November 17, 2020 – Chicago, IL
Women And Drones is pleased to announce a partnership with the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) which leads and administers the GeoTEd-UAS project. The organizations will work together to engage more women in the field of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and other STEM education and workforce development programs.
“We are excited about this amazing partnership with Women and Drones! The ability to leverage their network and engage with industry leaders in the drone industry from across the nation will improve our ability to train the future workforce,” stated Chris Carter, VSGC Deputy Director. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, women currently make up only 28% of the workforce in science, technology, engineering, and math. The common goal between the organizations is to provide women equal opportunities to pursue and thrive in STEM careers, specifically geospatial science and the growing unmanned aircraft systems industry.
“This partnership strengthens our commitment to connecting business and education to fuel the pipeline with more women in STEM and aviation” explained Women and Drones’ CEO and Founder, Sharon Rossmark.
Many jobs of the future are dependent upon people with higher degree of skill in STEM disciplines, including aerospace and technology. Women And Drones, together with the VSGC and GeoTEd-UAS will work together to improve female representation in that workforce of the future. Women and Drones will support the GeoTEd-UAS project by providing subject matter experts to speak during professional development institutes and webinars offered by the project. These female and minority business leaders, pilots, and data analysis experts will serve as excellent role models for educators and students participating in the project. Women and Drones will also facilitate connections between the project team and drone manufacturers and industry leaders.
The GeoTEd-UAS team integrates faculty and student-service learning missions throughout the project. The team will share their experiences, partnerships, and data with Women and Drones to contribute to the knowledge and research base in UAS operations and workforce development.
About the Virginia Space Grant Consortium and GeoTEd-UAS: The Improving Pathways into the Geospatial and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technician Workforce (GeoTEd-UAS) project team includes the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC), Germanna Community College, Virginia Tech and the Virginia Community College System. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF DUE#2000715). VSGC is part of NASA’s National College and Fellowship Network and is a consortium of NASA, education institutions, state agencies, and other stakeholders promoting and supporting STEM education, research, and workforce development.
About Women And Drones:
Women And Drones is the leading membership organization dedicated to driving excellence in the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) industry by advocating for female participation in this dynamic segment of the global economy. We partner with companies committed to an inclusive culture where women can thrive. We also provide Drone Flight Services including aerial imagery and drone product beta testing. Our educational programs range from kindergarten to career in efforts to balance the gender equation in the industry now, as well as for the future of flight.
