Students from area schools learn the practical importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
BOSTON – More than 1,500 students from 44 Greater Boston schools attended the Aviation and Maritime STEM Education Expo at Boston Logan International Airport today. The Expo is an annual education event where representatives from industry, government, and academia introduce students and educators to the opportunities and experiences offered by the aviation, maritime, and transportation fields.
“It is essential for organizations like Massport that students are exposed to careers in science, technology, engineering and math,” said Massport CEO Thomas P. Glynn. “Boston is home to a number of industries including life sciences, technology and innovation. We need our young people to have the interest and motivation to study the STEM disciplines so we can continue to generate the good-paying jobs and economic impact that propel the Commonwealth.”
More than 50 displays and information booths representing various aspects of the industries served as the backdrop for the event at the Delta Hangar. There were 21 aircraft including airplanes, two helicopters, numerous airport operations vehicles, as well as a Massport Fire Rescue airboat. In addition to several Massport departments, exhibitors included The Museum of Science, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Mass Maritime Academy, Massachusetts Air and Space Museum, Massachusetts State Police, Boston MedFlight and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
“Hundreds of careers at our airports were represented today,” said Massport’s Director of Aviation Ed Freni. “We rely on the engineers who design and build the planes, the pilots who fly them, the electricians who keep runways lit and radars working properly, the air traffic controllers who make sure aircraft travel safely in the sky, and many more. Showcasing the various career paths at the STEM Expo will hopefully encourage these young people to one day have a career at Logan.”
Massport employs hundreds of people in STEM fields including electricians, engineers, analysts, and technicians who work in concert to accomplish the authority’s mission of connecting Massachusetts and New England to the world. The STEM Education Expo started as a collaborative effort sponsored by the FAA and Massport in 1994.
The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, public terminals in the Port of Boston, Hanscom Field, and Worcester Regional Airport. Massport is a financially self-sustaining public authority whose premier transportation facilities generate more than $15 billion annually, and enhance and enable economic growth and vitality in New England. No state tax dollars are used to fund operations or capital improvements at Massport facilities. For more information please visit massport.com.
