GREENSBORO, N.C. — Governor Roy Cooper visited NC A&T Tuesday afternoon to highlight the state's strong science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs and skilled workforce.
NASA Astronaut, and North Carolina resident, Christina Koch joined him during the visit.
The event was held at the Harold L. Martin Sr. Engineering Research and Innovation Complex.
North Carolina A&T, one of the leading HBCUs in the country for stem learning, continues to make strides.
Students from several STEM departments—as well as members of the university's award-winning rocketry team, were on hand for today's roundtable discussion
"We ended up having psychics, chemistry, biology, engineering and our honors college represented, and it just shows how important it is to really get into aerospace science and making sure that we supported what the Governor is doing and Christina as far as STEM," said Stephanie Luster-Teasley Pass, the Interim Dean of the School of Engineering at NC A&T.
North Carolina A&T is the number one producer of African American engineers.
Pass said it's all about getting students ready to cross the stage and get into the workforce
It's something Koch believes as well.
She said diversity in steam is extremely important and working together is key to success in space.
"The more diverse the set of experiences were drawing from, the better we're gonna be executing our missions. At NASA we found that the more people we allow to contribute their talents and energy and excitement and passion to our missions, the more successful we are," said Koch.
Koch will be the first woman to go into deep space as part of the Artemis II mission.
Artemis II is the next trip to the moon which will include a crew. Koch said the crew would go around the moon and come back. The goal is to land on the surface of the moon.
Now, for the coolest part, Koch shared a picture she took of North Carolina from space!
Check it out!
Gov. Cooper harped on clean energy and investing in public education
Cooper said he plans to propose a budget on Wednesday to improve the investment into public education in North Carolina.
“North Carolina’s strong public schools are setting our students up for success and encouraging them to shoot for the stars to reach their full potential,” said Governor Cooper. “We must invest in our public schools so they have the resources they need to prepare future astronauts, doctors and leaders. Astronaut Koch is a wonderful example of just how far you can go with a North Carolina public education.”
Governor Cooper is pushing for a bigger emphasis on STEM programs in public schools and creating a workforce at local colleges, that stay here and become a part of the local economy.
Koch said North Carolina public education was integral and formative to her journey toward becoming an astronaut.
“My time in North Carolina sparked my passion for exploration and helped me set my own journey to becoming an astronaut,” said NASA Astronaut Christina Koch. “A strong educational and extracurricular foundation is key to ensuring we have the right set of skills to accomplish big things in space and on Earth in the future.”
Both Koch and Governor Cooper also stressed the importance of everyone getting involved
"We do our best work when we come together to solve huge problems and going to space is just one example of a 'W' in the win column for all of humanity, that we hope that same energy can be applied everywhere," said Koch.
Cooper touched on the clean energy job opportunities that are in North Carolina.
"This clean energy economy that we have expanding in North Carolina is gonna provide a lot of jobs and so many more families will have more money in their pockets. But they gotta get that training to be able to get those jobs. So we want to make sure that those investments are made now" said Cooper.
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