UHCL partnership with JASON Learning inspires tomorrow’s STEM Leaders through mentorship and real-world learning
For students exploring future careers in science and technology, a week at the University of Houston-Clear Lake offered more than hands-on research. It provided a glimpse of what their future could become.
As a key partner in the 2026 JASON Learning Argonaut Liftoff Expedition: From Data to Design to Impact, UHCL welcomed Teacher and Student Argonauts from across the country for a week of scientific discovery, research collaboration, and mentorship. Throughout the experience, UHCL faculty, Doctoral Curriculum and Instruction (EDCI) students, UHCLTeach students, and Argonaut Alumnus Eloy Sanchez worked side by side with participants, helping them transform field-collected environmental data into meaningful research and professional-quality presentations, while exposing them to college life and STEM career pathways.
For Dr. Carol Waters, professor in the College of Education and a former JASON Teacher Argonaut herself, the partnership represents an opportunity to give students the same kind of transformational experience that once shaped her own career.
"The conversation created a valuable exchange between emerging researchers and K–12 educators and students," Waters said. "The doctoral students were able to learn directly from the Argonauts' experiences while also helping them think critically about their data and research questions."
Learning through mentorship
During the expedition, Argonauts collected environmental data using databots at the Houston Advanced Research Center in The Woodlands and Armand Bayou Nature Center near UHCL’s Bay Area campus before bringing their findings to UHCL. Then, doctoral students in Waters' Learning in Cognition in STEM Education course and Sanchez met with the participants to discuss their research, ask questions, and help them refine their thinking.
The learning continued the following day as UHCLTeach Master Teacher Dr. Lorie Batrez and Fredy Rubio, UHCLTeach student organization president, led a workshop on creating effective scientific research posters and communicating scientific findings to diverse audiences. The workshop emphasized poster design, visual communication, and audience engagement. Afterward, Batrez, Rubio, EDCI doctoral student Leander Taylor, and Waters met individually with each Argonaut to offer personalized feedback on research questions, poster design, data visualization, and presentation skills. The mentoring sessions encouraged participants to think like scientists while learning to communicate their discoveries effectively.
For McKenzie Brooks, an upcoming freshman from central Ohio, those mentoring sessions made an immediate impact.
"One of the mentors gave us a presentation on how to make a great poster," Brooks said. "Everything she taught us is reflected in my poster."
Inspiring future scientists
Brooks said the expedition itself has already become one of the defining experiences of her young academic journey.
"When I was in sixth or seventh grade, I learned about the expedition and thought it sounded awesome," she said. "But I wasn't old enough to participate."
A year later, another opportunity appeared.
"The next year, I saw there wasn't an age requirement, and I knew I wanted to do it," Brooks said. "I had no idea what to expect, and I thought it might be boring, but it ended up being one of the greatest decisions I've ever made."
Now considering a future in astronomy or space-related fields, Brooks said visiting Houston and interacting with researchers, educators, and UHCL students expanded her perspective.
"It was great," she said after touring NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL). "I learned about the spacesuits astronauts use and the Artemis and Apollo programs. It was awesome."
A partnership that opens doors
While the expedition introduces students to authentic scientific research, it also intentionally helps them envision themselves in higher education.
Jude Kesl, JASON Learning expedition leader, said UHCL has become an invaluable partner because of the university's willingness to invest time and expertise in each participant.
"One of the things Dr. Waters does is bring her students in as mentors," Kesl said. "When we came to UHCL, her doctoral students sat down one-on-one with the teachers and students to talk through their poster presentations, offering support and coaching throughout the process."
That interaction, she said, creates an experience that extends well beyond the science.
"Parents also love that their students have the opportunity to spend time on a college campus," Kesl added.
The collaboration also connects students to professionals who have followed similar educational pathways. Those examples reinforce what students heard throughout the week — that careers in aerospace, engineering, and environmental science are built through education, internships, and hands-on experience.
"It's about showing students the kinds of careers that are possible," Kesl said. "You don't have to be a scientist to work in the space industry. There are so many ways to be part of it."
For some students, those experiences provide clarity about their future.
Kesl recalled one participant who visited aerospace manufacturer Arrow Science and Technology during the expedition.
"At Arrow Science and Technology, I overheard a student say, 'I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but after this, I'm going to go into aerospace engineering,'" Kesl said. "It was one of those moments where you could see the experience had really made an impact."
Preparing the next generation of STEM leaders
The week concluded with the JASON Argonaut Poster Presentation Showcase hosted at UHCL, where students presented their research to university leadership, faculty members, and representatives from organizations including Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Space Center Houston, Texas A&M University, the University of Houston, and JASON Learning alumni.
For Waters, the showcase represents the culmination of something much larger than a research project.
"This experience exemplifies the power of experiential learning," Waters said. "By working alongside researchers, educators, university students, and industry professionals, Argonauts gain not only technical skills but also the confidence to communicate their ideas and pursue STEM pathways."
Now in its third year, the partnership between UHCL and JASON Learning continues to demonstrate how meaningful mentorship, authentic research experiences, and collaboration with educators and industry professionals can help students discover new possibilities long before they begin college. By opening its classrooms, connecting students with faculty and graduate mentors, and creating opportunities to engage with real scientific challenges, UHCL is helping the next generation envision and prepare for a future in STEM.
