NASA Education Express Message — Dec. 29, 2016
NEW THIS WEEK!
Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators
Next Event Date: Jan. 3, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Free Educator Professional Development Workshops From NASA’s Stennis Space Center Office of Education
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators
Next Event Date: Jan. 26, 2017, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CST
Workshop Location: Infinity Science Center in Pearlington, Mississippi
NASA’s DIVER (Diving into Experiment Research) Challenge
Audience: 9-12 Students
Proposal Deadline: Feb. 1, 2017
Call for Proposals — Research Projects on Determinants of Life Expectancy by Income and Geography, and Implications for Social Security Policy
Audience: Higher Education Faculty and Students
Application Deadline: Feb. 1, 2017
Be a Citizen Scientist With the ‘Aurorasaurus’ Project
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Timeframe: Ongoing
PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES
Sign Up for NASA Education ‘Science WOW!’ Weekly Email Newsletter
Audience: All Educators and Students
Modern Figures Toolkit: Activities and Resources Related to Katherine Johnson and Human Computers
Audience: K-12 Educators
2017 Space Exploration Educators Conference
Audience: K-12 Educators
Early Bird Registration Deadline: Dec. 30, 2016
Event Date: Feb. 9-11, 2017
NASA’s Langley Research Center Centennial Student Art Contest
Audience: K-12 Students
Entry Period: Nov. 1 – Dec. 31, 2016
2017 Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut “Walk to the Moon” Challenge
Audience: All Educators and Students, Home School Parents and After-school Groups
Registration Deadline: Dec. 31, 2016
Challenge Dates: Jan. 12 – April 28, 2017
Center for Astronomy Education Regional Teaching Exchanges and Workshops — Fall/Winter 2016-2017
Audience: Current and Future College Instructors of Astronomy
Next Event Date: Jan. 4, 2017
Free Program — Cubes in SpaceTM
Audience: Students Ages 11-18 and Their Teachers
Registration Deadline: Jan. 6, 2017
Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational Use
Audience: Educational Institutions, Museums and Other Education Organizations
NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event – Virtual Field Trip to Kennedy Space Center
Audience: Educators and Students in Grades 5-12
Event Date: Jan. 12, 2017
Research Grants: Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research
Audience: Researchers at Academic Institutions in Developing Countries
Application Deadline: Jan. 13, 2017
Free Educator Workshop: Earth Science Workshop
Audience: Formal and Informal Educators of Grades K-8
Event Date: Jan. 14, 2017, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. PST
Free Educator Workshop — Solar System and Beyond: Modern Figures
Audience: K-12 and Informal Educators
Event Dates: Jan. 18, 2017, 4:30-6 p.m. PST
2017 RASC-AL Aerospace Concepts Design Competition
Audience: Higher Education Students
Abstract Submission Deadline: Jan. 19, 2017
Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowships for Early Career Researchers
Audience: Researchers Who Have Received a Ph.D. in the Last Eight Years
Notice of Intent Deadline: Jan. 20, 2017
Proposal Deadline: March 17, 2017
Future Engineers Mars Medical Challenge
Audience: Educators and Students Ages 5 to 19
Entry Deadline: Jan. 25, 2017
National Science Foundation’s Mathematical Sciences Graduate Internship Program
Audience: Mathematical Sciences Doctoral Students
Application Deadline: March 1, 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
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.
Don’t Count NASA Out of Your Math Classes: Mass vs. Weight
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: Jan. 3, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Learn about hands-on, standards-aligned activities comparing mass and weight. Participants will learn about the microgravity environment of the International Space Station. This webinar addresses Common Core Math Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards ESS1 and ESS2. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/207364
Aeronautics — Come Fly With Us: Balloons and Kites for Elementary Educators
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-5
Event Date: Jan. 4, 2017, at 4 p.m. EST
Explore NASA’s “The Courage to Soar” educator guide. Learn about education activities on flight that relate to science, math, language arts, engineering design and art. Participants will discuss the history of kites and balloons. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/217984
Aeronautics — Come Fly With Us: Flying Things in Your Classroom
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-8
Event Date: Jan. 5, 2017, at 6 p.m. EST
Explore the principles and physics of flight by flying things in your classroom. Use NASA online resources and simple, inexpensive STEM classroom activities and design challenges to investigate the parts of an airplane, what makes an airplane fly, and how to model aircraft that can fly in your classroom. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/219444
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.
Free Educator Professional Development Workshops From NASA’s Stennis Space Center Office of Education
NASA’s Stennis Space Center Office of Education is presenting a series of free science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, educator professional development workshops open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom.
Journey to Mars
Audience: Grades 4-8, In-service, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Registration Deadline: Jan. 22, 2017 (maximum of 30 participants)
Event Date: Jan. 26, 2017, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CST
Launch an investigation into the Red Planet using Earth and Mars comparisons, models, and engineering design. This workshop will integrate NASA online resources and STEM classroom activities, including those from NASA’s “Modern Figures” campaign. “Modern Figures” activities highlight the contributions made by the African American women called “human computers,” as seen in the new movie “Hidden Figures.” The workshop will be presented at the Infinity Science Center in Pearlington, Mississippi. (Map).
Register Online: https://www.etouches.com/219171
NASA Aeronautics: The Science of Flight
Audience: Grades 4-8, In-service, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Registration Deadline: Feb. 19, 2017 (maximum of 30 participants)
Event Date: Feb. 23, 2017, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CST
Explore basic principles of flight, construct aircraft models, and use the engineering design process to make these activities educationally challenging. NASA aeronautics technology will be introduced. Learn how these inquiry-based lessons can help students develop concepts, practice data analysis skills, and relate their investigations to real-world applications. The workshop will be presented at the Infinity Science Center in Pearlington, Mississippi. (Map).
Register Online: https://www.etouches.com/219187
Keesler Air Force Base (Hurricane Hunters) and NASA: Weather and Hurricanes
Audience: Grades 4-8, In-service, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Registration Deadline: March 26, 2017 (maximum of 30 participants)
Event Date: March 30, 2017, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CDT
Learn about the role of the Air Force and NASA in our understanding and forecasting of weather, climate, hurricanes and their effects on Earth’s systems. Air Force and NASA data, STEM curriculum resources, and tours will guide participants through classroom activities and learning strategies. The workshop will be presented at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. (Map). *Registration is restricted to US citizens only*
Register Online: https://www.etouches.com/211635
For more information on the upcoming NASA Educator Professional Development workshops, email Aprill McIntosh at april.l.mcintosh@nasa.gov.
NASA’s DIVER (Diving into Experiment Research) Challenge
NASA and the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research, or ASGSR, are challenging high school students to design and build an object that will float in water in normal gravity but will submerge in water as far as possible when exposed to microgravity.
After student proposals are evaluated, selected teams will have their objects tested in NASA’s 2.2 Second Drop Tower at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio. Teams are only responsible for their diving objects. NASA will provide the rest of the experimental hardware and interact with teams remotely during testing.
The winning DIVER teams will have the opportunity to present their results in a student poster session at ASGSR’s 2017 conference in Seattle, Washington, in October 2017.
Proposals are due Feb. 1, 2017.
For more information about this opportunity, visit https://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/education-outreach/diver/.
Please email questions about this opportunity to celere@lists.nasa.gov.
Call for Proposals — Research Projects on Determinants of Life Expectancy by Income and Geography, and Implications for Social Security Policy
The National Bureau for Economic Research seeks applications for pilot research projects that deepen our understanding of the mechanisms explaining geographic variation in the relationship between income and life expectancy in the United States. Research projects will use recently released statistics from the Health Inequality Project. With funding support from the Social Security Administration through the NBER Retirement Research Center, the NBER encourages proposals for projects that use the new data to better understand the reasons for the strong relationship between income and life expectancy, its geographic variability, and its implications for interventions and policy.
Applications will be accepted from junior faculty, postdoctoral fellows and doctoral students. Individuals and research teams are eligible to apply. NBER expects to fund five to seven proposals.
Applications are due Feb. 1, 2017.
For more information about this opportunity, visit http://www.nber.org/programs/ag/funding.html.
Please email questions about this opportunity to agfellow@nber.org.
Be a Citizen Scientist With the ‘Aurorasaurus’ Project
Aurorasaurus is the first and only citizen science project that tracks auroras around the world via online reports, mobile apps and social media.
Aurorasaurus is a citizen science project that gathers real-time data about aurora sightings and sends out notifications to users when the northern or southern lights are likely visible in their area. Registered users get location-based notifications and a real-time monitor of space weather activity. The project also allows users to help verify tweets and search for real sightings. Plus, the website features answers to science and aurora questions.
To learn more, visit http://www.aurorasaurus.org/.
Please direct questions about this project to aurorasaurus.info@gmail.com.
This project receives support from the National Science Foundation and NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.
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/.
Modern Figures Toolkit: Activities and Resources Related to Katherine Johnson and Human Computers
In the 1960’s, 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 the Modern Figures Toolkit.
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.
2017 Space Exploration Educators Conference
Make plans to attend the 23rd Annual Space Exploration Educators Conference to be held Feb. 9-11, 2017, at Space Center Houston. This conference is for all K-12 educators. Activities presented use space-related themes to teach across the curricula. The activities may be used for science, language arts, mathematics, history and more.
Attend sessions hosted by scientists and engineers working on exciting projects like the International Space Station and the exploration of Mars and other parts of our solar system. Hear from astronauts who will be “leading the charge” in exploration. Attend sessions presented by educators and receive ready-to-implement classroom ideas. Attendees can earn up to 24 hours of continuing professional education credit.
For discounted registration, sign up to attend before the Early Bird Registration deadline on Dec. 30, 2016!
For more information, visit http://spacecenter.org/teacher-programs/teachers-seec/.
Please email any questions about the conference to seec@spacecenter.org.
NASA’s Langley Research Center Centennial Student Art Contest
Calling all artists, grades K-12!
On July 17, 2017, NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, will turn 100 years old! To celebrate, Langley invites you to take part in its Centennial Art Contest. The theme for this year’s contest is “A Storied Legacy, A Soaring Future.”
The contest is open to all children in grades K-12 who are attending public, private, parochial and homeschools in the United States. Artwork entries may consist of drawings, paintings, mixed media and digital creations.
A grand prize winner will be chosen from all contest entries. A first place winner will be chosen from each grade level, as well as second place, third place and honorable mention. Each entry will receive a certificate of participation.
The art contest submission period began on Nov. 1, 2016, and concludes on Dec. 31, 2016, at midnight EST.
For more information, visit https://artcontest.larc.nasa.gov/.
Please direct questions about this contest to Kristina Cors at larc-art-contest@mail.nasa.gov.
2017 Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut “Walk to the Moon” Challenge
Mission X encourages children of all ages, as well as people with particular needs, to pursue healthy lifestyles based on the model of training like an astronaut. During six- to nine-week “challenges” each fall and spring, schools and student groups from around the world complete Mission X classroom-based science lessons and physical education activities.
In 2017, Mission X is challenging Fit Explorers around the world to work together to perform activities that will move Astro Charlie the 478 million steps it would take to walk from Earth to the moon! That’s 238,857 miles, or 384,403 kilometers! At an average walking speed, that would take one person about nine years to complete.
The challenge kicks off in January. For full challenge details and to do your part to help reach this out-of-this-world goal, visit http://trainlikeanastronaut.org/wttm. The deadline to register for this challenge is Dec. 31, 2016. You may apply for Team USA at http://trainlikeanastronaut.org/usa_application.
In 2016, Mission X was represented by 30 countries and more than 53,000 participants. The challenge was available in 17 languages.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Nubia Carvajal at nubia.a.carvajal@nasa.gov.
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.
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.
Free Program — Cubes in SpaceTM
Cubes in Space™ provides students ages 11-18 an opportunity to design and compete to launch an experiment into space at no cost! Cubes in Space™ is offered by idoodledu, inc., in partnership with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s Wallops Flight Facility, the Colorado Space Grant Consortium and NASA’s Langley Research Center.
This global education program based on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) enables students to learn about space exploration using innovative problem-solving and inquiry-based learning methods. Participants have access to resources that help prepare them to design and develop an experiment to be integrated into a small cube.
This year, experiments will be launched into space via sounding rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia, in late June 2017 or from a high-altitude balloon launched from NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, in August 2017.
The deadline for program registration is Jan. 6, 2017. For more information, visit http://www.cubesinspace.com. Questions about this program may be directed to info@cubesinspace.com.
About idoodedu inc.
idoodledu inc., a charitable nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is a wholly owned subsidiary of idoodlelearning inc., and was created in 2015 as a legal vehicle to bring public/private partnerships and publicly funded programs to all learners and educators. idoodlelearning inc. is an education company based in Ottawa, Canada; London, England; and Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.
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.
NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event – Virtual Field Trip to Kennedy Space Center
Join the education specialists of NASA’s Digital Learning Network as they travel to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 12, 2017. The multipart series of Virtual Field Trips will feature different landmarks and projects taking place at Kennedy.
Explore Kennedy Space Center during the following 30-minute sessions:
10 a.m. EST — Join DLN education specialists Caryn Long from NASA’s Langley Research Center and Lisa Ilowsky from NASA’s Ames Research Center to learn more about the Vehicle Assembly Building and Mobile Launch Pad.
Noon EST — Join DLN education specialists Lindsey Jones from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and Rachel Power from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to learn more about Kennedy’s Swamp Works project.
2 p.m. EST — Join DLN education specialists Kristy Brumfield from NASA’s Stennis Space Center and David Alexander from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center to learn more about the Orion and Crew Exploration Vehicle.
Up to three schools will be able to join DLN live and interactively during each of the three individual webcasts. To register for this opportunity, please complete the form found at https://goo.gl/forms/U4UvoCJXHSCpDZNv2. Each school may request to participate in only one session.
Schools that are not selected to be a part of the interactive audience will be able to view the webcast event live at https://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-dlinfo.
For more information about this and other DLN events, visit http://www.nasa.gov/dln.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send them to dlinfochannel@gmail.com.
Research Grants: Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research
The Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research, or PEER, program is a competitive awards program that invites scientists in developing countries to apply for funds to support research and capacity-building activities on topics of importance to the United States Agency for International Development and conducted in partnership with U.S. government-supported and selected private sector partners.
PEER applicants who submit pre-proposals to PEER must be based at an academic institution, nonprofit organization, or government-managed research laboratory, center or institute in a PEER-eligible country. Applicants also must hold a career-track position or equivalent at their respective institution or organization. Applicants should be working in the country from which they are applying and should be nationals (citizens or permanent residents) of a PEER-eligible country for the focus area to which they are applying.
The deadline for submission of pre-proposals is Jan. 13, 2017. Pre-proposals should be completed through the PEER online application site no later than 11:59 p.m. (U.S. Eastern Standard Time) on that date.
For more information, visit http://www.nationalacademies.org/peer.
The PEER program is supported by the United States Agency for International Development and implemented by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to peer@nas.edu.
Free Educator Workshop: Earth Science Workshop
Explore the impact of increasing global temperature on glaciers and sea level using real satellite data from NASA. Then, discover ways to turn these resources into engineering, mathematics and science lessons for students. Finally, learn to use the engineering design process to develop water-filtration and recycling systems to minimize our adverse impact on the water cycle.
Join NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on Jan. 14, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. PST for this workshop at the von Kármán Auditorium at NASA’s JPL in Pasadena, California.
For more information and to register to attend, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/events/2017/1/14/earth-science-workshop/.
Can’t make it to the workshop? Explore these lessons online at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/water-filtration-challenge/ and http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/the-science-of-earths-rising-seas/.
Please direct questions about this workshop to Paula Partida at Paula.S.Partida@jpl.nasa.gov.
Free Educator Workshop — Solar System and Beyond: Modern Figures
Join the Office of Education of NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center for an educator professional development workshop as we look back at the history of human computers like Katherine Johnson and look forward toward exploration of the solar system. Learn about OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer) on its search for asteroids using modern-day technology to calculate launch windows and orbits. Educators will engage in standards-aligned mathematics, science and engineering activities about launch windows, planetary orbits and robotics. Participants will receive hands-on activities for students that combine math, science, engineering and social studies.
The workshop will take place Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2017, 4:30-6 p.m. PST at NASA’s Armstrong Educator Resource Center at the AERO Institute in Palmdale, California.
For more information, visit https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/erc_workshop_01_18_17a.pdf
Please direct questions about this workshop to Sondra Geddes at sondra.l.geddes@nasa.gov.
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 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.
Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowships for Early Career Researchers
The Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowship in astrophysics seeks to provide early-career researchers the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to lead astrophysics flight instrument development projects, including suborbital investigations, in preparation to become principal investigators of future astrophysics missions; to develop innovative technologies for space astrophysics that have the potential to enable major scientific breakthroughs; and to foster new talent by putting early-career instrument builders on a trajectory toward long-term positions. NASA is committed to supporting deserving early-career researchers by selecting one or more Roman Technology Fellows every year.
This fellowship consists of two components with two different submission procedures. (1) The first component is the application to be named a Roman Technology Fellow through a one-page application submitted along with a proposal submitted to D.3, the Astrophysics Research and Analysis, or APRA, program element. (2) The second component is the subsequent submission of a proposal for up to $300K in fellowship funds by a previously selected Roman Technology Fellow once that individual obtains a permanent or permanent track position.
A notice of intent to submit a proposal is required and is due Jan. 20, 2017. Proposals are due March 17, 2017.
For complete fellowship details and application procedures, visit http://go.nasa.gov/2hmrro0.
Questions concerning this opportunity may be directed to William Lightsey at Billy.Lightsey@nasa.gov.
Future Engineers Mars Medical Challenge
Calling all students! NASA wants your help to design an object that could be used by an astronaut to maintain physical health on a three-year mission to Mars. The Mars Medical Challenge is the fifth in a series of Future Engineers Challenges where students in grades K-12 create and submit a digital 3-D model intended to be printed in 3-D and used for a wide range of medical needs including diagnostic, preventive, first-aid, emergency, surgical and/or dental purposes.
As NASA continues to investigate how the human body adjusts to weightlessness, radiation and stress that occur long-duration spaceflight, Future Engineers proposes to engage students with a related challenge. The Mars Medical Challenge asks students to design a 3-D printed object that will keep astronauts healthy during the long trip to the Red Planet. Specifically, medical and dental hardware will be emphasized during this challenge.
Students ages 5-19 are invited to become the creators and innovators of tomorrow by using 3-D modeling software to submit their designs for hardware that could be used by astronauts on a future mission to Mars. Students have the opportunity to win prizes ranging from a Mars prize pack or a 3-D printer for their school to a trip to Houston for a tour of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The challenge closes on Jan. 25, 2017, and winners will be announced on March 28, 2017.
What health-related items do you think an astronaut will need on that journey, and why would these items require a 3-D printer? It’s time to start flexing your problem-solving and design skills to find a solution – good luck!
For more information about the challenge and how to enter, visit www.futureengineers.org/marsmedical.
National Science Foundation’s Mathematical Sciences Graduate Internship Program
The National Science Foundation is accepting applications for its Mathematical Sciences Graduate Internship Program. MSGI provides an opportunity for mathematical sciences doctoral students to participate in internships at national laboratories, industry and other approved facilities. Participation in an internship will provide first-hand experience of the use of mathematics in a nonacademic setting. The internships are aimed at students who are interested in understanding the application of advanced mathematical and statistical techniques to “real-world” problems, regardless of whether the student plans to pursue an academic or nonacademic career.
MSGI is open to graduate students pursuing a doctoral degree in mathematics, statistics or applied mathematics who are enrolled as full-time graduate students at an accredited U.S. college or university during the 2016-2017 academic year. Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher on a 4.0 scale, including fall 2016 grades.
The application submission deadline is March 1, 2017.
For more information, visit http://www.orise.orau.gov/nsf-msgi/default.html.
Questions about this internship opportunity should be directed to nsf-msgi@orise.orau.gov.
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.
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/.
