Kansas STEM Program Newsletter: Local Resources and Guide

Wichita produces more general aviation aircraft than any other city in the world. That fact alone gives Kansas STEM education a distinctive local anchor that most states cannot match. Combined with one of the nation's most productive agricultural economies and strong university STEM programs, Kansas STEM teachers have compelling local career stories to tell in every newsletter.

Wichita: the aviation capital of the world

Boeing, Cessna (Textron Aviation), Beechcraft, Spirit AeroSystems, and dozens of aviation suppliers operate in Wichita, making it one of the most concentrated aerospace manufacturing centers in the country. These companies employ aeronautical engineers, materials scientists, avionics engineers, and manufacturing technology specialists in large numbers.

Wichita State University has an aviation engineering program with direct industry ties and hosts research partnerships with the major Wichita aviation companies. For students in the Wichita area, the pathway from school STEM to an aviation engineering career is direct and visible.

Agricultural engineering and precision farming

Kansas farms are sophisticated engineering operations. GPS-guided machinery, irrigation engineering, soil science, and crop management data systems are standard practice on competitive Kansas farms. Kansas State University's College of Agriculture and its extension programs provide research-backed resources for schools that want to connect science and math curriculum to real agricultural applications.

For students in rural Kansas communities, framing STEM as the science behind what their families and neighbors do is more motivating than abstract career examples from distant cities.

Wind energy engineering

Kansas is one of the windiest states in the country and has invested significantly in wind energy infrastructure. The wind energy industry employs electrical and mechanical engineers, and it creates local career opportunities that connect directly to physics and engineering curriculum. Connecting a unit on energy or electricity to the wind turbines visible across Kansas fields makes the science tangible.

Kansas City life sciences and technology

The Kansas City metro area, which straddles the Kansas-Missouri border, has a growing life sciences sector. The Stowers Institute for Medical Research conducts biomedical research and runs education programs. The Kauffman Foundation supports entrepreneurship education with STEM components. For northeastern Kansas students, the Kansas City metro provides additional STEM career options beyond agriculture and aviation.

Template: Kansas STEM newsletter excerpt

"This semester in physics we are studying aerodynamics and flight, which connects directly to the aviation manufacturing industry that employs thousands of Wichita-area families. Spirit AeroSystems builds Boeing fuselages right here in Kansas. We have an aeronautical engineer from a Wichita aviation company visiting in December to talk about careers in aircraft design and manufacturing. Students interested in engineering careers will want to attend. The Kansas Science Olympiad registration deadline is also this month."

Kansas State and WSU STEM pathways

Kansas State University's engineering and agricultural science programs and Wichita State University's aviation and engineering programs provide strong in-state STEM career pipelines. Both universities have dual enrollment and early college programs for high school students. For Kansas families, understanding these in-state options helps connect current coursework to achievable college and career goals.

Daystage makes it easy to send consistent newsletters that connect Kansas families to both local industry opportunities and state STEM competition resources throughout the year.