iLEAD Experiments Launch to ISS

The progress of DreamUp 2019 has been building for months, as so many learners have risen to the challenge of creating a real-world experiment designed to help us learn more about the effects of microgravity. We had over 600 learners, family, and community members in attendance at the iLEAD Space and Innovation Expo on December 7, which was our first peek at the innovation of our iLEAD scientists. Their projects have gone through many steps, including drafts, rewrites, rubrics, more edits, the narrowing down to 27 experiments, more work, the narrowing down to nine, more work, and video pitches, which we have shared on the iLEAD Student Aerospace blog as well as social media.  We want to congratulate the hundreds of iLEAD learners and dozens of facilitators who were inspired to participate in the DreamUp 2019 challenge.

The beauty of the DreamUp program at iLEAD is that even if your learner’s original idea for an experiment wasn’t picked, they still can be a part of the DreamUp team. There is still much work to be done to get these experiments launch ready, and the project teams will expand. Applications will go out in the fall Monday Message to recruit additional learners to build out the DreamUp 2019 team!

The three teams selected for flight aboard the ISS are:

“What is the Effect of Microgravity on Mycelium?” (SCVi, 11th grade)

• Team Members: Brayden Hall, Connor Raskin, Mario Robles, Adam Simpson (Click here to see the team’s video pitch)

“What is the Effect of Microgravity on Ulva Lactuca?” (SCVi, 4th/5th grade) 

• Charlie Halvorsen, Gabriel Olmos, Maliah Sanmarti, Skye Van Verseveld (Click here to see the team’s video pitch.)

“What is the Effect of Microgravity on Aloe Vera?” (Agua Dulce 5th/6th grade, Lancaster 6th grade)

• iLEAD Agua Dulce learners Cody Anderson, Leo Cuellar, Samantha Diem, and Kaylee Pippin
• iLEAD Lancaster learners Brianna Angel, Ana Lopez Barahona, Mariana Lopez, Estrella Perez, Uriah Mack, and Lizette Monze Trujillo
• Click to see the video pitches from Agua Dulce and Lancaster.

The assessor team concluded that, given the similarities, both Aloe Vera teams have been selected and should merge and work together to optimize their experiment. This is common practice within the science community, collaborating to produce best results.