$5,000 Grants Available for 2012 NASA University Student Launch Initiative

The NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute, or MICI, will be offering Minority Serving Institutions the opportunity to apply for a $5,000 grant to assist the school in entering the 2012 NASA University Student Launch Initiative. USLI is a competition that challenges university-level students to design, build and launch a reusable rocket with a scientific or engineering payload to one mile above ground level. The project engages students in scientific research and real-world engineering processes with NASA engineers. It culminates in an actual launch competition near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Those interested in this grant opportunity should visit http://nasamici.com/?p=450 to register for a free, live videoconference on April 6, 2011, at 3 p.m. EDT in which MICI organizers will explain how to apply. Additional video conference sessions concerning USLI will be held during the remainder of the month of April. These sessions will include Dr. Clement Allen explaining how to create a Senior Design Course around USLI; the 2010 Florida A&M Student USLI team describing their experience at the contest; and NASA representatives from USLI explaining how the contest works and how to prepare in advance. Dates and times for all of these sessions will be posted at http://nasamici.com/?p=450.

Applications are due May 31, 2011.

Please email any questions about the grant opportunity and informational videoconferences to Mary Baker at mary@nasamici.com.