Ahead of 5th District Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty leaving office, she will see another bill signed into law. The Women in Aerospace Education Act awaits President Trump’s signature.
The bill was introduced to address the shortage of skilled aerospace workers and encourage more women to participate in the STEM fields. Esty says nearly a fifth of aerospace engineers are eligible for retirement, and women only represent about a quarter of all STEM workers.
The Women in Aerospace Education Act also directs NASA to encourage the recruitment of women and minority candidates to apply for internships and fellowships. She added that NASA projects help provide answers to global and local challenges, such as assistance to developing countries, disaster warning and relief, environmental cleanup, and more.
The bill would encourage universities applying for Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship grants, which are designed to cover the cost of STEM-degree seeking students who intend to teach in rural and lower income school districts, to incorporate aerospace programs at the National Laboratories and NASA Centers into their teacher training experience.
