NASA Education Express Message — July 21, 2016
New This Week!
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Free NASA Educator Professional Development Webinars
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators
Next Event Date: July 27, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
U.S. Department of Defense Seeks Applications for Acquisition of Equipment/Instrumentation
Audience: Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions
Application Deadline: Aug. 31, 2016
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PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…
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Astronomy and Night Sky Summer Series
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Dates: July 21 and August 12, 2016
Call for Proposals — Citizen Science for Earth Systems Program
Audience: Higher Education and Informal Education Institutions
Proposal Deadline: July 21, 2016
2016 Educator Professional Development Workshops at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Audience: 5-12 Educators
Next Workshop Date: July 26, 2016
National Science Foundation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities — Undergraduate Program
Audience: Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Research Initiation Awards — Notice of Intent Deadline: July 26, 2016
Various Projects — Notice of Intent Deadline: Sept. 6, 2016
Broadening Participation Research Centers — Preliminary Proposal Deadline: March 21, 2017
Teacher Professional Development Programs at the NASTAR Center
Audience: K-12 Educators
Workshop Dates: Multiple dates through July 28, 2016
Call for Proposals: NASA Space Technology Research Institutes
Audience: Accredited U.S. Universities
Preliminary Proposal Deadline: July 28, 2016
Call for Papers: NASA in the ‘Long’ Civil Rights Movement Symposium
Audience: Academics, Graduate Students and Independent Scholars
Abstract Submission Deadline: July 31, 2016
Symposium Dates: March 16-17, 2017
Help NASA Study Mars — Planet Four: Terrains
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Timeframe: Ongoing
‘CineSpace’ Short Film Competition
Audience: All Educators and Students
Entry Deadline: July 31, 2016
Future Engineers ‘Think Outside the Box’ Challenge
Audience: K-12 Educators and Students
Entry Deadline: Aug. 1, 2016
NASA Swarmathon: Seeking College Teams for Swarming Robotics Competition!
Audience: Higher Education Faculty and Students at Minority Serving Universities and Minority Serving Community Colleges
Application Deadline: Aug. 1, 2016
Free Tours of Facilities at NASA’s Glenn Research Center
Audience: All Educators and Students
Next Event Date: Aug. 6, 2016
2016 Summer Professional Development Workshops at Wallops Educator Resource Center
Audience: K-12 Educators
Workshop Dates: Aug. 8-9, 2016
National Science Foundation’s Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers
Audience: Organizations Interested in Implementing Pre-K-12 STEM Education Programs
Full Proposal Deadline: Aug. 10, 2016
Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational Use
Audience: Educational Institutions, Museums and Other Education Organizations
National Science Foundation’s Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program
Audience: Organizations Interested in Advancing STEM Learning in Informal Environments
Full Proposal Deadline: Nov. 8, 2016
Access NASA Data to Analyze Astronaut Radiation Exposure in Space
Audience: Educators and Students, Ages 14 to 18
Entry Deadline: Dec. 3, 2016
Call for Submissions — NASA Announcement for High Impact / Broad Implementation STEM Education Partnerships (EDUCATION01SP16)
Audience: Education Institutions and Organizations
Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis Through Dec. 31, 2017
Searchable Portals for Federally Sponsored Opportunities for STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Audience: Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students and Higher Education Institutions
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Don’t miss out on upcoming NASA education opportunities.
For a full list of events, opportunities and more, visit the Educator and Student Current Opportunity pages on NASA’s website:
— Educators http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html
— Students http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/current-opps-index.html
Are you looking for NASA educational materials to support your STEM curriculum?
Search hundreds of resources by subject, grade level, type and keyword at http://www.nasa.gov/education/resources/.
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NEW THIS WEEK!
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Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.
Engineering Your Summer — Technology Drives Exploration: Robotics on a Budget
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-8
Event Date: July 27, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
Robots are a part of our everyday lives. We use them in ways we don’t always recognize. What are robots, how are they used in our lives, and how are they used at NASA? These are some of the questions explored in this webinar. Participants will learn how to use robotics inexpensively in the classroom by integrating NASA STEM robotics missions, curriculum and online resources to enhance students’ STEM understanding. Activities discussed in this webinar meet Next Generation Science Standards 3-5.ETS1 / MS.ETS1. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/187402
Climate Change Webinar 3: Human Impact on the Coast
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: July 28, 2016, at 4 p.m. EDT
In Part 3 of this webinar series, participants will continue exploring climate change. NASA research scientist Dr. Dorothy Poteet will discuss human impacts on coastal ecosystems in the New York region. Participants will also learn about NASA STEM resources related to climate change that may be implemented in the classroom. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/181749
For a full schedule of upcoming webinars, visit http://www.txstate-epdc.net/events/.
Please direct questions about this series of webinars to Steve Culivan at stephen.p.culivan@nasa.gov.
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U.S. Department of Defense Seeks Applications for Acquisition of Equipment/Instrumentation
The U.S. Department of Defense is soliciting applications for the acquisition of equipment/instrumentation under the Fiscal Year 2017 Research and Education Program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions. The Research and Education Program is designed to enhance the research capabilities of HBCUs and MSIs and strengthen their STEM education programs.
The purpose of funding under this Broad Agency Announcement is to (1) support the acquisition of equipment/instrumentation to augment existing capabilities or to develop new capabilities in research areas of interest to the Department of Defense, and (2) attract students to pursue studies leading to STEM careers. Funding provided under this Broad Agency Announcement cannot be used for student support. But to further DoD’s objective of attracting students to pursue studies leading to STEM careers, applicants must address the impact of the requested equipment/instrumentation on student participation in research.
Applications must be received by 4 p.m. EDT on Aug. 31, 2016.
For more information, visit http://www.arl.army.mil/www/pages/8/fy%202017%20dod%20hbcu%20mi%20baa_final%20June%2023%202016.pdf.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Evelyn Kent at Evelyn.W.Kent.civ@mail.mil.
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PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…
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Astronomy and Night Sky Summer Series
Join NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia for the Astronomy and Night Sky Summer Series, and discover the night sky from Assateague Island!
Events are scheduled on Thursday, July 21, 2016; and Friday, August 12, 2016 (Perseid Meteor Shower).
Each event will begin at 7:30 p.m. EDT with an hourlong auditorium presentation, followed by stargazing with telescopes and binoculars (weather permitting).
This series is free and open to the public; however, refuge entrance fees still apply. Attendees are encouraged to bring binoculars and insect repellant.
For more information and directions to the event, visit http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/2016_astronomy_summer_series_flyer.pdf.
Please direct questions about this series of events to Keith Koehler at keith.a.koehler@nasa.gov.
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Call for Proposals — Citizen Science for Earth Systems Program
NASA is seeking proposals for a new program as part of the NASA Research Announcement “Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2016.” The Citizen Science for Earth Systems Program’s primary goal is to develop and implement capabilities to use contributions from the public to advance understanding of Earth as a system. The program will complement NASA’s observation of Earth from space, air, land and water by engaging the public in NASA’s mission. The program will advance the use of citizen science in scientific research about Earth by directly supporting citizen science activities, as well as by developing technology to further citizen science research.
Through this solicitation, two types of proposals are sought — citizen science research and low-cost sensor deployment for the collection of well-calibrated citizen science data.
Proposals are due July 21, 2016.
For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/1SUOO63.
Questions concerning this program element may be directed to Kevin Murphy at kevin.j.murphy@nasa.gov.
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2016 Educator Professional Development Workshops at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, is hosting a series of one-day educator professional development workshops to connect educators with NASA research, technology and real-world STEM application. Workshops will include segments with NASA subject matter experts in science, engineering and technology. Participants will collaborate on ways to use the information in classroom settings and will learn how to access NASA’s work to spur cause-and-effect creative thinking among learners.
All workshops begin at 9 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. EDT. Participants must be U.S. citizens.
Engineering Design Process
Workshop Date: July 26, 2016
Explore the engineering design process with a NASA engineer and scientist. Learn how possible solutions to a problem are limited by constraints such as available materials and resources. Discuss and reflect on ways to use the design process to tap into students’ problem-solving skills and creativity. See how easy it is to integrate the design process into hands-on activities.
Atmosphere Science: Ozone
Workshop Date: July 28, 2016
NASA’s goal in Earth science is to observe, understand and model the Earth system to discover how it is changing, to better predict change, and to understand the consequences for life on Earth. Participants will learn about the science and engineering practices affecting the environment that are related to land, ocean, air and even outer space.
Climate
Workshop Date: Aug. 3, 2016
Learn about Earth’s major systems: geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. NASA scientists are studying Earth’s systems dynamics and will share their research on how these systems interact to affect Earth’s surface material and processes. Participants will then develop activities related to the scientists’ research on how the ocean variability can influence ecosystems, landforms, climate and weather.
Planetary Science: NASA in Motion
Workshop Date: Aug. 4, 2016
Learn about “Forces and Interactions” and take part in experience-based learning for educators about NASA’s work in the context of the gravitational forces of Earth. NASA scientists will be speaking to participants, who will then collaborate on ways to teach students to argue from evidence and use “cause and effect” thinking to identify and explain change related to gravitational forces.
Each workshop is limited to 50 participants. Early registration is encouraged.
For complete workshop details and registration information, visit http://education.gsfc.nasa.gov/2016workshops/.
If you have additional questions about the workshops, contact Kim West at (202) 861-1260, x5566.
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National Science Foundation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities — Undergraduate Program
The National Science Foundation is seeking proposals for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities — Undergraduate Program. HBCU-UP is committed to enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education and research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities as a means to broaden participation in the nation’s STEM workforce. HBCU-UP realizes this purpose by providing awards to develop, implement, and study innovative models and approaches for making dramatic improvements in the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may participate successfully in graduate programs and/or careers in STEM disciplines.
HBCU-UP provides support for a variety of opportunities. These include:
Research Initiation Awards: These awards provide support for STEM faculty at HBCUs to pursue new research at the home institution, an NSF-funded research center, a research-intensive institution or a national laboratory. The deadline to submit a required notice of intent for a Research Initiation Award is July 26, 2016. Full proposals are due Oct. 4, 2016.
Targeted Infusion Projects, Broadening Participation Research Projects, Implementation Projects, and Achieving Competitive Excellence Implementation Projects: These projects aim to support efforts that increase STEM participation at HBCUs. See the website for individual project descriptions. The deadline to submit a required notice of intent for these projects is Sept. 6, 2016. Full proposals are due Nov. 22, 2016.
Broadening Participation Research Centers: These centers represent the collective intelligence of HBCU STEM higher education and serve as the national hubs for the rigorous study and broad dissemination of the critical pedagogies and culturally sensitive interventions that contribute to the success of HBCUs in educating African-American STEM undergraduates. Centers are expected to conduct research on STEM education and broadening participation in STEM; perform outreach to HBCUs to build capacity for conducting this type of research; and work to transfer and disseminate promising participation-broadening research to enhance STEM education and research outcomes for African-American undergraduates across the country. The preliminary proposal deadline for this opportunity is March 21, 2017. Full proposals are due Nov. 22, 2017.
For more information on the overall Historically Black Colleges and Universities — Undergraduate Program, visit http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5481.
Please direct questions about these opportunities to Claudia Rankins at crankins@nsf.gov and Andrea Johnson at andjohns@nsf.gov.
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Teacher Professional Development Programs at the NASTAR Center
The National AeroSpace Training and Research, or NASTAR, Center is hosting a series of teacher professional development programs throughout the month of July. Here’s your chance to experience acceleration in a centrifuge, pilot an airplane simulator, or explore the gas laws in an altitude chamber. Each one-day workshop is worth eight hours of continuing education.
One-day workshops are planned for multiple dates through July 28, 2016. To see a full list of workshop dates and to download a registration packet, visit http://www.nastarcenter.com/education/teachers/.
The NASTAR Center is located in Southampton, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia. The center is an Affiliate Member of the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium. Funding from the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium supports these programs, so they are offered at no cost to teachers.
Questions about this series of workshops should be directed to Greg Kennedy at gkennedy@nastarcenter.com.
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Call for Proposals: NASA Space Technology Research Institutes
With its addition of Space Technology Research Institutes — larger, multidisciplinary, university-led research efforts — NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate is seeking proposals from universities to complement the individual research grants and projects already offered in its programs.
The STRI construct enables coordination of experts from a wide range of fields and organizations in a single distributed research structure. For research areas of overlapping interest, this approach could significantly increase partnerships between NASA, other government agencies, industry and academia. This cooperation could enable greater progress and benefit all involved.
STRIs will strengthen NASA’s ties to the academic community through long-term investment in research and technology development critical to the space agency’s future. The research institutes have the potential to increase the cadre of STMD researchers by involving experts and/or organizations that do not typically work closely with NASA. Their different perspectives and new approaches could lead to exciting new solutions and advances.
STRIs also will enhance the capabilities of U.S. universities and improve their contributions to meet the needs of NASA’s science and technology programs. These investments will also create and nurture the talent base of highly skilled engineers, scientists and technologists to improve the technological and economic competitiveness of the United States.
Only accredited U.S. universities are eligible to submit proposals to this solicitation. The proposal principal investigator or STRI director must be a tenured faculty member or untenured, tenure-track faculty member in an engineering or science department at the lead university.
The submission process will have two steps:
(1) Preliminary proposals are mandatory. (Submission of subsequent full proposals will be by invitation only.) Preliminary proposals are due July 28, 2016.
(2) Based on the review of preliminary proposals, invitations to submit full proposals are expected on Aug. 18.
The full solicitation schedule may be found in the Appendix. STMD expects to make up to two awards, each valued up to $15 million over the five-year period of performance.
For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/29kNnNB.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to hq-stmd-stri@mail.nasa.gov.
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Call for Papers: NASA in the ‘Long’ Civil Rights Movement Symposium
The History Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and the Department of History at the University of Alabama Huntsville invite academics, graduate students and independent scholars to submit proposals for papers to be presented at a two-day symposium, March 16-17, 2017. The symposium will take place at the University of Alabama Huntsville and will address the role/relationship of NASA to the “Long” Civil Rights Movement, particularly in, but not limited to, the Deep South (Huntsville, Florida, Houston, Mississippi and New Orleans).
The conceptual framework for the symposium is provided by Jacquelyn Dowd Hall’s 2005 essay in theJournal of American History, “The Long Civil Rights Movement and the Political Uses of the Past,” which called upon historians to produce new “modes of writing and speaking that emphasize individual agency … while also dramatizing the hidden history of politics and institutions.” Along these lines, the conference welcomes papers addressing the Civil Rights experience across NASA that not only explore the experience of African Americans, but also of women, immigrants and other politically/legally marginalized groups. The intention is to publish a subset of the papers as an anthology.
Those interested in presenting a paper at the symposium should send an abstract of no more than 400 words and a short biography or curriculum vita, including affiliation, to Brian Odom at brian.c.odom@nasa.gov or Dr. Stephen Waring at warings@uah.edu by July 31, 2016.
For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/history/call-for-papers-nasa-in-the-long-civil-rights-movement-symposium-university-of-alabama.html.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Brian Odom at brian.c.odom@nasa.gov.
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Help NASA Study Mars — Planet Four: Terrains
Help NASA study exotic landscape features near the south pole of Mars! In this citizen science project, you will view images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s Context Camera. Your input will help scientists identify possible areas for even more detailed examination with the orbiter’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera. HiRISE can reveal more detail than any other camera ever put into orbit around Mars.
Some of Mars resembles deserts on Earth, but seasonal freezing and thawing of carbon-dioxide ice (known on Earth as “dry ice”) at the Martian poles create some unusual landscape features. There’s a lot of territory to cover, so scientists need your help identifying what and where these features are.
For more information and to learn how to participate, visit the “Planet Four: Terrains” website at https://www.zooniverse.org/#/projects/mschwamb/planet-four-terrains.
To learn more about NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and its mission at the Red Planet, visit http://mars.nasa.gov/mro/.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Michelle Viotti at michelle.a.viotti@jpl.nasa.gov.
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‘CineSpace’ Short Film Competition
NASA and the Houston Cinema Arts Society once again will offer filmmakers around the world a chance to share their works inspired by — and using — actual NASA imagery through “CineSpace,” a short-film competition.
Films featuring NASA-captured imagery and video collected throughout the agency’s 50-year history will be judged on creativity, innovation and attention to detail. Works submitted to “CineSpace” will compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to be shown to audiences both on and off Earth. In addition to being screened at the “CineSpace” awards ceremony during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, winners and finalists may be screened at other film festivals across the country, as well as on NASA TV and even on the International Space Station.
“CineSpace” is open to all filmmakers, both professional and aspiring. The competition will accept submissions of all genres, including narrative, documentary, comedy, drama, animation, experimental and others, of up to 10 minutes running time. Entries must use at least 10 percent publically available NASA imagery.
The submission period opens June 1, 2016, and closes July 31, 2016. Finalists and winners will be announced at a “CineSpace” event during the Houston Cinema Arts Festival in November. Entries will be competing for $26,000 in prizes with cash awards going to the top three submissions as well as the two films that best demonstrate the themes “Benefits of Space to Humanity” and “Future Space Exploration.”
For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/cinespace-short-film-competition-returns-for-2016.
Please direct questions about this competition to cinespace@cinemartsociety.org.
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Future Engineers ‘Think Outside the Box’ Challenge
To celebrate the launch of the first-ever expandable habitat to the International Space Station (Bigelow Aerospace’s BEAM) and the launch of the first-ever commercial 3-D printer in space (Made In Space’s Advanced Manufacturing Facility), NASA and the American Society for Mechanical Engineers Foundation are challenging students to think outside the box with 3-D printing — literally. If you are a K-12 student in the United States, your challenge is to design a useful object that assembles, telescopes, hinges, accordions, grows, or expands to become larger than the printing bounds of the Advanced Manufacturing Facility 3-D printer in space (14cm length by 10cm width by 10cm height). The function of your assembled or expanded item can be anything you think would be useful for an astronaut living on the International Space Station.
The ‘Out of the Box’ Challenge is the fourth in a series of challenges where students in grades K-12 will create and submit a digital 3-D model of an object that they think astronauts might need in space. Future Engineers is a multiyear education initiative that consists of 3-D space challenges and curriculum videos on the site that parents and educators can use to get kids designing today.
Think big. Think outside of the box! And good luck!
Entries must be submitted by Aug. 1, 2016.
For more information about the challenge and to watch the launch video, go to www.futureengineers.org/thinkoutsidethebox.
Please email questions about this competition to info@futureengineers.org.
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NASA Swarmathon: Seeking College Teams for Swarming Robotics Competition!
The NASA Swarmathon is now accepting applications for the 2017 NASA Swarmathon Physical Competition. Selected teams will receive $5,000 in robot kits, a $1,000 stipend for their faculty member, and the chance to compete against teams from across the nation. The top scoring team will receive a $5,000 prize.
The Swarmathon will challenge students to develop search algorithms for robotic swarms, and these algorithms will be tested in a competition at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in April 2017.
Swarmathon participation will (1) improve students’ skills in robotics and computer science and (2) further advance technologies related to future NASA space exploration missions. Faculty members at Minority Serving Universities and Minority Serving Community Colleges are eligible to apply. The deadline for applications is Aug. 1, 2016.
For more information, visit http://nasaswarmathon.com/.
Please direct questions about the NASA Swarmathon to Info@NASASwarmathon.com.
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Free Tours of Facilities at NASA’s Glenn Research Center
NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, is offering tours that take visitors behind the scenes and inside certain research facilities. Glenn scientists and engineers serve as guides. Tours and open house events will be held each month through October 2016. Tours are free for groups and individuals, but reservations are required to guarantee admission. Visitor parking is also free.
On the days of the tours, a bus departs from Glenn’s main gate every hour, beginning at 10 a.m. The last tour departs at 1 p.m. Each tour lasts about 45 minutes, and a stop at Glenn’s Gift Shop follows the tour.
Glenn’s 2016 Tour Schedule
Aug. 6, 2016 — See Things a Different Way: Check out Glenn’s Graphics and Visualization, or GVIS, and the Reconfigurable User-interface and Virtual Reality Exploration, or GRUVE, Laboratories. The GVIS lab uses advanced computer input and output devices paired with a variety of natural user interface devices and 3-D displays. The GRUVE lab analyzes data obtained either by computer simulation or from research test facilities.
Sept. 10, 2016 — Vibration Testing: Join us on a tour of Glenn’s Structural Dynamics Laboratory, where things get shaken to verify their survivability. Several experiments that currently are operating on the International Space Station were tested in this lab.
Oct. 1, 2016 — Prepare for Impact: Come explore Glenn’s Ballistic Impact Facility. See the laboratory that helped to identify the cause of the space shuttle Columbia accident and to return NASA’s shuttle fleet to flight.
Tours are open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. To guarantee admission, reservations are required. For more information on tours and how to make reservations, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/events/tours.html.
Please direct questions about the tours to Sheila Reese at sheila.d.reese@nasa.gov.
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2016 Summer Professional Development Workshops at Wallops Educator Resource Center
The Educator Resource Center at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia is hosting a series of free summer professional development workshops for educators. Learn about these upcoming workshops:
NASA’s BEST (3-8 Educators)
Workshop Date: Aug. 8-9, 2016
Learn about the NASA’s Beginning Engineering, Science and Technology program during this two-day workshop. NASA BEST brings the principles of engineering alive to younger audiences, and the content is great for supplementing curricula.
Each workshop is limited to 20 participants. Early registration is encouraged.
Contact Samuel Henry at samuel.s.henry@nasa.gov for complete workshop details and registration information.
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National Science Foundation’s Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers
The National Science Foundation is accepting proposals for the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers, or ITEST, program. This program supports the development, implementation and selective spread of innovative strategies for engaging students in experiences that do the following:
— Increase student awareness of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and ICT (information and communications technology) careers
— Motivate students to pursue the education necessary to participate in those careers
— And/or provide students with technology-rich experiences that develop their knowledge of related content and skills (including critical thinking skills) needed for entering the STEM workforce.
ITEST projects must involve students but may also include teachers. The ITEST program is especially focused on broadening participation of students from traditionally underrepresented groups in STEM fields and related education and workforce domains. ITEST strongly encourages projects that actively engage business and industry partners. The resulting relationships better ensure that the students’ experiences foster the knowledge and skill sets needed for emerging STEM-related occupations.
Proposals are due Aug. 10, 2016.
For additional information about the program, including anticipated awards, visit http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15599/nsf15599.htm.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to DRLITEST@NSF.gov.
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Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational Use
NASA invites U.S. educational institutions to request space shuttle thermal protective tiles, space shuttle thermal protective blankets, and other special items offered on a first-come, first-serve basis while quantities last. Organizations previously allocated thermal protective tiles may request an additional three tiles.
Nonprofit museums, libraries and planetariums (sponsored through their respective State Agency Surplus Property, or SASP, organization) are also eligible to make requests. Visit the link below for special instructions to request items. To find the contact information for the SASP representative for your area, visit http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/100851.
A nominal shipping fee must be paid online with a credit card. To make a request for special items online, visit http://gsaxcess.gov/htm/nasa/userguide/Special_Item_Request_Procedure.pdf.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to GSAXcessHelp@gsa.gov.
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National Science Foundation’s Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program
The National Science Foundation is accepting proposals for the Advancing Informal STEM Learning, or AISL, program. This program seeks to advance new approaches to evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning opportunities for the public in informal environments; to provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; and to advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments.
Proposals are due Nov. 8, 2016.
For additional information about the program, including anticipated awards, visit http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15593/nsf15593.htm.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to DRLAISL@NSF.gov.
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Access NASA Data to Analyze Astronaut Radiation Exposure in Space
Imagine what it would be like to live in space. What kind of shelter would you live in? What kind of protection would you have from the elements? How long could you stay there?
On Earth, humans are protected from radiation by the atmosphere and Earth’s magnetic field. Astronauts on the space station are above the atmosphere and receive a higher dose of radiation than when they are on the ground. The harmful effects of radiation that come from the sun and other sources outside the solar system pose danger to humans living and working in space.
Radiation is one of the top concerns for humans living in deep space for long durations. A NASA group called RadWorks is using radiation detectors the size of USB thumb drives to collect data inside the International Space Station. Together with the University of Houston and the Institute for Research in Schools, RadWorks is sharing the data with high school students who are helping to analyze the radiation that astronaut Tim Peake is exposed to during his time aboard the International Space Station.
NASA is making this same data available to teachers and students through the TimPix project administered by the Institute for Research in Schools, with funding from the European Space Agency and the United Kingdom Space Agency. During European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake’s time aboard the station, data is taken many times a minute while in orbit. A variety of data sets are currently available, and others are being added as the mission progresses. Aimed at high school physics classes, the TimPix project allows students ages 14-18 to access and analyze radiation data during Peake’s mission. They are able to take part in authentic research occurring aboard the station. What type of radiation is present? What impact do different altitudes or locations around the world have on the number and types of particles detected? What happens during a solar flare? Join us in helping NASA answer these questions!
For more information about NASA’s Radworks project, visit http://techport.nasa.gov/view/10581.
For more information or to register for the TimPix project, email timpix@researchinschools.org.
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Call for Submissions — NASA Announcement for High Impact / Broad Implementation STEM Education Partnerships (EDUCATION01SP16)
The NASA Headquarters Office of Education, in cooperation with the agency’s four mission directorates, nine center education offices, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory education office, announces this competition to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. Responses must be submitted electronically via the NASA data system NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com).
NASA Education seeks to partner with eligible domestic or international organizations on a no-exchange-of-funds basis to reach wider and more diverse audiences and to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. The announcement places a priority on collaboration involving the following: digital learning; engaging underrepresented groups in STEM; NASA-themed STEM challenges; and youth-serving organizations. NASA also is receptive to other creative ideas including, for example, investigations or application of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and design, or STEAMD; or activities culturally relevant to or focused on populations underrepresented in STEM careers, such as women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. The announcement explains the criteria used to review responses and NASA’s partnership mechanism known as a no-exchange-of-funds or nonreimbursable Space Act Agreement.
NASA will accept responses on a rolling basis through Dec. 31. 2017.
For more information about this opportunity, visit NSPIRES at http://go.nasa.gov/1RZwWCi.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please direct your questions to the Points of Contact listed within the NASA announcement.
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Searchable Portals for Federally Sponsored Opportunities for STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Are you an undergraduate or graduate student seeking opportunities in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)? The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science — in collaboration with the participating agencies in the National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM) and the Science.gov Alliance — has launched a search portal for both students and universities to discover federally sponsored STEM education training and funding opportunities.
Student users can search the site for opportunities they can apply to directly, such as research internships and fellowships. Likewise, universities can search the site for federal funding opportunities to establish innovative training programs for undergraduates or graduate students.
Users can search the site through faceted searching capabilities for characteristics such as program type, STEM discipline, institution location, federal sponsor, and eligibility. Or they can search through the open text option.
For programs and opportunities for undergraduates, visit http://stemundergrads.science.gov/.
For graduate programs and opportunities, visit http://stemgradstudents.science.gov/.
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