NASA Education Express Message — April 20, 2017
NEW THIS WEEK!
Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators
Next Event Date: April 20, 2017, at 7:30 p.m. EDT
Celebrate Earth Day 2017 — #AdoptThePlanet, Plus Earth Science Data Classroom Activity
Audience: All Educators and Students
Earth Day: April 22, 2017
New ‘Teachable Moment’ Educational Resources Available From JPL Education — Celebrate Earth Day With NASA Science Data
Audience: K-12 Educators
Earth Day Extravaganza Webinar for Educators
Audience: K-12 Educators
Event Date: April 25, 2017, 8 p.m. EDT
Take Your Students on a Series of Virtual Field Trips!
Audience: Grades 6-12 Students and Educators, Formal and Informal
Event Dates: Multiple Dates and Times Between April 26 and May 22, 2017
NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge
Audience: Problem Solvers of All Ages
Event Dates: April 28, 2017 (Boot Camp); April 29-30, 2017 (Hackathon)
Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues
Audience: Graduate Students
Application Deadline: May 15, 2017
New FAQs Posted — NASA Research Announcement: Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers (CP4SMPVC)
Audience: Formal and Informal Education Institutions
Proposal Deadline: June 19, 2017
New ‘Ocean Worlds’ Student Slideshow and Infographic
Audience: All Educators and Students
PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…
Sign Up for NASA Education ‘Science WOW!’ Weekly Email Newsletter
Audience: All Educators and Students
Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Presents ‘Making STEM Magic’ Program
Audience: All Educators and Students
Next Event Date: April 22, 2017, at 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. EST
2018 eXploration Habitat Academic Innovation Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Faculty and Students
Proposal Deadline: April 28, 2017
Student Spaceflight Experiments Program — Mission 12 to the International Space Station
Audience: School Districts Serving Grades 5-12, Informal Education Institutions, Colleges and Universities
Inquiry Deadline: April 28, 2017
Start Date: September 5, 2017
2017 Columbia Crew Memorial Undergraduate Scholarships
Audience: Undergraduate Students at Texas Space Grant Consortium Member Institutions
Application Deadline: April 28, 2017
2017 Texas Space Grant Consortium STEM Educator Scholarships
Audience: Educators Enrolled in Programs for a Master’s Degree in a STEM Field at Member Institutions of the Texas Space Grant Consortium
Application Deadline: April 28, 2017
2017-2018 Texas Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowships
Audience: Graduate Students at Member Institutions of the Texas Space Grant Consortium
Application Deadline: April 28, 2017
Earn STEM Digital Badges to Celebrate the Centennial of NASA’s Langley Research Center
Audience: Educators and Students in Grades 5-9, Informal Educators
Deadline: April 30, 2017
Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational Use
Audience: Educational Institutions, Museums and Other Education Organizations
Get Ready for the 2017 Solar Eclipse With NASA Resources
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Aug. 21, 2017
NASA’s Centennial Challenges: Vascular Tissue Challenge
Audience: All Interested U.S. Citizens, Including Higher Education Educators and Students
Deadline: No Later Than Sept. 30, 2019
Bring the Story of “Hidden Figures” to the Classroom With the “Who Is Katherine Johnson?” Profiles and Modern Figures Toolkit
Audience: K-12 Educators
Infiniscope Launches First Digital Learning Experience — Where are the small worlds?
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School, and Informal Educators of Grades 5-12
Create Art Inspired by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
Audience: All Educators and Students
Be a Citizen Earth Scientist With the ‘GLOBE Observer’ App
Audience: All Educators and Students
Searchable Portals for Federally Sponsored Opportunities for STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Audience: Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students and Higher Education Institutions
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
NEW THIS WEEK!
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.
Solar System Exploration: Orion and Human Exploration in Space
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: April 20, 2017, at 7:30 p.m. EDT
Drawn from more than 50 years of NASA spaceflight research and development, the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle is designed to meet the needs of the U.S. space program for decades to come. From an engineering design challenge to decomposition of geometric shapes to find area, these activities address the Next Generation Science Standards. Targets include NGSS ETS-1, ETS-2, ETS-3 and Common Core standards for Number and Quantity, Algebra, and Geometry. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/223590
Teachers Connect: NASA’s Langley Research Center Centennial Badge
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School, and Informal Educators of Grades 6-8
Event Date: April 25, 2017, at 4 p.m. EDT
The first half of this webinar will focus on clouds and their role in Earth’s “energy budget” and on implementation ideas using GLOBE for different classroom settings as part of the “Earth Right Now: LaRC 100th” digital badge. Participants will talk about student badge implementations, extension ideas and extra resources. The second half-hour will center on the engineering design process using the “Drag Race to Mars Engineering Design Challenge” as part of the “Journey to Mars: LaRC 100th” digital badge. This portion of the webinar will focus on forces and motion and math calculations using paper airplanes and testing different materials as part of the “Aeronautics: LaRC 100th” digital badge.
This webinar meets requirements of teacher discussions within the NASA Langley 100th Educator Professional Development Collaborative digital badges. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/229367
To learn more about the Langley 100th digital badges, log in to https://nasatxstate-epdc.net/ and search for LaRC 100th.
So You Want to Be an Astronaut and Other NASA Careers
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: April 27, 2017, at 6 p.m. EDT
Not just astronauts work at NASA. Explore the many NASA STEM careers needed to successfully accomplish the unique, exciting missions that explore and build a better understanding of our Earth and the universe beyond. NASA career education curriculum and resources will be integrated into this online learning session. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/243842
For a full schedule of upcoming NASA Educator Professional Development webinars, visit http://www.txstate-epdc.net/events/.
Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Steve Culivan at stephen.p.culivan@nasa.gov.
Celebrate Earth Day 2017 — #AdoptThePlanet, Plus Earth Science Data Classroom Activity
NASA invites people around the world to celebrate Earth Day 2017 by “adopting” one of 64,000 individual pieces of Earth as seen from space.
Participants will receive a personalized adoption certificate for their unique numbered piece of Earth (hexagon shape about 90 kilometers in diameter) to print and share on social media. The certificate features NASA Earth science data collected for that location. After adopting your piece of Earth, explore other locations using an interactive map!
To adopt your piece of Earth, visit go.nasa.gov/adopt. And be sure to share your adopted piece on social media with the hashtag #AdoptThePlanet.
Looking for a classroom activity to bring #AdoptThePlanet into your classroom? Check out the Earth Science Data Visualization: How to Read a Heat Map classroom activity from NASA JPL Education. This activity shows students how to read and interpret a heat map, like those presented on each of the #AdoptThePlanet adoption certificates. Find the lesson plan at https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/earth-science-data-visualizations-how-to-read-a-heat-map.
New ‘Teachable Moment’ Educational Resources Available From JPL Education — Celebrate Earth Day With NASA Science Data
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 offering from JPL Education.
Teachable Moment: Celebrate Earth Day With NASA Science Resources — Grades K-12
Earth Day, the day set aside each year to celebrate our planet and bring attention to the natural world, is April 22, 2017. More than one billion people are expected to participate in Earth Day events around the globe! Learn what NASA is doing to celebrate Earth Day and to help us learn more about our home planet. And discover ways to bring the latest findings into your classroom. Check it out at https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/news/2017/4/12/celebrate-earth-day-with-nasa-science-data.
Looking for more? Check out the “Teachable Moments” archives for more resources. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/news/column/teachable-moments/
Earth Day Extravaganza Webinar for Educators
Every day can and should be Earth Day! This webinar will focus on the various ways all citizens can participate in NASA science and help make our home planet a better place. Participants will learn how this is possible through the K-12 GLOBE Program and the GLOBE Observer app for citizen scientists of all ages, as well as through other NASA resources.
Participants will learn about SciStarter from its founder, Darlene Cavalier. The webinar will provide information on a new collaboration by NASA@ My Library and GLOBE Observer to include libraries across the U.S. in taking cloud observations. And the session will discuss an upcoming effort by museums around the world to do citizen science programs with the GLOBE Observer Mosquito Habitat Mapper for the U.N.-sponsored “Global Experiment.”
The webinar is open to all educators; participation in the GLOBE Program is not required.
For more information and to register to attend, visit https://www.globe.gov/web/el-nino/el-nino-campaign/webinars. For those unable to attend during the set webinar time, a recording of the event will be posted online.
Please submit questions about this webinar opportunity to help@globe.gov.
Take Your Students on a Series of Virtual Field Trips!
Bring your students along on a series of virtual field trips to NASA centers where students will go behind-the-scenes to see cool NASA places and visit with NASA professionals. The virtual field trips take place on various dates and times between April 26 and May 22, 2017, and topics include NASA Robots, Driving on Other Planets, NASA’s Meteorite Lab, and more. Each session is 15-30 minutes long and includes an interactive question-and-answer session. Pre-registration is not required. Go to https://education.ti.com/nasaliveevents for more information on the field trips, including links to join each session.
These virtual field trips are a series of events offered to students and teachers as a component of “The Search for STEMnauts” — a virtual scavenger hunt where student teams in grades 6-12 solve puzzles, unravel riddles, break codes and experience weekly virtual field trips to exclusive NASA locations. Student teams can even check out where they stand among the competition by following real-time updates on “The Search for STEMnauts” website!
This interactive, technical twist on a traditional scavenger hunt is offered through a partnership between NASA’s STEM on Station and Texas Instruments to provide students with a fun way to learn important STEM skills including coding and problem solving.
All grades 6-12 students and educators are invited to participate in any virtual field trip offered. Come along on all five, or just drop in for one or two. Participation in “The Search for STEMnauts” competition is not required. To learn more about these virtual field trips, including links to join in, visit https://education.ti.com/nasaliveevents.
For more information about “The Search for STEMnauts,” including how to register, visit www.STEMnauts.com.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Kelly McCormick at Kelly.mccormick-1@nasa.gov.
NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge
NASA is preparing for the sixth annual International Space Apps Challenge, which will be held April 29-30, 2017. The program invites participants to solve challenges using NASA data to develop mobile applications, software, hardware, data visualizations and platform solutions that can contribute to space exploration missions and help improve life on Earth.
The theme of this year’s challenge is “Earth!” Our planet is a complex and dynamic system that still holds many mysteries. Year-round, NASA helps shed light on Earth’s many components, including oceans, landscapes and living things. With unique vantage points in air and in space, NASA collects high-quality data covering all parts of the planet to tell us more about the world we live in and to predict future processes on Earth.
This year’s two-day Space Apps “hackathon” will bring tech-savvy citizens, scientists, entrepreneurs, designers, artists, educators and students together to be a part of this scientific exploration, as we challenge problem solvers across the globe to create innovative uses of NASA’s Earth science data.
Additionally, many locations are hosting a pre-hackathon boot camp event on April 28, 2017, to introduce participants to the latest trends in data and technology and to provide tutorials to first-time hackers and coders. The boot camps at our two Mainstage locations, New York City and Silicon Valley (Palo Alto), will be livestreamed on our website!
Registration for participation is now open at over 180 locations worldwide!
To learn more about the International Space Apps Challenge, get the latest updates, and register to attend an event, visit https://2017.spaceappschallenge.org/.
If you have questions about the challenge, please visit https://2017.spaceappschallenge.org/contact-us.
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, 2017. 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.
New FAQs Posted — NASA Research Announcement: Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers (CP4SMPVC)
The NASA Office of Education has posted a new set of FAQs for its 2017 NASA Research Announcement: Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers (CP4SMPVC), Announcement Number NNH17ZHA002N. Proposals for this solicitation are due June 19, 2017.
To view FAQ Issue #1, which includes answers to questions submitted in advance or asked during the April 10 Pre-Proposal teleconference, visit NSPIRES at https://go.nasa.gov/2oC4eCU.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please direct your questions to the Points of Contact listed within the NRA.
New ‘Ocean Worlds’ Student Slideshow and Infographic
Oceans help make life on Earth possible. So, if there are oceans beyond Earth, do living things exist on those worlds too? NASA scientists are trying to answer this question. Right now, we know oceans do exist on moons and dwarf planets in our solar system. And there are more places where they could exist.
Check out the new “Ocean Worlds” slideshow and downloadable poster. Flip through the slideshow to learn about the best-known candidates in our search for life in the solar system. Which of these places do you think is most likely to have living things?
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/slideshow/ocean-worlds/
PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…
Sign Up for NASA Education ‘Science WOW!’ Weekly Email Newsletter
Are you a science educator or interested in science education? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter. Receive an email with NASA’s latest science education offerings delivered “Weekly on Wednesdays.”
Science starts with a question, and so does “Science WOW!” Each week’s message kicks off with a science question and a link to where you can find the answer. “Science WOW!” also highlights an awesome science education tool each week. These featured resources will include NASA apps, interactive games, 3-D printing templates and more!
Plus, “Science WOW!” delivers — right to your inbox — the latest science education opportunities offered by NASA. It’s a simple way to keep up with the latest professional development webinars, student contests, workshops, lectures and other activities.
To register your email address and be added to the list, visit https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/.
Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Presents ‘Making STEM Magic’ Program
The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum is presenting a series of free education events called “Making STEM Magic.” This new program introduces young visitors to engineering in a fun and creative way. Participants learn by doing. Each challenge involves designing, building and testing a prototype. Each month, a new theme will be introduced with a new problem to solve.
Events are scheduled each Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. The events are free and open to the public.
In the Heat of the Moment: Space Capsules
Each Saturday in April 2017
Imagine an astronaut hurtling toward Earth in a space capsule at tremendous speeds. In this challenge, participants will design a heat shield to keep the astronaut cool from the heat of re-entry.
Blast Off!: Propulsion
Each Saturday in May 2017
It really is rocket science. Try your hand at designing a rocket and staying on target.
Red Rover: Mission to Mars
Each Saturday in June 2017
Did you know that rovers are robotic ambassadors? Learn more about NASA’s mobile labs and construct your own rolling rover.
For more information about the Smithsonian’s “Making STEM Magic” program, visit https://airandspace.si.edu/visit/events/stem-magic.
Please direct questions about this series of events to the Visitor Service line at 703-572-4118.
2018 eXploration Habitat Academic Innovation Challenge
NASA is seeking university teams to develop innovative design solutions for deep-space human exploration systems in the 2018 eXploration Systems and Habitation Academic Innovation Challenge. NASA’s Advanced Exploration Systems Division sponsors the X-Hab Challenge as part of its core function to develop foundational technologies and high-priority capabilities that are the building blocks for future human space missions. Topic areas for this year’s challenge include 3-D printing of biologic materials, long-term hygiene, water condensation, replacement power systems and a Mars habitat commonality.
Working with the National Space Grant Foundation, NASA’s Advanced Exploration Systems Division and Space Life and Physical Sciences Division will offer multiple X-Hab 2018 awards of $20,000 to $30,000. These awards will allow winning teams to design and produce studies or functional products that will increase knowledge and foster risk reduction for space exploration capabilities. Awardees will follow a tailored systems-engineering process with projects being completed in the May 2018 timeframe.
Proposals will be accepted from university faculty who are U.S. citizens and who currently teach at an accredited university in the U.S. Eligible educators must be teaching a senior or graduate engineering design, industrial design or architecture curriculum that is accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
Proposals are due April 28, 2017.
For more information about the challenge and how to submit a proposal, visit http://spacegrant.org/xhab/.
To learn about past NASA X-Hab projects, visit https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/technology/deep_space_habitat/xhab/.
Please email questions about the X-Hab Challenge to xhab@spacegrant.org.
Student Spaceflight Experiments Program — Mission 12 to the International Space Station
The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education 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 12 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 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/summer 2018 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 mini-lab.
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 April 28, 2017. 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 12 to International Space Station” National Announcement of Opportunity at http://ssep.ncesse.org/2017/03/new-flight-opportunity-for-school-districts-announcing-student-spaceflight-experiments-program-ssep-mission-12-to-the-international-space-station-starting-september-2017/.
SSEP is enabled through a strategic partnership with DreamUp PBC and 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 of 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.
2017 Columbia Crew Memorial Undergraduate Scholarships
The Texas Space Grant Consortium and the Aviation and Space Foundation of Texas, in partnership with NASA, are offering undergraduate scholarships of $1,500 in memory of the Space Shuttle Columbia astronauts. These seven men and women made the ultimate sacrifice to expand the exploration of space and our knowledge of the world that we live in.
These scholarships are intended to recognize high-quality students and encourage their consideration of graduate studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics that would ultimately lead to careers in STEM-related fields. The scholarships stress excellence in academics, participation in STEM education and research projects, and the exhibition of leadership qualities.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens and registered for at least a half-time course load at a Texas Space Grant Consortium institution. Members of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.
The deadline for submitting applications is April 28, 2017.
For more information, visit http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/grants/scholars_announcement.html. Please email any questions about this opportunity to scholarships@tsgc.utexas.edu.
2017 Texas Space Grant Consortium STEM Educator Scholarships
The Texas Space Grant Consortium’s Educator STEM Scholarship Program provides $1,500 scholarships to eligible teachers enrolled in master’s programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens who hold a bachelor’s degree and are enrolled in a master’s program at a Texas Space Grant Consortium institution. Members of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.
The deadline for submitting applications is April 28, 2017.
For more information, visit http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/edu_stem/. Please email any questions about this opportunity to scholarships@tsgc.utexas.edu.
2017-2018 Texas Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowships
Texas Space Grant Consortium Fellowships encourage graduate study in the fields of space science and engineering. Interdisciplinary and integrated work experience are emphasized.
Each $5,000 award supplements half-time graduate support (or fellowship) provided by a consortium institution. The fellowship award is good for one year. Each fellowship may be renewed for a maximum of three years, provided the recipient has spent no more than two of those years as a master’s candidate.
Applicants must be registered for full-time study in a graduate program at one or more of the Texas Space Grant Consortium institutions and must be promised financial support at that institution. Applicants must also be U.S. citizens. Members of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.
The deadline for submitting applications is April 28, 2017.
For more information, visit http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/grants/fellows_announcement.html. Please email any questions about this opportunity to fellowships@tsgc.utexas.edu.
Earn STEM Digital Badges to Celebrate the Centennial of NASA’s Langley Research Center
To celebrate NASA’s Langley Research Center’s Centennial, three STEM digital badges are now available for educators and students in grades 5-9. Discover the role of cloud types in the Earth’s Energy Budget; how drag is used to land the Mars2020 Rover on Mars; and the importance of composite materials for airplanes.
Educators may earn up to 15 hours of professional development. Student badges include up to six hours of content aligned to the educator badge.
The first 1,000 educators to complete all three badges by April 30, 2017, will receive a NASA insignia iron-on patch.
For more information and to begin earning badges, visit https://nasatxstate-epdc.net/. After logging in to the site, click on the Explore icon and type “NASA Langley” in the search area to find and select the NASA Langley Centennial Mission.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Marilé Colón Robles at marile.colonrobles@nasa.gov.
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.
Get Ready for the 2017 Solar Eclipse With NASA Resources
On Aug. 21, 2017, the United States will experience a solar eclipse! This celestial event will provide a golden opportunity to engage and educate diverse audiences, and NASA has the resources to help.
Along a path 60 to 70 miles wide stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, observers will be able to see a total solar eclipse. Others across North America will see a partial eclipse. The event will happen around lunch time across the country. For an interactive map with timing information along the path of the eclipse, visit http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEgoogle/SEgoogle2001/SE2017Aug21Tgoogle.html.
Visit the following websites to find additional information and resources, including:
— Tips for safely viewing the solar eclipse.
— Recorded interviews with NASA scientists, mission specialists and eclipse path communities.
— Topical online eclipse videos, featuring a variety of STEM and cultural topics.
— Social media community development and networking.
— Mobile educational eclipse applications.
— Public challenges and engagement activities.
— 2-D and 3-D printing exercises for K-16 students.
— Citizen science campaigns in partnership with NASA mission observations.
— Adjunct activities and educational resources.
— Live streaming of observations and programming.
Total Eclipse 2017 — Through the Eyes of NASA
http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov
Eclipses and Transits
http://www.nasa.gov/eclipse
Watch “The Solar Eclipse 2017 PREVIEW Show” with NASA EDGE.
https://youtu.be/6DDICymjhg0
NASA’s Centennial Challenges: Vascular Tissue Challenge
NASA, in partnership with the nonprofit Methuselah Foundation’s New Organ Alliance, is seeking ways to advance the field of bioengineering through a new prize competition. The Vascular Tissue Challenge offers a $500,000 prize to be divided among the first three teams that successfully create thick, metabolically functional, human vascularized organ tissue in a controlled laboratory environment.
Competitors must produce vascularized tissue that is more than .39 inches (1 centimeter) in thickness and maintains more than 85 percent survival of the required cells throughout a 30-day trial period. To win an award, teams must demonstrate three successful trials with at least a 75 percent success rate. In addition to the laboratory trials, teams must submit a proposal that details how they would further advance some aspect of their research through a microgravity experiment that could be conducted in the U.S. National Laboratory on the International Space Station.
The first registered team(s) to meet the required guidelines and complete their trials by Sept. 30, 2019, will win the awards.
The Vascular Tissue Challenge prize purse is provided by NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program, part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. Centennial Challenges, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is NASA’s citizen-inventor prize program. It invites the nation to help advance the technologies that will enable us to go to Mars and beyond, as well as improve life on Earth. The New Organ Alliance is administering the competition on behalf of NASA. The alliance is a nonprofit organization focused on regenerative medicine research and development to benefit human disease research and tissue engineering.
For information about the Methuselah Foundation’s New Organ Alliance, official challenge documents, rules and schedule of events, visit https://neworgan.org/vtc-prize.php.
For more information about the Vascular Tissue Challenge, visit http://www.nasa.gov/vtchallenge.
Bring the Story of “Hidden Figures” to the Classroom With the “Who Is Katherine Johnson?” Profiles and Modern Figures Toolkit
In the 1960s, the U.S. was on an ambitious journey to the moon, and Katherine Johnson and her fellow human computers helped get NASA there. Bring the excitement of their story to your classroom with new resources from NASA Education.
Learn more about Katherine Johnson with the “Who Is Katherine Johnson?” profiles written just for students. Versions written for K-4 and 5-8 students are available.
“Who Is Katherine Johnson?” — K-4 Students Version
https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/who-is-katherine-johnson-k4
“Who Is Katherine Johnson?” — 5-8 Students Version
https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/who-is-katherine-johnson-5-8
Also available online, the Modern Figures Toolkit is a collection of resources and educational activities for students in grades K-12. Each educational activity and resource includes a brief description, as well as information about how the activities and lessons align to education standards. Resources highlighted include videos, historical references and STEM materials.
Bring Katherine Johnson’s inspiring story to your classroom by downloading the Modern Figures Toolkit at www.nasa.gov/modernfigures-education-toolkit.
Infiniscope Launches First Digital Learning Experience — Where are the small worlds?
Join the growing group of formal and informal educators discovering Infiniscope’s first digital-by-design learning experience titled “Where are the small worlds?” Developed for NASA by Arizona State University, this learning experience is a standards-aligned, innovative, game-like exploration of the solar system using real NASA data and the relative motion of objects in the solar system.
In this experience, learners explore the view of our solar system from the perspective of the sun and collect data on small worlds. Learners observe the motion of different worlds to determine their location in the solar system, then launch probes to search these small worlds to find the hidden caches and collect astrocoins.
Go to https://infiniscope.education/lesson/where-are-the-small-worlds/ to explore this experience and the educator resources associated with it. See how you can use this interactive, Web-based learning experience to engage learners in the next generation of learning. Where are the small worlds? Can you find them all?
For more information, visit https://infiniscope.education/.
Questions should be directed to Jessica Swann at jlswann@asu.edu or Joe Tamer at Ajoseph.Tamer@asu.edu.
Create Art Inspired by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
In November 2016, a small group of artists visited NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, to see the James Webb Space Telescope in person for inspiration to create art. They have been busy ever since, producing amazing work that will be presented for exhibit during spring 2017 at the Goddard Visitor Center.
Their offerings include painting, poetry, sculpting, textiles, woodworking, music, silk screening, 3-D design, jewelry, posters, tattooing and letterpress printing.
Though only a few artists were able to physically visit the telescope, the team at GSFC was impressed by the number of talented people who were interested in participating and want to offer more artists a chance to participate virtually.
How can you participate? Browse through the collection of James Webb Space Telescope images and videos and see what inspires you. Create art! (Note: this is not limited to art you can hang on a wall.) Then, share it with NASA on social media with #JWSTArt, or email it to jwst@lists.nasa.gov.
There’s no deadline for submissions.
To find inspiration and learn the full details on how to participate, visit https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/2017/nasa-invites-you-to-create-james-webb-space-telescope-inspired-art.
Email questions about this opportunity to jwst@lists.nasa.gov.
Be a Citizen Earth Scientist With the ‘GLOBE Observer’ App
Want to be a citizen Earth scientist? To contribute to NASA’s studies of our home planet, all you need is a smartphone, access to the outdoors, and the “GLOBE Observer” app.
Now available for Apple and Android phones, the app is an initiative of the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment program. For over two decades, GLOBE has enabled schools and students in over 110 countries to investigate their local environment and put their observations in a global context.
To learn more, visit https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/nasa-launches-new-citizen-science-opportunity and http://observer.globe.gov.
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/.
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/.
Find NASA science resources for your classroom. NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/
Check out the ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.
Do you just want to receive weekly updates on NASA Education opportunities relating to science? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter for science opportunities delivered to your inbox “Weekly on Wednesdays!” https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/
Visit NASA Education on the Web:
NASA Office of Eduation: http://www.nasa.gov/education
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
