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Platteville physics teacher Matt Hair outlines HUNCH NASA-connected STEM program and student projects
Summary
Teacher Matt Hair described the HUNCH program’s student teams, NASA engagement including projects presented to engineers, examples of student work that flew on missions, and how interested students can join.
Matt Hair, a Platteville High School physics teacher, told the board about HUNCH, a multi-track STEM program that connects students with NASA and regional partners for hands-on design and prototyping projects.
"It's a really cool program... it's the best thing that's ever happened to me as a teacher," Hair said, describing 16 years of involvement and multiple student successes. He explained that HUNCH operates as an umbrella for several tracks — design and prototype, software, hardware, sewn flight articles, biomedical science and flight configurations — and that students work in groups led by college student mentors and professional-society volunteers.
Hair cited recent examples: students traveled to a regional design review in Columbia, Missouri, presented prototypes to NASA engineers, and some student projects have been considered for integration at the Johnson Space Center. He described specific student projects that were tested on aircraft and in microgravity simulations and recounted opportunities for students to work with astronaut and agency contacts.
Enrollment is open to interested students without strict selection criteria; Hair said he compiles an interest list from an activities fair, sends email invitations and encourages students who are passionate about space and hands-on building.
Board members thanked Hair; the presentation was informational and was not a formal action item.
