NC Space Grant News Archives 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.