OVERLAND PARK, Kan — The Kansas City area is drawing the attention from the highest offices in the country.
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To mark the one-year anniversary of Panasonic Energy breaking ground on their electric vehicle battery factory in Kansas, officials brought in NASA and the National Institute of Aerospace to inspire middle school and college students.
It comes a week after the Biden administration selected the Kansas City region as a tech hub.
Panasonic and NASA say part of empowering the next generation of STEM graduates for the workforce is helping diversify it.
"I believe in that old saying, 'You can't be what you can't see,' and I know that from personal experience. I remember growing up, no one looked like me," said Mamta Nagaraja, associate chief scientist for exploration and applied research at NASA.
Nagaraja is one of the rare applicants who competed twice to be an astronaut for NASA.
"I failed twice," she said. "When you hear the [other candidate's] stories, you think, 'You should really be going to the moon.'"
What Nagaraja does get the chance to do now is inspire kids who want the same.
"If you could go to Mars, raise your hand if you would go," a NASA employee said to students.
It's a kid's dream, but Panasonic and NASA know there's work to do to level the playing field.
"We've met so many adults who've said, 'I was on a pathway, but lost my way. I wanted to work for NASA, I wanted to be an astronaut.' So we want to tackle those barriers," said Alejandra Ceja, vice president of Social Impact and Inclusion at Panasonic North America.
Take a few of the college students for example. They range from aspiring meteorologists, chemical engineers and future sociologists.
"They didn't get me young unfortunately, which is sad, because I grew up with a lot of opportunities and I didn't take them when I had the chance," said Benjamin Roppe, who's now pursuing a degree in meteorology.
Lila Wheat shared their experience too.
"My younger cousin is just like me. Autism runs in my family, and I am autistic too," Wheat, a liberal arts major, said. "So he really wants to be an astronaut and NASA is his dream job, so I plan to bring him here tomorrow to show him he has potential."
This is one way to help them see themselves in STEM and see a future career outside of what they've known.
"I just wanna encourage everyone, especially young women, to keep pushing," Wheat said. "I wanted to give up so hard, so hard. I'm going to keep pushing no matter how hard it is."
"Being able to see that drive young people, gives me future hope," Nagaraja said. We're going to be okay."
On Saturday, the STEM Fest continues and it's free. You can find tickets here.
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