On Saturday April 23rd, 2021, I was privileged to moderate a discussion focused on Project Based Learning in Space with Ted Tagami for the EDUC8 Conference on Clubhouse. As the exploration of the Universe plows ahead, this was an excellent opportunity to learn more about the incredible work of Magnitude.io in connecting learners to Space.

Ted Tagami is the CEO and Co-founder of Magnitude.io, a company focused on developing “brilliant scientists, engineers, and leaders through stellar STEM experiences, igniting curiosity, inquiry, and ingenuity.” In a conversation prior to the event, Ted shared, “We need to open students’ eyes to possibilities.” This statement showed his vision for a new generation of learners matriculating in education spaces inside and outside of classrooms. 

Space can seem like a far-off concept for students and even adults. How can we build a bridge of understanding where learning experiences about Space are relevant and meaningful?  This is where Magnitude.io brings Space to students, communities, and classrooms. During our forum, the passion of the Magnitude PI Team was clear in our dialogue. Renée Gamba passionately shared, "It is important for learners to be involved something bigger than themselves."  This desire was echoed by the Magnitude.io team as they shared the impact of Project Based Learning on students from various locations to include The United States of America, Germany, Greece, Romania, Kenya, and the International Space Station (ISS). As a result, our discussion further expanded to the mission of Exolab-8. 

Exolab-8 queries the effects of microgravity on living things in collaboration with the ISS.  This mission is open to students around the world and in February, nine seeds were placed in three test tubes within a 4-cube unit ExoLab aboard the ISS with the NG-15, a Northrop Grumman rocket carrying the Cygnus cargo ship named “S.S. Katherine Johnson.” Students participating in this exciting project could participate in live video chats, view the experiment as it grows in space while also collecting data in real time! Not to mention the pending return on the  SpaceX Crew-1 Dragon "Resilience" soon! You can track the return here. 

With the exploration of Space at the forefront of Science, the work of Magnitude.io is impeccable! This is such an incredible opportunity to bring Space into the classrooms, homes, and communities of learners. This is the first of many conversations to come with Ted Tagami as we push the boundary in learning and understanding Space!