NASA Education Express Message — Nov. 17, 2016
New This Week!
Free NASA Educator Professional Development Webinars
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators
Next Event Date: Nov. 20, 2016, at 5 p.m. EDT
Spring 2017 University Student Design Challenge at NASA’s Glenn Research Center
Audience: Undergraduate Students
Registration Deadline: Nov. 23, 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
NASA’s Digital Learning Network Presents: “Hidden Figures” Virtual Event
Audience: All
Event Date: Dec. 1, 2016, 11 a.m. – noon EST
New Publication from NASA’s Earth Observatory — EO Kids
Audience: K-12 Educators and Students
PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…
Sign Up for NASA Education ‘Science WOW!’ Weekly Email Newsletter
Audience: All Educators and Students
Celebrate American Education Week With a Virtual Career Panel From NASA’s Digital Learning Network
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Dates: Nov. 17, 2016, 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST
Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program Accepting Applications for 2017-2018 Fellowship Year
Audience: K-12 STEM Educators
Application Deadline: Nov. 17, 2016, at 8 p.m. EST
2016 von Kármán Lecture Series — Attend in Person or View Online
Audience: All Educators; Students in Grades 9-12 and Higher Education
Next Lecture Date: Nov. 17, 2016, at 7 p.m. PST (10 p.m. EST)
2017 RASC-AL Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Students
Entry Deadline: Nov. 17, 2016
NASA CubeSat Launch Opportunity
Audience: Informal Educators, Higher Education Educators and Students
Proposal Deadline: Nov. 22, 2016
Commercial Crew 2017 Calendar Artwork Contest
Audience: Students 4 to 12 Years Old
Entry Deadline: Nov. 30, 2016
2017 BIG Idea Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Students and Faculty
Proposal Deadline: Nov. 30, 2016
Access NASA Data to Analyze Astronaut Radiation Exposure in Space
Audience: Educators and Students, Ages 14 to 18
Entry Deadline: Dec. 3, 2016
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
2017 High-Altitude Student Platform Opportunity
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Application Deadline: Dec. 16, 2016
2017 Space Exploration Educators Conference
Audience: K-12 Educators
Early Bird Registration Deadline: Dec. 30, 2016
Event Date: Feb. 9-11, 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
U.S. Department of Energy’s BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge
Audience: Students in Grades 9-12
Registration Deadline: Feb. 3, 2017
Infographic Submission Deadline: March 3, 2017
Fly Your Exoplanet on the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
Audience: All Educators and Students
Submission 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
NASA Unveils New Public Web Portal for Research Results
Audience: All Educators and Students
Help NASA Study Mars — Planet Four: Terrains
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Timeframe: Ongoing
Free “NASA’s Journey to Mars” Planetarium/Dome Show
Audience: All Formal and Informal Educators
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.
NASA Technology in Your Classroom: Images and Data
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-10
Event Date: Nov. 21, 2016, at 5 p.m. EST
Explore NASA resources for using images and data in the classroom. These resources can be used to engage students, illustrate concepts, and develop educational exhibits, programs or products. Learn about the latest science discoveries and more at http://nasawavelength.org/data-and-images. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/203264
Astrobiology and the Origin of Life
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: Nov. 21, 2016, at 7 p.m. EST
Learn how NASA has turned the search for alien life from science fiction to a quickly growing research field. Topics in earth and space science linked to biology will help us understand the most current theories for how life came to be here on Earth and where we could find it next. Classroom activities fit for numerous grade levels will put this exploration into the hands of our next generation of scientists! Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/198801
NASA Technology in Your Classroom: NASA Apps for All Ages
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: Nov. 22, 2016, at 4 p.m. EST
NASA has over 50 FREE apps for educational use. Learn how to use and integrate some of the applications in the classroom setting. Virtual reality, 3-D exploration and NASA missions come alive with the use of these apps. Engage students on topics such as earth science, the solar system, robotics and space station research through the usage of technology apps. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/202778
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.
Spring 2017 University Student Design Challenge at NASA’s Glenn Research Center
NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio has been researching and developing innovative technologies in both aeronautics and spaceflight for 75 years. As an opportunity to further involve undergraduate students, Glenn is hosting a spring 2017 University Student Design Challenge with aeronautics and space themes.
The competition is open to teams of full-time undergraduate students who are sophomores, juniors or seniors enrolled at accredited U.S. academic institutions. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged and will be composed primarily of science, technology, engineering and mathematics majors. However, the team formation also may comprise students majoring in areas such as economics, marketing, graphic arts, or other non-STEM disciplines that will aid in the success of the design challenge. Each university or college team must have at least one faculty advisor. Participants will have access to technical experts at Glenn.
Interested teams must register by Nov. 23, 2016.
For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/feature/university-student-design-challenge. Questions about this competition may be directed to grc-university-design-challenge@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.
NASA’s Digital Learning Network Presents: ‘Hidden Figures’ Virtual Event
Audience: All
Event Date: Dec. 1, 2016, 11 a.m. – noon ESTYou might think you know NASA’s story, but there’s always a story behind the story. Did you know the first computers were people? That in the early days of spaceflight, there were women (including minorities) working to make sure that the United States was able to successfully launch humans into space and breaking social barriers at the same time?
Join NASA experts, director Ted Melfi, and Octavia Spencer, who plays Dorothy Vaughn in the film “Hidden Figures,” through NASA’s Digital Learning Network on Dec. 1, 2016, at 11 a.m. EST, to discuss NASA’s hidden story, learn about how NASA’s story continues, and how history and filmmaking are an important part of our space program.
To register to participate in the interactive videoconference, visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdZZNXHDM25mJ4XOfTjvDHuJ18QyRHyw1XM5-NBtSwz0qvvrw/viewform.
This event will also be webcast live at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-dlinfo2 and broadcast on NASA TV at http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv.
New Publication from NASA’s Earth Observatory — EO Kids
NASA is introducing a new publication from its Earth Observatory — EO Kids — bringing engaging science stories from the Earth Observatory to a younger audience.
The premier issue of EO Kids explores how NASA observes and measures fresh water from space. Find out why Lake Mead appears to have a bathtub ring around its shoreline and how less snow in the mountains means less drinking water for California. Explore satellite images of where fresh water is stored in and on Earth. Discover what NASA does in the field with an update from scientists on the Olympic Mountain Experiment (OLYMPEX) campaign.
EO Kids offers hands-on activities, experiments and more. The Maker Corner provides instructions for making a model aquifer and a self-watering planter. Explore the science behind fresh water with a snowmelt experiment, and be a data detective by analyzing satellite data like a scientist. Kids can even create their own data visualization by coloring in a map showing ice thickness on Greenland.
To download your copy of the EO Kids: Fresh Water issue, visit http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/eokids.
To learn more about NASA’s missions to study Earth, visit the Earth Observatory at http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/.
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/.
Celebrate American Education Week With a Virtual Career Panel From NASA’s Digital Learning Network
Join NASA’s Digital Learning Network in celebrating American Education Week, Nov. 14-18, 2016. The DLN invites you to take part in a virtual career panel with experts from various disciplines across NASA on Nov. 17, 2016. The all-day event will feature 30-minute discussions from NASA professionals at the top of each hour.
8-8:30 a.m. EST — Kick-off with Kennedy Space Center Director Astronaut Robert Cabana
Robert Cabana is a former NASA astronaut, currently serving as director of NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In his current role, Cabana manages all NASA facilities and activities at the spaceport, including the team of civil service and contractor employees who operate and support numerous space programs and projects.
9-9:30 a.m. EST — Josh Fody, Thermal Engineer at Langley Research Center (Project: CHIEFS)
Josh Fody is a thermal engineer on the CHIEFS project who is working on designing a Ceramic Matrix Composite heat exchanger with tubeless imbedded cooling channels. The purpose of the application is to keep engine combustion section walls cooler longer for hypersonic aircraft.
10-10:30 a.m. EST — Kurt Leucht, Software Engineer at Kennedy Space Center (Project: Swarmies)
Kurt Leucht is a software engineer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. For much of his 25-year career, he has developed command and control systems and also robotic systems that are used for in-situ resource utilization, or ISRU, research projects. These ISRU robots could support future human Mars missions where astronauts will live off the land to survive and thrive.
11-11:30 a.m. EST — Kate Cryderman, Engineer at Kennedy Space Center (Projects: RESOLVE, LAVA)
Kate Cryderman is an engineer on RESOLVE (Regolith and Environment Science & Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction) — the primary payload on the Resource Prospector mission planned for launch in the early 2020s. The Resource Prospector will prospect for lunar volatiles to better understand how local materials can be used to support exploration beyond low Earth orbit. Cryderman works on the Lunar Advanced Volatiles Analysis, or LAVA, subsystem, where her primary responsibilities include hardware integration and testing to support design trade studies and flight hardware development.
Noon-12:30 p.m. EST — Margaret Domingues, Optical Engineer at Goddard Space Flight Center (Graduate Coop, Pathways Intern)
Domingues is an optical engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight center. She originally came to Goddard as a summer intern, and then as a graduate COOP. She received her graduate degree from the College of Optical Sciences at the University of Arizona. In the optics branch at Goddard, she been working on optical engineering and testing for the James Webb Space Telescope.
1-1:30 p.m. EST — Anne Meier, Chemical Engineer at Kennedy Space Center
Anne Meier is a chemical engineer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center working on several projects that focus on deep space exploration and resource reutilization for human spaceflight. One project is an in-situ resource reutilization system called the Mars Atmospheric Processing Module. The Atmospheric Processing Module is a system that collects and converts the carbon dioxide from the Mars atmosphere using dual cryocoolers and converts the carbon dioxide into methane (fuel) and water. Another project includes the development of a system that converts logistical space trash into useful byproducts for volume reduction and fuel production. As a crew member of the 2014 HI-SEAS Mars analog simulation, Meier took part in a 120-day psychological study and performed various research projects while living in an isolated Mars-like habitat with an international crew.
2-2:30 p.m. EST — Michael Cooney, Electrical Engineer at Langley Research Center (Projects: MEDLI2, GL-10)
Michael Cooney is an electrical engineer designing and testing hardware for the MEDLI2 experiment, an instrument suite to be installed in the heat shield and backshell of the Mars 2020 aeroshell. He also is working in a systems engineering capacity on the GL-10, an all-electrical, Vertical Take Off and Landing Unmanned Air Vehicle. Cooney recently has worked on designing hardware for multiple CubeSat missions. Before joining NASA Langley, Cooney worked and attended college at the University of Hawaii.
The events will be livestreamed for all schools to watch at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-dlinfo. Three schools will be selected to interact with speakers during each event. To apply for this special opportunity, visit https://goo.gl/forms/ZqyJZj5edCCIz4np2.
For additional details about the events and more information about the featured experts, visit http://www.nasa.gov/dln/American-Education-Week.
To learn about other Digital Learning Network events, visit http://www.nasa.gov/dln.
Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program Accepting Applications for 2017-2018 Fellowship Year
The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program provides a unique opportunity for accomplished K-12 educators in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to serve in the national education arena. Fellows spend 11 months working in a federal agency or U.S. congressional office to bring their extensive classroom knowledge and experience to efforts related to STEM education programs and policy.
To be eligible, applicants must be U.S. citizens who are currently employed full time in a U.S. public or private elementary or secondary school or school district. Applicants must have been teaching full time in a public or private elementary or secondary school for at least five of the last seven years in a STEM discipline.
Current sponsoring agencies included NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. The DOE sponsors up to four placements in U.S. congressional offices.
The Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program is managed by the DOE Office of Science through its Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists, in collaboration with the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and partnering federal agencies.
Program applications are due Nov. 17, 2016, at 8 p.m. EST and must be submitted through an online application system.
Additional information about the program, including eligibility requirements, program benefits, application requirements and access to the online application system, may be found at http://science.energy.gov/wdts/einstein/.
Please direct inquiries about the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program to sc.einstein@science.doe.gov.
2016 von Kármán Lecture Series — Attend in Person or View Online
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, shares 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 p.m. PST (10 p.m. EST). Admission and parking are free for all lectures. No reservations are required, but seating is limited. The Thursday evening lectures are streamed live for viewing online. Archives of past lectures are also available online.
Next Lecture in the Series:
The James Webb Space Telescope: Successor to Hubble
Event Date: Nov. 17 and Nov. 18, 2016, at 7 p.m. PST (10 p.m. EST)
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2016&month=11
After its launch in late 2018, the James Webb Space Telescope will help revolutionize study of the cosmos. Built to address the questions beyond the capabilities of the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, JWST will look more deeply at infrared wavelengths with instruments with capabilities not previously available. Join Dr. Michael Ressler for a discussion about JWST as a whole but focused on the Mid-Infrared Instrument, the longest wavelength instrument on JWST.
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 http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/contact_JPL.php.
2017 RASC-AL Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge
NASA and the National Institute of Aerospace announce the 2017 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts-Academic Linkage, or RASC-AL, Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge. This new special edition challenge for 2017 is taking place in celebration of the 100th anniversary of NASA’s Langley Research Center! This design competition is aimed at university-level engineering students and is one of several NASA RASC-AL competitions.
The Mars Ice Challenge requires participants to build a prototype ice drilling system. Teams will compete to extract the most water from simulated Martian subsurface ice at NASA Langley in a three-day competition during summer 2017. During this competition, each participating team will receive a simulated subsurface ice test station composed of solid blocks of ice. The blocks will be in an ice container with a layer of overburden (dirt, rocks, etc.) on top. After drilling through the overburden into the ice, teams must devise innovative solutions to deliver clean water from the ice to an external storage tank (filtering out sediments).
Up to four members of the team (plus the faculty advisor) may travel to NASA Langley for the onsite testing. The drilling and water extraction systems must operate autonomously or via teleoperation, and they are subject to mass, volume and power constraints.
After completion of the test and validation portion of the project, teams will present their drilling concepts to a design review panel composed of NASA judges. Presentations will be based on the team’s technical paper that details the drill concept’s path-to-flight (how the design can be applied to actual drilling on Mars).
Teams must submit a project plan for their proposed system by Nov. 17, 2016.
A Steering Committee of NASA experts will evaluate the project plans and select up to eight teams to compete against each other at NASA’s Langley Research Center in summer 2017. Each of the selected teams will receive a $10,000 stipend to develop their drilling and water extraction system.
The RASCAL Special Edition: Mars Ice Challenge is open to full-time undergraduate or graduate students majoring in engineering, science or related disciplines at an accredited university in the United States. University design teams must include (a) one faculty or industry advisor with a university affiliation and (b) two or more undergraduate or graduate students. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged.
For more information about this competition, visit http://rascal.nianet.org/mars-ice-challenge.
If you have questions about this competition, please contact the RASC-AL team at rascal@nianet.org.
NASA CubeSat Launch Opportunity
NASA has opened the next round of its CubeSat Launch Initiative in an effort to engage the growing community of space enthusiasts who can contribute to NASA’s space exploration goals.
The CubeSat Launch Initiative gives students, teachers and faculty a chance to get hands-on flight hardware development experience in the process of designing, building and operating small research satellites. It also provides a low-cost pathway to space for research in the areas of science, exploration, technology development, education or operations consistent with NASA’s Strategic Plan.
Applicants must submit their proposals electronically by 4:30 p.m. EST, Nov. 22, 2016. NASA will choose the payloads by Feb. 17, 2017, but initial selection does not guarantee a launch opportunity. Certain selected experiments are slated to be flown as auxiliary payloads on agency rocket launches or to be deployed from the International Space Station beginning in 2017 and running through 2020. NASA does not fund the development of the small satellites, and this opportunity is open only to U.S. nonpro?t organizations and U.S. accredited educational organizations.
One goal of the CubeSat Launch Initiative is to extend the successes of space exploration to all 50 states by launching a small satellite from at least one participant in each state in the next five years. During this round, NASA is particularly focused on gaining participation in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 18 states not previously selected for the CubeSat Launch Initiative. These states are Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Washington and Wyoming.
CubeSats are in a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites. The base CubeSat dimensions are about 4 inches by 4 inches by 4 inches (10 centimeters by 10 centimeters by 11 centimeters), which equals one “cube,” or 1U. CubeSats supported by this launch effort include volumes of 1U, 2U, 3U and 6U. CubeSats of 1U, 2U and 3U size typically have a mass of about three pounds (1.33 kilograms) per 1U Cube. A 6U CubeSat typically has a mass of about 26.5 pounds (12 kilograms). The CubeSat’s final mass depends on which deployment method is selected.
To date, NASA has selected 119 CubeSat missions from 66 unique organizations. Of those missions, 46 have been launched into space with 29 more CubeSats scheduled to go in the next 12 months.
For additional information about NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative program, visit http://go.nasa.gov/CubeSat_initiative.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Jason Crusan at Jason.Crusan@nasa.gov.
Commercial Crew 2017 Calendar Artwork Contest
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is holding an artwork contest for students 4 to 12 years old. The artwork will be used to create a 2017 calendar. Each month will have a different theme related to the International Space Station, astronauts, growing food in space and more! Unique and original artwork will be selected for each month. Once the calendar is complete, NASA will transmit it to astronauts aboard the space station. The calendar also will include supplemental education materials for kids on Earth to learn more about the space-related themes.
Entries are due Nov. 30, 2016.
For complete contest rules and submission guidelines, visit http://www.nasa.gov/feature/commercial-crew-2017-calendar-artwork-contest.
Please direct questions about this contest to ksc-connect2ccp@mail.nasa.gov.
2017 BIG Idea Challenge
NASA’s Game Changing Development Program and the National Institute of Aerospace announce the 2017 Breakthrough, Innovative, and Game-changing Idea Challenge. The BIG Idea Challenge invites teams and their faculty advisors to work together to design and analyze potential modular concepts and systems that provide the ability to construct large solar electric propulsion, or SEP, tugs in space that can transfer payloads for low Earth orbit to a lunar distant retrograde orbit. Concepts can employ new approaches for packaging modules in one or more launch vehicles that minimize launch loads; modular (distributed) solar arrays and ion engines; and robust robotic assembly (joining) of the modules that form the SEP tug.
Interested teams of three to five undergraduate and/or graduate students will submit proposals (eight to10 pages) describing their BIG Idea. Based on a review of the proposals, four teams will be selected to submit full technical papers and present their concepts to a panel of NASA judges at the 2017 BIG Idea Forum at NASA’s Langley Research Center on Feb. 15 and 16, 2017, in Hampton, Virginia.
The final four qualifying teams will receive a $6,000 stipend to facilitate participation in the BIG Idea Forum. The winning team will receive offers to participate in paid internships with the Game Changing Development team at Langley Research Center where they can work toward further developing their concept under the mentorship of NASA experts.
Proposals are due Nov. 30, 2016.
For full competition details, including design constraints and submission guidelines, please visit http://BigIdea.nianet.org.
If you have any questions about the competition, please contact BigIdea@nianet.org.
Access NASA Data to Analyze Astronaut Radiation Exposure in Space
Imagine what it would be like to live in space. What kind of shelter would you live in? What kind of protection would you have from the elements? How long could you stay there?
On Earth, humans are protected from radiation by the atmosphere and Earth’s magnetic field. Astronauts on the space station are above the atmosphere and receive a higher dose of radiation than when they are on the ground. The harmful effects of radiation that come from the sun and other sources outside the solar system pose danger to humans living and working in space.
Radiation is one of the top concerns for humans living in deep space for long durations. A NASA group called RadWorks is using radiation detectors the size of USB thumb drives to collect data inside the International Space Station. Together with the University of Houston and the Institute for Research in Schools, RadWorks is sharing the data with high school students who are helping to analyze the radiation that astronaut Tim Peake is exposed to during his time aboard the International Space Station.
NASA is making this same data available to teachers and students through the TimPix project administered by the Institute for Research in Schools, with funding from the European Space Agency and the United Kingdom Space Agency. During European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake’s time aboard the station, data is taken many times a minute while in orbit. A variety of data sets are currently available, and others are being added as the mission progresses. Aimed at high school physics classes, the TimPix project allows students ages 14-18 to access and analyze radiation data during Peake’s mission. They are able to take part in authentic research occurring aboard the station. What type of radiation is present? What impact do different altitudes or locations around the world have on the number and types of particles detected? What happens during a solar flare? Join us in helping NASA answer these questions!
For more information about NASA’s Radworks project, visit http://techport.nasa.gov/view/10581.
For more information or to register for the TimPix project, email timpix@researchinschools.org.
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.
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.
2017 High-Altitude Student Platform Opportunity
The Louisiana Space Consortium, or LaSPACE, is accepting applications from students at U.S. colleges and universities who want to send experiments to the edge of space on a high-flying scientific balloon.
The annual project, supported by the NASA Balloon Program Office and LaSPACE, provides near-space access for 12 undergraduate and graduate student experiments to be carried by a NASA high-altitude research balloon. The flights typically last 15 to 20 hours and reach an altitude of 23 miles. Experiments may include compact satellites or prototypes.
The experiments are flown aboard the High-Altitude Student Platform, or HASP, a balloon-born instrument stack launched from the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility’s remote site in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. The goals of the project are to provide a space test platform to encourage student research and stimulate the development of student satellite payloads and other space-engineering products.
HASP seeks to enhance the technical skills and research abilities of students in critical science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.
The deadline for applications is Dec. 16, 2016.
For application information and technical details about the program, visit http://laspace.lsu.edu/hasp.
Questions about the High-Altitude Student Platform opportunity should be directed to T. Gregory Guzik at guzik@phunds.phys.lsu.edu.
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.
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.
U.S. Department of Energy’s BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge
Registration is open for the U.S. Department of Energy’s BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge. This competition challenges teams of high school students to research one of five specific cross-curricular bioenergy topics and design infographics to share what they have learned through social media.
Selected infographics will be promoted nationally on the Challenge website and via social media. One team of students will be selected to present their infographic at the Bioenergy Technologies Office’s annual conference in Washington, D.C.
Registration for student teams closes on Feb. 3, 2017, and teams have until March 3, 2017, to submit their infographics.
For more information, visit http://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/infographic-challenge.
Check out the interactive BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge Map to see submissions from teams across the country from prior years. Put your school on the BioenergizeME map by participating in this year’s Challenge.
Please direct questions about the Challenge to BioenergizeME@ee.doe.gov.
Fly Your Exoplanet on the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
Set to launch in June 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite is an explorer-class planet finder. In the first-ever spaceborne all-sky transit survey, TESS will identify planets ranging from Earth-sized to gas giants and will orbit a wide range of stellar types and orbital distances. As the TESS team prepares for launch, it invites the public to ponder what exoplanets might look like and share their ideas in the form of sketches and graphics.
This opportunity is open to all ages and skill levels. Submissions will be collected via email. To download the template for submitting your artwork, visit https://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/fly_your_exoplanet.html.
The deadline for submissions is March 1, 2017, or when capacity of the drive carrying the submissions to space is reached, whichever occurs first.
To learn more about the TESS mission, visit https://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to GSFC-TESS@mail.nasa.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.
NASA Unveils New Public Web Portal for Research Results
With the launch of a new agency public access portal, public access to NASA-funded research data now is just a click away. PubSpace is a repository of original science journal articles produced by NASA-funded research and available online without a fee.
While the agency always has made access to its research a high priority, the focus now is to make NASA science data more easily obtainable via “one-stop shopping.” This increased public access is intended to accelerate the dissemination of fundamental research results to advance scientific knowledge and help ensure the nation’s future prosperity.
The NASA-Funded Research Results portal was created in response to a 2013 request from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, which directed science-funding agencies to develop plans to increase access to the results of federally funded research. NASA’s public access plan was developed in coordination with the science and technology research community across the agency. NASA will continue to consult with the scientific community, academic institutions, publishers and other federal agencies to implement this plan and increase access to research results.
For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/open/researchaccess.
Help NASA Study Mars — Planet Four: Terrains
Help NASA study exotic landscape features near the south pole of Mars! In this citizen science project, you will view images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s Context Camera. Your input will help scientists identify possible areas for even more detailed examination with the orbiter’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera. HiRISE can reveal more detail than any other camera ever put into orbit around Mars.
Some of Mars resembles deserts on Earth, but seasonal freezing and thawing of carbon-dioxide ice (known on Earth as “dry ice”) at the Martian poles create some unusual landscape features. There’s a lot of territory to cover, so scientists need your help identifying what and where these features are.
For more information and to learn how to participate, visit the “Planet Four: Terrains” website at https://www.zooniverse.org/#/projects/mschwamb/planet-four-terrains.
To learn more about NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and its mission at the Red Planet, visit http://mars.nasa.gov/mro/.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Michelle Viotti at michelle.a.viotti@jpl.nasa.gov.
Free ‘NASA’s Journey to Mars’ Planetarium/Dome Show
Are you looking for ways to prepare your students for STEM-related career opportunities? 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.
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/.
Don’t miss out on upcoming NASA education opportunities.
For a full list of events, opportunities and more, visit the Educator and Student Current Opportunity pages on NASA’s website:
— Educators http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html
— Students http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/current-opps-index.html
Are you looking for NASA educational materials to support your STEM curriculum? Search hundreds of resources by subject, grade level, type and keyword at http://www.nasa.gov/education/resources/.
Find NASA science resources for your classroom. NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/
Check out the new ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.
Do you just want to receive weekly updates on NASA Education opportunities relating to science? Sign up for the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter for science opportunities delivered to your inbox “Weekly on Wednesdays!” https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/
