NASA Education Express Message -- March 31, 2016
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New This Week!
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Free NASA Educator Professional Development WebinarsAudience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators
Next Event Date: March 31, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
Free Educator Workshop: Journey to M*A*R*S* -- Being Mobile on Mars
Audience: K-12 and Informal Educators
Event Dates: April 6, 2016, 4:30-6 p.m. PDT
Scholarships Available for 2016 U.S. Space & Rocket Center® STEMcon Professional Development Sessions
Audience: STEM Educators of Grades 4-8 in Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri and Tennessee
Application Deadline: April 8, 2016
Teacher Advisors Needed: NASA / WGBH's 'Bringing the Universe to America's Classrooms' Initiative
Audience: K-12 Educators
Application Deadline: April 11, 2016
2016 International Space Apps Challenge
Audience: Problem Solvers of All Ages
Event Dates: April 22-24, 2016
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PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…
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STEM@NASA Goddard: Women's History MonthAudience: All Educators and Students
Next Event Date: March 31, 2016, at 1 p.m. EST
2016 International Summer School in AstrobiologyAudience: Graduate Students Studying at U.S. Institutions
Application Deadline: March 31, 2016
Summer School Dates: June 20-24, 2016
International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids ExploratoryResearch ExperimentsAudience: Grade 8-12 Educators and Students
Entry Deadline: April 1, 2016
2016 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science TeachingAudience: All Educators and Students
Nomination Deadline: April 1, 2016
Astrobiology Graduate Conference 2016Audience: Astrobiology Graduate Students
Application Deadline: April 1, 2016
Conference Dates: July 24-27, 2016
2016 Fellowship in Aerospace History
Audience: Recent Recipients of the Ph.D. in History or a Closely Related Field, or Students in Programs Granting Doctoral Degrees in Those Fields
Application Deadline: April 1, 2016
2016 NASA Fellowship in the History of Space Technology
Audience: Recent Recipients of the Ph.D. in History of Technology or a Closely Related Field, and Students Pursuing Doctoral Degrees in Those Fields
Application Deadline: April 1, 2016
Earth Observatory's Tournament Earth 2016Audience: All Educators and Students
Competition Dates: Through April 1, 2016
Free Tours of Facilities at NASA's Glenn Research CenterAudience: All Educators and Students
Next Event Date: April 2, 2016
Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy
Audience: Designed for Families With Children Ages 10 to 14, but Open to All
Next Event Date: April 2, 2016, 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST
GLOBE El Niño Field Campaign and Webinar Series Audience: K-12 Educators
Next Webinar Date: April 6, 2016, at 8 p.m. EDT
2016 History of Science Society Fellowship in the History of Space Science
Audience: Recent Recipients of the Ph.D. in History of Science or a Closely Related Field, or Students in Programs Granting Doctoral Degrees in Those Fields
Application Deadline: April 6, 2016
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Education GrantsAudience: State and Local Education Agencies, Colleges and Universities, Non-profit Organizations, Tribal Education Agencies, and Non-Commercial Educational Broadcasting Companies.
Application Deadline: April 8, 2016
Family Day Events at Smithsonian's Air and Space MuseumAudience: All Educators and Students
Next Event Date: April 9, 2016
Early Career Fellowships for Planetary Science Researchers
Audience: Higher Education Students
Proposal Deadline: Various Dates Depending on Specific Program
Sally Ride EarthKAM @ Space Camp Announces Spring 2016 MissionAudience: K-12 and Informal Educators
Mission Date: April 12-16, 2016
NASA/NSTA Webinar -- Global Precipitation Measurement Mission: WatershedsAudience: K-12 Educators
Event Date: April 13, 2016, 6:30 p.m. EDT
NASA TechPort Request for InformationAudience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Feedback Deadline: April 14, 2016
Host a Real-Time Conversation With Crew Members Aboard the International Space Station
Audience: All Educators
Proposal Deadline: April 15, 2016
2016 LiftOff Summer InstituteAudience: K-12 Educators
Application Deadline: April 15, 2016
Institute Dates: June 26-July 1, 2016
Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational UseAudience: Educational Institutions, Museums and Other Education Organizations
Future Engineers 'Star Trek' Replicator ChallengeAudience: Students in the United States Ages 5-19
Entry Deadline: May 1, 2016
Federal Aviation Administration Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation IssuesAudience: Graduate Students
Application Deadline: May 15, 2016
NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellowships
Audience: Graduate Students and Ph.D. Scientists
Next Application Deadline: July 1, 2016
Help NASA Study Mars -- Planet Four: Terrains
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Timeframe: Ongoing Through Mid-2016
Call for Submissions -- NASA Announcement for High Impact / Broad Implementation STEM Education Partnerships (EDUCATION01SP16)
Audience: Education Institutions and Organizations
Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis Through Dec. 31, 2017
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Don't miss out on upcoming NASA education opportunities.
For a full list of events, opportunities and more, visit the Educator and Student Current Opportunity pages on NASA's website:
-- Educators http://www.nasa.gov/audience/
-- Students http://www.nasa.gov/audience/
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/
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NEW THIS WEEK!
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Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.
Virtual Missions and Exoplanets (vMAX): Part 2 - Technical Overview
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: March 31, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
Learn how to engage students in the study of exoplanetary systems through hands-on experiences, scenario-based problem solving, and 3-D multi-user virtual world simulations with the Virtual Missions and Exoplanets curriculum. This webinar addresses technical requirements to download, install, and navigate the virtual world as an avatar in preparation for using the vMAX virtual world with students. It is suggested that participants also attend the vMAX Curriculum (Part 1) webinar for a complete understanding of how to implement these resources. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/
Air and Space -- Airplanes and Rockets: Exploring the Extreme
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-8
Event Date: April 4, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will get an overview of NASA’s Exploring the Extreme educator guide. Discussions will focus on hands-on activities to teach about force and motion. The activities presented in this webinar address the Next Generation Science Standard PS2. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/
Air and Space -- Airplanes and Rockets: Principles of Flight
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades Pre-K - 12
Event Date: April 5, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will learn about the principles of flight and the four forces of flight while using NASA's Museum in the Box curriculum. Participants also will learn about current research going on at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/
Virtual Missions and Exoplanets (vMAX): Part 1 -- Curriculum Overview
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: April 6, 2016, at 4 p.m. EDT
With the Virtual Missions and Exoplanets curriculum, learn how to engage students in the study of exoplanetary systems through hands-on experiences, scenario-based problem solving, and 3-D multi-user virtual world simulations. This webinar provides an overview of exoplanetary system resources that build upon the use of NASA data. These resources are organized for a one-week experience for middle school students but are flexible enough to be used for any formal or informal audience and time period. It is suggested that participants also attend the vMAX Technical (Part 2) webinar for a complete understanding of how to implement these resources. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/
Virtual Missions and Exoplanets (vMAX): Part 2 -- Technical Overview
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: April 7, 2016, at 4 p.m. EDT
With the Virtual Missions and Exoplanets curriculum, learn how to engage students in the study of exoplanetary systems through hands-on experiences, scenario-based problem solving, and multi-user virtual world simulations in 3-D. This webinar addresses technical requirements to download, install and navigate the virtual world as an avatar in preparation for using the vMAX virtual world with students. It is suggested that participants also attend the vMAX Curriculum (Part 1) webinar for a complete understanding of how to implement these resources. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/
For a full schedule of upcoming webinars, visit http://www.txstate-epdc.net/
Please direct questions about this series of webinars to Steve Culivan at stephen.p.culivan@nasa.gov.
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Free Educator Workshop: Journey to M*A*R*S* -- Being Mobile on Mars
Are you ready to go on a Journey to Mars? Join NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Office of Education for a free educator professional development workshop on Being Mobile on Mars. Through hands-on experiments and physical demonstrations, educators will learn how to design and construct a rover for Mars using the Beginning Engineering Science & Technology, or BEST, curriculum and the engineering design process.
Participants will engage in hands-on, standards-aligned mathematics, science and engineering activities as they construct a rover, predict its performance and chance of mission success, and test drive it. Learn about real-world connections with NASA research and our Journey to Mars.
The workshop will take place Wednesday, April 6, 2016, 4:30-6 p.m. PDT at NASA’s Armstrong Educator Resource Center at the AERO Institute in Palmdale, California.
For more information, visit http://aeroinstitute.org/
Please direct questions about this workshop to Sondra Geddes at sondra.l.geddes@nasa.gov.
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Scholarships Available for 2016 U.S. Space & Rocket Center® STEMcon Professional Development Sessions
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center® is offering scholarships to educators to attend a four-day professional development session featuring NASA-focused STEM content and resources. Applicants must live in the five-state region served by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The states included are Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri and Tennessee.
STEMcon provides 32 hours of intensive classroom, laboratory and training time. During the program, educators participate in astronaut-style training and simulations, along with activities designed to promote lifelong learning. All lessons and activities correlate to Next Generation Science Standards and other national standards and are ready to use in various educational settings.
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the NASA Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums. The scholarship includes tuition, meals, lodging, lesson materials and a stipend to help offset travel expenses.
STEMcon sessions will take place June 2-5, 2016, (arrival June 1; departure June 5), and July 8-11, 2015, (arrival July 7; departure July 11).
STEMcon applications are due April 8, 2016.
For more information and to access the online application, visit http://rocketcenter.com/
Please direct questions about the 2016 STEMcon opportunity to education@spacecamp.com.
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Teacher Advisors Needed: NASA / WGBH's 'Bringing the Universe to America's Classrooms' Initiative
Public Broadcasting Station WGBH/Boston, supported by a NASA cooperative agreement, is developing new instructional models and digital media tools for STEM classrooms. WGBH is looking for 50 K-12 educators to act as advisors in the development of the new resources.
Teacher Advisors will work with media producers and education researchers to design new ways to engage students around topics in Earth, space and physical sciences. The main activity will center on the evaluation and testing of instructional modules that incorporate cutting-edge scientific data digital media tools (e.g., data visualizations, interactives, virtual field trips, etc.) and address educational standards.
Applicants must be full-time K-12 educators (U.S. or U.S. territories) currently teaching topics in Earth, physical and/or space science. Eligible candidates must have a passion for using digital technology and media and a desire to gain instructional design experience.
Applications are due April 11, 2016.
For more information and to access the online application, visit http://www.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to carolyn_jacobs@wgbh.org.
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2016 International Space Apps Challenge
NASA and space agencies around the world are preparing for the fifth annual International Space Apps Challenge, which will be held April 22-24, 2016. Participants will develop mobile applications, software, hardware, data visualization and platform solutions that could contribute to space exploration missions and help improve life on Earth.
This year's challenge kicks off with a boot camp event on April 22 that will be live-streamed globally. The two-day “code-athon” event will follow on April 23-24. It will be hosted locally at over 193 locations spanning 72 countries. More than 200 data sources, including data sets, data services and tools, will be available. This event will bring tech-savvy citizens, scientists, entrepreneurs, educators and students together to help solve challenges relevant to both space exploration and broader subjects that impact life on Earth.
Registration for citizen participation is now open.
To learn more about the International Space Apps Challenge, get the latest updates and register to attend an event, visit https://2016.
If you have questions about the challenge, please visit https://2016.
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PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…
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STEM@NASA Goddard: Women's History Month
Join NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center for the final “STEM@NASA Goddard: Women’s History Month” event! On Thursday, March 31, 2016, at 1 p.m. EDT, the Goddard Office of Education will celebrate Women’s History Month by highlighting women in STEM. Women from across Goddard will share how they practice science, technology, engineering and mathematics -- through their research, missions, career and the like -- with participating schools and other groups.
The 30-minute program will be streamed live on UStream, and participants will be able to interact with the guest speakers by submitting questions through email and Twitter.
To view the programs on Ustream, visit http://www.ustream.tv/channel/
For more information or to express interest in participating, please contact Erin McKinley aterin.e.mckinley@nasa.gov.
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2016 International Summer School in Astrobiology
The 2016 International Summer School in Astrobiology will be held at the summer campus of the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo, Palacio de la Magdalena, in Santander, Spain, on June 20-24, 2016.
This year’s theme will be "Earth Analog Environments and the Search for Life Beyond the Earth." The school will provide an interdisciplinary examination of the chemical, physical and geological properties of potential extraterrestrial habitats and an in-depth description and analysis of sites on Earth with similar characteristics. In particular, lectures and activities will consider icy satellites, rocky planets in the solar system, extreme Earth environments, and terrestrial exoplanets.
The NASA Astrobiology Institute is offering scholarships that cover travel costs, school fees, accommodations and meals. To be eligible to apply for these scholarships, applicants must be graduate students studying at U.S. institutions.
Applications are due March 31, 2016.
For more information, visit http://nai.nasa.gov/uimp/2016-
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Edward Goolish at edward.goolish@nasa.gov.
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International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids ExploratoryResearch Experiments
NASA and Portland State University are seeking participants for the International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids Exploratory Research Experiments, or CELERE. This design challenge enables students to participate in microgravity research on capillary action, similar to that conducted on the space station.
Teams or individuals create their own experiment using computer-aided design with a provided template and submit short proposals presenting the experiments. Portland State University then manufactures test cells using the CAD drawings and a computer-controlled laser cutter. Each experiment is conducted in a drop tower. Video of the drop is provided for student analysis and reporting of results.
CELERE is open to individuals and teams in grades 8-12. To facilitate the participation of informal science clubs, Scouts, etc., teams may include younger students as long as at least one team member is in grades 8-12. Teams may be of any size and may include an entire class or science club. The program is limited to students from the U.S., including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Students at Department of Defense Education Activity schools (www.dodea.edu), including those outside the U.S., are also eligible to participate.
The CELERE design challenge is a relatively new program and, as a result, the odds of selection are quite high. In 2014 and 2015, 100 percent of the entries were selected for full participation, where the student experiments were built and tested in microgravity. In 2016, selection of at least one qualifying entry is guaranteed from each state and listed territory, at least one DODEA school, and at least one Bureau of Indian Education school (http://bie.edu/). Students are strongly encouraged to apply!
Design proposals are now being accepted. Submissions are due April 1, 2016.
For more information about this opportunity, visit http://spaceflightsystems.grc.
If you have questions about this opportunity, please email your inquiries to the CELERE team atcelere@lists.nasa.gov.
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2016 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
The National Science Foundation currently is accepting nominations and applications for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching program. PAEMST is the highest recognition that a teacher of K-12 mathematics or science (including computer science) may receive for outstanding teaching in the United States. Since 1983, more than 4,400 teachers have been recognized for their contributions to mathematics and science education. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education. Up to 108 awardees may be recognized each year.
Presidential awardees receive a certificate signed by the President of the United States; a trip for two to Washington, D.C., to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities; and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation. The National Science Foundation administers PAEMST on the behalf of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
The PAEMST program is open to outstanding mathematics and science teachers in the 50 states and the four U.S. jurisdictions (Washington, D.C.; Puerto Rico; Department of Defense education activity schools; and the U.S. territories as a group). Anyone -- principals, teachers, parents, students or members of the public -- may nominate a teacher by completing the nomination form available on the PAEMST website. Teachers also may apply directly. Teachers from groups underrepresented in STEM teaching and learning are encouraged to apply.
Nominations for elementary school teachers (grades K-6) are due April 1, 2016. Secondary school teachers (grades 7-12) are eligible to apply in 2017.
For more information, visit http://www.paemst.org/.
Please email any questions about this opportunity to info@paemst.org.
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Astrobiology Graduate Conference 2016
The next Astrobiology Graduate Conference, AbGradCon 2016, will be held at the University of Colorado in Boulder on July 24-27, 2016. This conference is run by graduate students for other graduate students and early career scientists with the purpose of having conference attendees share their astrobiology-related research, collaborate with their peers, and make new professional connections in a low-pressure setting.
Conference attendees share their research by presenting a 15-minute talk or presenting a poster (though talks are preferred). Topics to be covered include astrochemistry, exoplanet research, planetary science, geobiology, computer science, origins of life research, and aerospace engineering. The conference culminates with a field trip to a site relevant to astrobiology. This year's conference attendees will visit Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison, Colorado. A Public Speaking Workshop will be held as an alternative for those who do not want to participate in the field trip.
Attendees also have the option of joining, separate from the conference, the Research Focus Group workshop that will take place July 22-24 in Estes Park, Colorado. The RFG is a proposal-writing workshop targeted at developing better fundable proposals for research.
Food and lodging for conference attendees will be covered by the conference. We also expect to be able to cover most travel costs for attendees.
Applications are due April 1, 2016.
For more information, visit http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/
Please direct questions about this opportunity to abgradcon@gmail.com.
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2016 Fellowship in Aerospace History
The Fellowship in Aerospace History, offered by the American Historical Association and supported by NASA, seeks applications for a predoctoral or postdoctoral fellowship related to the history of aerospace. The selected fellow will have the opportunity to engage in significant and sustained advanced research in all aspects of the history of aerospace from the earliest human interest in flight to the present. These areas will include cultural and intellectual history; economic history; history of law and public policy; and the history of science, engineering and management.
The fellowship carries a stipend of $20,000 for a six- to nine-month fellowship. Funds may not be used to support tuition or fees.
The fellowship is open to applicants who hold a doctoral degree in history or in a closely related field, or applicants who are enrolled in and have completed all course work for a program granting doctoral degrees in those fields.
Applications are due April 1, 2016.
For detailed information on the fellowship and the application process, visit http://www.historians.org/
Please direct questions about this opportunity to awards@historians.org.
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2016 NASA Fellowship in the History of Space Technology
The NASA Fellowship in the History of Space Technology, offered by the Society for the History of Technology and supported by the NASA History Program Office, seeks applications for a yearlong predoctoral or postdoctoral fellowship related to the history of space technology. The fellowship may support advanced research related to all aspects of space history, leading to publications on the history of space technology in a broad sense, including cultural and intellectual history, institutional history, economic history, history of law and public policy, and history of engineering and management.
The fellowship carries a stipend of $21,500, paid quarterly. Funds may not be used to support tuition or fees. The NASA fellow also will receive complimentary membership in the Society for the History of Technology for the year of fellowship.
Applicants must possess a doctorate in the history of technology or in a closely related field, or be enrolled as a student in a doctoral degree program and have completed all requirements for the degree (except the dissertation) in history of technology or a related field. Eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens.
Applications are due April 1, 2016.
For detailed information on the fellowship and the application process, visit http://www.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to shotsec@auburn.edu.
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Earth Observatory's Tournament Earth 2016
Thirty-two of the best Earth Observatory images will compete in Tournament Earth 4.0, but only one can be the winner! From Feb. 29 through April 1, 2016, visitors to NASA's Earth Observatory website can vote for their favorite images from 2015, whittling them down each week in a tournament of remote-sensing science. The competition is divided into four categories: data, art, event and photograph.
Voting takes place online, and a printable bracket is available to let you pick your favorites and track your selections as the competition progresses.
To get started, visit http://earthobservatory.nasa.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Kevin Ward at kevin.a.ward@nasa.gov.
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Free Tours of Facilities at NASA's Glenn Research Center
NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, is offering tours that take visitors behind the scenes and inside certain research facilities. Glenn scientists and engineers serve as guides. Tours and open house events will be held each month through October 2016. Tours are free for groups and individuals, but to guarantee admission, reservations are required. Visitor parking is also free.
On the days of the tours, a bus departs from Glenn's main gate every hour, beginning at 10 a.m. The last tour departs at 1 p.m. Each tour lasts about 45 minutes and is followed by a stop at Glenn's Gift Shop.
Glenn’s 2016 Tour Schedule
April 2, 2016 -- Piloted Control Evaluation Facility and Distributed Engine Control Laboratory: Visit two laboratories that showcase how researchers evaluate propulsion control and aircraft engine control. Tour the Piloted Control Evaluation (Flight Simulator) Facility to see where researchers evaluate the effect of propulsion control on aircraft performance. Visit the Distributed Engine Control Laboratory to learn how NASA evaluates new hardware architectures for aircraft engine control.
May 21-22, 2016 -- Open House at NASA's Glenn Research Center: NASA Glenn is opening its doors to the public for a weekend open house. Visitors will be able to tour many of the center’s world-class facilities and see how the center improves aviation and fosters exploration to benefit everyone on Earth. Visitors also will be able to meet an astronaut and talk with engineers, scientists and technicians who work on space programs. Registration for this event is not required.
June 11-12, 2016 -- Open House at NASA's Plum Brook Station: NASA Glenn is opening the doors of Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio, to the public for a weekend open house. Visitors will be able to tour the station's world-class facilities and step inside the world’s largest vacuum chamber, which has tested parts of rockets, Mars landers and Orion hardware. Visitors also will be able to meet an astronaut and talk with engineers, scientists and technicians. Registration for this event is not required.
July 9, 2016: Radioisotope Power System, Systems Integration Laboratory: See how NASA emulates the electrical characteristics of a spacecraft system in the Radioisotope Power System, Systems Integration Laboratory. RPS is a source of electricity for NASA space missions from the surface of Mars to the realm of the outer planets.
Aug. 6, 2016 -- 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. 10, 2016 -- Vibration Testing: Join us on a tour of Glenn's Structural Dynamics Laboratory, where things get shaken to verify their survivability. Several experiments that currently are operating on the International Space Station were tested in this lab.
Oct. 1, 2016 -- Prepare for Impact: Come explore Glenn's Ballistic Impact Facility. See the laboratory that helped to identify the cause of the space shuttle Columbia accident and return NASA’s shuttle fleet to flight.
Tours are open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. To guarantee admission, reservations are required. For more information on tours and how to make reservations, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/
Please direct questions about the tours to Sheila Reese at sheila.d.reese@nasa.gov.
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Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy
Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy, at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, is a free alternate-reality game that will challenge you to become an astronaut-in-training for a future trip to Mars. Choose what role you will play on the mission; engage in fun interactive activities; and explore the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills you will need as a next-generation space traveler. Along the way, you'll learn about some of the museum's fascinating artifacts.
Instructions and guidance are given via a special webpage accessed on your mobile device. Players should bring their own phones or devices equipped with an internet browser and a camera. Having a digital picture-taking device (smartphone, tablet, camera) is highly recommended but not required.
The game is aimed at upper elementary and middle school visitors and their families. Do you want to bring a group? Reservations are required for groups larger than 15.
The next offering of the Astronaut Academy is on April 2, 2016. Begin your training with Astronaut Orientation in the Claude Moore Education Center Classroom 1 located on the first level across from the restrooms. Astronaut Orientation is offered at regular intervals between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The last opportunity to start the game is at 2:30 p.m. A self-guided activity, the game should take between 60 and 90 minutes, and staff will help you along the way.
For more information, including a full list of upcoming Astronaut Academy dates, visithttp://airandspace.si.edu/
Please direct questions about the Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy to the visitor service line at 202-633-2214.
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GLOBE El Niño Field Campaign and Webinar Series
El Niño and La Niña are important phenomena that can impact the climate by causing global flooding and droughts as well as changes in seasonal weather. These interactions around the world are called teleconnections. Because of the importance of this issue, a GLOBE ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) Campaign has been formulated to engage students in determining where and how much El Niño affects local places and to put students in contact with their local environment.
To learn more about the campaign and how to participate, visit http://www.globe.gov/web/el-
To help educators prepare for the El Niño Campaign, GLOBE is hosting a series of free education webinars to discuss the mechanics of the campaign, give updates on data collection, and give participants the opportunity to learn science content from experts.
The hourlong webinars will take place on the following dates at 8 p.m. EDT.
April 6, 2016: Surface Temperature and Soil Temperature
April 20, 2016: SMAP Soil Moisture
May 3, 2016: Biometry and Ground Cover
May 17, 2016: The 2015-2016 El Niño Event
June 13, 2016: Using El Niño GLOBE Data for Scientific Research
Sept. 19, 2016: El Niño Student Campaign Refresher and Update
For more information, including log-in instructions for the webinars and recordings of previous webinars in the series, visit http://www.globe.gov/web/el-
Please direct questions about this opportunity and series of webinars to http://www.globe.gov/support/
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2016 History of Science Society Fellowship in the History of Space Science
The Fellowship in the History of Space Science, offered by the History of Science Society and supported by the NASA History Program Office, seeks applications for a nine-month predoctoral or postdoctoral fellowship related to the history of space science. The fellowship may support advanced research related to all aspects of the history of space science, from the earliest human interest in space to the present.
The fellowship carries a stipend of $21,250. Funds may not be used to support tuition or fees.
Applicants must possess a doctorate in history of science or in a closely related field, or be enrolled as a student in a doctoral degree program and have completed all requirements for the degree (except the dissertation) in history of science or a related field. Eligibility is not limited to U.S. citizens or residents.
Applications are due April 6, 2016.
For detailed information on the fellowship and the application process, visit http://hssonline.org/
Please direct questions about this opportunity to info@hssonline.org.
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Education Grants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency seeks proposals for grants to support environmental education projects that promote environmental awareness and stewardship and help people develop the skills to take responsible actions to protect the environment. This grant program provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods or techniques.
Entities that are eligible to apply include local education agencies, state education or environmental agencies, colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, noncommercial educational broadcasting entities, and tribal education agencies (including schools and community colleges controlled by an Indian tribe, band or nation). Applicant organizations must be located in the United States or its territories, and the majority of the educational activities must take place in the U.S.; in the U.S. and Canada or Mexico; or in the territories of the U.S.
Applications are due April 8, 2016.
For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/education/
Please direct questions about this grant opportunity to eegrants@epa.gov.
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Family Day Event at Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum
The Smithsonian's Family Day event series celebrates the diverse ethnic and cultural communities that have contributed to aviation and space exploration. Events will commemorate historic and current contributions through presentations and activities for the entire family. The events are free and open to the public.
Explore the Universe
April 9, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST
National Air and Space Museum in Washington, District of Columbia
People around the world have always looked to the sky, but they don’t always see the same things. Bring your family to experience how different people study the sky and to hear their stories. Learn about telescopes and, if weather permits, do some daytime observations.
http://airandspace.si.edu/
Please direct questions about this event to the Visitor Service line at 202-633-2214.
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Early Career Fellowships for Planetary Science Researchers
The Early Career Fellowship program supports the development of individual research programs of outstanding scientists in the early stages of their careers and stimulates research careers in the areas supported by the Planetary Sciences Division. This program is based on the idea that supporting key individuals is a critical mechanism for impacting science with new concepts, technologies and methods.
This program consists of two components with two different submission procedures: The first is the one-page application to be an "Early Career Fellow," and the second is the subsequent submission of a seven-page proposal for startup funds once selected as an ECF. To be eligible to apply, applicants must have received their Ph.D. (or equivalent degree such as a DPhil) within seven calendar years of the year of the submission of the research proposal.
For consideration as a Fellow (new applicants), submit a proposal to the participating program element by the deadline specified in Tables 2 and 3 in the ROSES Summary of Solicitation. Proposals from Fellows selected in prior years for start-up funds may be submitted at any time in response to this program element.
For complete fellowship details and application procedures, visit http://go.nasa.gov/1MkySUk.
Questions concerning this opportunity may be directed to Doris Daou at Doris.Daou@nasa.gov.
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Sally Ride EarthKAM @ Space Camp Announces Spring 2016 Mission
Registration is open for the Spring 2016 mission for the Sally Ride EarthKAM @ Space Camp program taking place April 12-16, 2016. During the mission, students worldwide may submit requests to have a camera aboard the International Space Station capture an image of a specific location on Earth. Related resources, including images and activities, are available for use in the classroom. The optional online activities are targeted at middle school students but are adaptable for other grade levels. All students and educators are welcome, including participants in afterschool programs.
For more information and to register for the upcoming mission, visit https://www.earthkam.org/.
Please submit questions about the Sally Ride EarthKAM @ Space Camp program viahttps://www.earthkam.org/
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NASA/NSTA Webinar -- Global Precipitation Measurement Mission: Watersheds
Join the National Science Teachers Association for a free interactive webinar to learn about watersheds and NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement, or GPM, mission. The 90-minute session will take place on April 13, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT.
What is a watershed? Why are watersheds important? What are signs of a healthy watershed? Why are some watersheds or water reservoirs losing their water? Topics presented at this webinar will include watershed basics and hands-on investigations students can conduct to monitor their local watershed areas. NASA scientists will give background science information about watersheds and how NASA helps monitor watershed regions.
GPM is an international satellite mission managed by NASA and JAXA (the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) that will provide next-generation observations of rain and snow. The GPM mission will help us learn more about Earth's water and energy cycles, improve the forecasting of extreme events that cause natural disasters, and extend current capabilities of using satellite precipitation information to directly benefit society.
All participants will receive a certificate of participation and 100 Learning Center activity points for attending and completing the post-program evaluation. An archive and presentation slides will be available at the end of the program.
For more information and to register to attend the webinar event, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.
For more information about GPM, visit http://www.nasa.gov/gpm or http://gpm.nasa.gov.
Please email questions about this opportunity to webseminars@nsta.org.
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NASA TechPort Request for Information
NASA is conducting this Request for Information, or RFI, to better understand user needs and identify potential improvements for the NASA Technology Portfolio System (TechPort).
NASA developed TechPort as an agencywide tool to capture detailed information on technology investments that support missions across aeronautics, space exploration and scientific discovery. NASA has used TechPort internally since 2012. Through continuous updates, the system now contains information on more than 840 active projects and more than 7,600 historical records. In February 2015, NASA opened a beta version of TechPort to the public.
To help enhance the TechPort system, NASA is seeking feedback via a short, 18-question survey that takes an estimated 5 to 10 minutes to complete. Feedback may be submitted through April 14, 2016.
To provide feedback, visit https://techport.nasa.gov/rfi.
To visit the NASA TechPort, visit http://techport.nasa.gov/home.
Please direct questions about NASA TechPort and this RFI to hq-techport@mail.nasa.gov.
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Host a Real-Time Conversation With Crew Members Aboard the International Space Station
ARISS-US is now accepting proposals from U.S. schools, museums, science centers and community youth organizations to host an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, or ARISS, contact between Jan. 1 - June 30, 2017. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS-US is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. Proposals are due April 15, 2016.
Using amateur radio, students can ask astronauts questions about life in space and other space-related topics. Students fully engage in the ARISS contact by helping set up an amateur radio ground station at the school and then using that station to talk directly with a crew member on the International Space Station for approximately 10 minutes. ARISS provides experienced mentors and relies on local amateur radio volunteers to help organizations obtain the technology required to host this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students.
For proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, visithttp://www.arrl.org/hosting-
ARISS-US is offered through a partnership between NASA; the American Radio Relay League, or ARRL; and the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, or AMSAT. ARISS was created and is managed by an international working group, including several countries in Europe as well as Japan, Russia, Canada, and the USA.
Questions about this opportunity should be emailed to ariss@arrl.org.
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2016 LiftOff Summer Institute
Registration is now open for the 2016 LiftOff Summer Institute, sponsored by NASA's Texas Space Grant Consortium. This weeklong professional development training for teachers will be held June 26-July 1, 2016, at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. This competitive aerospace workshop emphasizes science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, learning experiences through speakers, hands-on activities and field investigations.
The theme for this year's institute is "Exploration: Past, Present and Future." The event will focus on how NASA is learning from past exploration and current space station research and how it will apply its discoveries to future missions to deep space.
Attendees must be U.S. citizens currently employed as classroom teachers of grades 4-12 with at least one year teaching experience prior to the institute. Texas Space Grant pays all expenses for any Texas teacher selected. Other Space Grant Consortia fund teachers from their states.
Applications are due April 15, 2016.
For more information and to access the online application, visit http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/
If you have questions about the 2016 LiftOff Summer Institute, please email your inquiries to Margaret Baguio at baguio@tsgc.utexas.edu.
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Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational Use
NASA invites eligible U.S. educational institutions and museums to request space shuttle thermal protective tiles, space shuttle thermal protective blankets and other special items offered on a first-come, first-serve basis while quantities last. Organizations previously allocated thermal protective tiles may request an additional three tiles.
There will be a nominal shipping fee that must be paid online with a credit card. To make a request for special items online, visit http://gsaxcess.gov/htm/nasa/
Please direct questions about this opportunity to GSAXcessHelp@gsa.gov.
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Future Engineers 'Star Trek' Replicator Challenge
Calling all Starfleet cadets! "Star Trek," the American Society for Mechanical Engineers Foundation and NASA want you to pioneer the future of food in space. Your challenge is to create a digital model of a food-related item for astronauts to 3-D print in the year 2050. We want designs that boldly go where no human has 3-D printed before and that help astronauts eat nutritious meals so they can live long and prosper.
You must specify one of the following locations for your 3-D print: our moon, another planet, another planet’s moon, or a spacecraft beyond low-Earth orbit (explain where it is going and why). You also must specify the intended printing material (feedstock) for your 3-D print. This could be plastic, metal, recycled materials, locally sourced material, or any nonedible, 3-D printing feedstock you think would advance human space exploration.
Eating a meal in space goes beyond the actual food itself -- from growing food to devouring it. There are many things to consider, so check out our rules, design guidelines and education resources before to starting your design.
Student winners will receive a range of prizes, including a trip to New York for a tour of the space shuttle Enterprise at the Intrepid Museum with an astronaut, a 3-D printer for the winners’ schools or a "Star Trek" prize pack.
Entries are due May 1, 2016. For more information about the challenge and how to enter, visitwww.futureengineers.org/
Please email questions about this competition to info@futureengineers.org.
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Federal Aviation Administration Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues
The Airport Cooperative Research Program is seeking applicants for its Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues. Through this program, the ACRP strives to encourage applied research on airport and related aviation system issues and to foster the next generation of aviation community leaders. The program is intended to stimulate thought, discussion and research by those who may become the future airport managers, operators, designers and policy makers in aviation. The focus of this research program is on applied research to help the public sector continue to improve the quality, reliability, safety and security of the U.S. civil aviation system well into the foreseeable future.
The Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues will award up to 10 highly qualified applicants, selected by an ACRP panel of experts, a stipend of $10,000 each for successful completion of a research paper on a subject chosen by the candidate within the framework of the program’s purpose.
Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States, or have a current student visa. Each applicant also must be officially enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited North American institution of higher learning for the academic year in a graduate course leading to a master’s or doctoral degree. Proof of both may be required.
Applications are due May 15, 2016.
For more information, visit http://www.trb.org/ACRP/
The ACRP Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues is sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration. Creating a selection panel, monitoring research progress, organizing a forum for presentation, and publishing the research papers are the responsibility of the ACRP of the Transportation Research Board. The Virginia Space Grant Consortium will manage the Graduate Research Award program under the ACRP’s direction.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to acrp@odu.edu.
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NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellowships
The NASA Postdoctoral Program provides early-career and more senior scientists the opportunity to share in NASA's mission. NPP Fellows work on one- to three-year assignments with NASA scientists and engineers at NASA centers and institutes to advance NASA's missions in Earth science, heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics, space bioscience, aeronautics, engineering, human exploration and space operations, astrobiology, and science management.
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 they 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 https://npp.usra.edu/.
Please direct questions about this fellowship opportunity to npphelp@usra.edu.
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Help NASA Study Mars -- Planet Four: Terrains
Help NASA study exotic landscape features near the south pole of Mars! In this citizen science project, you'll view images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Context Camera. Your input will help scientists identifypossible areas for even more detailed examination with the orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera. HiRISE can reveal more detail than any other camera ever put into orbit around Mars.
Some of Mars resembles deserts on Earth, but seasonal freezing and thawing of carbon-dioxide ice (known on Earth as "dry ice") at the Martian poles creates some unusual landscape features. There’s a lot of territory to cover, so scientists need your help identifying what and where these features are.
For more information and to learn how to participate, visit the "Planet Four: Terrains" website athttps://www.zooniverse.org/#/
To learn more about NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and its mission at the Red Planet, visithttp://mars.nasa.gov/mro/.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Whitney Clavin at whitney.clavin@jpl.nasa.gov.
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Call for Submissions -- NASA Announcement for High Impact / Broad Implementation STEM Education Partnerships (EDUCATION01SP16)
The NASA Headquarters Office of Education, in cooperation with the agency’s four mission directorates, nine center education offices, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) education office, announces this competition to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Responses must be submitted electronically via the NASA data system NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com).
NASA Education seeks to partner with eligible domestic or international organizations on a no-exchange-of-funds basis to reach wider and more diverse audiences and to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. The Announcement places a priority on collaboration involving the following: digital learning; engaging underrepresented groups in STEM; NASA-themed STEM challenges; and youth-serving organizations. NASA also is receptive to other creative ideas including, for example, investigations or application of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and design (STEAMD); or activities culturally relevant to or focused on unrepresented in STEM careers populations, such as women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. The announcement explains the criteria used to review responses and NASA’s partnership mechanism known as a no-exchange-of-funds or non-reimbursable Space Act Agreement.
NASA will accept responses on a rolling basis through Dec. 31. 2017.
For more information about this opportunity, visit NSPIRES at http://go.nasa.gov/1RZwWCi.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please direct your questions to the Points of Contact listed within the NASA Announcement.
New This Week!
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Free NASA Educator Professional Development WebinarsAudience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators
Next Event Date: March 31, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
Free Educator Workshop: Journey to M*A*R*S* -- Being Mobile on Mars
Audience: K-12 and Informal Educators
Event Dates: April 6, 2016, 4:30-6 p.m. PDT
Scholarships Available for 2016 U.S. Space & Rocket Center® STEMcon Professional Development Sessions
Audience: STEM Educators of Grades 4-8 in Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri and Tennessee
Application Deadline: April 8, 2016
Teacher Advisors Needed: NASA / WGBH's 'Bringing the Universe to America's Classrooms' Initiative
Audience: K-12 Educators
Application Deadline: April 11, 2016
2016 International Space Apps Challenge
Audience: Problem Solvers of All Ages
Event Dates: April 22-24, 2016
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PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…
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STEM@NASA Goddard: Women's History MonthAudience: All Educators and Students
Next Event Date: March 31, 2016, at 1 p.m. EST
2016 International Summer School in AstrobiologyAudience: Graduate Students Studying at U.S. Institutions
Application Deadline: March 31, 2016
Summer School Dates: June 20-24, 2016
International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids ExploratoryResearch ExperimentsAudience: Grade 8-12 Educators and Students
Entry Deadline: April 1, 2016
2016 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science TeachingAudience: All Educators and Students
Nomination Deadline: April 1, 2016
Astrobiology Graduate Conference 2016Audience: Astrobiology Graduate Students
Application Deadline: April 1, 2016
Conference Dates: July 24-27, 2016
2016 Fellowship in Aerospace History
Audience: Recent Recipients of the Ph.D. in History or a Closely Related Field, or Students in Programs Granting Doctoral Degrees in Those Fields
Application Deadline: April 1, 2016
2016 NASA Fellowship in the History of Space Technology
Audience: Recent Recipients of the Ph.D. in History of Technology or a Closely Related Field, and Students Pursuing Doctoral Degrees in Those Fields
Application Deadline: April 1, 2016
Earth Observatory's Tournament Earth 2016Audience: All Educators and Students
Competition Dates: Through April 1, 2016
Free Tours of Facilities at NASA's Glenn Research CenterAudience: All Educators and Students
Next Event Date: April 2, 2016
Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy
Audience: Designed for Families With Children Ages 10 to 14, but Open to All
Next Event Date: April 2, 2016, 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. EST
GLOBE El Niño Field Campaign and Webinar Series Audience: K-12 Educators
Next Webinar Date: April 6, 2016, at 8 p.m. EDT
2016 History of Science Society Fellowship in the History of Space Science
Audience: Recent Recipients of the Ph.D. in History of Science or a Closely Related Field, or Students in Programs Granting Doctoral Degrees in Those Fields
Application Deadline: April 6, 2016
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Education GrantsAudience: State and Local Education Agencies, Colleges and Universities, Non-profit Organizations, Tribal Education Agencies, and Non-Commercial Educational Broadcasting Companies.
Application Deadline: April 8, 2016
Family Day Events at Smithsonian's Air and Space MuseumAudience: All Educators and Students
Next Event Date: April 9, 2016
Early Career Fellowships for Planetary Science Researchers
Audience: Higher Education Students
Proposal Deadline: Various Dates Depending on Specific Program
Sally Ride EarthKAM @ Space Camp Announces Spring 2016 MissionAudience: K-12 and Informal Educators
Mission Date: April 12-16, 2016
NASA/NSTA Webinar -- Global Precipitation Measurement Mission: WatershedsAudience: K-12 Educators
Event Date: April 13, 2016, 6:30 p.m. EDT
NASA TechPort Request for InformationAudience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Feedback Deadline: April 14, 2016
Host a Real-Time Conversation With Crew Members Aboard the International Space Station
Audience: All Educators
Proposal Deadline: April 15, 2016
2016 LiftOff Summer InstituteAudience: K-12 Educators
Application Deadline: April 15, 2016
Institute Dates: June 26-July 1, 2016
Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational UseAudience: Educational Institutions, Museums and Other Education Organizations
Future Engineers 'Star Trek' Replicator ChallengeAudience: Students in the United States Ages 5-19
Entry Deadline: May 1, 2016
Federal Aviation Administration Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation IssuesAudience: Graduate Students
Application Deadline: May 15, 2016
NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellowships
Audience: Graduate Students and Ph.D. Scientists
Next Application Deadline: July 1, 2016
Help NASA Study Mars -- Planet Four: Terrains
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Timeframe: Ongoing Through Mid-2016
Call for Submissions -- NASA Announcement for High Impact / Broad Implementation STEM Education Partnerships (EDUCATION01SP16)
Audience: Education Institutions and Organizations
Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis Through Dec. 31, 2017
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Don't miss out on upcoming NASA education opportunities.
For a full list of events, opportunities and more, visit the Educator and Student Current Opportunity pages on NASA's website:
-- Educators http://www.nasa.gov/audience/
-- Students http://www.nasa.gov/audience/
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/
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NEW THIS WEEK!
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Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.
Virtual Missions and Exoplanets (vMAX): Part 2 - Technical Overview
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: March 31, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
Learn how to engage students in the study of exoplanetary systems through hands-on experiences, scenario-based problem solving, and 3-D multi-user virtual world simulations with the Virtual Missions and Exoplanets curriculum. This webinar addresses technical requirements to download, install, and navigate the virtual world as an avatar in preparation for using the vMAX virtual world with students. It is suggested that participants also attend the vMAX Curriculum (Part 1) webinar for a complete understanding of how to implement these resources. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/
Air and Space -- Airplanes and Rockets: Exploring the Extreme
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-8
Event Date: April 4, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will get an overview of NASA’s Exploring the Extreme educator guide. Discussions will focus on hands-on activities to teach about force and motion. The activities presented in this webinar address the Next Generation Science Standard PS2. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/
Air and Space -- Airplanes and Rockets: Principles of Flight
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades Pre-K - 12
Event Date: April 5, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will learn about the principles of flight and the four forces of flight while using NASA's Museum in the Box curriculum. Participants also will learn about current research going on at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/
Virtual Missions and Exoplanets (vMAX): Part 1 -- Curriculum Overview
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: April 6, 2016, at 4 p.m. EDT
With the Virtual Missions and Exoplanets curriculum, learn how to engage students in the study of exoplanetary systems through hands-on experiences, scenario-based problem solving, and 3-D multi-user virtual world simulations. This webinar provides an overview of exoplanetary system resources that build upon the use of NASA data. These resources are organized for a one-week experience for middle school students but are flexible enough to be used for any formal or informal audience and time period. It is suggested that participants also attend the vMAX Technical (Part 2) webinar for a complete understanding of how to implement these resources. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/
Virtual Missions and Exoplanets (vMAX): Part 2 -- Technical Overview
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: April 7, 2016, at 4 p.m. EDT
With the Virtual Missions and Exoplanets curriculum, learn how to engage students in the study of exoplanetary systems through hands-on experiences, scenario-based problem solving, and multi-user virtual world simulations in 3-D. This webinar addresses technical requirements to download, install and navigate the virtual world as an avatar in preparation for using the vMAX virtual world with students. It is suggested that participants also attend the vMAX Curriculum (Part 1) webinar for a complete understanding of how to implement these resources. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/
For a full schedule of upcoming webinars, visit http://www.txstate-epdc.net/
Please direct questions about this series of webinars to Steve Culivan at stephen.p.culivan@nasa.gov.
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Free Educator Workshop: Journey to M*A*R*S* -- Being Mobile on Mars
Are you ready to go on a Journey to Mars? Join NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Office of Education for a free educator professional development workshop on Being Mobile on Mars. Through hands-on experiments and physical demonstrations, educators will learn how to design and construct a rover for Mars using the Beginning Engineering Science & Technology, or BEST, curriculum and the engineering design process.
Participants will engage in hands-on, standards-aligned mathematics, science and engineering activities as they construct a rover, predict its performance and chance of mission success, and test drive it. Learn about real-world connections with NASA research and our Journey to Mars.
The workshop will take place Wednesday, April 6, 2016, 4:30-6 p.m. PDT at NASA’s Armstrong Educator Resource Center at the AERO Institute in Palmdale, California.
For more information, visit http://aeroinstitute.org/
Please direct questions about this workshop to Sondra Geddes at sondra.l.geddes@nasa.gov.
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Scholarships Available for 2016 U.S. Space & Rocket Center® STEMcon Professional Development Sessions
The U.S. Space & Rocket Center® is offering scholarships to educators to attend a four-day professional development session featuring NASA-focused STEM content and resources. Applicants must live in the five-state region served by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The states included are Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri and Tennessee.
STEMcon provides 32 hours of intensive classroom, laboratory and training time. During the program, educators participate in astronaut-style training and simulations, along with activities designed to promote lifelong learning. All lessons and activities correlate to Next Generation Science Standards and other national standards and are ready to use in various educational settings.
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the NASA Competitive Program for Science Museums and Planetariums. The scholarship includes tuition, meals, lodging, lesson materials and a stipend to help offset travel expenses.
STEMcon sessions will take place June 2-5, 2016, (arrival June 1; departure June 5), and July 8-11, 2015, (arrival July 7; departure July 11).
STEMcon applications are due April 8, 2016.
For more information and to access the online application, visit http://rocketcenter.com/
Please direct questions about the 2016 STEMcon opportunity to education@spacecamp.com.
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Teacher Advisors Needed: NASA / WGBH's 'Bringing the Universe to America's Classrooms' Initiative
Public Broadcasting Station WGBH/Boston, supported by a NASA cooperative agreement, is developing new instructional models and digital media tools for STEM classrooms. WGBH is looking for 50 K-12 educators to act as advisors in the development of the new resources.
Teacher Advisors will work with media producers and education researchers to design new ways to engage students around topics in Earth, space and physical sciences. The main activity will center on the evaluation and testing of instructional modules that incorporate cutting-edge scientific data digital media tools (e.g., data visualizations, interactives, virtual field trips, etc.) and address educational standards.
Applicants must be full-time K-12 educators (U.S. or U.S. territories) currently teaching topics in Earth, physical and/or space science. Eligible candidates must have a passion for using digital technology and media and a desire to gain instructional design experience.
Applications are due April 11, 2016.
For more information and to access the online application, visit http://www.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to carolyn_jacobs@wgbh.org.
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2016 International Space Apps Challenge
NASA and space agencies around the world are preparing for the fifth annual International Space Apps Challenge, which will be held April 22-24, 2016. Participants will develop mobile applications, software, hardware, data visualization and platform solutions that could contribute to space exploration missions and help improve life on Earth.
This year's challenge kicks off with a boot camp event on April 22 that will be live-streamed globally. The two-day “code-athon” event will follow on April 23-24. It will be hosted locally at over 193 locations spanning 72 countries. More than 200 data sources, including data sets, data services and tools, will be available. This event will bring tech-savvy citizens, scientists, entrepreneurs, educators and students together to help solve challenges relevant to both space exploration and broader subjects that impact life on Earth.
Registration for citizen participation is now open.
To learn more about the International Space Apps Challenge, get the latest updates and register to attend an event, visit https://2016.
If you have questions about the challenge, please visit https://2016.
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PREVIOUSLY PROMOTED OPPORTUNITIES…
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STEM@NASA Goddard: Women's History Month
Join NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center for the final “STEM@NASA Goddard: Women’s History Month” event! On Thursday, March 31, 2016, at 1 p.m. EDT, the Goddard Office of Education will celebrate Women’s History Month by highlighting women in STEM. Women from across Goddard will share how they practice science, technology, engineering and mathematics -- through their research, missions, career and the like -- with participating schools and other groups.
The 30-minute program will be streamed live on UStream, and participants will be able to interact with the guest speakers by submitting questions through email and Twitter.
To view the programs on Ustream, visit http://www.ustream.tv/channel/
For more information or to express interest in participating, please contact Erin McKinley aterin.e.mckinley@nasa.gov.
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2016 International Summer School in Astrobiology
The 2016 International Summer School in Astrobiology will be held at the summer campus of the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo, Palacio de la Magdalena, in Santander, Spain, on June 20-24, 2016.
This year’s theme will be "Earth Analog Environments and the Search for Life Beyond the Earth." The school will provide an interdisciplinary examination of the chemical, physical and geological properties of potential extraterrestrial habitats and an in-depth description and analysis of sites on Earth with similar characteristics. In particular, lectures and activities will consider icy satellites, rocky planets in the solar system, extreme Earth environments, and terrestrial exoplanets.
The NASA Astrobiology Institute is offering scholarships that cover travel costs, school fees, accommodations and meals. To be eligible to apply for these scholarships, applicants must be graduate students studying at U.S. institutions.
Applications are due March 31, 2016.
For more information, visit http://nai.nasa.gov/uimp/2016-
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Edward Goolish at edward.goolish@nasa.gov.
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International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids ExploratoryResearch Experiments
NASA and Portland State University are seeking participants for the International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids Exploratory Research Experiments, or CELERE. This design challenge enables students to participate in microgravity research on capillary action, similar to that conducted on the space station.
Teams or individuals create their own experiment using computer-aided design with a provided template and submit short proposals presenting the experiments. Portland State University then manufactures test cells using the CAD drawings and a computer-controlled laser cutter. Each experiment is conducted in a drop tower. Video of the drop is provided for student analysis and reporting of results.
CELERE is open to individuals and teams in grades 8-12. To facilitate the participation of informal science clubs, Scouts, etc., teams may include younger students as long as at least one team member is in grades 8-12. Teams may be of any size and may include an entire class or science club. The program is limited to students from the U.S., including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Students at Department of Defense Education Activity schools (www.dodea.edu), including those outside the U.S., are also eligible to participate.
The CELERE design challenge is a relatively new program and, as a result, the odds of selection are quite high. In 2014 and 2015, 100 percent of the entries were selected for full participation, where the student experiments were built and tested in microgravity. In 2016, selection of at least one qualifying entry is guaranteed from each state and listed territory, at least one DODEA school, and at least one Bureau of Indian Education school (http://bie.edu/). Students are strongly encouraged to apply!
Design proposals are now being accepted. Submissions are due April 1, 2016.
For more information about this opportunity, visit http://spaceflightsystems.grc.
If you have questions about this opportunity, please email your inquiries to the CELERE team atcelere@lists.nasa.gov.
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2016 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
The National Science Foundation currently is accepting nominations and applications for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching program. PAEMST is the highest recognition that a teacher of K-12 mathematics or science (including computer science) may receive for outstanding teaching in the United States. Since 1983, more than 4,400 teachers have been recognized for their contributions to mathematics and science education. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in the improvement of mathematics and science education. Up to 108 awardees may be recognized each year.
Presidential awardees receive a certificate signed by the President of the United States; a trip for two to Washington, D.C., to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities; and a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation. The National Science Foundation administers PAEMST on the behalf of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
The PAEMST program is open to outstanding mathematics and science teachers in the 50 states and the four U.S. jurisdictions (Washington, D.C.; Puerto Rico; Department of Defense education activity schools; and the U.S. territories as a group). Anyone -- principals, teachers, parents, students or members of the public -- may nominate a teacher by completing the nomination form available on the PAEMST website. Teachers also may apply directly. Teachers from groups underrepresented in STEM teaching and learning are encouraged to apply.
Nominations for elementary school teachers (grades K-6) are due April 1, 2016. Secondary school teachers (grades 7-12) are eligible to apply in 2017.
For more information, visit http://www.paemst.org/.
Please email any questions about this opportunity to info@paemst.org.
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Astrobiology Graduate Conference 2016
The next Astrobiology Graduate Conference, AbGradCon 2016, will be held at the University of Colorado in Boulder on July 24-27, 2016. This conference is run by graduate students for other graduate students and early career scientists with the purpose of having conference attendees share their astrobiology-related research, collaborate with their peers, and make new professional connections in a low-pressure setting.
Conference attendees share their research by presenting a 15-minute talk or presenting a poster (though talks are preferred). Topics to be covered include astrochemistry, exoplanet research, planetary science, geobiology, computer science, origins of life research, and aerospace engineering. The conference culminates with a field trip to a site relevant to astrobiology. This year's conference attendees will visit Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison, Colorado. A Public Speaking Workshop will be held as an alternative for those who do not want to participate in the field trip.
Attendees also have the option of joining, separate from the conference, the Research Focus Group workshop that will take place July 22-24 in Estes Park, Colorado. The RFG is a proposal-writing workshop targeted at developing better fundable proposals for research.
Food and lodging for conference attendees will be covered by the conference. We also expect to be able to cover most travel costs for attendees.
Applications are due April 1, 2016.
For more information, visit http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/
Please direct questions about this opportunity to abgradcon@gmail.com.
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2016 Fellowship in Aerospace History
The Fellowship in Aerospace History, offered by the American Historical Association and supported by NASA, seeks applications for a predoctoral or postdoctoral fellowship related to the history of aerospace. The selected fellow will have the opportunity to engage in significant and sustained advanced research in all aspects of the history of aerospace from the earliest human interest in flight to the present. These areas will include cultural and intellectual history; economic history; history of law and public policy; and the history of science, engineering and management.
The fellowship carries a stipend of $20,000 for a six- to nine-month fellowship. Funds may not be used to support tuition or fees.
The fellowship is open to applicants who hold a doctoral degree in history or in a closely related field, or applicants who are enrolled in and have completed all course work for a program granting doctoral degrees in those fields.
Applications are due April 1, 2016.
For detailed information on the fellowship and the application process, visit http://www.historians.org/
Please direct questions about this opportunity to awards@historians.org.
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2016 NASA Fellowship in the History of Space Technology
The NASA Fellowship in the History of Space Technology, offered by the Society for the History of Technology and supported by the NASA History Program Office, seeks applications for a yearlong predoctoral or postdoctoral fellowship related to the history of space technology. The fellowship may support advanced research related to all aspects of space history, leading to publications on the history of space technology in a broad sense, including cultural and intellectual history, institutional history, economic history, history of law and public policy, and history of engineering and management.
The fellowship carries a stipend of $21,500, paid quarterly. Funds may not be used to support tuition or fees. The NASA fellow also will receive complimentary membership in the Society for the History of Technology for the year of fellowship.
Applicants must possess a doctorate in the history of technology or in a closely related field, or be enrolled as a student in a doctoral degree program and have completed all requirements for the degree (except the dissertation) in history of technology or a related field. Eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens.
Applications are due April 1, 2016.
For detailed information on the fellowship and the application process, visit http://www.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to shotsec@auburn.edu.
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Earth Observatory's Tournament Earth 2016
Thirty-two of the best Earth Observatory images will compete in Tournament Earth 4.0, but only one can be the winner! From Feb. 29 through April 1, 2016, visitors to NASA's Earth Observatory website can vote for their favorite images from 2015, whittling them down each week in a tournament of remote-sensing science. The competition is divided into four categories: data, art, event and photograph.
Voting takes place online, and a printable bracket is available to let you pick your favorites and track your selections as the competition progresses.
To get started, visit http://earthobservatory.nasa.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Kevin Ward at kevin.a.ward@nasa.gov.
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Free Tours of Facilities at NASA's Glenn Research Center
NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, is offering tours that take visitors behind the scenes and inside certain research facilities. Glenn scientists and engineers serve as guides. Tours and open house events will be held each month through October 2016. Tours are free for groups and individuals, but to guarantee admission, reservations are required. Visitor parking is also free.
On the days of the tours, a bus departs from Glenn's main gate every hour, beginning at 10 a.m. The last tour departs at 1 p.m. Each tour lasts about 45 minutes and is followed by a stop at Glenn's Gift Shop.
Glenn’s 2016 Tour Schedule
April 2, 2016 -- Piloted Control Evaluation Facility and Distributed Engine Control Laboratory: Visit two laboratories that showcase how researchers evaluate propulsion control and aircraft engine control. Tour the Piloted Control Evaluation (Flight Simulator) Facility to see where researchers evaluate the effect of propulsion control on aircraft performance. Visit the Distributed Engine Control Laboratory to learn how NASA evaluates new hardware architectures for aircraft engine control.
May 21-22, 2016 -- Open House at NASA's Glenn Research Center: NASA Glenn is opening its doors to the public for a weekend open house. Visitors will be able to tour many of the center’s world-class facilities and see how the center improves aviation and fosters exploration to benefit everyone on Earth. Visitors also will be able to meet an astronaut and talk with engineers, scientists and technicians who work on space programs. Registration for this event is not required.
June 11-12, 2016 -- Open House at NASA's Plum Brook Station: NASA Glenn is opening the doors of Plum Brook Station in Sandusky, Ohio, to the public for a weekend open house. Visitors will be able to tour the station's world-class facilities and step inside the world’s largest vacuum chamber, which has tested parts of rockets, Mars landers and Orion hardware. Visitors also will be able to meet an astronaut and talk with engineers, scientists and technicians. Registration for this event is not required.
July 9, 2016: Radioisotope Power System, Systems Integration Laboratory: See how NASA emulates the electrical characteristics of a spacecraft system in the Radioisotope Power System, Systems Integration Laboratory. RPS is a source of electricity for NASA space missions from the surface of Mars to the realm of the outer planets.
Aug. 6, 2016 -- 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. 10, 2016 -- Vibration Testing: Join us on a tour of Glenn's Structural Dynamics Laboratory, where things get shaken to verify their survivability. Several experiments that currently are operating on the International Space Station were tested in this lab.
Oct. 1, 2016 -- Prepare for Impact: Come explore Glenn's Ballistic Impact Facility. See the laboratory that helped to identify the cause of the space shuttle Columbia accident and return NASA’s shuttle fleet to flight.
Tours are open to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. To guarantee admission, reservations are required. For more information on tours and how to make reservations, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/
Please direct questions about the tours to Sheila Reese at sheila.d.reese@nasa.gov.
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Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy
Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy, at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, is a free alternate-reality game that will challenge you to become an astronaut-in-training for a future trip to Mars. Choose what role you will play on the mission; engage in fun interactive activities; and explore the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills you will need as a next-generation space traveler. Along the way, you'll learn about some of the museum's fascinating artifacts.
Instructions and guidance are given via a special webpage accessed on your mobile device. Players should bring their own phones or devices equipped with an internet browser and a camera. Having a digital picture-taking device (smartphone, tablet, camera) is highly recommended but not required.
The game is aimed at upper elementary and middle school visitors and their families. Do you want to bring a group? Reservations are required for groups larger than 15.
The next offering of the Astronaut Academy is on April 2, 2016. Begin your training with Astronaut Orientation in the Claude Moore Education Center Classroom 1 located on the first level across from the restrooms. Astronaut Orientation is offered at regular intervals between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The last opportunity to start the game is at 2:30 p.m. A self-guided activity, the game should take between 60 and 90 minutes, and staff will help you along the way.
For more information, including a full list of upcoming Astronaut Academy dates, visithttp://airandspace.si.edu/
Please direct questions about the Smithsonian TechQuest: Astronaut Academy to the visitor service line at 202-633-2214.
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GLOBE El Niño Field Campaign and Webinar Series
El Niño and La Niña are important phenomena that can impact the climate by causing global flooding and droughts as well as changes in seasonal weather. These interactions around the world are called teleconnections. Because of the importance of this issue, a GLOBE ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) Campaign has been formulated to engage students in determining where and how much El Niño affects local places and to put students in contact with their local environment.
To learn more about the campaign and how to participate, visit http://www.globe.gov/web/el-
To help educators prepare for the El Niño Campaign, GLOBE is hosting a series of free education webinars to discuss the mechanics of the campaign, give updates on data collection, and give participants the opportunity to learn science content from experts.
The hourlong webinars will take place on the following dates at 8 p.m. EDT.
April 6, 2016: Surface Temperature and Soil Temperature
April 20, 2016: SMAP Soil Moisture
May 3, 2016: Biometry and Ground Cover
May 17, 2016: The 2015-2016 El Niño Event
June 13, 2016: Using El Niño GLOBE Data for Scientific Research
Sept. 19, 2016: El Niño Student Campaign Refresher and Update
For more information, including log-in instructions for the webinars and recordings of previous webinars in the series, visit http://www.globe.gov/web/el-
Please direct questions about this opportunity and series of webinars to http://www.globe.gov/support/
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2016 History of Science Society Fellowship in the History of Space Science
The Fellowship in the History of Space Science, offered by the History of Science Society and supported by the NASA History Program Office, seeks applications for a nine-month predoctoral or postdoctoral fellowship related to the history of space science. The fellowship may support advanced research related to all aspects of the history of space science, from the earliest human interest in space to the present.
The fellowship carries a stipend of $21,250. Funds may not be used to support tuition or fees.
Applicants must possess a doctorate in history of science or in a closely related field, or be enrolled as a student in a doctoral degree program and have completed all requirements for the degree (except the dissertation) in history of science or a related field. Eligibility is not limited to U.S. citizens or residents.
Applications are due April 6, 2016.
For detailed information on the fellowship and the application process, visit http://hssonline.org/
Please direct questions about this opportunity to info@hssonline.org.
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Education Grants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency seeks proposals for grants to support environmental education projects that promote environmental awareness and stewardship and help people develop the skills to take responsible actions to protect the environment. This grant program provides financial support for projects that design, demonstrate and/or disseminate environmental education practices, methods or techniques.
Entities that are eligible to apply include local education agencies, state education or environmental agencies, colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, noncommercial educational broadcasting entities, and tribal education agencies (including schools and community colleges controlled by an Indian tribe, band or nation). Applicant organizations must be located in the United States or its territories, and the majority of the educational activities must take place in the U.S.; in the U.S. and Canada or Mexico; or in the territories of the U.S.
Applications are due April 8, 2016.
For more information, visit http://www.epa.gov/education/
Please direct questions about this grant opportunity to eegrants@epa.gov.
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Family Day Event at Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum
The Smithsonian's Family Day event series celebrates the diverse ethnic and cultural communities that have contributed to aviation and space exploration. Events will commemorate historic and current contributions through presentations and activities for the entire family. The events are free and open to the public.
Explore the Universe
April 9, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST
National Air and Space Museum in Washington, District of Columbia
People around the world have always looked to the sky, but they don’t always see the same things. Bring your family to experience how different people study the sky and to hear their stories. Learn about telescopes and, if weather permits, do some daytime observations.
http://airandspace.si.edu/
Please direct questions about this event to the Visitor Service line at 202-633-2214.
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Early Career Fellowships for Planetary Science Researchers
The Early Career Fellowship program supports the development of individual research programs of outstanding scientists in the early stages of their careers and stimulates research careers in the areas supported by the Planetary Sciences Division. This program is based on the idea that supporting key individuals is a critical mechanism for impacting science with new concepts, technologies and methods.
This program consists of two components with two different submission procedures: The first is the one-page application to be an "Early Career Fellow," and the second is the subsequent submission of a seven-page proposal for startup funds once selected as an ECF. To be eligible to apply, applicants must have received their Ph.D. (or equivalent degree such as a DPhil) within seven calendar years of the year of the submission of the research proposal.
For consideration as a Fellow (new applicants), submit a proposal to the participating program element by the deadline specified in Tables 2 and 3 in the ROSES Summary of Solicitation. Proposals from Fellows selected in prior years for start-up funds may be submitted at any time in response to this program element.
For complete fellowship details and application procedures, visit http://go.nasa.gov/1MkySUk.
Questions concerning this opportunity may be directed to Doris Daou at Doris.Daou@nasa.gov.
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Sally Ride EarthKAM @ Space Camp Announces Spring 2016 Mission
Registration is open for the Spring 2016 mission for the Sally Ride EarthKAM @ Space Camp program taking place April 12-16, 2016. During the mission, students worldwide may submit requests to have a camera aboard the International Space Station capture an image of a specific location on Earth. Related resources, including images and activities, are available for use in the classroom. The optional online activities are targeted at middle school students but are adaptable for other grade levels. All students and educators are welcome, including participants in afterschool programs.
For more information and to register for the upcoming mission, visit https://www.earthkam.org/.
Please submit questions about the Sally Ride EarthKAM @ Space Camp program viahttps://www.earthkam.org/
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NASA/NSTA Webinar -- Global Precipitation Measurement Mission: Watersheds
Join the National Science Teachers Association for a free interactive webinar to learn about watersheds and NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement, or GPM, mission. The 90-minute session will take place on April 13, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT.
What is a watershed? Why are watersheds important? What are signs of a healthy watershed? Why are some watersheds or water reservoirs losing their water? Topics presented at this webinar will include watershed basics and hands-on investigations students can conduct to monitor their local watershed areas. NASA scientists will give background science information about watersheds and how NASA helps monitor watershed regions.
GPM is an international satellite mission managed by NASA and JAXA (the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) that will provide next-generation observations of rain and snow. The GPM mission will help us learn more about Earth's water and energy cycles, improve the forecasting of extreme events that cause natural disasters, and extend current capabilities of using satellite precipitation information to directly benefit society.
All participants will receive a certificate of participation and 100 Learning Center activity points for attending and completing the post-program evaluation. An archive and presentation slides will be available at the end of the program.
For more information and to register to attend the webinar event, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.
For more information about GPM, visit http://www.nasa.gov/gpm or http://gpm.nasa.gov.
Please email questions about this opportunity to webseminars@nsta.org.
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NASA TechPort Request for Information
NASA is conducting this Request for Information, or RFI, to better understand user needs and identify potential improvements for the NASA Technology Portfolio System (TechPort).
NASA developed TechPort as an agencywide tool to capture detailed information on technology investments that support missions across aeronautics, space exploration and scientific discovery. NASA has used TechPort internally since 2012. Through continuous updates, the system now contains information on more than 840 active projects and more than 7,600 historical records. In February 2015, NASA opened a beta version of TechPort to the public.
To help enhance the TechPort system, NASA is seeking feedback via a short, 18-question survey that takes an estimated 5 to 10 minutes to complete. Feedback may be submitted through April 14, 2016.
To provide feedback, visit https://techport.nasa.gov/rfi.
To visit the NASA TechPort, visit http://techport.nasa.gov/home.
Please direct questions about NASA TechPort and this RFI to hq-techport@mail.nasa.gov.
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Host a Real-Time Conversation With Crew Members Aboard the International Space Station
ARISS-US is now accepting proposals from U.S. schools, museums, science centers and community youth organizations to host an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, or ARISS, contact between Jan. 1 - June 30, 2017. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, ARISS-US is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. Proposals are due April 15, 2016.
Using amateur radio, students can ask astronauts questions about life in space and other space-related topics. Students fully engage in the ARISS contact by helping set up an amateur radio ground station at the school and then using that station to talk directly with a crew member on the International Space Station for approximately 10 minutes. ARISS provides experienced mentors and relies on local amateur radio volunteers to help organizations obtain the technology required to host this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students.
For proposal information and more details such as expectations, proposal guidelines and proposal form, visithttp://www.arrl.org/hosting-
ARISS-US is offered through a partnership between NASA; the American Radio Relay League, or ARRL; and the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, or AMSAT. ARISS was created and is managed by an international working group, including several countries in Europe as well as Japan, Russia, Canada, and the USA.
Questions about this opportunity should be emailed to ariss@arrl.org.
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2016 LiftOff Summer Institute
Registration is now open for the 2016 LiftOff Summer Institute, sponsored by NASA's Texas Space Grant Consortium. This weeklong professional development training for teachers will be held June 26-July 1, 2016, at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. This competitive aerospace workshop emphasizes science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, learning experiences through speakers, hands-on activities and field investigations.
The theme for this year's institute is "Exploration: Past, Present and Future." The event will focus on how NASA is learning from past exploration and current space station research and how it will apply its discoveries to future missions to deep space.
Attendees must be U.S. citizens currently employed as classroom teachers of grades 4-12 with at least one year teaching experience prior to the institute. Texas Space Grant pays all expenses for any Texas teacher selected. Other Space Grant Consortia fund teachers from their states.
Applications are due April 15, 2016.
For more information and to access the online application, visit http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/
If you have questions about the 2016 LiftOff Summer Institute, please email your inquiries to Margaret Baguio at baguio@tsgc.utexas.edu.
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Space Shuttle Thermal Protective Tiles and Blankets Available for Educational Use
NASA invites eligible U.S. educational institutions and museums to request space shuttle thermal protective tiles, space shuttle thermal protective blankets and other special items offered on a first-come, first-serve basis while quantities last. Organizations previously allocated thermal protective tiles may request an additional three tiles.
There will be a nominal shipping fee that must be paid online with a credit card. To make a request for special items online, visit http://gsaxcess.gov/htm/nasa/
Please direct questions about this opportunity to GSAXcessHelp@gsa.gov.
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Future Engineers 'Star Trek' Replicator Challenge
Calling all Starfleet cadets! "Star Trek," the American Society for Mechanical Engineers Foundation and NASA want you to pioneer the future of food in space. Your challenge is to create a digital model of a food-related item for astronauts to 3-D print in the year 2050. We want designs that boldly go where no human has 3-D printed before and that help astronauts eat nutritious meals so they can live long and prosper.
You must specify one of the following locations for your 3-D print: our moon, another planet, another planet’s moon, or a spacecraft beyond low-Earth orbit (explain where it is going and why). You also must specify the intended printing material (feedstock) for your 3-D print. This could be plastic, metal, recycled materials, locally sourced material, or any nonedible, 3-D printing feedstock you think would advance human space exploration.
Eating a meal in space goes beyond the actual food itself -- from growing food to devouring it. There are many things to consider, so check out our rules, design guidelines and education resources before to starting your design.
Student winners will receive a range of prizes, including a trip to New York for a tour of the space shuttle Enterprise at the Intrepid Museum with an astronaut, a 3-D printer for the winners’ schools or a "Star Trek" prize pack.
Entries are due May 1, 2016. For more information about the challenge and how to enter, visitwww.futureengineers.org/
Please email questions about this competition to info@futureengineers.org.
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Federal Aviation Administration Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues
The Airport Cooperative Research Program is seeking applicants for its Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues. Through this program, the ACRP strives to encourage applied research on airport and related aviation system issues and to foster the next generation of aviation community leaders. The program is intended to stimulate thought, discussion and research by those who may become the future airport managers, operators, designers and policy makers in aviation. The focus of this research program is on applied research to help the public sector continue to improve the quality, reliability, safety and security of the U.S. civil aviation system well into the foreseeable future.
The Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues will award up to 10 highly qualified applicants, selected by an ACRP panel of experts, a stipend of $10,000 each for successful completion of a research paper on a subject chosen by the candidate within the framework of the program’s purpose.
Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States, or have a current student visa. Each applicant also must be officially enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited North American institution of higher learning for the academic year in a graduate course leading to a master’s or doctoral degree. Proof of both may be required.
Applications are due May 15, 2016.
For more information, visit http://www.trb.org/ACRP/
The ACRP Graduate Research Award Program on Public Sector Aviation Issues is sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration. Creating a selection panel, monitoring research progress, organizing a forum for presentation, and publishing the research papers are the responsibility of the ACRP of the Transportation Research Board. The Virginia Space Grant Consortium will manage the Graduate Research Award program under the ACRP’s direction.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to acrp@odu.edu.
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NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellowships
The NASA Postdoctoral Program provides early-career and more senior scientists the opportunity to share in NASA's mission. NPP Fellows work on one- to three-year assignments with NASA scientists and engineers at NASA centers and institutes to advance NASA's missions in Earth science, heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics, space bioscience, aeronautics, engineering, human exploration and space operations, astrobiology, and science management.
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 they 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 https://npp.usra.edu/.
Please direct questions about this fellowship opportunity to npphelp@usra.edu.
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Help NASA Study Mars -- Planet Four: Terrains
Help NASA study exotic landscape features near the south pole of Mars! In this citizen science project, you'll view images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's Context Camera. Your input will help scientists identifypossible areas for even more detailed examination with the orbiter's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera. HiRISE can reveal more detail than any other camera ever put into orbit around Mars.
Some of Mars resembles deserts on Earth, but seasonal freezing and thawing of carbon-dioxide ice (known on Earth as "dry ice") at the Martian poles creates some unusual landscape features. There’s a lot of territory to cover, so scientists need your help identifying what and where these features are.
For more information and to learn how to participate, visit the "Planet Four: Terrains" website athttps://www.zooniverse.org/#/
To learn more about NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and its mission at the Red Planet, visithttp://mars.nasa.gov/mro/.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to Whitney Clavin at whitney.clavin@jpl.nasa.gov.
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Call for Submissions -- NASA Announcement for High Impact / Broad Implementation STEM Education Partnerships (EDUCATION01SP16)
The NASA Headquarters Office of Education, in cooperation with the agency’s four mission directorates, nine center education offices, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) education office, announces this competition to improve science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. Responses must be submitted electronically via the NASA data system NSPIRES (http://nspires.nasaprs.com).
NASA Education seeks to partner with eligible domestic or international organizations on a no-exchange-of-funds basis to reach wider and more diverse audiences and to achieve mutually beneficial objectives. The Announcement places a priority on collaboration involving the following: digital learning; engaging underrepresented groups in STEM; NASA-themed STEM challenges; and youth-serving organizations. NASA also is receptive to other creative ideas including, for example, investigations or application of science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and design (STEAMD); or activities culturally relevant to or focused on unrepresented in STEM careers populations, such as women, ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. The announcement explains the criteria used to review responses and NASA’s partnership mechanism known as a no-exchange-of-funds or non-reimbursable Space Act Agreement.
NASA will accept responses on a rolling basis through Dec. 31. 2017.
For more information about this opportunity, visit NSPIRES at http://go.nasa.gov/1RZwWCi.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please direct your questions to the Points of Contact listed within the NASA Announcement.
Note: You received this message due to your subscription to the NASA Education EXPRESS mailing list. If you wish to unsubscribe, go tohttp://www.nasa.gov/education/
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