Status Report

NASA Education Express – May 5, 2016

By SpaceRef Editor

May 6, 2016

Filed under Education, NASA Education Office, US

New This Week!

New IMAX Movie ‘A Beautiful Planet’ Out Now, Plus Educational Resources
Audience: All Educators and Students

New Educational Resources Available From JPL Education
Teachable Moment: May the Force = Mass x Acceleration — Grades 6-12
Teachable Moment: Transit of Mercury — Grades 5-12

Free NASA Educator Professional Development Webinars
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators
Next Event Date: May 5, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT

Call for Proposals — Citizen Science for Earth Systems Program
Audience: Higher Education and Informal Education Institutions
Notice of Intent Request Date: May 27, 2016
Proposal Deadline: July 21, 2016

PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…

NASA/NSTA Webinar — Global Precipitation Measurement Mission: Weather
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Date: May 5, 2016, 6:30 p.m. EDT

Call for Proposals: NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate’s University Leadership Initiative
Audience: Accredited, Degree-granting U.S. Colleges and Universities
Notice of Intent Deadline: May 5, 2016
Proposal Deadline: June 7, 2016

Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy
Audience: Designed for Families With Children Ages 10 to 14, but Open to All
Next Event Date: May 7, 2016, 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. EDT

White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities — 2016 All-Star Students Program
Audience: Higher Education Students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Application Deadline: May 13, 2016

Federal Aviation Administration Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues
Audience: Graduate Students
Application Deadline: May 15, 2016

2016 NASA Aeronautics Design Challenge: Distributed Electric Propulsion
Audience: Students at U.S. Colleges and Universities
Entry Deadline: May 16, 2016

GLOBE El Niño Field Campaign and Webinar Series
Audience: K-12 Educators
Next Webinar Date: May 17, 2016, at 8 p.m. EDT

Free Educator Workshop — Space Technology: Green Propellant Infusion Mission
Audience: K-12 and Informal Educators
Event Dates: May 18, 2016, 4:30-6 p.m. PDT

Smallsat Technology Partnerships Solicitation
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Proposal Deadline: May 25, 2016

Student Spaceflight Experiments Program — Mission 11 to the International Space Station
Audience: School Districts Serving Grades 5-12, Informal Education Institutions, Colleges and Universities
Inquiry Deadline: May 27, 2016

2016 National Academy of Engineering – Engineering for You Video Contest 3
Audience: All Educators and Students
Entry Deadline: May 31, 2016

Mars Survival Kit: Lessons and Activities to Guide Your Exploration of Mars!
Audience: K-12 Educators

NASA History Program Office Fall 2016 Internships
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Fall 2016 Application Deadline: June 1, 2016

Call for Proposals: Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP-2)
Audience: Universities and Nonprofit Organizations
Proposal Deadline: June 15, 2016

Future Engineers ‘Think Outside the Box’ Challenge
Audience: K-12 Educators and Students
Entry Deadline: Aug. 1, 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

Free “NASA’s Journey to Mars” Planetarium/Dome Show
Audience: All Formal and Informal Educators

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/.

NEW THIS WEEK!

New IMAX Movie ‘A Beautiful Planet’ Out Now, Plus Educational Resources

Embark on an awe-inspiring trip around our world through the eyes of astronauts on the International Space Station in the newly released IMAX movie, “A Beautiful Planet.” The movie stars Earth as seen from space by astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the orbiting laboratory. Shooting spanned multiple expeditions with NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Terry Virts and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, as well as former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, volunteering as filmmakers during their time on station.

To learn more about the film and to watch a trailer, visit http://www.nasa.gov/feature/window-to-earth-nasa-partners-with-imax-for-a-beautiful-planet.

Bring the excitement of “A Beautiful Planet” into your classroom! Download the educator’s resource guide and supplemental activities at IMAX.COM/ABP/Education. Inspired by the film, these resources are designed to enhance your students’ understanding of Earth, the importance of the International Space Station, and the work that’s being done to conserve our planet and its resources.

New Educational Resources Available From JPL Education

Are you looking for ways to bring the latest NASA science and mission news into your classroom? Education specialists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California have the resources to help you do just that! The “Teachable Moments” blog brings together news, activities and education tips on the latest happenings at NASA.

Check out the latest offerings from JPL Education.

Teachable Moment: May the Force = mass x acceleration — Grades 6-12
Star Wars Day, May the Fourth, was earlier this week, and the education team at JPL has a Teachable Moment that connects Star Wars, JPL’s Dawn Mission and Newton’s Laws of Motion. This article contains a primer on the physics behind the ion propulsion engines that drive the Dawn spacecraft, as well as a lesson that shows students how to calculate additive velocity on a hypothetical ion-propelled spacecraft. The spreadsheet model addresses both Next Generation Science and Common Core Math Standards for grades 6-12. Check it out at http://bit.ly/jpltms.

Coming Soon! Teachable Moment: Transit of Mercury — Grades 5-12
May 9 marks the first transit of Mercury since 2006. The movement of Mercury across the sun’s disk, as seen from Earth, provides an opportunity for teachers to engage students in authentic, real-world problems that address Common Core Math Standards. On May 6, the education team at JPL will release a Teachable Moment related to the transit of Mercury that will provide background on the importance of planetary transits, mathematics activities appropriate for middle and high school students, and extensions to enhance student learning.

Looking for more? Check out the “Teachable Moments” archives for more resources. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/news/column/teachable-moments/

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.

Join Us on the Journey to Mars: Looking for Life
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-9
Event Date: May 5, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
Is there life beyond our Earth? If so, how can we verify its existence? Using NASA STEM curriculum, participants will explore the possibility of life on Mars using their definition of “life” to determine whether anything is alive in three different simulated Mars soil samples. Participants will experiment, record observations and draw pictures as they collect data from the samples to determine if life may exist in any of them. The activities presented in this webinar address Next Generation Science Standards 4-LS1-1, 5-LS1-1, MS-LS2-1, and HS-LS2-3. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/170333

Join Us on the Journey to Mars: Exploration of Mars Through the Eyes of the Rovers
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 3-8
Event Date: May 9, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Take a journey to Mars as seen through the eyes of the rovers on Mars. Dive into NASA curriculum you can use with your students that has them creating “Planetary Pasta Rovers.” The engineering design process will be used during this session, and the activity is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/170708

Virtual Missions and Exoplanets (vMAX): Part 1 — Curriculum Overview
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: May 10, 2016, at 4 p.m. EDT
With the Virtual Missions and Exoplanets curriculum, learn how to engage students in the study of exoplanetary systems through hands-on experiences, scenario-based problem solving, and 3-D multi-user virtual world simulations. This webinar provides an overview of exoplanetary system resources that build upon the use of NASA data. These resources are organized for a one-week experience for middle school students but are flexible enough to be used for any formal or informal audience and time period. It is suggested that participants also attend the vMAX Technical (Part 2) webinar for a complete understanding of how to implement these resources. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/167831

Virtual Missions and Exoplanets (vMAX): Part 2 — Technical Overview
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: May 11, 2016, at 4 p.m. EDT
With the Virtual Missions and Exoplanets curriculum, learn how to engage students in the study of exoplanetary systems through hands-on experiences, scenario-based problem solving, and multi-user virtual world simulations in 3-D. This webinar addresses technical requirements to download, install and navigate the virtual world as an avatar in preparation for using the vMAX virtual world with students. It is suggested that participants also attend the vMAX Curriculum (Part 1) webinar for a complete understanding of how to implement these resources. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/167832

Join Us on the Journey to Mars: Destination Mars — Super Models
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-8
Event Date: May 12, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
Students you teach today may be the first explorers to Mars! How far will they have to travel to explore Mars? Is Mars big or small? This webinar will investigate those questions and explore Earth, the moon and Mars with NASA STEM activities that model the sizes of and distances between those bodies in our neighborhood. The activities presented in this session also address the Next Generation Science Standard MS-ESS1-3. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/170334

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.

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 general 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.

Notices of Intent are requested by May 27, 2016, and 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.

PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…

NASA/NSTA Webinar — Global Precipitation Measurement Mission: Weather

Join the National Science Teachers Association for a free interactive webinar to learn about weather and NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement, or GPM, mission. The 90-minute session will take place on May 5, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT.

Topics presented at this webinar will include types of weather, weather basics, extreme weather, monitoring extreme weather with satellites, and hands-on investigations for students to collect data about weather — including GLOBE protocols. A NASA scientist will discuss the difference between weather and climate and will describe ground validation campaigns.

GPM is an international satellite mission managed by NASA and JAXA (the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) that will provide next-generation observations of rain and snow. The GPM mission will help us learn more about Earth’s water and energy cycles, improve the forecasting of extreme events that cause natural disasters, and extend current capabilities of using satellite precipitation information to directly benefit society.

All participants will receive a certificate of participation and 100 Learning Center activity points for attending and completing the post-program evaluation. An archive and presentation slides will be available at the end of the program.

For more information and to register to attend the webinar event, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/resource/?id=10.2505/9/WSNASA15_May5.

For more information about GPM, visit http://www.nasa.gov/gpm or http://gpm.nasa.gov.

Please email questions about this opportunity to webseminars@nsta.org.

Call for Proposals: NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate’s University Leadership Initiative

NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate is seeking proposals for a new opportunity for universities and their research partners to contribute toward NASA research goals. The University Leadership Initiative allows universities and university-led partnerships to provide strategic leadership that advances ARMD’s research objectives and promotes education of the next generation of engineers.

Proposers will identify technical challenges and research activities that will contribute to the six strategic thrusts provided in the ARMD Strategic Implementation Plan (http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov/pdf/armd-strategic-implementation-plan.pdf).

For this solicitation, the proposing (lead) organization must be an accredited, degree-granting U.S. college or university. Proposing organizations are invited to include partners as part of their team. Partners may include other U.S. colleges and universities, U.S. companies, nonprofit organizations, and any other public or private U.S. entity. Proposers may not include NASA centers or researchers as team members.

Multiple awards are anticipated with nominal budgets in the $2M range per award per year. Awards will have a maximum duration of five years.

Interested applicants should submit a Notice of Intent no later than May 5, 2016. Step A proposals are due June 7, 2016.

For more information about this solicitation, visit http://go.nasa.gov/1VxTDmc.

Please submit questions about this opportunity to HQ-UnivPartnerships@mail.nasa.gov.

Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy

Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy, at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, is a free alternate-reality game that will challenge you to become an astronaut-in-training for a future trip to Mars. Choose what role you will play on the mission; engage in fun interactive activities; and explore the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills you will need as a next-generation space traveler. Along the way, you’ll learn about some of the museum’s fascinating artifacts.

Instructions and guidance are given via a special webpage accessed on your mobile device. Players should bring their own phones or devices equipped with an internet browser and a camera. Having a digital picture-taking device (smartphone, tablet, camera) is highly recommended but not required.

The game is aimed at upper elementary and middle school visitors and their families. Do you want to bring a group? Reservations are required for groups larger than 15.

The next offering of the Astronaut Academy is on May 7, 2016. Begin your training with Astronaut Orientation in the Claude Moore Education Center Classroom 1 located on the first level across from the restrooms. Astronaut Orientation is offered at regular intervals between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The last opportunity to start the game is at 2:30 p.m. A self-guided activity, the game should take between 60 and 90 minutes, and staff will help you along the way.

For more information, including a full list of upcoming Astronaut Academy dates, visit http://airandspace.si.edu/events/techquest/.

Please direct questions about the Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy to the visitor service line at 202-633-2214.

White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities — 2016 All-Star Students Program

The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities works to promote HBCU excellence, innovation and sustainability. The Initiative will recognize current HBCU students for their dedication to academics, leadership and civic engagement as 2016 HBCU All-Star Students.

The appointment period will last approximately one year. During this time, HBCU All-Stars will serve as ambassadors of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities by providing outreach opportunities and communications to their fellow students about the value of education and the Initiative as a networking resource. Through social media and personal and professional relationships with community-based organizations, students will share promising and proven practices that support opportunities for all young people to realize their educational and career potential. The program will provide an opportunity to participate in regional and national events as well as webchats with Initiative staff and other professionals from a wide range of disciplines that support a spirit of engagement and personal and professional development.

Nominees must be current undergraduate, graduate or professional students at an HBCU. Students must be enrolled for the 2016-2017 fall semester. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 13, 2016.

For more information and to download an application, visit http://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/resources/hbcu-all-star-students/.

Please email any questions about this opportunity to hbcuallstars@ed.gov.

Federal Aviation Administration Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues

The Airport Cooperative Research Program is seeking applicants for its Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues. Through this program, the ACRP strives to encourage applied research on airport and related aviation system issues and to foster the next generation of aviation community leaders. The program is intended to stimulate thought, discussion and research by those who may become the future airport managers, operators, designers and policy makers in aviation. The focus of this research program is on applied research to help the public sector continue to improve the quality, reliability, safety and security of the U.S. civil aviation system well into the foreseeable future.

The Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues will award up to 10 highly qualified applicants, selected by an ACRP panel of experts, a stipend of $10,000 each for successful completion of a research paper on a subject chosen by the candidate within the framework of the program’s purpose.

Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States, or have a current student visa. Each applicant also must be officially enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited North American institution of higher learning for the academic year in a graduate course leading to a master’s or doctoral degree. Proof of both may be required.

Applications are due May 15, 2016.

For more information, visit http://www.trb.org/ACRP/ACRPGraduateAwardProgram.aspx.

The ACRP Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues is sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration. Creating a selection panel, monitoring research progress, organizing a forum for presentation, and publishing the research papers are the responsibility of the ACRP of the Transportation Research Board. The Virginia Space Grant Consortium will manage the Graduate Research Award program under the ACRP’s direction.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to acrp@odu.edu.

2016 NASA Aeronautics Design Challenge: Distributed Electric Propulsion

Distributed Electric Propulsion, or DEP, is an emerging aircraft design concept that has the potential to improve aircraft performance in a number of areas, including efficiency, takeoff and landing performance, emissions, noise abatement, safety, and ride quality. DEP also has the potential to enable new novel control systems. In this year’s NASA Aeronautics Design Challenge, student teams are challenged to design a commuter aircraft that applies DEP technology. The main source of thrust for the students’ concept may come from DEP or a combination of DEP and conventional propulsion devices (turboprops, turbofans, etc.). The challenge for the design team is to determine the most advantageous application of DEP for their aircraft and to justify their selection.

The contest is open to teams of full-time students enrolled in higher education institutions of the United States or its territories. This category includes universities, colleges, trade schools, community colleges, professional schools, etc. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged.

Final entries are due May 16, 2016.

For more information and a complete list of rules, visit http://aero.larc.nasa.gov/university-contest/.

Questions about the challenge should be directed to Elizabeth Ward at Elizabeth.B.Ward@nasa.gov.

GLOBE El Niño Field Campaign and Webinar Series

El Niño and La Niña are important phenomena that can impact the climate by causing global flooding and droughts as well as changes in seasonal weather. These interactions around the world are called teleconnections. Because of the importance of this issue, a GLOBE ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) Campaign has been formulated to engage students in determining where and how much El Niño affects local places and to put students in contact with their local environment.

To learn more about the campaign and how to participate, visit http://www.globe.gov/web/el-nino/el-nino-campaign.

To help educators prepare for the El Niño Campaign, GLOBE is hosting a series of free education webinars to discuss the mechanics of the campaign, give updates on data collection, and give participants the opportunity to learn science content from experts.

The hourlong webinars will take place on the following dates at 8 p.m. EDT.

May 17, 2016: The 2015-2016 El Niño Event
June 13, 2016: Using El Niño GLOBE Data for Scientific Research
Sept. 19, 2016: El Niño Student Campaign Refresher and Update

For more information, including log-in instructions for the webinars and recordings of previous webinars in the series, visit http://www.globe.gov/web/el-nino/el-nino-campaign/webinars.

Please direct questions about this opportunity and series of webinars to http://www.globe.gov/support/contact.

Free Educator Workshop — Space Technology: Green Propellant Infusion Mission

Are you ready to go green? Join NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Office of Education for a free educator professional development workshop to investigate “green” alternatives to conventional space technologies. Through hands-on experiments and physical demonstrations, educators will learn how to design, construct and test a simple mock spacecraft and “green” propellant using the Beginning Engineering Science & Technology, or BEST, curriculum and the engineering design process.

BEST is a demonstrated pedagogical framework that teaches students the engineering design process. Activities can supplement instruction during the school day or out of school, and they can be implemented individually or as a themed series. During the workshop, teaching connections will be made to real-world applications including NASA’s Green Propellant Infusion Mission and Armstrong’s GREEN technology research.

The workshop will take place Wednesday, May 18, 2016, 4:30-6 p.m. PDT at NASA’s Armstrong Educator Resource Center at the AERO Institute in Palmdale, California.

For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/erc_workshop_05_18_16.pdf.

Please direct questions about this workshop to Sondra Geddes at sondra.l.geddes@nasa.gov.

Smallsat Technology Partnerships Solicitation

NASA is extending an opportunity to college and university teams to propose small spacecraft technology projects that they can conduct in collaboration with NASA researchers. The Smallsat Technology Partnerships solicitation is being issued by the Small Spacecraft Technology Program as an appendix to the Space Technology Mission Directorate’s NASA Research Announcement for 2016.

NASA expects to competitively select about eight projects from among those proposed by university teams. The teams can form proposal partnerships with researchers from any of NASA’s 10 field centers. Awards for each project will include up to $100,000 to each university team per year. In addition, NASA will fund the time for one NASA employee to work with each selected team. Project funding is for one year with the potential to continue for a second year.

Proposed projects could involve laboratory work to advance a particular spacecraft technology or the development of a new smallsat. NASA will be accepting proposals in four topic areas: 1) enhanced power generation and storage, 2) cross-linking communications systems, 3) relative navigation for multiple small spacecraft, and 4) instruments and sensors for small spacecraft science missions.

Proposals are due May 25, 2016.

Details and instructions for submitting proposals may be found at http://go.nasa.gov/1qc751z.

Questions about this solicitation may be directed to Rachel Khattab at rachel.khattab@nasa.gov.

Student Spaceflight Experiments Program — Mission 11 to the International Space Station

The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education, in partnership with NanoRacks LLC, announce a science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, opportunity for school districts across the U.S. and space station partner nations. The newest flight opportunity, Mission 11 to the International Space Station, gives students across a community the ability to design and propose real experiments to fly in low-Earth orbit on the space station. This opportunity is part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program, or SSEP.

Each participating community will receive a real microgravity research mini-laboratory capable of supporting a single microgravity experiment and all launch services to fly the minilab to the space station in spring 2017 and return it to Earth. An experiment design competition in each community — engaging typically 300+ students — allows student teams to design and propose real experiments vying for their community′s reserved minilab.

Content resources for teachers and students support foundational instruction on science in microgravity and experimental design. Additional SSEP programming uses the experiment design competition to engage the community in embracing a learning-community model for STEM education.

This competition is open to students in grades 5-12 and college. Informal education groups and organizations also are encouraged to participate. Interested communities must inquire about the program no later than May 27, 2016. The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education is available to help interested communities in the U.S. secure the needed funding.

To learn more about this opportunity, visit the SSEP Mission 11 to International Space Station National Announcement of Opportunity at http://ssep.ncesse.org/2016/03/new-flight-opportunity-for-school-districts-announcing-student-spaceflight-experiments-program-ssep-mission-11-to-the-international-space-station-starting-september-2016/.

SSEP is enabled through a strategic partnership with NanoRacks LLC working with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the use of the International Space Station as a national laboratory. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (http://www.iss-casis.org/) is a national partner on SSEP. To view a list of all SSEP national partners, visit http://ssep.ncesse.org/national-partners/.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please email SSEP National Program Director Jeff Goldstein at jeffgoldstein@ncesse.org.

2016 National Academy of Engineering – Engineering for You Video Contest 3

The National Academy of Engineering, or NAE, is launching the Engineering for You Video Contest 3, or E4U3.

This year, participants are tasked with creating a 1- to 2-minute video focused on mega-engineering. Mega-engineering projects typically address important needs of large populations and/or societies, require teams working across countries and cultures on a solution, and involve at least three disciplines including engineering.

The competition is open to all individuals or teams in the following competition categories:
— Middle school students and younger (grades K-8)
— High school students (grades 9-12)
— Tertiary education students (two-year college through graduate school, full or part time)
— The general public

The main prize is $25,000, and videos will be accepted through May 31, 2016.

For more information, visit http://www.nae.edu/e4u3/.

Questions about the E4U3 Video Contest should be directed to E4Uvideocontest@nae.edu.

Mars Survival Kit: Lessons and Activities to Guide Your Exploration of Mars!

NASA is embarking on a journey to Mars! Are your students ready to join in the adventure? Spark excitement in your classroom with the Mars Survival Kit.

The Mars Survival Kit is a collection of educational activities for students in grades K-12. Each educational activity includes a brief description, as well as information about how the activities and lessons align to the Next Generation Science Standards.

Start your classroom’s journey to Mars at http://go.nasa.gov/1NnZ0Rg.

To learn more about NASA’s Journey to Mars, visit http://www.nasa.gov/topics/journeytomars/index.html.

NASA History Program Office Fall 2016 Internships

The NASA History Program Office is seeking undergraduate and graduate students for fall 2016 internships. The History Program Office maintains archival materials to answer research questions from NASA personnel, journalists, scholars, students at all levels and others from around the world. The division also edits and publishes several books and monographs each year. It maintains a large number of websites on NASA history.

Students of all majors are welcome to apply. While detailed prior knowledge of the aeronautics and space fields is not necessary, a keen interest and some basic familiarity with these topics are needed. Strong research, writing and editing skills are essential. Experience with social media is a plus.

Intern projects are flexible. Typical projects include handling a variety of information requests, writing posts for the NASA history Twitter and Facebook pages, editing historical manuscripts, doing research and writing biographical sketches, and identifying and captioning photos.

Applications for fall 2016 internships are due June 1, 2016.

For more information, visit http://history.nasa.gov/interncall.htm.

If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact Bill Barry at bill.barry@nasa.gov.

Call for Proposals: Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP-2)

NASA is soliciting proposals for the development of prototypes for deep space habitats that will give astronauts a place to call home during long-duration missions supporting the agency’s Journey to Mars.

The solicitation, Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships-2 (NextSTEP-2), is a public-private partnership model that seeks commercial development of deep space exploration capabilities to support more extensive human spaceflight missions in the proving ground of space around the moon, known as cislunar space, and to enable transit to Mars. This partnership model enables NASA to obtain innovative concepts and support private industry commercialization plans for low-Earth orbit.

Eligible applicants from U.S. companies, universities and nonprofit organizations must submit proposals electronically by 5 p.m. EDT, June 15, 2016.

For more information about this solicitation, visit http://www.nasa.gov/nextstep.

Please submit questions about this opportunity to Jason Crusan at HQ-NextSTEP-BAA@mail.nasa.gov.

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.

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 (JPL) education office, announces this competition to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) 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 (STEAMD); or activities culturally relevant to or focused on unrepresented in STEM careers populations, 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 non-reimbursable 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.

Free “NASA’s Journey to Mars” Planetarium/Dome Show

Are you looking for ways to prepare your students for STEM-related career opportunities in the future? Do you want to spark their interest in pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation? Right now, NASA’s fleet of Mars robotic explorers is paving the way for human exploration of the solar system in the coming decades. Have your students join NASA in preparing for a monumental journey of a lifetime — to Mars!

“NASA’s Journey to Mars” is a short planetarium presentation that can be used in the educational domes of your school district, as well as local planetariums, to inspire interest in STEM. To learn more, including how you can acquire the show for use in your area, visit https://www.nasa.gov/feature/journey-of-a-lifetime-mars-education-resources/.

Please direct questions about the “NASA’s Journey to Mars” planetarium/dome show to Elsie Weigel at elsie.weigel@nasa.gov.

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/.

Visit NASA Education on the Web:
For Educators: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club: http://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub