NC Space Grant News Archives Biology, Space and North Carolina - 13 Jan 2012 The North Carolina Space Grant is partnering with the family of Dr. Tom K. Scott to host a symposium to honor Dr. Scott, Professor Emeritus of Biology at UNC-Chapel Hill. You are invited to attend the Biology, Space and North Carolina symposium on Thursday, February 23, 2012 from 3:30-5:30 pm at the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center. The symposium will feature five scientific presentations from faculty at four area universities (Wake Forest, UNC-Chapel Hill, NC State, and East Carolina). A reception will follow. See this PDF for details. Students: NASA Academy applications are available online - 12 Dec 2011 The 2012 NASA Academy Application is online and available at http://www.AcademyApp.com. This application serves multiple NASA academies; details are available at the link. Relevant deadlines: Dec 1 – Application Launched Jan 23 – Application Deadline Jan 21 – Space Grant Review Begins Jan 27 – Space Grant Review Complete Late February – Selections Complete 2012 NASA / Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory application is available - 12 Dec 2011 Since 2004, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) has offered summer projects to students interested in working on NASA missions or space-related research opportunities. Students participating in the NASA/APL Internship Program work at APL, and make critical contributions to current and future missions or grants. The Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is a not-for-profit center for engineering, research and development. APL is a division of one of the world's premier research universities, Johns Hopkins. The campus is home to 4,100 men and women who work on more than 400 programs that protect our homeland and advance the nation's vision in research and space science. http://www.jhuapl.edu/ourwork/default.asp or http://civspace.jhuapl.edu/index.php. NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEO) accepting applications - 21 Nov 2011 NASA’s Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEO) is accepting applications for summer 2012 faculty fellowships. These fellowship opportunities will prepare faculty members to enable their students to complete senior design projects with potential contribution to NASA Exploration objectives. Faculty will work for 6 to 12 weeks at a NASA field center and incorporate an Exploration project into an existing senior design course or capstone course at their university in the 2012-13 academic year. The Exploration project must be selected from the list and application found at the link above. Deadline: Jan 9, 2012, 5:00 pm EST. HASP Call for Payloads 2012 Released - 06 Oct 2011 The High Altitude Student Platform (HASP) Call for Payloads (CFP) 2012 has been released and application materials are now available on the HASP website 'Participant Info' page and the LaSPACE website 'Opportunities' page. Student groups interested in applying for a seat on the September 2012 flight of HASP should download these materials and prepare an application. A Q&A Teleconference for groups interested in HASP will be held on Friday, November 11, 2011 at 10:00 am (central time). Applications are due on Dec 16, 2011 and selections will be announced by mid-January 2012. See the CFP document for details. CubeSat Launch Initiative Opportunity - 22 Sep 2011 NASA has announced a continuation of an opportunity for small satellite payloads to fly on rockets planned to launch in 2012, 2013 and 2014. CubeSats are a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites. The cube-shaped satellites are approximately four inches long, have a volume of about one quart and weigh less than 3 pounds. CubeSat investigations should be consistent with NASA's Strategic Plan and the Education Strategic Coordination Framework. The research should address aspects of science, exploration, technology development, education or operations. Proposals are due Nov 14. NASA will select payloads by Jan 30, 2012. Details here. Call for ESMD Senior Design Projects, including Lunabotics Mining Competition Projects - 10 Aug 2011 Application info: The endorsement due date for the first round of selections is Sept 6, 2011 at 8:00 AM Eastern. Recipients will be notified by Sept 16, 2011. If funding is available, additional application rounds will be conducted. Factors considered for a project’s approval include endorsement by your state-based Space Grant office, amount requested for each project, number of requests from each state and the NASA Technical Expert’s availability. More details here. UNC-Asheville professor receives NSF grant - 20 Jul 2011 Several years ago the NC Space Grant supported UNC-Asheville chemistry faculty member Sally Wasileski on a New Investigations project. She has now received a large NSF grant for 'Transitioning Students into Chemistry Professionals' and will be the PI. This grant will enhance not just her work, but the educational efforts of the UNCA Chemistry Department in its education of undergraduate chemistry majors. 2011 ESMD Space Grant Faculty Workshop - 21 Jun 2011 The 2011 ESMD Space Grant Faculty Workshop will be held July 27 & 28 at Kennedy Space Center. The workshop will cover the newly developed and tested senior design course Habitats in Extreme Environments. The workshop covers topics such as NASA Systems Engineering Process, senior design projects, and incorporating the NASA Systems Engineering Process into senior design projects. Travel expenses may be reimbursed on a first come first serve basis. More info here. NASA Offers Grants for 2012 University Competitions - 08 Jun 2011 The NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI) is offering opportunities for minority serving institutions to apply for a $5,000 grant to enter the 2012 University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) or Lunabotics Mining Competition. Applications for both competitions are due June 30. USLI challenges students to design, build and launch to an altitude of one mile a reusable rocket with a scientific or engineering payload. Lunabotics students design and build remote controlled robots that can excavate simulated lunar dirt. MICI inspires minority undergraduate students to pursue advanced degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering and math disciplines critical to NASA's future missions. More info here. Faculty: eXploration Habitat (X-Hab) 2012 Academic Innovation Challenge - 16 Mar 2011 The National Space Grant Foundation announces the X-Hab Academic Innovation Challenge, a university level challenge designed to support the NASA Habitat Demonstration Unit and to engage and retain students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The challenge is intended to link with senior and graduate-level design curricula that emphasize hands-on design, research, development and manufacture of functional prototypical subsystems that enable habitation-related functionality for space exploration missions. Approximately 6-8 awards will be made, ranging between $10,000 and $45,000 each. Program and eligibility details: Click here. Proposals due May 6, 2011. NASA Opportunity for Teachers - 12 Jan 2011 NASA announces an exciting professional development internship opportunity for teachers. This unique program, developed by NASA, will offer 32 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) middle and high school teachers a rare opportunity to work beside NASA engineers and mentors during a two-week paid internship focusing on aeronautics modeling and simulation at a NASA facility during July 2011. Applications due March 7, 2011. Details available here. NC Middle School Student Experiment on Space Shuttle Flight - 01 Dec 2010 The National Center for Earth and Space Science Education, in partnership with NanoRacks LLC, is very proud to present the 16 student spaceflight experiments selected to fly aboard STS-134, the final flight of Shuttle Endeavour. 20,000 grade 5 through 12 students across America, in 16 communities, were given the opportunity to participate in the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program. Students from Mendenhall Middle School in Guilford County, NC have a Brine Shrimp Development experiment that has been selected for the flight. NC Space Grant now accepting scholarship/fellowship applications from students - 16 Nov 2010 The North Carolina Space Grant is now accepting scholarship and fellowship applications from students who attend our member institutions. Please visit our website for more information. Applications are due Feb 25, 2011. NASA Kids in Micro-g Challenges Students to Design an Experiment for the International Space Station - 04 Nov 2010 NASA Kids in Micro-g is a student experiment design challenge geared toward grades 5-8. Its purpose is to give students a hands-on opportunity to design an experiment or simple demonstration that could be performed both in the classroom and by astronaut crews aboard the International Space Station. The national winner and five runners-up will have their experiments conducted by the astronauts aboard the International Space Station in the March-May 2011 time frame. Deadline for proposals is Dec. 8, 2010. Details here. NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) Program - 02 Nov 2010 NASA announces a call for graduate fellowship proposals to the NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship (NESSF) program for the 2011-2012 academic year. This call solicits applications from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing Master of Science and Doctoral degrees in Earth and space sciences, or related disciplines. Awards resulting from the competitive selection will be made in the form of training grants to the respective universities. The deadline for NEW applications is February 1, 2011, and the deadline for RENEWAL applications is March 15, 2011. NASA grant to keep N.C.'s aerospace industry booming - 21 Oct 2010 North Carolina teachers will be able to gain hands-on experience with aerospace researchers over the next two years thanks to a $400,000 NASA grant recently awarded to the North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center (SMT Center). This collaborative effort between the SMT Center, Kenan Fellows Program, N.C. Aerospace Initiative, and the N.C. Space Grant will partner 20 teachers with aerospace scientists to gain hands-on experience in aerospace research. From the experience, teachers will develop classroom lessons that incorporate aerospace science and aeronautics. Details here. NASA wants student innovators for 2011 Great Moonbuggy Race - 15 Oct 2010 Four decades after the first NASA lunar rover rolled across the surface of the moon, innovative students are preparing to design and build a new generation of wheeled wonders. Registration is open for the 18th annual NASA Great Moonbuggy Race, set for April 1-2, 2011, in Huntsville, Ala. Participating schools and institutions may register one or two vehicles and teams. Registration closes Feb. 1. Complete rules, vehicle design parameters and registration for the race are available here. 2011 ESMD Space Grant Systems Engineering Paper Competition - 15 Oct 2010 NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) Space Grant Project invites U.S. College and University teams to submit a paper on a project related to one of the ESMD areas; Spacecraft, Propulsion, Lunar and Planetary Surface Systems or Grounds Operations, using a systems engineering approach. The purpose of the ESMD Systems Engineering Paper Competition is to train and develop the highly skilled scientific, engineering, and technical workforce of the future needed to implement the U.S. Space Exploration Policy. Registration deadline is March 7, 2011. Details here. NASA Accepting Applications for Aeronautics Scholarships - 10 Sep 2010 NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate is accepting scholarship applications for the 2011 academic year. The application deadline is Jan. 17, 2011. NASA expects to award 20 undergraduate and 5 graduate scholarships to students in aeronautics or related fields. Undergraduates entering their second year of study will receive up to $15,000 per year for two years, with an opportunity to receive a $10,000 stipend by interning at a NASA research center during the summer. Graduate students will receive up to $35,000 per year for up to three years, with an opportunity to receive a $10,000 stipend interning at a NASA research center for up to two consecutive summers. For details, including how to apply, visit this link. The Final Frontier - A discussion about space history and exploration - 27 Aug 2010 Several panelists recently spoke about space history and the challenges of space exploration with Host Frank Stasio of WUNC-FM's The State of Things. Dan Reichart, associate professor of astrophysics at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill; Marc Lange, Bowman and Gordon Gray Professor of Philosophy at UNC Chapel Hill; Chris Brown, Director of the North Carolina Space Grant Consortium; Todd Boyette, Director of Morehead Planetarium and science fiction writer David Drake joined in a discussion of the wonders of the universe on a program entitled The Final Frontier. FAA Design Competition - 25 Aug 2010 The FAA is offering a Design Competition for Universities for the 2010-2011 academic year. The categories of Airport Operations and Maintenance, Runway Safety/Runway Incursions, Airport Environmental Interactions and Airport Management and Planning embrace many engineering, science, information technology, psychology and management disciplines. The Competition is open to individual and student teams at U.S. colleges and universities (undergraduate and graduate), working under the mentorship of a faculty advisor. Winners earn cash awards and 1st place winners may present their designs at a national aviation venue in summer 2011. A notice of intent is strongly encouraged. The Competition guidelines and many resources are posted here. Second Annual Lunabotics Mining Competition - 23 Aug 2010 NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate is pleased to announce the Second Annual Lunabotics Mining Competition. “Design It, Build It, Dig It” will be held May 23-28, 2011 at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, Kennedy Space Center, Florida. More information about the Lunabotics Mining Competition and the application link are available at: www.nasa.gov/lunabotics and on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/Lunabotics An Open Letter to College Students from Robert Braun, NASA Chief Technologist - 13 Aug 2010 Nearly fifty years ago, President John F. Kennedy spoke to a large college audience and asked them to join him on a grand challenge, one that was chosen not for its simplicity, but for its audacity. In the following seven years, those college students, and thousands of young professionals from around the nation, responded to the President's call. As our next generation of technologists, scientists and engineers, you are this country's future. We need your innovative ideas, your passion, your dedicated efforts, and your technological solutions. What future will you create? Read the full letter here. NC Space Grant Student attends and wins at NASA Robotics Academy - 02 Aug 2010 Taylor Courier, a student at NC State, was sponsored by the NC Space Grant to attend the Robotics Academy at Marshall Space Flight Center this summer. His team won First Place ($1000) in the Team Excellence category of the Marshall Space Flight Center Intern Poster Expo. The project, entitled 'Reconfigurable Computing Telepresence Robot,' involved creating a mobile robotic sensor platform for NASA with hardware level data processing capabilities. His team accomplished this by replacing the electronics and control system of a MARCbot, a military IED detection robot, with a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based control system. See this PDF for details. Moon Rock Mystery - 02 Aug 2010 NC State University’s Chris Brown, associate vice chancellor for research development, a professor of plant biology and the director of N.C. Space Grant has shared space artifacts with hundreds of students, teachers and members of the public over the past seven years. But when he was named to an advisory board for the Nature Science Center, a new wing of the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences scheduled for completion in 2011, Brown says he agreed to turn the Apollo artifacts over to the museum when the new wing opens to “educate and inspire future generations of explorers.” See the full story at the NC State website. CREST-1 University Student Spaceflight Program - STS-134 Flight Opportunity - Time Critical - 08 Jul 2010 The CREST-1 University Student Spaceflight Program (CUSSP), part of the American Aerospace CREST-1 mission, is a time-critical opportunity for university student investigators to conduct experiments on STS-134, the historic last scheduled voyage of the Space Shuttle. Critical Deadline: American Aerospace will accommodate all university student experimenters that reserve their launch opportunity by AUGUST 2, 2010. See the American Aerospace website for additional information. eXploration Habitat (X-Hab) Academic Innovation Challenge - 23 Jun 2010 The National Space Grant Foundation has announced the X-Hab Academic Innovation Competition. This university level competition is designed to engage and retain students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math disciplines. NASA will directly benefit from the competition by sponsoring the development of innovative inflatable loft concepts that could be applied to exploration habitats. The challenge is for senior and graduate level design courses in which students design, manufacture, assemble, and test an inflatable loft that will be integrated onto an existing NASA-built operational hard shell prototype. Computational Model for Mars Tumbleweed Rovers - 21 Jun 2010 Dr. Andre Mazzoleni, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at NC State, has published a paper on research that is sponsored by NC Space Grant. Dr. Mazzoleni and his team developed a computational model for Mars 'tumbleweed rovers,' designed to be propelled by the Martian winds. See the June issue of the 'Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets' and the NC State website. Women in Aerospace Foundation 2010-2011 Scholarship - 09 Jun 2010 The Women in Aerospace Foundation's 2010-2011 scholarship application period is open through June 30, 2010. The program's goal is to encourage young women interested in the aerospace field to pursue higher education degrees in engineering, science or math. See this linkfor how rising juniors and seniors may apply. Summer Internships at LORD Corporation - 17 May 2010 Six students have been awarded summer internships in a joint project between the LORD Corporation and the NC Space Grant. Yawo Amengonu (UNC-Charlotte, Electrical Engineering), Allison Fipps (NC State, Chemistry), Alex Hartl (NC State, Aerospace Engineering), Tim Moore (NC State, Chemical Engineering), Matthew Placke (NC State, Mechanical Engineering) and Jenna Puckett (NC State, Materials Science and Engineering) will work as LORD Corporation employee interns this summer. They will do research on topics of interest to NASA and the LORD Corporation. Space Day Open House May 1 at PARI - 23 Apr 2010 PARI will hold its eleventh annual Space Day Open House from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm on Saturday, May 1, 2010. The general public is invited to attend. Scheduled activities include a discussion of meteorites with PARI President Don Cline at 2:00 PM and planetarium presentations in PARI's StarLab portable planetarium. The event is free to the public with the exception of a minimal fee for attending a planetarium show and for any food or beverages that visitors wish to purchase. You can read more about this event on the PARI website. A Bold Approach for Space Exploration and Discovery - 22 Apr 2010 On Thursday, April 15, in a speech at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, President Obama outlined a bold strategy for human spaceflight that increases the NASA budget by $6 billion over the next five years. His plan (details here) represents an ambitious effort to foster the development of path-breaking technologies; increase the number, scope, and pace of manned and unmanned space missions; make human spaceflight safer and more efficient; and help create thousands of jobs. NCSU Teams Sweep AIAA Undergraduate Competition Category - 12 Apr 2010 NCSU Aerospace Engineering had 54 students at the 61st annual AIAA southeast region student conference. Fourteen universities participated, and the Undergraduate Team Design category was swept by the Wolfpack: 1st place: 'Biologically Inspired Flight Vehicle,' Advisor: Dr. Fuh-Gwo Yuan 2nd place: 'NCSU Aerospace Senior Design Team Air Support,' Advisor: Dr. Andre Mazzoleni 3rd place: 'NCSU Aerospace Senior Design Frictionless Utility Nanoscale Concepts,' Advisor: Dr. Andre Mazzoleni For more information see this link. NASA Space Science Student Ambassadors Program - 01 Apr 2010 NASA is seeking to engage undergraduate and graduate students to conduct activities that are designed to encourage undergraduate and graduate students to participate in NASA’s Space Science educational activities and to help generate excitement about NASA scientific discoveries in space science (astrophysics, planetary science and heliophysics). Students are encouraged to engage new audiences, partners, and members of underserved and/or underrepresented populations, including audiences with special needs. Details can be found at the NASA Space Science Student Ambassador Program website. NASA Planetary Science Summer School - 18 Mar 2010 NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs,recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 22nd Annual Planetary Science Summer School. Two summer sessions will be held (19-23 July and 2-6 August) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. Teams will carry out a mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization review presentation, present it and receive feedback. They will gain an understanding of the life cycle of a robotic space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science. Applications due 1 May 2010. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. http://pscischool.jpl.nasa.gov NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program (USRP) seeking candidates - 04 Feb 2010 The NASA USRP is seeking candidates for the Fall 2010 internships. This is a mentored internship program for undergrad students at 12 NASA Centers and research support facilities across the US. Students majoring in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics will have the opportunity to gain hands-on technical research experiences. Qualifying students must be enrolled at a university in their sophomore, junior or senior year, have at least a 3.0 GPA and be a US citizen. To apply and learn more go to the USRP web site. Fall 2010 Deadline: April 30, 2010 NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program - 15 Jan 2010 The NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program (USRP) is seeking candidates for the Summer 2010 internship session for one more week (Application Deadline – January 22, 2010). The USRP program is a mentored internship for undergraduate students that are offered at all 12 NASA Centers and research support facilities across the United States. For more information or to apply visit the USRP website. UNC-TV to feature PARI on Exploring North Carolina - 13 Jan 2010 On Thursday, January 14th at 8:30 pm and again on Friday, January 15th at 9:30 pm UNC-TV will broadcast an Exploring North Carolina segment on the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI). This new show will feature many of PARI’s recent research and education program developments. NC Space Grant students have participated in internships at PARI for several years. NC Space Grant Student selected as Intern for White House Council on Environmental Quality - 10 Dec 2009 Anup Engineer, a senior in Environmental Technology at NC State University, has been awarded an internship by the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ). Interns are given a wide range of assignments including conducting research, managing incoming inquiries, attending meetings, and writing memos on a variety of environmental issues. They have the opportunity to be involved in groundbreaking projects, working closely with staff from all levels and a variety of backgrounds. NASA Ames Academy for Space Exploration Summer Internships - 03 Dec 2009 The NASA Ames Academy for Space Exploration at the Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA, is seeking undergraduate junior, senior and graduate first year students to apply for a stimulating and immersive 10 week summer internship. See this flyer or the NASA Ames Academy website for more information on how to apply. Applications available for NASA Academies - 24 Nov 2009 NASA Academies are intensive educational programs emphasizing group activities, teamwork, research, and creativity. The 2010 NASA Academy Application for The NASA Academy at Ames Research Center, The NASA Academy at Glenn Research Center, The NASA Lunar and Planetary Science Academy at Goddard Space Flight Center, The NASA Academy at Marshall Space Flight Center, The NASA Propulsion Academy at Marshall Space Flight Center and The NASA Robotics Academy at Marshall Space Flight Center is available online. More information can be found in this PDF. Applications are due Jan 18, 2010. Real-Time Research for Students on the International Space Station - 02 Nov 2009 On November 16, 2009, Painted Lady butterflies will fly aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station (ISS). The butterflies will spend several months in space as part of an exciting experiment to observe their life cycles and behaviors in microgravity. We invite your class to participate! Photos and video will be transmitted back to Earth and made available on the BioEd Online and K8 Science websites. Please share our data and join this investigation in real time. Everything you need to get started is available on BioEd Online. Download the free Teacher's Guide to begin. NASA Undergraduate Internships - 17 Aug 2009 The NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program (USRP) offers undergraduates across the United States mentored internship experiences at NASA Centers and research support facilities. The NASA USRP is NASA’s largest nationwide internship program and is currently seeking candidates for the Spring 2010 and Summer 2010 internship sessions. The USRP Spring internship session is a 15 week experience and the USRP Summer session is a 10 week internship experience. Spring 2010 Deadline – October 23, 2009 Summer 2010 Deadline – January 22, 2010 To apply and learn more visit the USRP website. NASA Seeks Undergrads to Defy Gravity for Science and Engineering - 15 Jul 2009 NASA is offering undergraduate students an opportunity to test experiments in microgravity aboard NASA's 'Weightless Wonder' aircraft. The opportunity gives aspiring explorers a chance to propose, design and fabricate a reduced gravity experiment. Teams will test and evaluate their experiment aboard NASA's reduced gravity airplane, which flies about 30 roller-coaster-like climbs and dips to produce periods of weightlessness and hyper-gravity ranging from 0 g to 2 g. Proposals are due to NASA by Oct. 28. For more information about the Reduced Gravity Education Flight Program or to submit a proposal, email jsc-reducedgravity@nasa.gov, or visit the microgravity website. NASA ESMD Lunar Regolith Excavator Student Competition - 29 Jun 2009 NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate is proud to announce the inaugural Lunar Regolith Excavator Student Competition. It will be held May 25-28, 2010 at the Astronaut Hall of Fame, located at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The purpose of the Lunar Regolith Excavator Student Competition is to engage and retain students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) in a competitive environment which may result in innovative ideas and solutions that could be applied to actual lunar excavation for NASA. More details can be found at the NASA Lunar Regolith Excavator Student Competition website. Airborne Research Experience for Educators Project - 11 Jun 2009 The NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Office of Education, in partnership with the AERO Institute, NASA Teaching From Space Program, and California State University Fullerton, is accepting applications for 10 secondary educators (grades 7-12) who specialize in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, to engage in a six-week Airborne Research Experience for Educators (AREE) from July 6-Aug. 14, 2009. Participants will engage in airborne science research by collecting in-flight sensor data of air, land and sea during flights aboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft. Applications are due June 15, 2009 or until filled. Selected candidates will be notified the week of June 15, 2009. More information at http://www.nserc.und.edu/learning/AREE.html . Direct questions to: shaun.smith@nasa.gov NASA Fall Internship Applications Due June 30, 2009 - 11 Jun 2009 The NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) Fall Internship Application period is now open. Interested students must first go to: http://education.ksc.nasa.gov/esmdspacegrant/ to find ESMD Internship opportunities and the password to access the ESMD Intern Application. Then link to the ESMD Intern Application at: https://secureworkgroups.grc.nasa.gov/esmd-spswg. Applications accepted through June 30, 2009. They must be complete, including transcripts and letters of recommendation. The transcripts and letters of recommendation may be electronically attached to the application or mailed in hard copy. Hard copies must be postmarked no later than June 30, 2009. Complete details are available here. Student and Faculty Awards Announced - 14 May 2009 NC Space Grant recently awarded $733,000 to faculty and students at its eleven affiliate universities. Sixty-two student awards, totaling $276,000, will support undergraduate and graduate students conducting research at their university or at an industrial or NASA center. Thirty-three faculty awards, totaling $457,000, will support research, higher education course development, K-12 professional development and public outreach throughout North Carolina. Microgravity Research Competition - 22 Jan 2009 The Heinlein Prize Trust announces the Microgravity Research Competition to reward innovation in the use of microgravity to advance biotech, nanotech, combustion, metallurgy, and other fields. Sponsored by the Trust and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), the competition offers a $25,000 prize and transportation to and from Low Earth Orbit for the winning experiment aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. See this PDF for details. The Microgravity Research Competition is open to U.S. universities and non-profits organizations with industry partners. The winning team will also get to witness the launch of their experiment from Cape Canaveral, Fla. National Space Grant Presents to Obama Transition Team - 08 Jan 2009 The Obama Transition team invited the National Space Grant Program to DC to give an overview to the team. State directors Yervant Terzian (New York), Mary Sandy (Virginia), Luke Flynn (Hawaii), Bill Hiscock (Montana) and Chris Koehler (Colorado, and Council Chair) worked to assemble the documentation, which is available in PDF format here (2.04MB). NC Space Grant Student's Work on NOVA Episode - 05 Dec 2008 Footage shot by NC Space Grant undergraduate Zena Cardman will be part of a NOVA episode about the Phoenix Lander. She filmed a series of interviews with Dr. Chris McKay of NASA Ames while on Axel Heiberg Island in the high Canadian Arctic, studying some unusual perennial springs. The episode will air nationally on the PBS series NOVA on Tuesday, December 30th. NC Space Grant Students Present at SNCURCS - 02 Dec 2008 The North Carolina Space Grant was well represented at the State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium, held November 22 at Appalachian State University. Of 246 students making poster & oral presentations, 37 were from NC Space Grant universities. Photos from the weekend are available here. UNC-Chapel Hill Physics/Astronomy Student Honored by NASA - 10 Nov 2008 Congratulations to Rebecca Holmes of UNC-Chapel Hill for being selected to attend the opening ceremonies of the International Year of Astronomy event in Paris in January 2009. This is a great honor and achievement! Rebecca is one of forty-six undergraduate and graduate students selected to represent NASA in their local communities as recipients of the agency's International Year of Astronomy (IYA) Student Ambassadors Program. Only two students were chosen to attend the opening ceremonies of an IYA event in Paris in January 2009. 2008/2009 AIAA Foundation Undergraduate Team Space Design Competition - 16 Oct 2008 The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has announced a design competition for undergraduate teams. The topic is “Design of an Integrated Crew Health Care System for Lunar Outpost Missions.” Diagnostic tools will be utilized as part the health care system in long-term missions to the moon. Student teams are invited to submit proposals directed at identification of critical, technical problem areas [See this RFP (MS Word format)]. Submission of class projects is encouraged, and entries must be received by June 12, 2009. NC Space Grant Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarship/Fellowship Opportunities - 13 Oct 2008 Each year the North Carolina Space Grant solicits proposals and applications from students to participate in Scholarship and Fellowship programs. The application period has begun; students must attend a North Carolina Space Grant member university to qualify. For more information on how to apply, visit the undergraduate/graduate student Scholarship and Fellowship page. NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) Senior Design Project Grants - 02 Oct 2008 NC Space Grant anticipates supporting three student teams from its member institutions to participate in the NASA ESMD Senior Design Project. The maximum award available per student design team is $2,000. Funds can be used to support student senior engineering design projects (i.e., to buy materials, build prototypes, etc.) or to bring in subject matter experts to consult with the students. Projects must be chosen from the list found on the ESMD Space Grant Program website. Application information is available here. Proposals must be submitted in PDF format to jcook@ncspacegrant.org by October 22, 2008. NASA Undergrad Internships at Johnson Space Center - 05 Sep 2008 NASA's Johnson Space Center is offering internship opportunities for undergraduate students who are pursuing bachelor’s degrees in Engineering, Science or Systems Engineering (STEM related fields). Interns will work at NASA JSC a minimum of 15 weeks during the Spring or Fall semester. The program will: Build a strong relationship between universities, students, and NASA JSC Provide hands-on career exploration opportunities Provide work exposure to the aerospace industry Encourage interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields Train and develop students for employment in the aerospace industry See this PDF for information on how to apply. NASA Announces Competitive Grant Programs - 22 Jul 2008 WASHINGTON -- NASA's Office of Education at headquarters in Washington has announced three new extramural funding opportunities that could result in the award of grants or cooperative agreements. The three areas are: K-12 Competitive Grants, Global Climate Change Education, and a competitive program for science museums, science-technology centers and planetariums to enhance programs related to space exploration, aeronautics, space science, Earth science or microgravity. More information can be found in this PDF and at this NASA site. Space Science Is for Everyone: Creating and Using Accessible Resources in Educational Settings - 22 Jul 2008 Over the past seven years, the Southeast Regional Clearinghouse convened seven highly successful 'Exceptional Space Science Materials for Exceptional Students' workshops. This PDF of hints and resources is based on the workshops, the expertise of the participants and product testing in classrooms around the United States following the workshops. Jobi Cook, Associate Director of the NC Space Grant, contributed to the informal education portion of the document. UNC-Charlotte Students Launch SkyMiner2 Near-Spacecraft - 06 Jun 2008 The SkyMiner-2 near-spacecraft was successfully launched from the Monroe, NC airport on April 20th. It reached an altitude of 80,000 feet, took some fabulous pictures (sample image) and gathered meteorological data. The mission reached a successful conclusion when the spacecraft landed via parachute about 70 miles downrange. A team of students from UNC – Charlotte, led by Dr. John Chadwick, had a great adventure, and learned a lot about engineering, meteorology, and remote sensing. Dr. Yogendra Kakad and the North Carolina Space Grant provided support for the project. DeJarnette Provides Valuable Research for NASA Space Shuttle Replacement - 15 May 2008 Dr. Fred DeJarnette, professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, received a grant in 2001 from NASA Langley, and has been working to develop computer code to calculate heating rates over hypersonic vehicles. These calculations will enable the development of predictive and uncertainty techniques to improve NASA's ability to design, test, operate and maintain future hypersonic vehicles. NASA releases 'Fifty Years of Exploration and Discovery' - 26 Feb 2008 NASA has released a new book entitled 'Fifty Years of Exploration and Discovery' (Click on this article's title to view). NASA's anniversary is this coming November so be sure to watch out for all the NASA special events later this year. The National Space Grant ad is on the 74th page of the publication which happens to be page number 72. You can download a PDF version of the publication via the 'Tools' menu. Teachers: Bring Robotics into the Classroom! - 10 Jan 2008 A one-week summer workshop for twelve Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teachers from grades 6-12 will be offered at the University of North Carolina Pembroke from June 23-27, 2008, with 2 follow-up sessions during the academic year. The workshop, which is sponsored by NASA and the North Carolina Space Grant Consortium, will be on 'Bringing Robotics into the Classroom'. Each teacher will receive a $400 stipend and a $300 Lego Robotic kit for their school. Click on the title above for a link to more information. Dr. Jose’ D’Arruda Department of Physics University of North Carolina Pembroke Pembroke, NC 28372 910-521-6423 jose@uncp.edu NC Space Grant/State of NC Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium - 20 Dec 2007 The NC Space Grant held its Fall meeting of the Board of Directors and Advisory Council in conjunction with the State of NC Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium. NC Space Grant student scholarship and fellowship recipients attended a dinner meeting and speech on November 16th. The next day they did group and poster presentations to symposium attendees. NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program Opportunities - 13 Dec 2007 NASA's Undergraduate Student Research Program is currently accepting applications for 10-week summer 2008 internships. These internships offer students the opportunity to work with NASA scientists and engineers at NASA's centers, laboratories and test facilities. Applicants must be U.S. college sophomores, juniors or seniors with majors or course work concentration in engineering, mathematics, computer science, or physical or life sciences. Applicants must be U.S. citizens. The application deadline for the summer 2008 session is Jan. 31, 2008. For more information see: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/programs/Undergraduate_Student_Research_Project.html NC Space Grant Students Receive Awards from Astronaut Scholarship Foundation - 13 Dec 2007 Astronaut members of the ASF have visited NC Space Grant affiliate campuses to personally present scholarship checks to the new scholarship recipients (http://astronautscholarship.org/2007_presentations.html). Astronaut Scholarships are awarded to college students who exhibit exceptional performance, initiative and creativity in the science or engineering field of their major. While scholarship recipients must display intellectual daring, the Foundation also looks for well-rounded students who are involved in campus and community activities. Among the most prestigious national scholarships awarded for science and engineering students, the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation has disbursed nearly $2.5 million in scholarships to 226 students nationwide since its inception in 1985. NCSU Students Receive Awards from Astronaut Scholarship Foundation - 15 Oct 2007 On October 4th, Ryan Going and Adam Young each received a $10,000 scholarship from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. Former Space Shuttle commander Bob Crippen made the presentations at a ceremony on the NC State University Campus. NASA/USRP Offers Spring Session at NASA Centers - 25 Sep 2007 The NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program (USRP) will offer a 15-week spring session in addition to the usual 10-week summer and 15-week fall sessions for 2008. In addition to rising juniors and seniors, USRP will also be open to rising sophomores. Students will receive a $9,000 stipend for the 15-week spring and fall sessions, and $6,000 for the 10-week summer session, plus round trip travel. The application deadline for the spring session is October 22, 2007; the summer session application deadline is January 31, 2008 and the fall application deadline is February 29, 2008. Visit the USRP website for program information and to apply: http://education.nasa.gov/usrp ESMD Space Grant Faculty Project - 04 Sep 2007 NASA’s ESMD (Exploration Systems Mission Directorate) has partnered with the National Space Grant Consortia to offer ten university faculty an opportunity to spend a total of 5 weeks at a NASA Center. Selected faculty will receive a $7500 stipend for their participation. Model Rocketry Contest - 30 Aug 2007 The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) is sponsoring the Team America Rocketry Challenge. The Team America Rocketry Challenge, the world’s largest rocket contest, was created in 2002 to encourage middle and high school students to study math and science and pursue careers in aerospace. This year’s challenge is to design, build, and fly a one-stage model rocket carrying two raw eggs to an altitude of 750 feet, keep it aloft for 45 seconds and return it safely to the ground with the 2 raw eggs unbroken. Registration begins September 5, 2007 and is open to all US schools and non-profit youth organizations. To register and sign up for exciting updates, visit: www.rocketcontest.org . Tomato Seeds in Space - 14 Aug 2007 Transgenic tomato seeds from NC State are aboard the Space Shuttle and will be transferred to the International Space Station in the next few days. The seeds are modified to have a weaker response to gravity. They will grow in special chambers on the ISS, and similar seeds will grow on Earth. The seed growth characteristics will then be compared. The seeds were developed by Dr. Mariya Khodakovskaya, a post-doctoral researcher in the laboratory of Dr. Heike Winter Sederoff, assistant professor of plant biology. Through the Agronauts program, elementary school children can observer the seeds as they germinate and grow in space. See http://www.ncsu.edu/project/agronauts/ for details. Research Corporation Annouces Funding Opportunity for Faculty - Cottrell Scholars Award - 18 May 2007 Research Corporation's Cottrell Scholar program awards $100,000 to U.S. and Canadian universities to further the teaching and research of faculty members in Ph.D.-granting astronomy, chemistry, and physics departments. Funds may be used at the discretion of the awardee for most direct costs, with limitations on the range of acceptable expenditures. Deadline(s): 09/03/2007 Link to full program description: http://www.infoed.org/new_spin/spin_prog.asp?12907 Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) seeks a RF Electronics Engineer - 14 May 2007 The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) seeks an RF engineer to lead the institute's efforts in receiver development for radio astronomy. Duties will include specifying and characterizing hardware requirements, communicating with potential vendors, testing receiver components, and integration and testing of receiver systems. The engineer will also design and build ancillary analog circuits. These efforts will be carried out in collaboration with visiting university scientists. For qualification requirements and other information regarding this postition, contact Dr. Dave Clavier at 828-862-5554 or dclavier@pari.edu. NC Space Grant Awards $779,726 to faculty and students - 16 Apr 2007 NC Space Grant recently awarded $779,726 to faculty and students at its 11 affiliate universities. Sixty-one student awards, totaling $263,500, will support undergraduate and graduate students conducting research at their university or at a NASA center. Thirty-three faculty awards, totaling $516,226, will support research, higher education course development, K-12 professional development and public outreach throughout NC. NC Space Grant Students from UNC-P Receive Award at Professional Meeting - 05 Mar 2007 Jason York and Michael Everhart, two NC Space Grant students from UNC-Pembroke, presented their research titled 'More CCD Photography in a Small College Observatory' at the North Carolina chapter of the American Association of Physics Teachers meeting in Greensboro, March 2-3, 2007. Their project won 'Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation' at the meeting; they received a monetary award for their achievement. NC Space Grant Fellowship and Scholarship Application Deadline Extended - 16 Feb 2007 Online applications for Fellowship and Scholarship Awards will be accepted through February 19, 2007. Please visit the weblink for each program area for details. NC Space Grant/J. Donald Cline Astronomy Scholarship - 08 Jan 2007 Mr. J. Donald Cline, founder and president of the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI), is an engineer and successful businessman who has a strong interest in attracting young people to careers in science, and a lifelong commitment to providing opportunities for students to learn and grow. To underscore Mr. Cline’s commitment to this approach, the Cline Scholarship includes support for two years of academic study, as well as two summer research experiences at PARI. The student must supply the passion, excitement and commitment to expand this learning opportunity beyond the bounds of a typical college experience. The NC Space Grant/J. Donald Cline Scholarship will provide the means for the student to be successful. NC Space Grant Announces Funding Opportunities for 2007-08 - 29 Nov 2006 Applications are now available for the NC Space Grant Fellowship and Scholarship programs. Students (current or entering) at NC Space Grant member universities who are pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are eligible to apply. NC Space Grant is also soliciting proposals from faculty at its member institutions to promote research, education, and understanding of complex aero/space-related issues. NASA Announces New Student Aeronautics Competition - 10 Oct 2006 NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate has announced a new aeronautics competition for high school and college students. High School students are challenged to put themselves 50 years into the future to describe how air transportation systems have evolved with vehicles flying at various speeds. College students are invited to propose solutions for complex technical problems in hypersonic and supersonic flight; subsonic fixed and rotary wing transports; or Mars entry, descent, and landing. NASA Seeks Undergraduates to Experiment in Lunar and Zero Gravity - 06 Oct 2006 NASA is seeking college undergraduates interested in performing reduced gravity experiments onboard the agency's modified DC-9 'Weightless Wonder' aircraft to submit proposals by October 30. This year, the Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program is giving teams the chance to research, design, fabricate, fly and evaluate reduced gravity experiments for lunar gravity. New Aeronautics Competition for the 2006-2007 Academic Year - 28 Sep 2006 The Fundamental Aeronautics Program of the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters announces a new aeronautics competition for high school and college students for the 2006-2007 academic year. Complete details for each group, high school and university, are available at http://aero.larc.nasa.gov/competitions.htm. Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund Travel Grants - 15 Sep 2006 The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is offering travel grants to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and engineering. Travel Grants are to enable student recipients to attend professional meetings to present their research. North Carolina Undergraduate Summer Research Symposium - 30 Jun 2006 The Fifth Annual North Carolina Undergraduate Summer Research Symposium will be held on Thursday, August 3 in the Jane S. McKimmon Center in Raleigh, NC. Student poster presentations will be from 9:45 to 1:00. Over 125 undergraduates from across the country will present their summer research projects. NSBRI Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Soliciting Applications - 24 May 2006 The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) is soliciting applications for its Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. Two-year fellowships are available in any U.S. laboratory carrying out space-related biomedical or biotechnological research that supports the NSBRI¹s goals. NSBRI research addresses and seeks solutions to the various health concerns associated with long-duration human space exploration. NCA&T Faculty Named as a 2006 NASA Fellow - 18 May 2006 NASA has named its 2006 awardees for the NASA Administrator's Fellowship Program, an effort to ensure the strength of our nation's scientific and technical workforce. Dr. Julius L. Harp, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at North Carolina A&T State University was a fellowship recipient. NC Space Grant Awards over $500,000 for AeroSpace Research and Education - 05 May 2006 The excitement of aeronautics and space now comes with funding for dozens of North Carolina students and faculty, thanks to the North Carolina Space Grant. The statewide consortium of eleven universities competitively awarded 60 student fellowships and 26 faculty grants at its member institutions. NASA Announces New Explorer School in North Carolina - 05 May 2006 NASA has named its 2006 awardees for the NASA Administrator's Fellowship Program, an effort to ensure the strength of our nation's scientific and technical workforce. Dr. Julius L. Harp, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at North Carolina A&T State University was a fellowship recipient. FAA Airport Design Competition for Universities - 17 Apr 2006 The excitement of aeronautics and space now comes with funding for dozens of North Carolina students and faculty, thanks to the North Carolina Space Grant. The statewide consortium of eleven universities competitively awarded 60 student fellowships and 26 faculty grants at its member institutions. UNC Pembroke students present at NC American Association of Physics - 24 Mar 2006 On March 25th three students from UNC Pembroke presented a talk titled 'Learning How to do CCD Photography in a Small College Observatory' at the North Carolina American Association of Physics. The students described the early states of the systematic observation and photography of the night sky using UNCP's 16' Meade LX200 GPS telescope and several CCD cameras. They also described several of the different software packages used and display some of our first pictures recently taken. NASA Takes Education Events on the Road to Charlotte - 01 Mar 2006 NASA brings the excitement of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education to Charlotte, N.C., during the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Basketball Tournament, Feb. 27 to March 3 at the Charlotte Convention Center. With more than 5,000 students attending NASA awareness activities, the agency is using this opportunity to provide information about training and research programs. NASA will feature exhibits, robotics demonstrations and arrange astronaut photo opportunities to help stimulate interest and emphasize the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education SpaceTalk - Space Age Health - 20 Feb 2006 On Wednesday, March 1st, at 7:00 p.m. in Morehead Planetarium's Star Theater, SpaceTalk and the Morehead Planetarium will sponsor a talk by Dr. Joan Vernikos, a respected space life scientist and author. Dr. Vernikos' talk is entitled 'Space Age Health.' Copies of her book, The G-Connection: Harness Gravity and Reverse Aging, will be on sale. National Institute for Aerospace & Space Grant Educator Training Workshop - 18 Jan 2006 The NIA & SG Educator Training Workshop is now accepting applications. This workshop provides an intense two weeks training focused on current and past NASA research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Program Area Request for Proposals - 09 Dec 2005 NC Space Grant is currently soliciting proposals from faculty at its member institutions in the four program areas to promote research, education, and understanding of complex aero/space-related issues. Fellowship and Scholarship Program Announcements - 08 Dec 2005 Applications for the NC Space Grant Fellowship and Scholarship programs are now open. Students at NC Space Grant member universities who are prusuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are elligible to apply.