OSGC Educational Resources Blog

NASA Marshall’s Space Grant Research (MSGR) Internship Program

General Description: In collaboration with NASA Space Grant Consortia, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) will host a 10-week summer undergraduate research program called the MSGR Internship Program. The program would support MSFC’s workforce development and research needs while at the same time supporting Space Grant’s efforts in workforce development, education, and research projects. Participating interns receive the opportunity to work hands-on with Marshall Scientists on exciting NASA projects. Educational seminars and social events will also be provided during the course of the internships.  

Dates: The deadline for application is March 1, 2008. Internships are planned for 10 weeks during the summer, tentatively June 2 – August 8, 2008.

Funding:  Space Grant funds support the students’ stipends and travel costs. Please consult your local Space Grant office to determine if they are participating in the program. A state-by-state list of Space Grant contacts can be found at the following website: http://calspace.ucsd.edu/spacegrant/webmap/sg_homepages.html

While funding is up to each individual Space Grant, the Oregon NASA Space Grant Consortium has agreed to fund one student from an affiliate institution within Oregon. Interns should expect to receive funding in the amount of $6,500, including travel allowance. Please review the list of affiliated institutions at the following website to determine your eligibility (other eligibility restrictions apply – see below): http://spacegrant.oregonstate.edu/members.html  

Eligibility: Students must meet all eligibility requirements to be considered for an internship position in the MSGR program. Eligibility requirements include:

• Enrolled full-time at an affiliated institution (see above)
• Be a U.S. citizen
• Maintain good academic standing within their institution

Selection: Scientists at the Marshall Space grant Research Internship Program will determine final selections.  Applications should be sent directly to the MSGR contact listed in the application packet.  The application packet is available at the following address:   http://spacegrant.oregonstate.edu/Marshall_MSGR_Program.pdf

Watch as the crew of space shuttle mission STS-118 explains plant growth chambers they are delivering to the International Space Station. To help NASA, the astronauts invite students to participate in the plant growth chamber experiment. In the U.S. lab of the International Space Station, Expedition 15 Flight Engineer Clayton Anderson prepares the plant growth chambers for a 20-day plant growth experiment. Viewers observe how the tiny plants grew before the experiments were returned to Earth on shuttle mission STS-120. Visit the following website to watch the video. http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Growing_the_Future_Plants_in_Space.html

Follow the growth of cinnamon basil seeds on the International Space Station with a gallery of images documenting the experiment from its very beginning. The gallery features images of astronaut Clayton Anderson’s 20-day in-orbit experiment, including close-up views of the plants’ growth. Students participating in the NASA Engineering Design Challenge: Lunar Plant Growth Chamber can compare the growth of the plants on the space station with the growth of plants in their own growth chambers.   Visit the  following website to view the gallery and find more information about the NASA challenge.  http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/plant-growth-gallery-index.html