NASA Education Express Message — May 21, 2015

“Where Over the World Is Astronaut Scott Kelly?” Geography From Space Trivia Contest

During his year-long stay on the International Space Station, astronaut Scott Kelly wants to test your knowledge of the world through a geography trivia game on Twitter. Traveling more than 220 miles above Earth, and at 17,500 miles per hour, he circumnavigates the globe more than a dozen times a day. This gives Kelly the opportunity to see and photograph various geographical locations on Earth. In fact, part of his job while in space is to capture images of Earth for scientific observations. 

Follow @StationCDRKelly on Twitter. Each Wednesday, Kelly will tweet a picture and ask the public to identify the place depicted in the photo. The first person to identify the place correctly will win an autographed copy of the picture. Kelly plans to continue posting weekly contest photos until he returns from the space station in March 2016.

For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/feature/where-over-the-world-is-astronaut-scott-kelly.

To learn more about the One-Year Mission, visit http://www.nasa.gov/content/one-year-crew.

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Cast Your Vote in the Ceres “Bright Spot” Mystery Poll

On March 6, 2015, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft began orbiting Ceres, the largest body in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Even before the spacecraft arrived at the dwarf planet, images revealed mysterious bright spots that captivated scientists and observers alike.

Can you guess what’s creating those unusual bright spots on Ceres? Until Dawn gets a closer look over the next few months, it’s anyone’s guess what those spots could be. 

To learn more and to cast your vote, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/dawn/world_ceres/. 

For more information about the Dawn mission, visit http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/. 

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Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles Available for Educational Use

NASA invites eligible U.S. educational institutions and museums to request space shuttle thermal protective tiles and other special items offered on a first-come, first-served basis while quantities last. Organizations previously allocated thermal protective tiles may request an additional three tiles.

There will be a nominal shipping fee that must be paid online with a credit card. To make a request for special items online, visit http://gsaxcess.gov/htm/nasa/userguide/Special_Item_Request_Procedure.pdf.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to GSAXcessHelp@gsa.gov.

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Museum Alliance Webcast — NASA’s Journey to Mars Begins Here

Imagine a spaceport of the future, where a variety of space vehicles are preparing for launch or departing Earth on missions to expand humanity’s reach into space. At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, program is propelling this vision forward by leading the center’s transformation from a historically government-only launch complex to a spaceport bustling with activity involving government and commercial vehicles alike.

NASA’s Digital Learning Network and the GSDO team at Kennedy Space Center invite you to participate in an interactive webcast featuring Jason Hopkins, the Integration Engineer/Multi-Use Manager for GSDO. Hopkins is responsible for supporting the Orion Production Operations and for developing partnerships with others in the space industry to enable commercial space activities at Kennedy.

Hopkins will webcast live from the Digital Learning Network studio at Kennedy Space Center on May 21, 2015, at 1 p.m. EDT to share information on America’s spaceport of the future and take questions from webcast viewers from around the country.

To view the webcast from your computer, visit http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-dlinfo. Participants may submit questions for Hopkins before and during the event via email at dlinfochannel@gmail.com or via Twitter using @NASADLN and #askDLN.

To learn more about the Ground Systems Development and Operations program, visit http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground/index.html. 

After the webcast, presentation materials will be posted on the Museum Alliance member site at https://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/Conversations. A downloadable copy of the webcast and transcript will be posted a week or so later at the same location. Username and password are required to access the member site.

To learn how to become a Museum Alliance member, visit https://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/About.

Have you ever talked to an astronomer? To participate in an informal conversation with an astronomy researcher, join the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum for a series of Astronomy Chats. The researchers work at a variety of institutions, including the Smithsonian, NASA, Harvard University and the U.S. Naval Research Lab. If they cannot come in person, they join by video chat.

The conversation may be on any topic of interest to you. Visitors frequently ask questions like, “What’s an average day like for you?” or “What kind of telescopes have you used?”

Astronomy Chats take place at the Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory at the Smithsonian Institution in the District of Columbia. During inclement weather, the chats may be moved indoors, usually to the Explore the Universe gallery. Both locations are accessible. There is no admission fee.

The next Astronomy Chat is scheduled for May 21, 2015 at 2 p.m. EDT. 

For more information about the Smithsonian’s Astronomy Chat Series, visit http://airandspace.si.edu/events/astronomy-chats/index.cfm. 

Questions about this series should be directed to the visitor service line at 202-633-2214.

2014 NASA EONS Solicitation — New MUREP American Indian and Alaskan Native STEM Partnership Appendix

NASA’s Office of Education Minority University Research and Education Project, or MUREP, is seeking proposals from American Indian and Alaskan Native Serving Institutions to develop and implement an evidence-driven recruitment method/model to address the shortage of computer science graduates in historically underrepresented and underserved populations.

Proposals for the NASA MUREP American Indian and Alaskan Native STEM Partnership, or MAIANSP, solicitation must address one of the following as a primary focus: (1) developing the American Indian and Alaskan Native STEM workforce; (2) strengthening STEM curricula at American Indian and Alaskan Native Serving Institutions; or (3) increasing the pool of underrepresented and underserved students in computer sciences. Successful proposals will be funded as multiyear cooperative agreements.

A pre-proposal teleconference to provide prospective proposers an in-depth overview of the MUREP American Indian and Alaskan Native STEM Partnership (MAIANSP) program and proposal requirements will be held on Thursday, May 21, 2015, at 3 p.m. EDT. After the presentation, there will be a brief Q&A to provide real time answers to participant questions. In order to address as many participants as possible, questions should be clear and concise, and limited to general topics only.

Prior to the teleconference, please thoroughly review the solicitation on MUREP American Indian and Alaskan Native STEM Partnership (MAIANSP) in NSPIRES and prepare any potential questions you may have. Any changes regarding this workshop will be posted on MUREP American Indian and Alaskan Native STEM Partnership (MAIANSP) in NSPIRES. This is the only way to be notified of any updates, so it is very important that you check the webpage prior to the webex/telecon.

The call will start on time, so everyone is encouraged to connect 10 minutes prior to the session to address any technical difficulties you may encounter. 

TO JOIN THE MUREP American Indian and Alaskan Native STEM Partnership (MAIANSP) PRE PROPOSAL TELECONFERENCE, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR BOTH WEBEX AND TELECONFERENCE NUMBER. Please connect to both Webex and Teleconference.

CONNECT TO WEBEX (for the VISUAL component)

Topic: EONS MAIANSP Pre-proposal Telecon/Webex
Date: Thursday, May 21, 2015
Time: 3 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time

Meeting Number: 395 781 200
Meeting Password: MAIANSP123!

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1. Go to https://nasa.webex.com/nasa/j.php?MTID=m661bd1635c252814ff5b28d893d50ed7.
2. If requested, enter your name and email address.
3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: MAIANSP123!
4. Click “Join”.
5. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen.
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To view in other time zones or languages, please click the link: https://nasa.webex.com/nasa/j.php?MTID=m3d02ab7a3671f4c09e3427b69cd22ce6
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For assistance:
1. Go to https://nasa.webex.com/nasa/mc 
2. On the left navigation bar, click “Support”.

To check whether you have the appropriate players installed for UCF (Universal Communications Format) rich media files, go to https://nasa.webex.com/nasa/systemdiagnosis.php. 

CONNECT TO TELECONFERENCE (for the AUDIO component)

Call-in number: 866-844-9416
Participant passcode: 9768771

If you are calling from outside the United States, send an email to the NASAMAIANSP@nasaprs.com for an out-of-country phone number.

This call will be recorded and transcribed. For the sake of accuracy, be sure to speak slowly and clearly, and please spell anything that might be recorded incorrectly.

Cell phones are not recommended for use for this call due to the possibility of disconnection and static.

If you are unable to attend, presentation slides and a written transcript of the teleconference will be posted to the NSPIRES website. Questions asked during the call will be part of the MAIANSP FAQ document.

Any questions regarding this session should be sent to NASAMAIANSP@nasaprs.com.

Institutions planning to prepare a proposal package for NASA MAIANSP are required to submit a Notice of Intent, or NOIs, to propose. NOIs assist NASA in assessing the response to this cooperative agreement notice and determining the expertise required for the proposal review panel. NOIs should be submitted by the authorized organization representative in the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System, or NSPIRES, by April 24, 2015, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Interested proposers must register with NSPIRES before it can be accessed for use.

Since NOIs submitted after the deadline may still be useful to NASA, late NOIs may be submitted and will be accepted.

Proposals are due on June 23, 2015. 

For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/1CMqyJz. 

Questions about this solicitation may be directed to Torry Johnson at NASAMAIANSP@nasaprs.com.

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Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development

NASA Educator Professional Development is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. Simply click on the provided link to register.

NASA Mission Geography: Using Our Earth to Connect STEM, Geography and Language Arts
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-12
Event Date: May 21, 2015, at 6 p.m. EDT
NASA Mission Geography is a unique curriculum that integrates STEM, geography and the language arts with Earth observations from space, remote sensing and maps. This distinctive combination allows students to better investigate our Earth and the processes that shape it, both natural and human-influenced. Using the unique perspective from space, Mission Geography brings Earth’s geography to life. The curriculum sparks active, exciting student learning by incorporating multidiscipline content and modeling the processes of research and investigation.
Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/126501

Hubble Space Telescope: a Look Back in Time
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: May 26, 2015, at 4 p.m. EDT
How did it all start? Who is Edwin Hubble? Why do we need a space telescope? Relive the realization of a dream as the Hubble Space Telescope was launched on board space shuttle Discovery. Learn how fuzzy photos required a spectacular repair mission. See examples from deep space such as stars, planets, galaxies and more. Make real-world connections with everyday technologies as you learn about NASA STEM resources to build and launch satellites using the engineering design process.
Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/127989 

Spacewalking: 50 Years of Exploring the Extreme
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-8
Event Date: May 27, 2015, at 6 p.m. EDT
Celebrate 50 years of spacewalking! Explore the history of spacewalking, the critical role of spacewalks in human space exploration, the harsh space environment endured during spacewalks and how spacesuits are designed to protect astronauts from the space environment. NASA STEM education curriculum, online resources and teaching strategies will be integrated into this “walking with the stars” webinar.
Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/126510

Art and the Cosmic Connection
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-16
Event Date: May 28, 2015, at 7 p.m. EDT
Geology meets art! Let you inner geologist use art to recreate craters, mountains, rivers, wind-sculpted landscapes and more. Learn to read planetary images as well as Earth images. Meets Next Generation Science Standards for Earth’s Place in the Universe, Earth Systems, and Social Studies Integrations.
Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/123893

For a full schedule of upcoming NASA Educator Professional Development webinars, visit http://www.txstate-epdc.net/events/.

Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Steve Culivan at Stephen.p.culivan@nasa.gov.

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The Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, named after the founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and presented by JPL’s Office of Communication and Education, share the excitement of the space program’s missions, instruments and other technologies.

Lectures take place twice per month, on consecutive Thursdays and Fridays. The Thursday lectures take place in JPL’s Theodore von Kármán Auditorium, and Friday lectures take place at Pasadena City College’s Vosloh Forum. Both start at 7 pm. PDT (10 p.m. EDT). Admission and parking are free for all lectures. No reservations are required, but seating is limited. The Thursday evening lectures are also streamed live for viewing online. Archives of past lectures are also available online.

The next lecture in the series is:

The Search for Planets, Habitability, and Life in Our Galaxy
Event Date: May 21 and May 22, 2015, at 7 pm. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2015&month=5
What will the first evidence of life outside our own solar system look like? And what future technologies are required to discover that evidence? Exoplanet-hunting telescopes must suppress the bright glare from stars in order to look for tell-tale signatures of life. Dr. Nick Siegler from the NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program will discuss starlight suppression technologies, and how they must evolve.

For more information about the Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, including a complete list of upcoming lectures, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures.php.

Questions about this series should be directed to the http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/contact_JPL.php.

In September 2014, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN, or MAVEN, mission began exploring Mars’ upper atmosphere, ionosphere and interactions with the sun and solar wind. The MAVEN Educator Ambassador, or MEA, program will focus on in-depth learning experiences around Earth, space and physical science topics for educators teaching middle- and high-school grades.

During this weeklong, NASA-funded program, participants will receive training to become a MAVEN Educator Ambassador. The goal of the MEA program is to develop the capacity and provide the opportunity for educators to train other teachers on NASA heliophysics and planetary science educational resources. Follow-up support will be provided via teleconference calls and other electronic communications. Participants involved in the MEA program will be expected to implement the lesson plans and education resources in their own classrooms, as well as train other teachers at local and regional professional development conferences or meetings.

The program will take place Aug. 3-7, 2015, at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Participants will receive a travel stipend of $700. Free housing and meals will be provided.

Applications are due May 22, 2015.

For more information about the workshop and to apply online, visit http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/maven/education-outreach/for-educators/mea/2015mea/.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to epomail@lasp.colorado.edu.

The World Science Festival invites educators and students to participate in an inspiring virtual classroom event. One of this year’s Pioneers in Science events is a Google+ Hangout with NASA’s Chief Scientist and leading planetary geologist Ellen Stofan. Stofan is one of the premier experts on the terrain of Titan, Venus, Mars and Earth. During this intimate gathering, students will have the opportunity to ask Stofan about her career, her inspirations and NASA’s science programs.

The 75-minute event will take place on Thursday, May 28, 2015, at 10 a.m. EDT. 

To watch the event live online, visit www.worldsciencefestival.com/pioneers at the specified time. Participants are encouraged to log on 30 minutes before the event start time. 

Before and during the event, students and educators are encouraged to use social media to submit questions for Stofan using the hastags #AskWSF and #WSFLive.
Twitter: @WorldSciFest
Snapchat: WorldSciFest
Instagram: WorldSciFest

To learn more about Ellen Stofan, visit https://www.nasa.gov/offices/ocs/stofan_bio.html or follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ellenstofan. 

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to fnajar@worldsciencefestival.com.

NASA History Program Office Fall 2015 Internships

The NASA History Program Office is seeking undergraduate and graduate students for fall 2015 internships. The History Program Office maintains archival materials to answer research questions from NASA personnel, journalists, scholars, students at all levels and others from around the world. The division also edits and publishes several books and monographs each year. It maintains a large number of websites on NASA history. 

Students of all majors are welcome to apply. While detailed prior knowledge of the aeronautics and space fields is not necessary, a keen interest and some basic familiarity with these topics are needed. Strong research, writing and editing skills are essential. Experience with social media is a plus.

Intern projects are flexible. Typical projects include handling a variety of information requests, writing posts for the NASA history Twitter and Facebook pages, editing historical manuscripts, doing research and writing biographical sketches, and identifying and captioning photos.

Fall 2015 internship applications are due June 1, 2015. 

For more information, visit http://history.nasa.gov/interncall.htm.

If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact Bill Barry at bill.barry@nasa.gov.

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Curious about recent research, developments and discoveries related to space? Come to the Smithsonian’s “What’s New in Aerospace?” lecture series presented in collaboration with NASA. The lectures will be held at the Moving Beyond Earth Gallery at the National Air and Space Museum in the District of Columbia. Each hourlong lecture begins at 2 p.m. EDT and will be streamed live online. 

The next lectures is planned for June 2, 2015.

For more information about the “What’s New in Aerospace?” lecture series and to watch the live webcast events, visit http://airandspace.si.edu/explore-and-learn/whats-new-aerospace/. 

Questions about this lecture series should be directed to the visitor service line at 202-633-2214. 

2015 NSBRI First Award Fellowship Program

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute, or NSBRI, is accepting fellowship applications for the First Award Fellowship Program. The one-year fellowships are available in any U.S. laboratory carrying out space-related biomedical or biotechnological research.

Applicants are required to submit proposals with the support of a mentor and an institution, and all proposals will be evaluated by a peer-review committee. Selected applicants receive a stipend, allowance for health insurance and travel funds for related scientific meetings.

This year’s applicants also can request to be considered to spend part of the fellowship in Russia, via a program involving NSBRI and the Institute of Biomedical Problems in Moscow.

Detailed program and application submission information is available at http://www.nsbri.org/firstaward/.

The application deadline is June 5, 2015. 

Questions may be directed to Dr. Amanda Smith Hackler at hackler@bcm.edu.

NSBRI, funded by NASA, is a consortia of institutions studying the health risks related to long-duration spaceflight and developing the medical technologies needed for long missions. The institute’s science, technology and education projects take place at more than 60 institutions across the United States.

For more information about NSBRI’s First Award Program, please visit http://www.nsbri.org/firstaward/.

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Free Tours of Facilities at NASA’s Glenn Research Center

NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, is offering tours that take visitors behind the scenes and inside certain research facilities. Glenn scientists and engineers serve as guides. Tours will be offered each month through October 2015. Tours are free of charge for groups and individuals on an advance reservation basis. Visitor parking is also available free of charge.

A tour bus departs from Glenn’s main gate every hour beginning at 10 a.m. The last tour departs at 1 p.m. Each tour lasts about 45 minutes and is followed by a stop at Glenn’s Gift Shop.

Glenn’s 2015 Tour Schedule

June 6, 2015 — Glenn’s Portal to the Space Station: Take a journey through the Telescience Support Center. This secure, multipurpose facility is designed to provide dedicated support for simultaneous training, simulations and real-time operations of space experiments on the International Space Station. Principal investigators, project scientists and payload operators can send commands and receive telemetry and science data from their payload hardware operating on board the station.

July 11, 2015 — Breeze by a Wind Tunnel: Tour the Abe Silverstein Supersonic Wind Tunnel. This facility has conducted supersonic propulsion testing on aircraft components such as inlets, nozzles and engines. It is ideally suited for launch vehicle tests and other fuel-burning applications.

Aug. 1, 2015 — See Things a Different Way: Check out Glenn’s Graphics and Visualization, or GVIS, and the Reconfigurable User-interface and Virtual Reality Exploration, or GRUVE, Laboratories. The GVIS Lab uses advanced computer input and output devices paired with a variety of natural user interface devices and 3-D displays. The GRUVE lab is used to analyze data obtained either by computer simulation or from research test facilities.

Sept. 12, 2015 — Go to the Extreme: Join us on a tour through Glenn’s Extreme Environments Rig, or GEER. As NASA ventures through the solar system and beyond, spacecraft will experience hostile environments of Venus and other planetary bodies. Temperatures can reach hundreds of degrees. Air pressure is crushing, and the toxic atmosphere is thick. GEER is designed to simulate those temperatures and pressure extremes and accurately reproduce the atmospheric compositions of bodies in the solar system. GEER is currently in its commissioning phase for operations simulating Venus’ surface temperature, pressure and chemistry.

Oct. 3, 2015 — Explore Locomotion on Planets: Come explore the Simulated Lunar Operations facility, which is home to a 60-foot-long, 20-foot-wide sandpit filled with simulated lunar soil and a lunar rover test bed. Other areas simulate Martian soil conditions. Research in this facility will help NASA develop the components of rovers capable of traveling long distances and investigating planetary surfaces during future human and robotic missions to keep NASA’s journey to Mars moving forward.

Tours are open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. To guarantee admission, reservations are required. For more information on tours and how to make reservations, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/events/tours.html. 

Questions about the tours should be directed to Sheila Reese at sheila.d.reese@nasa.gov.

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Smallsat Technology Partnerships Solicitation

NASA is extending an opportunity to college and university teams to propose small spacecraft technology projects that they can conduct in collaboration with NASA researchers. The Smallsat Technology Partnerships solicitation is being issued by the Small Spacecraft Technology Program as an appendix to the Space Technology Mission Directorate’s NASA Research Announcement for 2015.

NASA expects to competitively select about eight projects from among those proposed by university teams, which can form proposal partnerships with researchers from any of NASA’s 10 field centers. Awards for each project will include up to $100,000 to each university team per year. In addition, NASA will fund the time for one NASA employee to work with each selected team. Project funding is for one year with the potential to continue for a second year.

Proposed projects could involve laboratory work to advance a particular spacecraft technology or the development of a new smallsat. NASA will be accepting proposals in four topic areas: 1) precise attitude control and pointing systems for cubesats, 2) power generation, energy storage and thermal management systems for small spacecraft, 3) simple low-cost deorbit systems, and 4) communications and tracking systems and networks.

Proposals are due June 8, 2015.

The appendix document is available through the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System website at http://go.nasa.gov/1HsPKb7.

Questions about this solicitation may be directed to Rachel Khattab at rachel.khattab@nasa.gov.

2014 NASA EONS Solicitation — New MUREP Aerospace Academy Appendix

NASA’s Office of Education is accepting new proposals under the Education Opportunities in NASA STEM, or EONS, 2014 NASA Research Announcement. Proposals are being solicited from Minority Serving Institutions, or MSIs, to create and implement a NASA MUREP Aerospace Academy to increase participation and retention of historically underserved and underrepresented K-12 youth in the areas of STEM. 

Proposals are due June 11, 2015. 

For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/1AdfCjo.

Questions about this solicitation may be directed to NASAMAA@nasaprs.com.

2014 NASA EONS Solicitation — New MUREP Community College Curriculum Improvement Appendix

NASA’s Office of Education Minority University Research and Education Project, or MUREP, is seeking proposals from Minority Serving Community Colleges to strengthen curriculum and curricular pathways in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, and attract, retain and support the success of underrepresented students in STEM degree programs.

Proposals for the NASA MUREP Community College Curriculum Improvement, or MC3I, solicitation must contain plans for and be guided by curricula improvements, and address one of the following as a primary focus: (1) improving curriculum in STEM vocational certificate programs, associate of arts/science degree programs, and/or transfer programs; (2) strengthening and diversifying the STEM pipeline through high school partnerships; or (3) expanding opportunities in engineering. Proposers are required to partner with a NASA center or facility, and are highly encouraged to partner with other institutions, such as K-12 school districts and four-year colleges/universities. Successful proposals will be funded as multiyear cooperative agreements.

Institutions planning to prepare a proposal package for NASA MC3I are required to submit a Notice of Intent, or NOIs, to propose. NOIs assist NASA in assessing the response to this cooperative agreement notice and to determine the expertise required for the proposal review panel. NOIs should be submitted by the authorized organization representative in the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System, or NSPIRES, by April 14, 2015, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Interested proposers must register with NSPIRES before it can be accessed for use.

Since NOIs submitted after the deadline may still be useful to NASA, late NOIs may be submitted and will be accepted.

Proposals are due on June 11, 2015 by 11:59 p.m. in NSPIRES. 

For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/1AP8WqY. 

Questions about this solicitation may be directed to Roslyn Soto at roslyn.soto@jpl.nasa.gov.

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.

June 13-14, 2015 — South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina
CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop for Current and Future Astronomy and Space Science Instructors

June 22-25, 2015 — American Center for Physics in College Park, Maryland
New Faculty Workshop for Physics and Astronomy

August 4-6, 2015 — Honolulu Convention Center in Honolulu, Hawaii
CAE Teaching Excellence Short-Courses on Active Learning in the STEM Classroom

August 2015 — American Museum of Natural History in New York, New York
CAE Northeast Regional Teaching Exchange

For more information and to register for workshops online, visit http://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/workshops/index.cfm.

Inquiries about this series of workshops should be directed to Gina Brissenden at gbrissenden@as.arizona.edu.

ROSES-15 Amendment 13: New Program Element — Citizen science Asteroid Data, Education, and Tools (CADET)

The Citizen science Asteroid Data, Education, and Tools, or CADET, is a joint solicitation of the Near Earth Objects Program within NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and the Asteroid Grand Challenge program within NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist. CADET seeks innovative proposals to adapt, develop, and Web-enable software tools for asteroid data analysis. CADET seeks to make them accessible to and easily usable by nonprofessionals, including amateur astronomers, students and citizen scientists.

The CADET program has these specific goals:

— Through agile development and other innovative methods, adapt, further develop and Web-enable asteroid data analysis software to increase the productivity of Near Earth Objects Program and Asteroid Grand Challenge program research endeavors and extend the state-of-the practice in those endeavors
–Develop easily usable and understandable software tools through the application of human-centered design best practices, including user research studies, systematic usability testing, and evaluation
— Integrate advances in information technology with advances in cyber learning (i.e., what is known about how people learn with technology), and integrate these software tools into learning environments so their potential is fulfilled
— Foster multidisciplinary collaborations that span the NASA science, computer science, design and education disciplines.

Step-1 proposals are due by June 15, 2015.

Step-2 proposals are due by July 15, 2015.

For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/1FiKtTo.
Please direct questions concerning this program element to Jason Kessler at Jason.l.kessler@nasa.gov.

Student Spaceflight Experiments Program — Mission 9 to the International Space Station

The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education, in partnership with NanoRacks LLC, announce an authentic science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, opportunity for school districts across the U.S. and space station partner nations. The newest flight opportunity, Mission 9 to the International Space Station, or ISS, gives students across a community the ability to design and propose real experiments to fly in low-Earth orbit on the ISS. This opportunity is part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program, or SSEP.

Each participating community will receive a real microgravity research minilaboratory capable of supporting a single microgravity experiment and all launch services to fly the minilab to the space station in spring 2016 and return it to Earth. An experiment design competition in each community — engaging typically 300+ students — allows student teams to design and propose real experiments vying for their community′s reserved minilab. Content resources for teachers and students support foundational instruction on science in microgravity and experimental design. Additional SSEP programming leverages the experiment design competition to engage the community, embracing a learning community model for STEM education.

This competition is open to students in grades 5-12 and college. Informal education groups and organizations are also encouraged to participate. The deadline for interested communities to inquire about the program has been extended to June 15, 2015. The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education is available to help interested communities in the U.S. secure the needed funding.

To learn more about this opportunity, visit the SSEP Mission 9 to International Space Station National Announcement of Opportunity at http://ssep.ncesse.org/2015/03/new-flight-opportunity-for-school-districts-announcing-student-spaceflight-experiments-program-ssep-mission-9-to-the-international-space-station-for-2015-16-academic-year/. 

SSEP is enabled through a strategic partnership with NanoRacks LLC working with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization of the International Space Station as a national laboratory. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (http://www.iss-casis.org/) is a national partner on SSEP. To view a list of all SSEP national partners, visit http://ssep.ncesse.org/national-partners/.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please email SSEP National Program Director Jeff Goldstein at jeffgoldstein@ncesse.org.

White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities — 2015 All-Star Students

The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities works to promote HBCU excellence, innovation and sustainability. The Initiative will recognize current HBCU students for their dedication to academics, leadership and civic engagement as 2015 HBCU All-Star Students.

The appointment period will last approximately one year. During this time, HBCU All-Stars will serve as ambassadors of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities by providing outreach opportunities and communications to their fellow students about the value of education and the Initiative as a networking resource. Through social media and personal and professional relationships with community-based organizations, students will share promising and proven practices that support opportunities for all young people to realize their educational and career potential. The program will provide an opportunity to participate in regional and national events as well as webchats with Initiative staff and other professionals from a wide range of disciplines that support a spirit of engagement and personal and professional development.

Nominees must be current undergraduate or graduate students at an HBCU. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 17, 2015.

For more information and to download an application, visit  http://www.ed.gov/edblogs/whhbcu/files/2015/05/2015-HBCU-All-Star-Application-Form.pdf /.

Please email any questions about this opportunity to hbcuallstars@ed.gov. 

2014 NASA EONS Solicitation — New MUREP Other Opportunities Appendix

NASA’s Office of Education Minority University Research and Education Project, or MUREP, is seeking proposals from U.S organizations and institutions that align with the four White House Executive Orders for Minority Institutions to strengthen curriculum and curricular pathways in STEM and to attract, retain and support the success of underrepresented students in STEM degree programs.

Proposals for the NASA MUREP Other Opportunities solicitation must address one of the following as a primary focus: (1) increasing the number of minorities in STEM education areas relevant to NASA (2) effectively implementing NASA’s educational goals and objectives using NASA’s unique assets and capabilities (3) increasing the number of available STEM courses and curricular pathways (4) attracting, retaining and supporting the success of students in STEM degree programs and subsequently in NASA-related careers, or (5) increasing the number of students who complete STEM certificates/degrees from backgrounds that are historically underrepresented in STEM. Successful proposals will be funded as multiyear cooperative agreements.

Institutions planning to prepare a proposal package for the NASA MUREP Other Opportunities solicitation are asked to submit a Notice of Intent to propose. NOIs assist NASA in assessing the response to this cooperative agreement notice and determining the expertise required for the proposal review panel. NOIs should be submitted by the authorized organization representative into the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System, or NSPIRES, by April 24, 2015, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Those interested in submitting a proposal must register with NSPIRES before it can be accessed for use.

Since NOIs submitted after the deadline may still be useful to NASA, late NOIs may be submitted and will be accepted.

Proposals are due on June 26, 2015. 

For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/1FhzSof.

Questions about this solicitation may be directed to Misti Moore at Misti.M.Moore@nasa.gov.

U.S. Department of Education ‘First in the World’ Grant Competition

The U.S. Department of Education is accepting proposals for the “First in the World” grant competition. The goal of this highly competitive program is to build evidence for what works in postsecondary education by testing the effectiveness of innovative strategies to improve student persistence and completion outcomes. The department will award grants in development and validation tiers.

Applications are due June 30, 2015.

For proposal specifications and submission requirements, visit http://www2.ed.gov/programs/fitw/index.html.

Questions about the “First in the World” program should be directed to OPEFirstintheWorld@ed.gov.

2014 NASA EONS Solicitation — New MUREP Educator Institutes Appendix

NASA’s Office of Education is accepting new proposals under the Education Opportunities in NASA STEM, or EONS, 2014 NASA Research Announcement. Proposals are being solicited from Minority Serving Institutions to plan, coordinate and evaluate MUREP Educator Institutes that will bring pre-service and alternative-route STEM educators from Minority Serving Institutions across the U.S. to NASA centers annually for a one-week professional development session. 

Institutions planning to prepare a proposal package for the NASA MUREP Other Opportunities solicitation are asked to submit a Notice of Intent to propose. NOIs assist NASA in assessing the response to this cooperative agreement notice and in determining the expertise required for the proposal review panel. NOIs should be submitted by the authorized organization representative into the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System, or NSPIRES, by April 24, 2015, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Those interested in submitting a proposal must register with NSPIRES before it can be accessed for use.

Since NOIs submitted after the deadline may still be useful to NASA, late NOIs may be submitted and will be accepted.

Proposals are due on June 30, 2015.

For more information, visit http://go.nasa.go v/1F2H2tO.

Questions about this solicitation may be directed to Chris Copelan at NASAMEI@nasaprs.com.

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NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellowships

The NASA Postdoctoral Program, or NPP, supports NASA’s goal to expand scientific understanding of the Earth and the universe in which we live.

Selected by a competitive peer-review process, NPP fellows complete one- to three-year fellowships that offer scientists and engineers unique opportunities to conduct research in fields of science relevant to NASA.

These opportunities advance NASA’s missions in earth science, heliophysics, astrophysics, planetary science, astrobiology, space bioscience, aeronautics and engineering, human exploration and operations, and space technology. Opportunities are available at NASA centers and other NASA-approved sites.

As a result, NPP fellows contribute to national priorities for scientific exploration, confirm NASA’s leadership in fundamental research and complement the efforts of NASA’s partners in the national science community.

U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents and foreign nationals eligible for J-1 status as a research scholar may apply. Applicants must have completed a doctorate or equivalent degree before beginning the fellowship, but may apply while completing degree requirements. Applicants who earned the Ph.D. more than five years before the deadline date are categorized as senior fellows; all applicants, no matter their category, must apply and become eligible for an NPP award via the same process.

Interested applicants may apply by one of three annual application deadlines: March 1, July 1 and November 1.

For more information and application procedures, go to http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to nasapostdoc@orau.org.

NASA’s Journey to Mars Challenge

As NASA embarks on an ambitious journey to Mars, the agency is looking for your innovative and creative ideas to help make the journey possible! The public is invited to share their ideas, in detail, for developing the elements of space pioneering necessary to establish a continuous human presence on the Red Planet. These ideas could include shelter, food, water, breathable air, communication, exercise, social interactions and medicine, but NASA encourages participants to consider elements beyond these examples.

NASA’s efforts for sending humans to Mars are well underway, with rovers exploring the planet’s surface and spacecraft monitoring Mars from orbit. The International Space Station is testing systems and serving as a lab to learn more about the health impacts of extended space travel. NASA is testing and developing its next generation of launch and crew vehicles — the Space Launch System rocket and Orion crewed spacecraft. 

Given spacecraft limitations on weight and volume — and a minimum 500 days between resupply opportunities — a mission to Mars that is not dependent on Earth for resources requires innovative solutions.

NASA seeks technical submissions that describe the development of capabilities and operations necessary, in both the near- and long-term, to advance this bold journey. Submissions may consist of proposed approaches, capabilities, systems, or a set of integrated systems that enable or enhance a sustained human presence on Mars. Solutions should include the assumptions, analysis and data that justify their value. Submissions should include a process to develop, test, implement, and operate the system or capability.

NASA will judge submissions on relevance, creativity, simplicity, resource efficiency, feasibility, comprehensiveness and scalability. NASA expects to make up to three awards at a minimum of $5,000 each from a total award pool of $15,000.

Entries are due July 6, 2015. 

For more information about the challenge, visit http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-announces-journey-to-mars-challenge-seeks-public-input-on-establishing-sustained. 

2015 Lunar Workshop for Educators

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO, mission is sponsoring a pair of workshops for educators of students in grades 6-9. Each workshop will focus on lunar science, exploration and how our understanding of the moon is evolving with the new data from current and recent lunar missions. 

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has allowed scientists to measure the coldest known place in the solar system, map the surface of the moon in unprecedented detail and accuracy, find evidence of recent lunar geologic activity, characterize the radiation environment around the moon and its potential effects on future lunar explorers and much, much more! 

Workshop participants will learn about these and other recent discoveries. They will reinforce their understanding of lunar science concepts; gain tools to help address common student misconceptions about the moon; and interact with lunar scientists and engineers. Participants will work with LRO data and learn how to bring the data and information to their students using hands-on activities aligned with grades 6-9 Next Generation Science Standards.

The workshops will take place July 6-10, 2015, and July 13-17, 2015, at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to tour the LRO Mission Operation Center and the Goddard spacecraft testing facilities.

For more information and to register to attend, visit http://lunar.gsfc.nasa.gov/lwe/index.html.

Questions about this workshop should be directed to Andrea Jones at Andrea.J.Jones@nasa.gov.

Teacher Professional Development Programs at the NASTAR Center

The National AeroSpace Training and Research, or NASTAR, Center is hosting a series of teacher professional development programs throughout the month of July. Here’s your chance to experience acceleration in a centrifuge, pilot an airplane simulator, or explore the gas laws in an altitude chamber. Each one-day workshop is worth eight hours of continuing education.

One-day workshops are planned for multiple dates in July. To see a full list of workshop dates, visit http://www.nastarcenter.com/nastar-teacher-professional-development-program-dates-for-2015. 

For more information about the workshops and to download a registration packet, visit http://www.nastarcenter.com/education/teachers. 

The NASTAR Center is located in Southampton, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia. The center is an Affiliate Member of the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium. Funding from the NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium supports these programs, so they are offered at no cost to teachers. 

Questions about this series of workshops should be directed to Greg Kennedy at gkennedy@nastarcenter.com.