February 2022 marked the 20th Anniversary of Prof. Caldwell’s tenure as Director and Principal Investigator of the NASA Indiana Space Grant Consortium (INSGC). INSGC is hosted at Purdue University, and through its network of two dozen academic and engagement affiliates, serves as the “face of NASA” for STEM inspiration, education, and opportunities throughout Indiana. Prof. Caldwell continues this work as recognition of the impact of NASA research and mentoring he received as an undergraduate student as instrumental in his career as an engineering faculty member and leader.
INSGC has helped coordinate and support STEM events at the Indiana State Fair; serve as a lead sponsor of FIRST Robotics and Indiana FIRST teams’ participation in the World Championships; and connected STEM undergraduate and graduate students to NASA internships, campus research participation, spaceflight payloads, and engagement with local, state, and federal government. Our next signature statewide event is the Total Solar Eclipse traversing the state on April 8, 2024, with the path of totality aligned with I-69 from Evansville to Ft. Wayne.