2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Three Years of STEM Identity Growth in a Hybrid NASA Program: Pre- and Post-Program Perception Trends from High School Students

Presented at Pre-College Engineering Education Division (PCEE) Technical Session 12: Expanding Access and Interest in STEM Through Outreach and Enrichment

This paper reports three years of pre/post findings from a Future Aerospace and Mathematics Academy (FAMA)for High School students, a hybrid NASA Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Aerospace Academy (MAA) program delivered by university in central Texas in partnership with Johnson Space Center, two community centers, and five nearby school districts. The program engaged historically underrepresented and underserved high-school students through quarterly micro-credentials (digital badges), live webinars with NASA SMEs, “Saturday Deep Dive” hands-on skill development sessions, near-peer mentoring, family engagement, field trips, and annual residential STEM camp aligned to rotating themes (Year 1: Earth Observations; Year 2: Lunar Exploration; Year 3: Aeronautics/Acoustic Damping). Students complete at least 60 hours of activities annually and a NASA-aligned project-based design capstone.

A brief self-perception survey administered at program entry and exit each year assessed capability (college STEM), value/motivation (NASA/STEM careers), belonging/comfort at NASA, reflective identity (exposure to mentors by race/gender), awareness of NASA research, and networking behaviors (talking/working with STEM professionals), with open-ended prompts on most/least valuable experiences. Quantitative analyses summarized distribution shifts on ordinal scales (item-level and construct composites), estimated standardized change (within-year) and cumulative change (across years for multi-year participants), and explored moderators (participation dosage, activity mix). Qualitative responses are thematically coded to contextualize patterns (e.g., which experiences most influence belonging or networking).
Preliminary trends indicate consistent gains in awareness, self-reported capability, and STEM networking, with the strongest year-over-year improvements for students completing multiple micro-credentials and participating in site visits. We share the program’s logic model, survey instrument, and early lessons on integrating digital badges, near-peer mentoring, and family sessions to strengthen STEM identity and inform scalable NASA-aligned pathways.

Authors

Dr. Kristina Henry Collins http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8983-0104 The University of Texas at San Antonio [biography]

Dr. Kristina Henry Collins is a research psychologist, educational consultant, and Lecturer in Engineering Education at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is founder and principal of the Education Network Alliance (eDNA). Previously, she served as the inaugural Halbert & Nancy Robinson Endowed Executive Director of the University of Washington’s Robinson Center for Young Scholars, Associate Director of the LBJ Institute for STEM Education & Research, and Professor of Talent Development at Texas State University. A nationally recognized leader in STEM identity, gifted and advanced talent development, and mentoring across the lifespan, Dr. Collins brings 30+ years of experience across K–12, higher education, community, and government sectors.
Dr. Araceli Martinez Ortiz http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3375-1519 The University of Texas at San Antonio [biography]

Araceli Martinez Ortiz, PhD, is the Microsoft President’s Endowed Professor of Engineering Education at the University of Texas at San Antonio, with a joint appointment in the Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design and the College of Education and Human Development. She is currently Professor and Director of the Engineering Education Graduate Program. She also serves as Executive Director of the Dr. Manuel P. Berriozábal Prefreshman Engineering Program (PREP), advancing STEM engagement and community-integrated research in engineering education. Her research focuses on pre-engineering pathways, skilled technical workforce development, challenge-based learning, STEM educator professional development, and the integration of artificial intelligence in engineering education. She previously served as Executive Director of the LBJ Institute for STEM Education and Research at Texas State, leading major initiatives supported by NASA and NSF. Dr. Martinez Ortiz holds degrees from the University of Michigan, Kettering University, Michigan State University, and Tufts University.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

« View session