NASA Education Express Message — April 30, 2015
“Where Over the World Is Astronaut Scott Kelly?” Geography From Space Trivia Contest
During his year-long stay on the International Space Station, astronaut Scott Kelly wants to test your knowledge of the world through a geography trivia game on Twitter. Traveling more than 220 miles above Earth, and at 17,500 miles per hour, he circumnavigates the globe more than a dozen times a day. This gives Kelly the opportunity to see and photograph various geographical locations on Earth. In fact, part of his job while in space is to capture images of Earth for scientific observations.
Follow @StationCDRKelly on Twitter and each Wednesday, Kelly will tweet a picture and ask the public to identify the place depicted in the photo. The first person to identify the place correctly will win an autographed copy of the picture. Kelly plans to continue posting weekly contest photos until he returns from the space station in March 2016.
For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/feature/where-over-the-world-is-astronaut-scott-kelly.
To learn more about the One-Year Mission, visit http://www.nasa.gov/content/one-year-crew.
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Cast Your Vote in the Ceres “Bright Spot” Mystery Poll
On March 6, 2015, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft began orbiting Ceres, the largest body in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Even before the spacecraft arrived at the dwarf planet, images revealed mysterious bright spots that captivated scientists and observers alike.
Can you guess what’s creating those unusual bright spots on Ceres? Until Dawn gets a closer look over the next few months, it’s anyone’s guess what those spots could be.
To learn more and to cast your vote, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/dawn/world_ceres/.
For more information about the Dawn mission, visit http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/.
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Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles Available for Educational Use
NASA invites eligible U.S. educational institutions and museums to request space shuttle thermal protective tiles and other special items offered on a first-come, first-served basis while quantities last. Organizations previously allocated thermal protective tiles may request an additional three tiles.
There will be a nominal shipping fee that 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.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to GSAXcessHelp@gsa.gov.
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NASA Virtual Career Fair
On April 30, 2015, the NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute is introducing a game-changing way for higher education students to meet one-on-one with numerous STEM employers, all from the convenience of the dorm room, home or school.
MICI is unveiling its new platform — a Virtual Career Fair! This technology will have virtual expo booths staffed live by STEM employers. Students can upload a resume, enter an expo booth of their choosing, gather company information, and have a private face-to-face meeting via webcam with a representative from that company’s booth.
Participating exhibitors include NASA, Honeybee Robotics, AOL, Walmart IT, Florida Power and Light, and others. The event is free and open to any undergraduate or graduate student with an expected graduation date between April 2015 and August 2016. Students from Minority Serving Institutions are especially encouraged to participate.
Advance registration is required. Students are strongly encouraged to use a webcam and wear headphones when participating during the event.
For more information and to sign up, visit http://nasamici.com/virtual-career-fair.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Mary Baker at mary@nasamici.com.
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Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
NASA Educator Professional Development 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. Simply click on the provided link to register.
NASA Is With You When You Fly: Winging It
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades PK-12
Event Date: April 30, 2015, at 7 p.m. EDT
Participants will learn about real-world connections between the classroom and airplanes that are flying today. “Winging It” will focus on axes and control surfaces using the Aeronautics Museum in the Box curriculum while also discussing the X-56A Multi-Utility Technology Testbed, an active research project at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California.
Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/124937
Rockets 2 Racecars: Session 3 — Solar Powered Racetrack
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 3-8
Event Date: May 4, 2015, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will learn about solar energy and Earth’s energy budget activities to use in the classroom. Education specialists will show how to connect NASA solar and aerodynamic research and educational activities to the solar-powered Pocono Raceway Track in Pennsylvania.
Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/125282
Exploration Then and Now: Science and the Historical Perspective
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-8
Event Date: May 5, 2015, at 5 p.m. EDT
Imagine being a settler of Jamestown in 1607 and trying to survive the harsh conditions of a new and unfamiliar world. Now, imagine being a space-faring explorer discovering new worlds and building settlements in extraterrestrial environments. How would these two experiences compare? If resources are limited, how would you make decisions about items you need and those you don’t need? Come explore travel through time and space to inhabit new worlds!
Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/125436
Space Math Series – Linking Science and Math
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-8
Event Date: May 6, 2015, at 6 p.m. EDT
Space Mathematics is a two-part series designed to help educators make the critical linkage between Mathematics and Science in the classroom. In Part 1 — Linking Math and Science, participants will survey some of the available NASA resources and discuss the use of science as a vehicle for mathematics instruction.
Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/123978
Subject Matter Expert: Light and Technologies From Light
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-12
Event Date: May 7, 2015, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
2015 is classified as “The International Year of Light.” To commemorate the occasion, Mike Nofziger, Ph.D., professor and outreach coordinator at the College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona, will show us some of the applications of light technologies. Nofziger helped establish the undergraduate program in optical sciences and engineering at the university in 1989. As part of that effort, he developed lab experiments and wrote curricula for six semesters of undergraduate optics labs. He is the outreach coordinator for the college and has led a wide variety of optics outreach over the years.
Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/125844
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.
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21st Century Teacher Academy
The 21st Century Teacher Academy, or 21CTA, is a unique educator professional development workshop opportunity for K-12 educators. The workshop is designed to immerse teachers in the best practices and methodologies to develop and implement real-world, project based learning, or PBL, curriculum using NASA’s missions. 21CTA is sponsored by the Office of Education and Public Outreach at NASA’s Ames Research Center, and funded by NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.
21CTA is a two-week workshop held July 8-22, 2015. The workshop will be led by content experts, PBL experts, technical subject matter experts and a master teacher. The workshop will take place at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California. Attendees will receive a $4,500 stipend. Teacher teams are highly encouraged!
Applications are due April 30, 2015. Interested K-12 educators should apply through NASA’s One-Stop Shopping Initiative website at http://go.nasa.gov/1ECJ0kz.
If you have questions about the 21st Century Teacher Academy, please email ARC-TeacherAcademy@mail.nasa.gov.
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2015 eXploration Habitat (X-Hab) Academic Innovation Challenge
In a continuing effort to engage and retain students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields and provide a real-world challenge, exposing students to the engineering and design processes, the Human Exploration Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) has begun accepting applications for the sixth annual eXploration Habitat, or X-Hab, Challenge for 2016.
The winners of the challenge will receive between $10,000 and $30,000 to design and produce functional products of interest to projects within HEOMD.
Proposals are due April 30, 2015, and awardees will follow a tailored systems engineering process with the projects completing in the May 2016 time frame.
Proposals will be accepted from university faculty who are U.S. citizens and currently teach an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology accredited engineering senior or graduate design, industrial design or architecture curriculum at an accredited university in the U.S.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and other minority serving educational institutions are particularly encouraged to apply. Proposals from women, members of underrepresented minorities groups and persons with disabilities also are highly encouraged.
For more information about the challenge, visit http://spacegrant.org/xhab/.
If you have any questions about the X-Hab Challenge, please email xhab@spacegrant.org.
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Celebrate Space Day With a Virtual Field Trip to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
2015 is an exciting year for planetary exploration with a number of important NASA missions and significant discoveries. In celebration of Space Day, join NASA and Discovery Education live from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, to find out more about NASA’s missions, its cutting-edge discoveries, and why it is important for us to explore the solar system.
This 30-minute virtual field trip is appropriate for all grade levels and will take place on May 1, 2015, at 1 p.m. EDT.
Have a question to ask Goddard’s chief scientist? Dr. James Garvin will take part in the virtual field trip and answer questions from students. Submit your questions ahead of time, and they may get answered live on air!
For more information about the event and to register your class to attend, visit http://www.discoveryeducation.com/Live/of-the-people-space-day-2015.cfm.
Join the live discussion on Twitter @DiscoveryEd with hashtag #OfThePeople.
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Free Educator Workshop — Journey to Mars: Rocketry
The Educator Resource Center at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Palmdale, California, is presenting a free educator workshop on May 2, 2015, at 10 a.m. PDT.
Participants will select a mission and learn how to design and construct a high-powered paper rocket to achieve that mission. The activity includes constructing a rocket, predicting its performance and chance of mission success, flying the rocket, and filing a post-flight mission report. Learn about real-world connections with NASA research and our Journey to Mars.
For more information about the workshop and to register online to attend, visit http://aeroi.org/ercRegister/index.html.
Questions about this event should be directed to Sondra Geddes at sondra.l.geddes@nasa.gov.
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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 will be offered each month through October 2015. Tours are free of charge for groups and individuals on an advance reservation basis. Visitor parking is also available free of charge.
A tour 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 is followed by a stop at Glenn’s Gift Shop.
Glenn’s 2015 Tour Schedule
May 2, 2015 — Research in Flight: Visit the Flight Research Building, also known as the hangar, where you will find a new generation of research aircraft, including the S-3B Viking, the Learjet Model 25, the Twin Otter Icing Research Aircraft and a T-34C trainer. NASA engineers test technologies designed to improve the safety of aircraft. The result is every U.S. aircraft has NASA-developed technology on board that is with you when you fly.
June 6, 2015 — Glenn’s Portal to the Space Station: Take a journey through the Telescience Support Center. This secure, multipurpose facility is designed to provide dedicated support for simultaneous training, simulations and real-time operations of space experiments on the International Space Station. Principal investigators, project scientists and payload operators can send commands and receive telemetry and science data from their payload hardware operating on board the station.
July 11, 2015 — Breeze by a Wind Tunnel: Tour the Abe Silverstein Supersonic Wind Tunnel. This facility has conducted supersonic propulsion testing on aircraft components such as inlets, nozzles and engines. It is ideally suited for launch vehicle tests and other fuel-burning applications.
Aug. 1, 2015 — 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 is used to analyze data obtained either by computer simulation or from research test facilities.
Sept. 12, 2015 — Go to the Extreme: Join us on a tour through Glenn’s Extreme Environments Rig, or GEER. As NASA ventures through the solar system and beyond, spacecraft will experience hostile environments of Venus and other planetary bodies. Temperatures can reach hundreds of degrees. Air pressure is crushing, and the toxic atmosphere is thick. GEER is designed to simulate those temperatures and pressure extremes and accurately reproduce the atmospheric compositions of bodies in the solar system. GEER is currently in its commissioning phase for operations simulating Venus’ surface temperature, pressure and chemistry.
Oct. 3, 2015 — Explore Locomotion on Planets: Come explore the Simulated Lunar Operations facility, which is home to a 60-foot-long, 20-foot-wide sandpit filled with simulated lunar soil and a lunar rover test bed. Other areas simulate Martian soil conditions. Research in this facility will help NASA develop the components of rovers capable of traveling long distances and investigating planetary surfaces during future human and robotic missions to keep NASA’s journey to Mars moving forward.
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.
Questions about the tours should be directed to Sheila Reese at sheila.d.reese@nasa.gov.
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Center for Astronomy Education Teaching Excellence Workshops — Spring/Summer 2015
NASA’s Center for Astronomy Education, or CAE, announces a series of educator workshops for astronomy and space science educators.
These workshops provide participants with experiences needed to create effective and productive active-learning classroom environments. Workshop leaders model best practices in implementing many different classroom-tested instructional strategies. But more importantly, workshop participants will gain first-hand experience implementing these proven strategies. During many microteaching events, you will have the opportunity to role-play the parts of student and instructor. You will assess and critique each other’s implementation in real time as part of a supportive learning community. You will have the opportunity to use unfamiliar teaching techniques in collaboration with mentors before using them with your students. CAE is funded through NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Exoplanet Exploration Program.
May 2, 2015 — MiraCosta College in Oceanside, California
CAE Southwest Regional Teaching Exchange
June 13-14, 2015 — South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina
CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop for Current and Future Astronomy and Space Science Instructors
June 22-25, 2015 — American Center for Physics in College Park, Maryland
New Faculty Workshop for Physics and Astronomy
August 4-6, 2015 — Honolulu Convention Center in Honolulu, Hawaii
CAE Teaching Excellence Short-Courses on Active Learning in the STEM Classroom
August 2015 — American Museum of Natural History in New York, New York
CAE Northeast Regional Teaching Exchange
For more information and to register for workshops online, visit http://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/workshops/index.cfm.
Inquiries about this series of workshops should be directed to Gina Brissenden at gbrissenden@as.arizona.edu.
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2014 NASA EONS Solicitation — New MUREP Educator Institutes Appendix
NASA’s Office of Education is accepting new proposals under the Education Opportunities in NASA STEM, or EONS, 2014 NASA Research Announcement. Proposals are being solicited from Minority Serving Institutions to plan, coordinate and evaluate MUREP Educator Institutes that will bring pre-service and alternative-route STEM educators from Minority Serving Institutions across the U.S. to NASA centers annually for a one-week professional development session.
A pre-proposal teleconference to provide prospective proposers an in-depth overview of the MUREP Educator Institutes (MEI) program and proposal requirements will be held on Monday, May 4, 2015, at 1:30 p.m. EDT. After the presentation, there will be a brief Q&A to provide real time answers to participant questions. In order to address as many participants as possible, questions should be clear and concise, and limited to general topics only.
Prior to the teleconference, please thoroughly review the solicitation on MUREP Educator Institutes (MEI) in NSPIRES and prepare any potential questions you may have. Any changes regarding this workshop will be posted on MUREP Educator Institutes (MEI) in NSPIRES. This is the only way to be notified of any updates, so it is very important that you check the webpage prior to the webex/telecon.
The call will start on time, so everyone is encouraged to connect 10 minutes prior to the session to address any technical difficulties you may encounter.
TO JOIN THE MUREP Educator Institutes (MEI) PRE PROPOSAL TELECONFERENCE, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR BOTH WEBEX AND TELECONFERENCE NUMBER. Please connect to both Webex and Teleconference.
CONNECT TO WEBEX (for the VISUAL component)
Topic: EONS MEI Pre-proposal Telecon/Webex
Date: Monday, May 4, 2015
Time: 1:30 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time
Meeting Number: 991 994 310
Meeting Password: EONSMEI123!
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To start or join the online meeting go to: https://nasa.webex.com/nasa/j.php?MTID=m919ed48fd1caf2a863484341e25afae5
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For assistance:
1. Go to https://nasa.webex.com/nasa/mc
2. On the left navigation bar, click “Support”.
To check whether you have the appropriate players installed for UCF (Universal Communications Format) rich media files, go to https://nasa.webex.com/nasa/systemdiagnosis.php.
CONNECT TO TELECONFERENCE (for the AUDIO component)
Call-in number: 866-844-9416
Participant passcode: 2033636
This call will be recorded and transcribed. For the sake of accuracy, be sure to speak slowly and clearly, and please spell anything that might be recorded incorrectly.
Cell phones are not recommended for use for this call due to the possibility of disconnection and static.
If you are unable to attend, presentation slides and a written transcript of the teleconference will be posted to the NSPIRES website. Questions asked during the call will be part of the MEI FAQ document.
Any questions regarding this session should be sent to NASAMEI@nasaprs.com.
Institutions planning to prepare a proposal package for the NASA MUREP Educator Institutes solicitation are asked to submit a Notice of Intent to propose. NOIs assist NASA in assessing the response to this cooperative agreement notice and in determining the expertise required for the proposal review panel. NOIs should be submitted by the authorized organization representative into the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System, or NSPIRES. Those interested in submitting a proposal must register with NSPIRES before it can be accessed for use.
Proposals are due on June 30, 2015.
For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/1F2H2tO.
Questions about this solicitation may be directed to Chris Copelan at NASAMEI@nasaprs.com.
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Release of Cooperative Agreement Notice for NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Education
NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, or SMD, has released a Cooperative Agreement Notice, or CAN, soliciting team-based proposals for SMD science education for community review and comment. The final text is downloadable from the NSPIRES Web page at https://nspires.nasaprs.com/ by selecting Solicitations and searching for NASA Science Education or NNH15ZDA004C.
The goal of NASA SMD Science Education is to enable NASA scientists and engineers into the learning environment more efficiently and effectively for learners of all ages. This CAN is to meet the following NASA SMD Science Education Objectives: Enabling STEM education, improving U.S. science literacy; advancing National education goals; and leveraging science education through partnerships. NASA intends to select one or more focused, science discipline-based team(s). While it is envisioned that multiple agreements may be awarded, selection of a single award to support all of SMD science education requirements is not precluded. Awards are anticipated by Sept. 30, 2015.
Issuance of this CAN is dependent on programmatic factors, including NASA receiving an appropriation and operating plan containing adequate funding within the NASA budget. Any costs incurred by prospective investigators in preparing submissions in response to this CAN are incurred completely at the submitter’s own risk.
Programmatic questions regarding this solicitation should be submitted no later than 15 days prior to the proposal due date by email using the character string “Science Education CAN” (without quotes) included in the subject line of all transmissions. The identity of those submitting comments will be held in confidence. Answers to questions about this Announcement and Frequently Asked Questions from the draft CAN text are available on the website at https://nspires.nasaprs.com/. Note that it is the responsibility of interested proposers to check for such information prior to the submission of their proposals.
Programmatic questions should be submitted to:
Kristen Erickson
Email: CANsci-ed@hq.nasa.gov
Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
300 E Street, SW, Washington, DC 20546
Anticipated NASA SMD Science Education CAN schedule:
CAN Release Date — Feb. 4, 2015
Preproposal Conference — Feb. 17, 2015 (1 p.m. EST)
Notice of Intent to Propose Deadline — March 4, 2015
Electronic Proposal Submittal Deadline — May 4, 2015, at 11:59 p.m. EDT
Selections Announced (target) — Summer 2015
Projects Begin (target) — Oct. 1, 2015
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2014 NASA EONS Solicitation — New MUREP ASTAR Fellowship Appendix
NASA’s Office of Education is accepting new proposals under the Education Opportunities in NASA STEM, or EONS, 2014 NASA Research Announcement for the MUREP Advanced STEM Training and Research, or ASTAR, Fellowships appendix.
NASA Office of Education Fellowships support independently conceived or designed research or senior design projects for graduate students in disciplines needed to help advance NASA’s missions. ASTAR fellowships provide awards for individuals in the early stage of their graduate studies. They must be pursuing or planning to pursue graduate work leading to master’s and doctoral degrees in relevant NASA-related disciplines at accredited U.S. universities.
The fellowship award includes tuition offset, student stipend, and funding for an annual Center Based Research Experience. The result is an annual award of up to $50,000 for a student pursuing a master’s degree or $55,000 for a student pursuing a doctoral degree. Fellowship awards are made in the form of training grants to academic institutions and are for a duration of no more than three academic years. Proposals are due May 5, 2015.
For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/199fbjb.
Questions about this solicitation may be directed to nspires-help@nasaprs.com.
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Dawn Mission’s i C Ceres Celebration
After more than seven years cruising at stunning speeds, including a wonderful year exploring protoplanet Vesta, the Dawn spacecraft will arrive at its second destination in the main asteroid belt, the dwarf planet Ceres. As the Dawn mission begins its exploration of Ceres, it’s time to celebrate!
A flagship i C Ceres event will be held on May 9, 2015, in Pasadena, California, by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology. The event will include games and contests. Plus, members of the mission team will be there to translate the space science for you!
If you aren’t in southern California, don’t worry. You can host your own event! Big or small, public or private, all are welcome. Celebrate with your club, society, school group or museum. Awesome presentations will be streamed live.
To learn more, find an event near you, or explore resources to plan your own I C Ceres event, visit http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/I_c_ceres.asp.
For more information about the Dawn mission, visit http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/.
Please email any questions about this opportunity to Joe Wise at jwise1972@gmail.com.
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Lunar and Planetary Institute Workshop: Mars Through Time
The Lunar and Planetary Institute and the ChemCam instrument team invite high school educators, both in-service and pre-service, to attend the “Mars Through Time” workshop. This four-day workshop will take place at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas, July 13-16, 2015.
Attendees will discover the relationship between technology and science as it relates to our understanding of Mars. Attendees also will discuss the nature and process of science with invited Mars scientists. Classroom resources will be provided.
Workshop registration is free. This workshop is limited to 20 participants. Interested educators are encouraged to apply early to secure a spot. Qualified applicants will be accepted in the order they apply. Travel stipends are available. The application closes May 15, 2015.
For more information and to apply for the workshop, visit http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/workshops/mars/.
Questions about the workshop should be directed to Andy Shaner at shaner@lpi.usra.edu.
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DEADLINE EXTENDED: 2020 Electric General Aviation NASA Aeronautics Design Challenge
Electric-powered aircraft have the potential to revolutionize the way we travel. NASA invites college teams to take part in the 2015 NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate’s 2020 Electric General Aviation Design Challenge. Student teams are invited to design an electric (i.e., no combustion) general aviation aircraft that meets performance requirements and is operational by 2020.
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 18, 2015.
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.
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NASA Robotic Mining Competition 2015
The Sixth Annual NASA Robotic Mining Competition will be streamed live from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center on May 20-22, 2015.
The NASA Robotic Mining Competition challenges university-level students to design and build a mining robot that can traverse the simulated Martian chaotic terrain, excavate Martian regolith and deposit the regolith into a collector bin within 10 minutes. The technology concepts developed by the university teams for this competition conceivably could be used to robotically mine regolith resources on Mars.
To learn more about the competition, visit https://www.facebook.com/RoboticMiningCompetition.
To watch the competition live online, visit http://www.ustream.tv/NASAEDGE.
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MAVEN Educator Ambassador Program
In September 2014, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or MAVEN, mission began exploring Mars’ upper atmosphere, ionosphere and interactions with the sun and solar wind. The MAVEN Educator Ambassador, or MEA, program will focus on in-depth learning experiences around Earth, space and physical science topics for educators teaching middle- and high-school grades.
During this weeklong, NASA-funded program, participants will receive training to become a MAVEN Educator Ambassador. The goal of the MEA program is to develop the capacity and provide the opportunity for educators to train other teachers on NASA heliophysics and planetary science educational resources. Follow-up support will be provided via teleconference calls and other electronic communications. Participants involved in the MEA program will be expected to implement the lesson plans and education resources in their own classrooms, as well as train other teachers at local and regional professional development conferences or meetings.
The program will take place Aug. 3-7, 2015, at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Participants will receive a travel stipend of $700. Free housing and meals will be provided.
Applications are due May 22, 2015.
For more information about the workshop and to apply online, visit http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/maven/education-outreach/for-educators/mea/2015mea/.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to epomail@lasp.colorado.edu.
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DEADLINE EXTENDED: Student Spaceflight Experiments Program — Mission 9 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 an authentic 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 9 to the International Space Station, or ISS, gives students across a community the ability to design and propose real experiments to fly in low-Earth orbit on the ISS. This opportunity is part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program, or SSEP.
Each participating community will receive a real microgravity research minilaboratory capable of supporting a single microgravity experiment and all launch services to fly the minilab to the space station in spring 2016 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 leverages the experiment design competition to engage the community, 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 are also encouraged to participate. The deadline for interested communities to inquire about the program has been extended to May 31, 2015. 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 9 to International Space Station National Announcement of Opportunity at http://ssep.ncesse.org/2015/03/new-flight-opportunity-for-school-districts-announcing-student-spaceflight-experiments-program-ssep-mission-9-to-the-international-space-station-for-2015-16-academic-year/.
SSEP is enabled through a strategic partnership with NanoRacks LLC working with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization 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.
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NASA History Program Office Fall 2015 Internships
The NASA History Program Office is seeking undergraduate and graduate students for fall 2015 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.
Fall 2015 internship applications are due June 1, 2015.
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.
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2015 NSBRI First Award Fellowship Program
The National Space Biomedical Research Institute, or NSBRI, is accepting fellowship applications for the First Award Fellowship Program. The one-year fellowships are available in any U.S. laboratory carrying out space-related biomedical or biotechnological research.
Applicants are required to submit proposals with the support of a mentor and an institution, and all proposals will be evaluated by a peer-review committee. Selected applicants receive a stipend, allowance for health insurance and travel funds for related scientific meetings.
This year’s applicants also can request to be considered to spend part of the fellowship in Russia, via a program involving NSBRI and the Institute of Biomedical Problems in Moscow.
Detailed program and application submission information is available at http://www.nsbri.org/firstaward/.
The application deadline is June 5, 2015.
Questions may be directed to Dr. Amanda Smith Hackler at hackler@bcm.edu.
NSBRI, funded by NASA, is a consortia of institutions studying the health risks related to long-duration spaceflight and developing the medical technologies needed for long missions. The institute’s science, technology and education projects take place at more than 60 institutions across the United States.
For more information about NSBRI’s First Award Program, please visit http://www.nsbri.org/firstaward/.
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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 2015.
NASA expects to competitively select about eight projects from among those proposed by university teams, which 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) precise attitude control and pointing systems for cubesats, 2) power generation, energy storage and thermal management systems for small spacecraft, 3) simple low-cost deorbit systems, and 4) communications and tracking systems and networks.
Proposals are due June 8, 2015.
The appendix document is available through the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System website at http://go.nasa.gov/1HsPKb7.
Questions about this solicitation may be directed to Rachel Khattab at rachel.khattab@nasa.gov.
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NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellowships
The NASA Postdoctoral Program, or NPP, supports NASA’s goal to expand scientific understanding of the Earth and the universe in which we live.
Selected by a competitive peer-review process, NPP fellows complete one- to three-year fellowships that offer scientists and engineers unique opportunities to conduct research in fields of science relevant to NASA.
These opportunities advance NASA’s missions in earth science, heliophysics, astrophysics, planetary science, astrobiology, space bioscience, aeronautics and engineering, human exploration and operations, and space technology. Opportunities are available at NASA centers and other NASA-approved sites.
As a result, NPP fellows contribute to national priorities for scientific exploration, confirm NASA’s leadership in fundamental research and complement the efforts of NASA’s partners in the national science community.
U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents and foreign nationals eligible for J-1 status as a research scholar may apply. Applicants must have completed a doctorate or equivalent degree before beginning the fellowship, but may apply while completing degree requirements. Applicants who earned the Ph.D. more than five years before the deadline date are categorized as senior fellows; all applicants, no matter their category, must apply and become eligible for an NPP award via the same process.
Interested applicants may apply by one of three annual application deadlines: March 1, July 1 and November 1.
For more information and application procedures, go to http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to nasapostdoc@orau.org.
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2015 Lunar Workshop for Educators
NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, mission is sponsoring a pair of workshops for educators of students in grades 6-9. Each workshop will focus on lunar science, exploration and how our understanding of the moon is evolving with the new data from current and recent lunar missions.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has allowed scientists to measure the coldest known place in the solar system, map the surface of the moon in unprecedented detail and accuracy, find evidence of recent lunar geologic activity, characterize the radiation environment around the moon and its potential effects on future lunar explorers and much, much more!
Workshop participants will learn about these and other recent discoveries. They will reinforce their understanding of lunar science concepts; gain tools to help address common student misconceptions about the moon; and interact with lunar scientists and engineers. Participants will work with LRO data and learn how to bring the data and information to their students using hands-on activities aligned with grades 6-9 Next Generation Science Standards.
The workshops will take place July 6-10, 2015, and July 13-17, 2015, at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to tour the LRO Mission Operation Center and the Goddard spacecraft testing facilities.
For more information and to register to attend, visit http://lunar.gsfc.nasa.gov/lwe/index.html.
Questions about this workshop should be directed to Andrea Jones at Andrea.J.Jones@nasa.gov.
