NASA groups with an elementary faculty challenge to test EpiPens in space : NPR

NASA has announced a new partnership with an elementary school that aims to further the study of EpiPen appliances in space. The partnership will see a group of fifth-grade students from Audubon Elementary School in Virginia, United States, sharpen their problem solving and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) skills while also contributing to space research.

The project involves testing how well EpiPen injection pens work in a different environment. EpiPen’s are designed to quickly deliver an emergency dose of medication in the event of a life-threatening allergic reaction. But with space travel, the traditional pumps must be modified to work in the weightlessness of a spacecraft.

The NASA team is providing the necessary teaching materials to the students from Audubon Elementary School. The students will learn about the basics of zero-gravity research, and will be given the opportunity to try out their own experiments with a miniature version of the EpiPen. Along with the assistance of the university, the students will be able to study the effectiveness of the EpiPen using the school’s miniature version in a simulated zero-gravity environment.

The project is part of a larger effort by the agency to broaden the science fields of space exploration to the younger generation. NASA’s NASA Empowering Learning program was created to foster a partnership between the agency, educational institutions, and communities to support and shape astronomy and planetary sciences.

“This project puts fourth-grade students at the center of space exploration as they explore the science of medicine and launching rockets,” said Kaylan Ridley, program director at NASA Empowering Learning.

The project will help NASA explore how best to deliver emergency medical treatments in space, while also inspiring the next-generation of space explorers. The students of Audubon Elementary School are privileged to take part in the project that will not only help the field of space exploration expand, but also have their own fun along the way. [ad_1]

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