NASA Education Express Message — Aug. 25, 2016
New This Week!
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Free NASA Educator Professional Development Webinars
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators
Next Event Date: Aug. 25, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
2017 RASC-AL Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Students
Notice of Intent Deadline: Oct. 14, 2016
Entry Deadline: Nov. 17, 2016
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PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…
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Sign Up for NASA Education ‘Science WOW!’ Weekly Email Newsletter
Audience: All Educators and Students
U.S. Department of Defense Seeks Applications for Acquisition of Equipment/Instrumentation
Audience: Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions
Application Deadline: Aug. 31, 2016
Call for Papers: NASA in the ‘Long’ Civil Rights Movement Symposium
Audience: Academics, Graduate Students and Independent Scholars
Abstract Submission Deadline: Aug. 31, 2016
Symposium Dates: March 16-17, 2017
National Science Foundation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities — Undergraduate Program
Audience: Historically Black Colleges and Universities
Various Projects — Notice of Intent Deadline: Sept. 6, 2016
Broadening Participation Research Centers — Preliminary Proposal Deadline: March 21, 2017
Free Tours of Facilities at NASA’s Glenn Research Center
Audience: All Educators and Students
Next Event Date: Sept. 10, 2016
Center for Astronomy Education Regional Teaching Exchanges and Workshops — Fall/Winter 2016-2017
Audience: Current and Future College Instructors of Astronomy
Next Event Date: Sept. 10, 2016
NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event — Live From Juno: Exploring Jupiter
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Sept. 12, 2016, 1 p.m. EDT
Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational Use
Audience: Educational Institutions, Museums and Other Education Organizations
2016 NASA Kennedy Space Center Community Day
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Sept. 17, 2016, 2-6 p.m. EDT
2017 BIG Idea Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Students and Faculty
Notice of Intent Deadline: Sept. 30, 2016
Entry Deadline: Nov. 30, 2016
National Science Foundation’s Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program
Audience: Organizations Interested in Advancing STEM Learning in Informal Environments
Full Proposal Deadline: Nov. 8, 2016
NASA CubeSat Launch Opportunity
Audience: Informal Educators, Higher Education Educators and Students
Proposal Deadline: Nov. 22, 2016
Access NASA Data to Analyze Astronaut Radiation Exposure in Space
Audience: Educators and Students, Ages 14 to 18
Entry Deadline: Dec. 3, 2016
2017 RASC-AL Aerospace Concepts Design Competition
Audience: Higher Education Students
Abstract Submission Deadline: Jan. 19, 2017
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
NASA Invites You to #SpotHubble
Audience: All Educators and Students
Help NASA Study Mars — Planet Four: Terrains
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Timeframe: Ongoing
Searchable Portals for Federally Sponsored Opportunities for STEM Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Audience: Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students and Higher Education Institutions
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Don’t miss out on upcoming NASA education opportunities.
For a full list of events, opportunities and more, visit the Educator and Student Current Opportunity pages on NASA’s website:
— Educators http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html
— Students http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/current-opps-index.html
Are you looking for NASA educational materials to support your STEM curriculum?
Search hundreds of resources by subject, grade level, type and keyword at http://www.nasa.gov/education/resources/.
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/
Visit NASA Education on the Web:
NASA Office of Education: 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
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NEW THIS WEEK!
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Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.
Real NASA Data for Real Learning: Hurricanes
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-8
Event Date: Aug. 25, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
As we enter the heart of the 2016 hurricane season, use real NASA data to explore hurricanes while integrating NASA missions, STEM curriculum, design challenges, online resources and the Next Generation Science Standards into your classroom instruction. Also scheduled to present in this webinar will be a U.S. Air Force Reserve “Hurricane Hunters” pilot from Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, who will share his experiences and expertise in the study of hurricanes and other major storms. (Participation is subject to change because of unpredictable tropical storm activity on the date of this webinar). Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/191057
Real NASA Data for Real Learning: Precipitation Education
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: Aug. 29, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
Rain, snow and other forms of precipitation affect every part of life on Earth. Rain falls on the crops we eat, fills the reservoirs of water we drink, and is an integral part of everyday weather and long-term climate trends. The Precipitation Education website, presented by NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement mission, provides students and educators with resources to learn about Earth’s water cycle, weather, climate and the technology and societal applications of studying these topics. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/196228
Real NASA Data for Real Learning: Clouds and Contrails
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: Aug. 30, 2016, at 4 p.m. EDT
This webinar focuses on cloud types, in particular contrails, and Earth’s energy balance. Clouds are the largest variable controlling Earth’s atmospheric temperature and climate. Contrails, especially persistent contrails, represent a human-caused increase in high, thin clouds in the Earth’s atmosphere. Participants will learn about the S’COOL and GLOBE programs. These programs use real NASA data and feature an emphasis on student observations. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/192105
Real NASA Data for Real Learning: My NASA Data
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-12
Event Date: Sept. 1, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will get an overview of resources from the My NASA Data website and discover ways to incorporate real NASA data into discussions about topics ranging from climate system interactions to ocean ecology to forest fires. Use of the Live Access Server for data analysis will also be discussed. This webinar addresses the Next Generation Science Standards ESS2 and ESS3. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/196653
For a full schedule of upcoming webinars, visit http://www.txstate-epdc.net/events/.
Please direct questions about this series of webinars to Steve Culivan at stephen.p.culivan@nasa.gov.
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2017 RASC-AL Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge
NASA and the National Institute of Aerospace announce the 2017 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts-Academic Linkage, or RASC-AL, Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge. This new special edition challenge for 2017 is taking place in celebration of the 100th anniversary of NASA’s Langley Research Center! This design competition is aimed at university-level engineering students and is one of several NASA RASC-AL competitions.
The Mars Ice Challenge requires participants to build a prototype ice drilling system. Teams will compete to extract the most water from simulated Martian subsurface ice at NASA Langley in a three-day competition during summer 2017. During this competition, each participating team will receive a simulated subsurface ice test station composed of solid blocks of ice. The blocks will be in an ice container with a layer of overburden (dirt, rocks, etc.) on top. After drilling through the overburden into the ice, teams must devise innovative solutions to deliver clean water from the ice to an external storage tank (filtering out sediments).
Up to four members of the team (plus the faculty advisor) may travel to NASA Langley for the onsite testing. The drilling and water extraction systems must operate autonomously or via teleoperation, and they are subject to mass, volume and power constraints.
After completion of the test and validation portion of the project, teams will present their drilling concepts to a design review panel composed of NASA judges. Presentations will be based on the team’s technical paper that details the drill concept’s path-to-flight (how the design can be applied to actual drilling on Mars).
Interested teams are encouraged to submit a notice of intent by Oct. 14, 2016, and teams must submit a project plan for their proposed system by Nov. 17, 2016.
A Steering Committee of NASA experts will evaluate the project plans and select up to eight teams to compete against each other at NASA’s Langley Research Center in summer 2017. Each of the selected teams will receive a $10,000 stipend to develop their drilling and water extraction system.
The RASCAL Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge is open to full-time undergraduate or graduate students majoring in engineering, science or related disciplines at an accredited university in the United States. University design teams must include (a) one faculty or industry advisor with a university affiliation and (b) two or more undergraduate or graduate students. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged.
For more information about this competition, visit http://rascal.nianet.org/mars-ice-challenge.
If you have questions about this competition, please contact the RASC-AL team at rascal@nianet.org.
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PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…
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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!” mailing list. 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/.
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U.S. Department of Defense Seeks Applications for Acquisition of Equipment/Instrumentation
The U.S. Department of Defense is soliciting applications for the acquisition of equipment/instrumentation under the Fiscal Year 2017 Research and Education Program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions. The Research and Education Program is designed to enhance the research capabilities of HBCUs and MSIs and strengthen their STEM education programs.
The purpose of funding under this Broad Agency Announcement is to (1) support the acquisition of equipment/instrumentation to augment existing capabilities or to develop new capabilities in research areas of interest to the Department of Defense, and (2) attract students to pursue studies leading to STEM careers. Funding provided under this Broad Agency Announcement cannot be used for student support. But to further DoD’s objective of attracting students to pursue studies leading to STEM careers, applicants must address the impact of the requested equipment/instrumentation on student participation in research.
Applications must be received by 4 p.m. EDT on Aug. 31, 2016.
For more information, visit http://www.arl.army.mil/www/pages/8/fy%202017%20dod%20hbcu%20mi%20baa_final%20June%2023%202016.pdf.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Evelyn Kent at Evelyn.W.Kent.civ@mail.mil.
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Call for Papers: NASA in the ‘Long’ Civil Rights Movement Symposium
The History Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and the Department of History at the University of Alabama Huntsville invite academics, graduate students and independent scholars to submit proposals for papers to be presented at a two-day symposium March 16-17, 2017. The symposium will take place at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and will address the role and relationship of NASA to the “Long” Civil Rights Movement, particularly in, but not limited to, the Deep South (Huntsville, Alabama; Florida; Houston, Texas; Mississippi; and New Orleans, Louisiana).
The conceptual framework for the symposium is provided by Jacquelyn Dowd Hall’s 2005 essay in the Journal of American History. Her essay “The Long Civil Rights Movement and the Political Uses of the Past” called upon historians to produce new “modes of writing and speaking that emphasize individual agency … while also dramatizing the hidden history of politics and institutions.” Along these lines, the conference welcomes papers addressing the Civil Rights experience across NASA that not only explore the experience of African-Americans, but also of women, immigrants and other politically/legally marginalized groups. The intention is to publish a subset of the papers as an anthology.
Those interested in presenting a paper at the symposium should send an abstract of no more than 400 words and a short biography or curriculum vita, including affiliation, to Brian Odom at brian.c.odom@nasa.gov or Dr. Stephen Waring at warings@uah.edu by Aug. 31, 2016.
For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/history/call-for-papers-nasa-in-the-long-civil-rights-movement-symposium-university-of-alabama.html.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Brian Odom at brian.c.odom@nasa.gov.
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National Science Foundation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities — Undergraduate Program
The National Science Foundation is seeking proposals for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities — Undergraduate Program. HBCU-UP is committed to enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education and research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities as a means to broaden participation in the nation’s STEM workforce. HBCU-UP realizes this purpose by providing awards to develop, implement, and study innovative models and approaches for making dramatic improvements in the preparation and success of HBCU undergraduate students so that they may participate successfully in graduate programs and/or careers in STEM disciplines.
HBCU-UP provides support for a variety of opportunities. These include:
Targeted Infusion Projects, Broadening Participation Research Projects, Implementation Projects, and Achieving Competitive Excellence Implementation Projects: These projects aim to support efforts that increase STEM participation at HBCUs. See the website for individual project descriptions. The deadline to submit a required notice of intent for these projects is Sept. 6, 2016. Full proposals are due Nov. 22, 2016.
Broadening Participation Research Centers: These centers represent the collective intelligence of HBCU STEM higher education and serve as the national hubs for the rigorous study and broad dissemination of the critical pedagogies and culturally sensitive interventions that contribute to the success of HBCUs in educating African-American STEM undergraduates. Centers are expected to conduct research on STEM education and broadening participation in STEM; perform outreach to HBCUs to build capacity for conducting this type of research; and work to transfer and disseminate promising participation-broadening research to enhance STEM education and research outcomes for African-American undergraduates across the country. The preliminary proposal deadline for this opportunity is March 21, 2017. Full proposals are due Nov. 22, 2017.
For more information on the overall Historically Black Colleges and Universities — Undergraduate Program, visit http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5481.
Please direct questions about these opportunities to Claudia Rankins at crankins@nsf.gov and Andrea Johnson at andjohns@nsf.gov.
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Free Tours of Facilities at NASA’s Glenn Research Center
NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, is offering tours that take visitors behind the scenes and inside certain research facilities. Glenn scientists and engineers serve as guides. Tours and open house events will be held each month through October 2016. Tours are free for groups and individuals, but reservations are required to guarantee admission. Visitor parking is also free.
On the days of the tours, a bus departs from Glenn’s main gate every hour, beginning at 10 a.m. The last tour departs at 1 p.m. Each tour lasts about 45 minutes, and a stop at Glenn’s Gift Shop follows the tour.
Glenn’s 2016 Tour Schedule
Sept. 10, 2016 — Vibration Testing: Join us on a tour of Glenn’s Structural Dynamics Laboratory, where things get shaken to verify their survivability. Several experiments that currently are operating on the International Space Station were tested in this lab.
Oct. 1, 2016 — Prepare for Impact: Come explore Glenn’s Ballistic Impact Facility. See the laboratory that helped to identify the cause of the space shuttle Columbia accident and to return NASA’s shuttle fleet to flight.
Tours are open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. To guarantee admission, reservations are required. For more information on tours and how to make reservations, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/events/tours.html.
Please direct questions about the tours to Sheila Reese at sheila.d.reese@nasa.gov.
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Center for Astronomy Education Regional Teaching Exchanges and Workshops — Fall/Winter 2016-2017
NASA’s Center for Astronomy Education, or CAE, announces a series of regional teaching exchanges and workshops for astronomy and space science educators.
Teaching exchanges foster a sense of community among geographically linked current and future college instructors of astronomy. Regional experts from the broader CAE community are ready to provide the opportunity for you to meet your neighbors, expand your instructional repertoire and share your own expertise.
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.
Sept. 10, 2016 — Westchester Community College in Valhalla, New York
CAE Northeast Regional Teaching Exchange
Sept. 24, 2016 — Seattle University in Seattle, Washington
CAE Northwest Regional Teaching Exchange
Sept. 24, 2016 — Guilford Technical Community College in Jamestown, North Carolina
CAE Southeast Regional Teaching Exchange
Jan. 4, 2017 — Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas
CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop — New Methods for Teaching About Exoplanets
Jan. 5, 2017 — Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas
CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop — New Methods for Teaching in the Flipped Classroom
For more information and to register for the teaching exchanges, visit http://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/workshops/index.cfm.
Inquiries about this series of events should be directed to Gina Brissenden at gbrissenden@as.arizona.edu.
CAE is funded through NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Exoplanet Exploration Program.
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NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event — Live From Juno: Exploring Jupiter
After five years of travel, Juno is in orbit actively exploring the largest planet in our solar system. Join NASA’s Digital Learning Network for a live webcast showcasing what we have learned in the first two months since Juno’s arrival at Jupiter and what we expect to learn throughout the course of this mission. The program will be live from two NASA centers, feature special guests and include questions from the online audience.
The event will be webcast on the NASA DLiNfo Channel on Sept. 12, 2016, at 1 p.m. EDT.
Ask questions via Twitter using #askDLN, via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NASADLN, or via email to DLiNfochannel@gmail.com.
For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/dln.
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Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational Use
NASA invites U.S. educational institutions to request space shuttle thermal protective tiles, space shuttle thermal protective blankets, and other special items offered on a first-come, first-serve basis while quantities last. Organizations previously allocated thermal protective tiles may request an additional three tiles.
Nonprofit museums, libraries and planetariums (sponsored through their respective State Agency Surplus Property, or SASP, organization) are also eligible to make requests. Visit the link below for special instructions to request items. To find the contact information for the SASP representative for your area, visit http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/100851.
A nominal shipping fee must be paid online with a credit card. To make a request for special items online, visit http://gsaxcess.gov/htm/nasa/userguide/Special_Item_Request_Procedure.pdf.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to GSAXcessHelp@gsa.gov.
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2016 NASA Kennedy Space Center Community Day
NASA is hosting its annual NASA Kennedy Space Center Community Day at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Sept. 17, 2016, with free admission from 2-6 p.m. EDT.
The event, targeted for K-12 students and their families, will focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, with the theme “Express to Mars.” Educational activities and demonstrations will highlight the future of America’s space program. Community Day will give visitors the opportunity to talk with real-life astronauts and engage in awesome experiments, cool demonstrations, and fun hands-on activities.
For more information, visit https://twitter.com/NASA_KETI and https://www.facebook.com/nasaketi.
Please direct questions about the event to KSC-KETI-program@mail.nasa.gov.
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2017 BIG Idea Challenge
NASA’s Game Changing Development Program and the National Institute of Aerospace announce the 2017 Breakthrough, Innovative, and Game-changing Idea Challenge. The BIG Idea Challenge invites teams and their faculty advisors to work together to design and analyze potential modular concepts and systems that provide the ability to construct large solar electric propulsion, or SEP, tugs in space that can transfer payloads for low Earth orbit to a lunar distant retrograde orbit. Concepts can employ new approaches for packaging modules in one or more launch vehicles that minimize launch loads; modular (distributed) solar arrays and ion engines; and robust robotic assembly (joining) of the modules that form the SEP tug.
Interested teams of three to five undergraduate and/or graduate students will submit proposals (eight to10 pages) describing their BIG Idea. Based on a review of the proposals, four teams will be selected to submit full technical papers and present their concepts to a panel of NASA judges at the 2017 BIG Idea Forum at NASA’s Langley Research Center on Feb. 15 and 16, 2017, in Hampton, Virginia.
The final four qualifying teams will receive a $6,000 stipend to facilitate participation in the BIG Idea Forum. The winning team will receive offers to participate in paid internships with the Game Changing Development team at Langley Research Center where they can work toward further developing their concept under the mentorship of NASA experts.
Interested teams are encouraged to submit a notice of intent by Sept 30, 2016, and teams must submit proposals by Nov. 30, 2016.
For full competition details, including design constraints and submission guidelines, please visit http://BigIdea.nianet.org.
If you have any questions about the competition, please contact BigIdea@nianet.org.
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National Science Foundation’s Advancing Informal STEM Learning Program
The National Science Foundation is accepting proposals for the Advancing Informal STEM Learning, or AISL, program. This program seeks to advance new approaches to evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning opportunities for the public in informal environments; to provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; and to advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning in informal environments.
Proposals are due Nov. 8, 2016.
For additional information about the program, including anticipated awards, visit http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15593/nsf15593.htm.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to DRLAISL@NSF.gov.
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NASA CubeSat Launch Opportunity
NASA has opened the next round of its CubeSat Launch Initiative in an effort to engage the growing community of space enthusiasts who can contribute to NASA’s space exploration goals.
The CubeSat Launch Initiative gives students, teachers and faculty a chance to get hands-on flight hardware development experience in the process of designing, building and operating small research satellites. It also provides a low-cost pathway to space for research in the areas of science, exploration, technology development, education or operations consistent with NASA’s Strategic Plan.
Applicants must submit their proposals electronically by 4:30 p.m. EST, Nov. 22, 2016. NASA will choose the payloads by Feb. 17, 2017, but initial selection does not guarantee a launch opportunity. Certain selected experiments are slated to be flown as auxiliary payloads on agency rocket launches or to be deployed from the International Space Station beginning in 2017 and running through 2020. NASA does not fund the development of the small satellites, and this opportunity is open only to U.S. nonpro?t organizations and U.S. accredited educational organizations.
One goal of the CubeSat Launch Initiative is to extend the successes of space exploration to all 50 states by launching a small satellite from at least one participant in each state in the next five years. During this round, NASA is particularly focused on gaining participation in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 18 states not previously selected for the CubeSat Launch Initiative. These states are Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington and Wyoming.
CubeSats are in a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites. The base CubeSat dimensions are about 4 inches by 4 inches by 4 inches (10 centimeters by 10 centimeters by 11 centimeters), which equals one “cube,” or 1U. CubeSats supported by this launch effort include volumes of 1U, 2U, 3U and 6U. CubeSats of 1U, 2U and 3U size typically have a mass of about three pounds (1.33 kilograms) per 1U Cube. A 6U CubeSat typically has a mass of about 26.5 pounds (12 kilograms). The CubeSat’s final mass depends on which deployment method is selected.
To date, NASA has selected 119 CubeSat missions from 66 unique organizations. Of those missions, 46 have been launched into space with 29 more CubeSats scheduled to go in the next 12 months.
For additional information about NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative program, visit http://go.nasa.gov/CubeSat_initiative.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Jason Crusan at Jason.Crusan@nasa.gov.
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Access NASA Data to Analyze Astronaut Radiation Exposure in Space
Imagine what it would be like to live in space. What kind of shelter would you live in? What kind of protection would you have from the elements? How long could you stay there?
On Earth, humans are protected from radiation by the atmosphere and Earth’s magnetic field. Astronauts on the space station are above the atmosphere and receive a higher dose of radiation than when they are on the ground. The harmful effects of radiation that come from the sun and other sources outside the solar system pose danger to humans living and working in space.
Radiation is one of the top concerns for humans living in deep space for long durations. A NASA group called RadWorks is using radiation detectors the size of USB thumb drives to collect data inside the International Space Station. Together with the University of Houston and the Institute for Research in Schools, RadWorks is sharing the data with high school students who are helping to analyze the radiation that astronaut Tim Peake is exposed to during his time aboard the International Space Station.
NASA is making this same data available to teachers and students through the TimPix project administered by the Institute for Research in Schools, with funding from the European Space Agency and the United Kingdom Space Agency. During European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake’s time aboard the station, data is taken many times a minute while in orbit. A variety of data sets are currently available, and others are being added as the mission progresses. Aimed at high school physics classes, the TimPix project allows students ages 14-18 to access and analyze radiation data during Peake’s mission. They are able to take part in authentic research occurring aboard the station. What type of radiation is present? What impact do different altitudes or locations around the world have on the number and types of particles detected? What happens during a solar flare? Join us in helping NASA answer these questions!
For more information about NASA’s Radworks project, visit http://techport.nasa.gov/view/10581.
For more information or to register for the TimPix project, email timpix@researchinschools.org.
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2017 RASC-AL Aerospace Concepts Design Competition
NASA and the National Institute of Aerospace announce the 2017 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts-Academic Linkage Aerospace Concepts competition. RASC-AL is a design project competition for university-level engineering students and faculty.
The 2017 RASC-AL competition challenges teams to develop new concepts that leverage innovations to improve our ability to work more effectively in microgravity, by responding to one of four themes:
— Lightweight Exercise Suite.
— Airlock Design.
— Commercially enabled LEO/Mars Habitable Module.
— Logistics Delivery System.
Potentially, NASA could implement concepts derived from the design projects.
Interested teams are encouraged to submit a notice of intent by Nov. 8, 2016, and teams must submit an abstract for their proposed project by Jan. 19, 2017.
NEW THIS YEAR: As a part of the abstract proposal submission process, teams will be required to include a two-minute video. The intent is for the video to augment each team’s abstract proposal by including animation, graphics, or other creative ways of showcasing unique aspects of their proposed concept.
The 2017 RASC-AL Competition will implement a two-tiered down-select process. A steering committee of NASA and industry experts will evaluate the abstract and video proposals and select as many as 20 undergraduate or graduate teams to move to the next phase of the competition. Based on evaluation of five- to seven-page mid-project papers submitted by these teams in mid-March, the field will be narrowed once again to 12-16 teams who will be selected for the final round of the competition. The finalists will present their concepts to the panel of judges (the RASC-AL Steering Committee) at the RASC-AL Forum in June 2017 in Florida.
The RASC-AL competition is open to full-time undergraduate or graduate students majoring in engineering or science at an accredited college or university. University design teams must include one faculty or industry advisor with a university affiliation and two or more undergraduate or graduate students. A group of universities also may collaborate on a design project entry. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged.
For more information about this competition, visit http://rascal.nianet.org.
If you have questions about this competition, please contact the RASC-AL team at rascal@nianet.org.
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Call for Submissions — NASA Announcement for High Impact / Broad Implementation STEM Education Partnerships (EDUCATION01SP16)
The NASA Headquarters Office of Education, in cooperation with the agency’s four mission directorates, nine center education offices, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory education office, announces this competition to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. Responses must be submitted electronically via the NASA data system NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com).
NASA Education seeks to partner with eligible domestic or international organizations on a no-exchange-of-funds basis to reach wider and more diverse audiences and to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. The announcement places a priority on collaboration involving the following: digital learning; engaging underrepresented groups in STEM; NASA-themed STEM challenges; and youth-serving organizations. NASA also is receptive to other creative ideas including, for example, investigations or application of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and design, or STEAMD; or activities culturally relevant to or focused on populations underrepresented in STEM careers, such as women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. The announcement explains the criteria used to review responses and NASA’s partnership mechanism known as a no-exchange-of-funds or nonreimbursable Space Act Agreement.
NASA will accept responses on a rolling basis through Dec. 31. 2017.
For more information about this opportunity, visit NSPIRES at http://go.nasa.gov/1RZwWCi.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please direct your questions to the Points of Contact listed within the NASA announcement.
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NASA Invites You to #SpotHubble
Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has sent back mind-blowing images that not only changed our understanding of our universe, but also changed where we see glimpses of our universe in everyday life.
Hubble is more than a science spacecraft; it’s a cultural phenomenon! Take a moment to think about where you’ve seen the Hubble Space Telescope or Hubble images in your daily life. Maybe you own a textbook with a picture of the telescope on the cover, or you walk by a mural inspired by Hubble images every day on your way to work. Perhaps you’ve even created art based on Hubble images. NASA wants to see the Hubble impact in your life! Share your photos with NASA on Instagram, Twitter, Flickr and Facebook.
Images may be submitted on the following social media platforms:
— Flickr: Submit your photos to the Spot Hubble Flickr Group.
— Instagram: Use the Instagram app to upload your photo, and in the description include #SpotHubble and #NASAGoddard.
— Twitter: Share your image on Twitter and include #SpotHubble in the tweet.
— Facebook: Share your image on Facebook and include #SpotHubble in the post.
Your #SpotHubble image may be shared on NASA Hubble social media accounts!
To learn more, visit http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/2016/spothubble.
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Help NASA Study Mars — Planet Four: Terrains
Help NASA study exotic landscape features near the south pole of Mars! In this citizen science project, you will view images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s Context Camera. Your input will help scientists identify possible areas for even more detailed examination with the orbiter’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera. HiRISE can reveal more detail than any other camera ever put into orbit around Mars.
Some of Mars resembles deserts on Earth, but seasonal freezing and thawing of carbon-dioxide ice (known on Earth as “dry ice”) at the Martian poles create some unusual landscape features. There’s a lot of territory to cover, so scientists need your help identifying what and where these features are.
For more information and to learn how to participate, visit the “Planet Four: Terrains” website at https://www.zooniverse.org/#/projects/mschwamb/planet-four-terrains.
To learn more about NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and its mission at the Red Planet, visit http://mars.nasa.gov/mro/.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Michelle Viotti at michelle.a.viotti@jpl.nasa.gov.
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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/.
