The Space Foundation is accepting applications for a program designed to expand space-based education around the world, encourage teachers and help inspire the next generation of students to pursue careers in the space industry.

The International Teacher Liaison Program provides selected teachers with material support and curriculum resources like lesson plans and workshops, allows them access to cutting-edge education materials, and provides a supportive teaching community for sharing ideas, officials said.

“We’re trying to bring teachers and kids the resources and opportunities to help kids and inspire them with a passion for something they can do in space,” said Jennie Anderson, education program manager for the Space Foundation. “We want to show that space is a place for everyone.”

The idea of working in the space industry tends to call forth cinematic images of spacesuit-clad astronauts or flight controllers and support personnel in Mission Control. Those people do exist, but they represent just a tiny fraction of the industry, Anderson said.

“You could be a journalist, and attorney, a meteorologist, a cybersecurity expert,” she said. “The aerospace industry has a need for all those professions, and much more.”

The space industry is currently engaged in a battle for talent. Young people with a passion for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) represent a specific and comparatively shallow pool, and aerospace isn’t the only industry looking for them. Tech giants like Yahoo!, Apple, Microsoft and Google are seeking kids with a similar skill set.

One possible solution to that problem is to expose larger numbers of students to the myriad of opportunities available in space, and now is an ideal time to do that, Anderson said.

“Because of current events, it’s a great time to get kids engaged in space,” she said. “We have the Artemis I launch — a six-week, uncrewed test flight around the moon and back. We have the James Webb telescope, showing us incredible images that we’ve never seen before. It’s almost like the days of the original Apollo missions.”

Established in 2004, the program selects a new cohort, or “flight,” of teacher liaisons each December. As long as selected teachers continue to use, and advocate for, space-based education in their classrooms, they may remain active in the program.

Teacher liaisons serve as a bridge between the Space Foundation and their schools and districts, officials said. They use space-based principles to advocate for the expansion of space-related education in classrooms.

In addition to bringing students into the STEM fold, educators at the Space Foundation are working to expand the pool of STEM teachers locally and nationwide. The need for STEM educators is glaring; in July there were 5,800 STEM job vacancies in the Pikes Peak region alone, according to Anderson.

But the liaison program is not limited to math and science teachers.

“We invite teachers from all branches of education: dance, music, art, special education — anyone with an interest in space,” Anderson said.

Teacher liaisons are eligible for a host of benefits, including free registration for the Space Symposium, specialized training and instruction at Space Foundation workshops, and access to the latest space education materials and lesson plans.

The liaison program offers more than material support, officials said. It also allows teachers to connect with a supportive community of teachers from around the globe. Having a colleague to brainstorm with, or just to vent to, is a valuable asset as teachers attempt to rebound from the COVID-induced chaos of the past two years, said Anderson who taught STEM for 10 years before becoming a teacher liaison in 2015.

The deadline for applying for the Teacher Liaison Program is Sept. 30. Applicants are required to complete an online questionnaire, upload a space-based lesson plan, and provide a letter of recommendation from their supervisor.

Educators from kindergarten through high school and beyond who are interested in the program are encouraged to visit liaisons.spacefoundation.org.