“The Power of People-to-People Exchange”: Space Science, Curriculum Development, and Teacher Training with Mackenzie Bristow in India
In Thiruvananthapuram, India, the realms of curriculum development and India-US space cooperation intertwined as English Language Specialist Mackenzie Bristow embarked on a multi-phase project to deliver courses focusing on communication for aerospace scientists. Bristow met undergraduate and graduate students – along with faculty – at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), at the start of what would become an unforgettable experience for the Specialist and her participants.
Bristow had three distinct duties as a Specialist, as she explains: “to deliver the curriculum we had designed during the virtual stage, to spend time with the faculty and students, [and] to learn more about Southern Indian culture.” The resulting project is a testament to Bristow’s success in keeping those goals in mind. As one local participant noted, Bristow’s work is a great example of “the power of people-to-people exchange.”