NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team

Engaging communities across the nation in NASA heliophysics knowledge & experiences.

NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team (NASA HEAT) engages communities across the nation with educational programs about heliophysics. As part of the NASA Science Activation program, NASA HEAT actively partners with scientists, educators, and communicators to provide understandable science educational content and experiences to learners of all ages.

NASA HEAT connects audiences across the nation to the innovative and captivating science of heliophysics. From nationwide educational programming to community-centric projects, NASA HEAT is actively partnering with museums, youth organizations, classroom teachers, and many others to teach people about our closest star, the Sun, and how it affects our lives.

NASA HEAT has existed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center since the founding of the Science Activation (SciAct) program. Formerly known as the Heliophysics Education Consortium (HEC) and NASA Space Science Education Consortium (NSSEC), the group was renamed to NASA HEAT to focus its efforts on excellence in Heliophysics education and solar eclipse outreach across the nation.

In 2017 NASA HEAT came to your living room for the total solar eclipse. NASA HEAT coordinated NASA’s national programming for the 2017 eclipse and is playing a key role for the upcoming 2023 annular eclipse and 2024 total solar eclipse. Learn more about NASA HEAT's successful coordination of NASA's national programming for the 2017 total solar eclipse at eclipse2017.nasa.gov.

HEAT’s mission: Increase heliophysics literacy and deepen public understanding about NASA Science by uniting existing NASA resources with educators, learners of all ages, and communities across the country.

HEAT’s vision: launch learners of all ages on a trajectory towards scientific discovery through heliophysics.

HEAT’s Core Values:

HEAT has four primary aspects to realize its vision: 1. Facilitate NASA scientists to communicate their research with learners, 2. Provide accessible educational content for both formal and informal educators, 3. Create and sustain heliophysics interest in a broad national audience, and 4. Specifically engage underserved communities across the US in STEM education. NASA HEAT provides these audiences with outcomes based educational experiences that incorporate NASA resources, missions, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and authentic learning explorations based on the following essential heliophysics questions:

NASA HEAT in coordination with NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and Science Activation community, is preparing for the 2023 and 2024 solar eclipses and the Heliophysics Big Year through leveraging partnerships to effectively collaborate, emphasizing science excellence, and meeting the needs of audiences. The team will promote outcome-based programming that focuses on the process of science and creates sustainability in STEM engagement beyond these events.

NASA Heat

Eclipses - NASA Science
NASA HEAT (@NASAHEAT) on X

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