NASA Education Express Message — Dec. 30, 2015
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: Jan. 6, 2016, at 6 p.m. EST
2016 NASA Academy
Audience: Undergraduate and Graduate Students Who Are U.S. Citizens
Application Deadline: Feb. 16, 2016
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PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES
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NASA Education Call for Reviewers for Informal STEM Education Proposals
Audience: Informal Education Leadership, Managers, Educators and Evaluators (e.g., K-12; Informal; Youth Groups; Public Outreach)
Sign-up Deadline: Dec. 31, 2015
Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy
Audience: Designed for Families With Children Ages 10 to 14, but Open to All
Next Event Date: Jan. 2, 2016, 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. EDT
Center for Astronomy Education Teaching Excellence Workshops — Fall/Winter 2015-16
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Next Event Date: Jan. 3-4, 2016
NOAA Environmental Literacy Grants
Audience: Informal Education Institutions; K-12 School Systems; Higher Education Institutions; State, Local and Tribal Governments
Informational Teleconference: Jan. 5, 2016, 3-5 p.m. EST
Application Deadline: Feb. 8, 2016
“Where Over the World Is Astronaut Scott Kelly?” Geography From Space Trivia Contest
Audience: All Educators and Students
Deadline: Ongoing Through March 2016
Free Program — Cubes in SpaceTM
Audience: Middle and High School Educators and Students
Registration Deadline: Jan. 11, 2016
2016 Lunar and Planetary Institute’s Exploration Science Summer Intern Program
Audience: Graduate Students
Application Deadline: Jan. 15, 2016
2016 RASC-AL Aerospace Concepts Design Competition
Audience: Higher Education Students
Abstract Submission Deadline: Jan. 17, 2016
2016 NOAA Undergraduate Scholarships
Audience: Undergraduate Students
Application Deadline: Jan. 29, 2016
NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowships Program Accepting Proposals for 2016-2017 Academic Year
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Proposal Deadline: Feb. 1, 2016
2016 NASA Glenn Faculty Fellowship Program
Audience: Higher Education Educators
Application Deadline: Feb. 1, 2016
International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids Exploratory Research Experiments
Audience: Grade 8-12 Educators and Students
Entry Deadlines: Feb. 1, March 1 and April 1, 2016
Be an Astronaut! Apply Now for New Astronaut Candidate Class
Audience: All Educators and Graduate Students
Application Deadline: Mid-February 2016
Help NASA Study Mars — Planet Four: Terrains
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Timeframe: Ongoing Through Mid-2016
Call for Submissions — NASA Announcement for High Impact / Broad Implementation STEM Education Partnerships (EDUCATION01SP16)
Audience: Education Institutions and Organizations
Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis Through Dec. 31, 2017
Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational Use
Audience: Educational Institutions, Museums and Other Education Organizations
Mars Survival Kit: Lessons and Activities to Guide Your Exploration of Mars!
Audience: K-12 Educators
Free “NASA’s Journey to Mars” Planetarium/Dome Show
Audience: All Formal and Informal Educators
‘Mission: Mars’ Exhibition at Saint Louis Science Center
Audience: All Educators and Students
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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/.
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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.
Earth Right Now: The Wacky Water Cycle
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-8
Event Date: Jan. 6, 2016, at 6 p.m. EST
Scientists see some alarming changes in water resources with the use of NASA satellite technology. Explore how bodies of water change in response to changes in weather, climate and human interactions. Plan inquiry-based experiments to understand sustainability and water quality. Use NASA images to examine dramatic changes in water resources. Participants will practice collaboration strategies using problem-based learning that incorporates free NASA resources. https://www.etouches.com/153843
Earth Right Now: Melting Ice and the Effects on the Coastlines
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-5
Event Date: Jan. 7, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EST
“Exploring Ice in the Solar System,” a series of lesson plans for grades K-5, will be the focus of this webinar. Participate in a problem-based learning lesson, and discover how melting ice on Earth is affecting coastlines. Engage in hands-on activities that will have your students collecting data throughout the entire lesson. This webinar is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards ESS2 and ESS3. https://www.etouches.com/154344
Earth Right Now: Satellites and Sea Level Rise, Part 1
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-8
Event Date: Jan. 11, 2016, at 4 p.m. EST
Your planet is changing, and NASA is on it! During the summer of 2015, scientists embarked upon Greenland to research the hydrology of the ice sheet — studying the shifting network of streams and rivers that form during the melt season and transport water from the surface of the ice to the ocean. This water contributes to sea-level rise. Join NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center to hear about this endeavor. Educators also will discover classroom resources about how Earth is changing and sea levels are rising. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/153842
Earth Right Now: Satellites and Sea Level Rise, Part 2
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-8
Event Date: Jan. 12, 2016, at 4 p.m. EST
Educators will discover information about climate change around the world through the eyes of NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite mission. Educators will have the opportunity to interact with specialists via a live chat as well as download and discuss various NASA educational resources related to the mission. Attendance in Part 1 is not a requirement. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/154538
Earth Right Now: Weather vs. Climate
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-10
Event Date: Jan. 12, 2016, at 6 p.m. EST
Get your head in the cloud of NASA-inspired hands-on activities integrating weather and climate. Expand your resources with videos, student research opportunities and interactive opportunities on Earth systems science. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/144225
Earth Right Now: Hurricanes in Your Classroom
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-8
Event Date: Jan. 13, 2016, at 6 p.m. EST
Explore hurricanes, tropical cyclones and other severe storms while integrating NASA STEM curriculum, online resources, missions and the Next Generation Science Standards into your classroom instruction. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/153598
Earth Right Now: Changing Weather in Our Climate — Using Earth Observations to Talk About Snow and Ice
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-8
Event Date: Jan. 14, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Participants will explore resources from the Earth Observatory and NASA Earth Observations websites. Learn how to use these resources to discuss the effects of changing snow and ice coverage on Earth. The resources covered in this webinar address the Next Generation Science Standards ESS2 and ESS3. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/155793
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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2016 NASA Academy
The 2016 NASA Academy is being offered at three locations: NASA’s Ames Research Center in California, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio, and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. Applications are being solicited for this 10-week summer experience for college students with emphasis on immersive and integrated multidisciplinary exposure and training. Activities include laboratory research, a group project, lectures, meetings with experts and administrators, visits to NASA centers and space-related industries, and technical presentations. Students learn how NASA and its centers operate, gain experience in world-class laboratories, and participate in leadership development and team-building activities.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens (including citizens of the U.S. territories Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands and Northern Marianas) majoring in a STEM discipline. The applicants must be undergraduate or graduate students enrolled full-time in accredited universities and colleges in the U.S. and its territories. Students may apply to any of the NASA Academy opportunities by following these steps:
1. Log into the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative, or OSSI, site at https://intern.nasa.gov.
2. Register and set up an account.
3. Select the “Search Opportunities” tab at the top bar.
4. Select “NASA Center(s) of Interest” under “NASA Center/Facility.”
5. Enter “Academy” in the “Keywords” block at the bottom of the screen.
6. Click the “Search” button at the very bottom of screen; a list of Academy Opportunities will then be displayed.
7. Click on the “View” icon in the first column under “Action” to read about the Opportunity of interest, followed by comments on additional instructions for completing the application, including two requested essays.
The deadline for receipt of NASA Academy application(s) and associated documents is Feb. 16, 2016.
Please direct questions about NASA Academy to NASA-Academy-Application@mail.nasa.gov.
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PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES
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NASA Education Call for Reviewers for Informal STEM Education Proposals
The management team for the 2015 NASA Research Announcement: Competitive Program for Science Museums, Planetariums and NASA Visitor Centers Plus Other Opportunities (CP4SMPVC+) is actively recruiting qualified peer reviewers who volunteer to externally review CP4SMPVC+ proposals during winter 2016. A diverse reviewer pool is sought, including but not limited to practicing or retired informal education leadership; managers; educators and evaluators (e.g., K-12, informal, youth groups, public outreach); scientists; engineers; higher education faculty; and other experts (including individuals without a current institutional affiliation) with experience or knowledge of activities described in the Announcement NNH15ZHA001N.
The review will include proposals from eligible nonprofit entities, including NASA Visitor Centers, as authorized under Public Law 109-155 SEC. 616. MUSEUMS: “The Administrator may provide grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements with, museums and planetariums to enable them to enhance programs related to space exploration, aeronautics, space science, earth science, or microgravity,” as well as youth-serving organizations.”
Please submit your qualifications, interest and availability — or nominate qualified colleagues — at https://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/reviewer/. To volunteer yourself, click the “Register to Be Considered as a Reviewer” link and be prepared to upload your two-to-three-page resume. (No resume is necessary to nominate a colleague using the “Suggest Qualified Reviewers” link.) The deadline to register and nominate is Dec. 31, 2015.
For additional information, a potential reviewer can send questions/inquires via email to CP4SMP@jpl.nasa.gov — please no phone calls.
Although NASA cannot guarantee an invitation to review will result, we thank you for your consideration and/or referrals. Selected reviewers will be expected to disclose all conflicts of interest, including situations that may give the appearance of bias.
For more information about the NASA Research Announcement, visit http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={6105DEEC-925A-A216-322B-8E3B34FA2B07}&path=open.
For information about funded projects from previous CP4SMP solicitations, visit https://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/CP4SMP/Map.
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Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy
Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy, at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, is a free alternate-reality game that will challenge you to become an astronaut-in-training for a future trip to Mars. Choose what role you will play on the mission; engage in fun interactive activities; and explore the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills you will need as a next-generation space traveler. Along the way, you’ll learn about some of the museum’s fascinating artifacts.
Instructions and guidance are given via a special webpage accessed on your mobile device. Players should bring their own phones or devices equipped with an internet browser and a camera. Having a digital picture-taking device (smartphone, tablet, camera) is highly recommended but not required.
The game is aimed at upper elementary and middle school visitors and their families. Do you want to bring a group? Reservations are required for groups larger than 15.
The next offering of the Astronaut Academy is on Jan. 2, 2016. Begin your training with Astronaut Orientation in the Claude Moore Education Center Classroom 1 located on the first level across from the restrooms. Astronaut Orientation is offered at regular intervals between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The last opportunity to start the game is at 2:30 p.m. A self-guided activity, the game should take between 60 and 90 minutes, and staff will help you along the way.
For more information, including a full list of upcoming Astronaut Academy dates, visit http://airandspace.si.edu/events/techquest/.
Please direct questions about the Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy to the visitor service line at 202-633-2214.
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Center for Astronomy Education Teaching Excellence Workshops — Fall/Winter 2015-16
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.
Jan. 3-4, 2016– Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida
CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop for Current and Future Astronomy and Space Science Instructors
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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NOAA Environmental Literacy Grants
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a competitive funding opportunity for education projects that will strengthen the public’s and/or K-12 students’ environmental literacy to enable informed decision-making necessary for community resilience to extreme weather events and other environmental hazards. Successful projects will advance NOAA’s mission and build the environmental literacy necessary for community resilience by focusing on geographic awareness and an understanding of Earth systems and the threats and vulnerabilities that are associated with a community’s location.
Eligible applicants are limited to institutions of higher education; other nonprofits, including informal education institutions such as museums, zoos and aquariums; K-12 public and independent schools and school systems; and state, local and Indian tribal governments in the United States. Proposed projects should be between two and five years in duration and have total budget requests of $250,000 to $500,000 for all years of the project.
Applications are due Feb. 8, 2016.
For more information and to submit an online application, visit http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/grants/elg.html#page=funding.
An informational teleconference with the program officers will occur on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016 from 3 to 5 p.m. EST. Visit the link above for details on how to join the teleconference and/or to obtain a copy of the transcription of the teleconference held on December 10, 2015.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to oed.grants@noaa.gov.
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“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. 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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Free Program — Cubes in SpaceTM
The Colorado Space Grant Consortium and idoodlelearning inc. are offering a free education program for students ages 11-18 that focuses on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics. Cubes in Space provides students an opportunity to design and compete to launch an experiment into space as part of the RockSat-C program.
Within formal or informal learning environments, the program will expose students and educators to engaging online content and activities in preparation for the design and development of an experimental payload to be integrated into a small cube. Selected cubes will be launched via a Terrier-Orion sounding rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia, in late June 2016.
Students and educators will learn about the methodology for taking an idea from design through to the review process and then to flight and final experiment validation. Throughout the experience, students will learn about the relationships between science and engineering concepts and will acquire key 21st-century skills necessary for success in a highly connected, global society.
The deadline for program registration is Jan. 11, 2016.
For more information, visit http://www.CubesInSpace.com.
Please direct questions about this program to info@cubesinspace.com.
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2016 Lunar and Planetary Institute’s Exploration Science Summer Intern Program
The Lunar and Planetary Institute is hosting a special Exploration Science Summer Intern Program in 2016. The program is a unique opportunity to integrate scientific input with exploration activities in a way that mission architects and spacecraft engineers can use. Activities may involve assessments and traverse plans for a particular destination (e.g., on the far side of the moon) or a more general assessment of a class of possible exploration targets (e.g., small near-Earth asteroids).
The program is open to graduate students in geology, planetary science, planetary astronomy and related programs. The 10-week program runs from May 23, 2016, through July 29, 2016. Selected interns will receive stipends and travel expense reimbursement.
The deadline to submit an application is Jan. 15, 2016.
For more information, visit http://www.lpi.usra.edu/features/102115/exploration_interns/. Please email any questions about this opportunity to Jennifer Steil at explorationintern@lpi.usra.edu.
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2016 RASC-AL Aerospace Concepts Design Competition
NASA and the National Institute of Aerospace announce the 2016 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts-Academic Linkage Aerospace Concepts competition. RASC-AL is a design project competition for university-level engineering students and faculty.
The 2016 RASC-AL competition challenges participants to design projects based on real NASA problems by responding to one of four themes:
— Crew-Tended Co-Orbiting ISS (International Space Station) Facility
— Lunar Ice-Trap ISRU (In-Situ Resource Utilization) Mining, Processing and Storage Facility
— Crewed Mars Moons Mission
— Earth-Independent 1G Space Station
NASA could potentially implement concepts derived from the design projects.
Interested teams must submit an abstract for their proposed project by Jan. 17, 2016.
For the first time, the 2016 RASC-AL Competition will include a two-tiered down-select process. The RASC-AL Steering Committee of NASA and industry experts will evaluate the abstract proposals and select as many as 20 undergraduate or graduate teams to move to the next phase of the competition. Based on evaluation of three-page midproject papers submitted by these teams in mid-March, the field will be narrowed once again to 14-16 teams who will be selected for the final round of the competition. These teams will present their concepts to the panel of judges (the RASC-AL Steering Committee) at the RASC-AL Forum in June 2016 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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2016 NOAA Undergraduate Scholarships
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is accepting applications for its 2016 Educational Partnership Program Undergraduate Scholarship and 2016 Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship Programs.
The Educational Partnership Program Undergraduate Scholarship Program provides scholarships for two years of undergraduate study to students majoring in STEM fields that directly support NOAA’s mission. Participants conduct research at a NOAA facility during two paid summer internships. A stipend and housing allowance is provided. Students attending an accredited Minority Serving Institution as defined by the U.S. Department of Education (Hispanic Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaskan-Native Serving Institutions, and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions) are eligible to apply for the program. The institutions must be within the United States or U.S. Territories. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and must earn and maintain a minimum 3.2 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
The Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship Program provides scholarships for two years of undergraduate study with a paid internship at a NOAA facility during the interim summer session. A stipend and housing allowance is provided. Applicants must be U.S. citizens enrolled full-time at an accredited college or university. Applicants also must have and maintain a declared major in a discipline including, but not limited to, oceanic, environmental, biological, and atmospheric sciences; mathematics; engineering; remote-sensing technology; physical and social sciences including geography, physics, hydrology, geomatics; or teacher education that supports NOAA’s programs and mission. Participants must earn and maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
Applications for both scholarship programs are due Jan. 29, 2016.
For more information, visit http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/scholarships/.
Please direct questions about these scholarship opportunities to StudentScholarshipPrograms@noaa.gov.
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NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowships Program Accepting Proposals for 2016-2017 Academic Year
The NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship program is soliciting applications from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees in earth and space sciences, or related disciplines, for the 2016-2017 academic year. The purpose of NESSF is to ensure continued training of a highly qualified workforce in disciplines needed to achieve NASA’s scientific goals. Awards resulting from the competitive selection will be training grants to the respective universities, with the advisor serving as the principal investigator. The financial support for the NESSF program comes from the Science Mission Directorate’s four science divisions: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Planetary Science and Astrophysics.
Initially, NESSF awards are made for one year. They may be renewed for up to two additional years, contingent upon satisfactory progress (as reflected in academic performance, research progress and recommendation by the faculty advisor) and the availability of funds.
The maximum amount of a NESSF award is $30,000 per year.
Proposals for this opportunity are due Feb. 1, 2016.
For more information about this solicitation, visit http://go.nasa.gov/1H34oH3.
Questions about Earth Science Research NESSF opportunities should be directed to Claire Macaulay at Claire.I.Macaulay@nasa.gov.
Questions about Heliophysics Research, Planetary Science Research and Astrophysics Research opportunities should be directed to Dolores Holland at hq-nessf-Space@nasa.gov.
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2016 NASA Glenn Faculty Fellowship Program
Applications are being accepted for the 2016 NASA Glenn Faculty Fellowship Program. This program provides a 10-week summer residency at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
To be eligible for the program, applicants must be full-time science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, faculty members who are U.S. citizens. Applicants must be tenured faculty or in tenure-track positions at four-year accredited U.S. colleges and universities, or full-time faculty at two-year U.S. academic institutions. Faculty members from underrepresented groups and at U.S. Department of Education-designated Minority Serving Institutions are particularly encouraged to apply.
The program covers limited travel expenses for qualified and accepted faculty, as well as stipends for all accepted faculty. Please note that stipend payments or salaries from other federal funding sources, including research grants and contracts, may not be accepted during the 10-week tenure of a Glenn faculty fellowship appointment.
The deadline for applications is Feb. 1, 2016. For more information about this opportunity, visit http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/faculty_fellowship_final.pdf.
Inquiries about NASA’s Glenn Faculty Fellowship Program should be directed to Dr. M. David Kankam at Mark.D.Kankam@nasa.gov.
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International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids Exploratory Research Experiments
NASA and Portland State University are seeking participants for the International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids Exploratory Research Experiments, or CELERE. This design challenge enables students to participate in microgravity research on capillary action, similar to that conducted on the space station.
Teams or individuals create their own experiment using computer-aided design with a provided template and submit short proposals presenting the experiments. Portland State University then manufactures test cells using the CAD drawings and a computer-controlled laser cutter. Each experiment is conducted in a drop tower. Video of the drop is provided for student analysis and reporting of results.
CELERE is open to individuals and teams in grades 8-12.To facilitate the participation of informal science clubs, Scouts, etc., teams may include younger students as long as at least one team member is in grades 8-12. Teams may be of any size and may include an entire class or science club. The program is limited to students from the U.S., including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Students at Department of Defense Education Activity schools (www.dodea.edu), including those outside the U.S., are also eligible to participate.
The CELERE design challenge is a relatively new program and, as a result, the odds of selection are quite high. In 2014 and 2015, 100 percent of the entries were selected for full participation, where the student experiments were built and tested in microgravity. In 2016, selection of at least one qualifying entry is guaranteed from each state and listed territory, at least one DODEA school, and at least one Bureau of Indian Education school (http://bie.edu/). Students are strongly encouraged to apply!
Design proposals are now being accepted. Deadlines for submissions are Feb. 1, March 1 and April 1, 2016.
For more information about this opportunity, visit http://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/CELERE/.
If you have questions about this opportunity, please email your inquiries to the CELERE team at celere@lists.nasa.gov.
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Be an Astronaut! Apply Now for New Astronaut Candidate Class
NASA soon will be selecting astronauts for the next class of space explorers! Between Dec. 14, 2015, and mid-February 2016, NASA will be accepting astronaut candidate applications. Selection announcements are targeted for mid-2017.
Teaching, including experience at the K-12 level, is considered to be qualifying experience to be an astronaut. Educators with the appropriate educational background are eligible to apply.
For additional details on this opportunity and how to submit an application, visit http://www.nasa.gov/astronauts.
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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’ll 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 creates 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 Whitney Clavin at whitney.clavin@jpl.nasa.gov.
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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 (JPL) education office, announces this competition to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Responses must be submitted electronically via the NASA data system NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com).
NASA Education seeks to partner with eligible domestic or international organizations on a no-exchange-of-funds basis to reach wider and more diverse audiences and to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. The Announcement places a priority on collaboration involving the following: digital learning; engaging underrepresented groups in STEM; NASA-themed STEM challenges; and youth-serving organizations. NASA also is receptive to other creative ideas including, for example, investigations or application of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and design (STEAMD); or activities culturally relevant to or focused on unrepresented in STEM careers populations, such as women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. The announcement explains the criteria used to review responses and NASA’s partnership mechanism known as a no-exchange-of-funds or non-reimbursable Space Act Agreement.
NASA will accept responses on a rolling basis through Dec. 31. 2017.
For more information about this opportunity, visit NSPIRES at http://go.nasa.gov/1RZwWCi.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please direct your questions to the Points of Contact listed within the NASA Announcement.
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Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational Use
NASA invites eligible U.S. educational institutions and museums 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.
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.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to GSAXcessHelp@gsa.gov.
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Mars Survival Kit: Lessons and Activities to Guide Your Exploration of Mars!
NASA is embarking on a journey to Mars! Are your students ready to join in the adventure? Spark excitement in your classroom with the Mars Survival Kit.
The Mars Survival Kit is a collection of educational activities for students in grades K-12. Each educational activity includes a brief description, as well as information about how the activities and lessons align to the Next Generation Science Standards.
Start your classroom’s journey to Mars at http://go.nasa.gov/1NnZ0Rg.
To learn more about NASA’s Journey to Mars, visit http://www.nasa.gov/topics/journeytomars/index.html.
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Free “NASA’s Journey to Mars” Planetarium/Dome Show
Are you looking for ways to prepare your students for STEM-related career opportunities in the future? Do you want to spark their interest in pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation? Right now, NASA’s fleet of Mars robotic explorers is paving the way for human exploration of the solar system in the coming decades. Have your students join NASA in preparing for a monumental journey of a lifetime — to Mars!
“NASA’s Journey to Mars” is a short planetarium presentation that can be used in the educational domes of your school district, as well as local planetariums, to inspire interest in STEM. To learn more, including how you can acquire the show for use in your area, visit https://www.nasa.gov/feature/journey-of-a-lifetime-mars-education-resources/.
Please direct questions about the “NASA’s Journey to Mars” planetarium/dome show to Elsie Weigel at elsie.weigel@nasa.gov.
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‘Mission: Mars’ Exhibition at Saint Louis Science Center
Explore Mars in two different but amazingly realistic ways at the Saint Louis Science Center. “Mission: Mars” is an interactive exhibition designed to immerse visitors in the exploration of Mars in the present and the future. Developed by the Saint Louis Science Center in partnership with Washington University in St. Louis, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California and NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, this unique exhibition will engage visitors in two separate but connected locations within the facility.
The “Mission: Mars — Control” portion of the exhibit allows guests to experience current-day exploration operations by assuming the role of an engineer at a NASA engineering lab and programming a robotic rover to explore Mars. “Mission: Mars — Base” resembles a realistic work environment on Mars in the year 2076. Taking on the role of an astronaut living on Mars, visitors are able to perform science operations at key locations on the planet by using a rover similar to the one used on Mars now.
For more information, visit http://www.slsc.org/.
Questions about the exhibit can be directed to http://www.slsc.org/contact-us.
