FTPP Inspires Future STEM Leaders at Tech Trek 2026

FTPP was excited to return to Tech Trek for a third year on June 10, 2026, at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, where we had the opportunity to engage 64 seventh-grade girls from across Alabama through two interactive STEM workshops designed to spark curiosity and excitement about science.

The first session, An Out of This World Presentation, introduced students to the fascinating field of particle detection using IMAP resources. Through a cosmic-themed presentation and accompanying hands-on activity, participants explored how scientists detect and study particles from space. Students remained highly engaged throughout the session, asking thoughtful questions and enthusiastically participating in the activity.

Our second workshop, How the Solar Wind Blows, another IMAP activity, focused on the science behind solar wind and space weather. Using different colors of paint to represent slow solar wind, fast solar wind, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), students observed how varying amounts of force affect the movement and behavior of solar particles. This creative activity provided a fun and memorable way to visualize complex scientific concepts.

Both workshops were led by CSPAR Ph.D. students Sangat Sharma, Paria Abouhamzeh, Juan G. Alonso Guzman, Syed Raza, Corinne Komlodi, Yiming Jiao, Bigyan Mainali, and Sarah Dalessi, who shared their passion for research and STEM education with the next generation of scientists and engineers.

To commemorate the experience, each attendee received a special goody bag filled with IMAP, CSPAR, and FTPP items, along with a personalized mini certificate recognizing them as an “Out of This World Attendee.”

FTPP would also like to thank the Alabama Space Grant Consortium for helping with this outreach event. We are grateful for another successful year at Tech Trek and enjoyed engaging and empowering Alabama’s future STEM leaders!