow and the Richard A. Auhll Department Chair of Aerospace Engineering Carlos Cesnik, as well as Aerospace Engineering students Lillian Croghan, Tobi Farbstein, MBSE Lab Manager Rafaela Galera Rogano, and many others. Together, these members of the Michigan Aerospace community spoke to the girls and noted how it is an exciting time to be part of aerospace and all of the innovative opportunities in the current landscape.
In addition to the tour, students also got to sit in on the AEROSP 200 Culture and Careers panel discussion featuring Array of Engineers CEO Stacy Paul, Aerodynamic Advisory Associate Andreana Izotov, and U-M Aerospace Engineering Professor Giusy Falcone.
Professor Falcone commented after the event, “This event was truly special, and I’m so grateful to have been a part of it. The nine girls we hosted were not only adorable but also incredibly bright and full of curiosity. Their excitement and unique perspectives on aviation were so inspiring—one mentioned she loved airplanes because they ‘defy gravity,’ another was fascinated by how they let you ‘see the world small and from another perspective,’ and another was thrilled by the speed of flight!”
At the end of their tour, the young students highlighted their favorite aspects of the day which included: the famous Moonrock, the place where all the students and projects were (Wilson Center), talking to students and the MBSE Lab.
“What stood out the most to me was the spark in their eyes — the pure wonder and excitement they had for aerospace. It was a powerful reminder of why we push boundaries, why we innovate and ultimately, for whom we do it. Looking into their eyes, you could see the future of STEM—the next generation of thinkers, explorers and dreamers. My hope is that this experience showed them that the sky (and beyond!) is within their reach and that moments like this can ignite a lifelong passion for discovery. I hope this visit inspired them as much as they inspired us,” Falcone added.
As a department, we are honored to have strong partners and advocates for young engineers. Through these partnerships with WAIAM, and the continued support and enthusiasm from faculty like Professor George Halow, who organized the event, and also participated as a judge and keynote speaker for the MGFFC, we look forward to more exciting outreach initiatives and collaborations like this in the future.