Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Space makes a difference

Inspiring a new generation...

By Caroline An, Staff Writer
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

PASADENA - Hoping to spark interest in the "final frontier" among teens and young professionals, NASA has turned to the Art Center College of Design to find ways of engaging the "Millenial Generation."

Millenials are the edgy, clever and technologically savvy individuals in the 15-to 30-year-old age group. Millenials also have the least knowledge and appreciation for the agency that has made traveling to the moon and searching for life on other planets a reality, NASA found.

How do you make moon, planets and stars attractive and relevant to every day life?

Art Center students last week presented their versions of making NASA a little more hip. NASA officials, an astronaut and officials from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory listened as the students presented their ideas.

After 13 weeks of research and work, the finished proposals included revamping the NASA logo, redesigning its Web site - more pictures, less text - thinking up taglines like "NASAtastic" and "Hope Through Discovery," and giving the gangly and homely lunar rover a makeover.

The students suggested a sleeker design, eye-catching colors and names like "ALEX" and "TOAD" to make the roving vehicle more personalized. Other ideas included cultivating a "more personal connection."

Read more HERE.