4/28/14-5/2/14

     This year in TPSP, I have accomplished quite a bit. I wrote a 10-page paper discussing the pros of NASA and future research. I managed to recruit a man on the Library of Congress committee on Astrobiology as my mentor, who was an incredible help to me. I put my organization skills to the limit, organizing an aerospace career fair for the students of Carnegie. I also spoke for twenty minutes describing all aspects of the project which I undertook, presenting myself and my work to an outside group of judges.

     TPSP required a lot of me. It required impeccable organization and self-motivation. It required competency and knowledge. It showed me that I am in fact capable of undertaking an assignment I was wary of at the beginning of the year. It also showed me that Astronomy and Aerospace is the field for me, as I never grew tired of my project. In fact, I grew more and more interested and passionate about the field, now that I know that NASA is in fact underfunded, and one of the most deserving places for future funding.

     I also learned my limits. Before I had the bright idea of organizing a fair, I wanted to amend the Space Act, to include a clause that removed the free sharing of inventions and ideas with the public. I wanted to change it to state that private investors would be required to pay either a licensing fee or a percentage of future profits, generating revenue for NASA without increasing the federal budget. However, I knew that that would be an even greater challenge, and that it would me much less likely to make an impact.

     If given the option, I would most definitely retake the TPSP course, and am a proponent for its benefits. I have gotten stronger and more knowledgeable from the experience, and want future Carnegie graduates to both learn about the world around them and about themselves through the requirements of this course.

4/21/14-4/25/14

     This week was my final presentation. I presented at 7:00 on Monday the 21st to a panel of five judges. I spoke for approximately 20 minutes, including the question and answer session. All of the judges seemed to be impressed by what I had accomplished this year. Ms. Bullis also filmed my presentation, in order to show the rising juniors what a successful presentation looks like. I think that I presented well. I hit all of the points that I had wanted to speak about, and also added some additional information that I picked up during the Q&A session.


    The judges did not ask very many questions, but they were good ones. For example, one of the judges had me reiterate 3 reasons why NASA should receive funding. Another judge asked what I thought about the current USA-Russia climate and how it affects our space program. Another judge asked what the bridge between my paper and product was. Finally, I was asked how I could increase audience participation for future aerospace career fairs.

4/14/14-4/18/14

     This week, I have worked towards perfecting my presentation. Specifically, I have finished the judges folder, which consists of my presentation outline, my research abstract, a description of my mentor, an annotated bibliography for both my research paper and my product, and I added a poster for my event, and some event photos. I also worked on my powerpoint presentation, making it more concise and presentable.


     Over the weekend, I have to bind my folders, as they were simply in manila folders, and I have to shorten my abstract to under a page. I also have to practice my presentation for my final presentation on Monday.

4/7/14-4/11/14

     This week, I completed my abstract, which is a short summary of the year's project as a whole. I also signed up for a presentation date, the 21st of April, at 7:00. I also spent a copious amount of time practicing my speech.


     Next week, I have a deadline due, and I will work on my presentation for copious amounts of time. I will also learn more about my judges and tailor my speech towards them. I will also contact my mentor for my final mentor meeting. I will inform him on the success of my event and get his opinion on how to approach judges with certain backgrounds.

3/31/14-4/4/14

     This week, I finished my powerpoint presentation. I added several details that are necessary, such as the NASA Budget, mineral depletion facts, and the survey results from my event. I also ran through my final presentation to a fellow student to gauge its progress. The time for the presentation was approximately 13 minutes, which is a good time. It seems ready to present to the judges. I also started work on my abstract and folder for the judges.

     The survey results were very positive, i.e., before the event, there was approximately a 50-50 split between the students in terms of interest in aerospace. After the event, the vast majority of students replied that they were interested in aerospace.

     Next week, I hope to finish my abstract and folder, and continue to finalize my presentation.

3/24/14-3/28/14

     This week, I hosted my event. It was a huge success. There were approximately 100 students that attended, which was fantastic. All of the students were impressed by the company representatives, and the company representatives were impressed by the student turnout. I created a short survey for both the students and the representatives. I asked the students if they were interested in aerospace before and after the event. I asked the representatives if they thought the event was successful and what they would have changed.


     We also had our final rounds of group presentations. My peers gave me several pointers on how to improve my final presentation. I will take these to heart for my final presentation.

3/10/14-3/14/14

     This week, I continued to advertise the event. I created and posted posters around the school. I also created an event with social media and invited several people. It is a better way to gauge audience size than passing out tickets because people check their Facebook, etc. very often, reminding them of the event. I also spoke to many of the math and science teachers about offering extra credit to attendees, and the majority of them said that they would offer it.


     I also received a confirmation of attendance from Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies, another contractor. They are the ninth booth of the event, which should help with interest.


     Over the break, I will continue to advertise my event on the internet.