COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The Columbus Air Force Base flight line will once again be a place of education and excitement for local area students during the 2024 Thunder Over Columbus Air Show and Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics event, only days before the official start of the air show weekend, September 21-22.
“The STEM event is a vital keystone to engaging our nation’s youth and encouraging them to explore career paths that bolster our competitive edge world-wide,” said Lt. Col. Boston “Rowdy” Little, Fighter Bomber Fundamentals lead and 2024 Thunder Over Columbus Air Show director. “The Thunder Over Columbus Air Show is a perfect opportunity to show them up close how an interest in education directly translates to a successful future for all of us.”
The first large scale STEM Expo in conjunction with a Columbus AFB air show was in 2022 and featured 30 STEM exhibitors from Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Arkansas in the fields of military and civilian aviation, engineering, robotics, forensics, military sciences, unmanned vehicles and the cyber domain with approximately 1,200 students and staff in attendance.
“The biggest challenge has been educating people about what STEM is and how it is important to incorporate to the air show,” said Amber Meiborg, 14th Force Support Squadron school liaison officer and STEM event coordinator. “We’ve added more age groups from the local schools and extended the event to two days to create more opportunities to showcase the STEM exhibitors and the CAFB mission.”
This year, the STEM event builds on the previous foundation and is scheduled to expand to a multi-day student only focused program before the start of the scheduled air show performances. The STEM area will be open to the public during both days of the air show and is located south of the heavy air lift aircraft and fighter aircraft.
Previously, the STEM event focused on high school Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and college level Reserve Officers’ Training Corps to test the event concept before including middle school students. This year, schools with students in the fifth grade to 12th grade from the Golden Triangle Region have accepted invitations.
“The STEM event allows a broader range of students in the Golden Triangle area to get up close to the aircraft, technology and career fields that make up the pilot training mission here at Columbus,” said Meiborg. “A lot of the students have never been to a military base, and to be able to provide them with the opportunity while showcasing fun hands-on activities is imperative to foster that engagement and innovation of the STEM field.”
Air shows at U.S. Air Force installations have recently begun incorporating STEM areas or events within the air show as a way to encourage an interest in military career fields and higher education for youths.
For each STEM student-only day, there will be four rotations that last approximately an hour and a half with a capacity cap of 420 students per rotation. Students from 25 schools will have an opportunity to experience activities that focus on robotics, unmanned aerial vehicles, flight simulators, virtual reality, mathematics and STEM kits.
“My goal is to foster the love for learning and engage students in activities that can inspire their future,” said Meiborg.
For more information about the 2024 Thunder Over Columbus Air Show visit www.thunderovercolumbus.com .