2011 Thacher Environmental Research Contest – Deadline April 11, 2011

From the massive Gulf oil spill to the continued decline of Arctic sea ice, NASA satellites and other observing instruments have proved crucial this year in monitoring the many environmental changes – both natural and human-induced – occurring on global, regional and local scales. The 2011 Thacher Environmental Research Contest, sponsored by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, challenges high school students (grades 9-12) to conduct innovative research on our changing planet using the latest geospatial tools and data.

The best project will receive cash awards in the amount of $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second place and $500 for third place. Individuals or teams of up to four students may submit entries. In the case of team entries, the cash award will be split equally among the winning team members. Winners will also be featured in an Encyclopedia of the Earth article. In addition to the student prizes, teachers or adult “coaches” of the first-, second-, and third-place students will receive a $200 Amazon.com gift card.

For more information, visit: http://www.strategies.org/thachercontest

Sun Earth Day 2011 – March 20, 2011

SUN-EARTH DAY 2011: ANCIENT MYSTERIES: FUTURE DISCOVERIES
(March 20, 2011)

Sun-Earth Day is more than a one-day event; it is a combination of events and programs that occur through the year, ending with a grand Sun-Earth Day celebration on or near the Spring Equinox in March. The main goal of this program is to encourage all students to explore, discover and understand the dynamic connection between our Sun, Earth and other planets. This year’s theme will be “Ancient Mysteries: Future Discoveries,” and will focus on examining early civilizations who created structures containing solstice and equinox alignments, as well as exploring how humankind continues to observe the Sun from the ground and space.

Many resources will be available for Sun-Earth Day participation, including video and webcast programming (created by the NASA EDGE team) that will highlight several solar related sites. The Sun-Earth Day website will also feature resources for educators, museums, community groups and amateur astronomers, as well as resources from past Earth-Sun Days. Educators can also register on the website to receive a free folder of materials (while supplies last). To learn more, please visit: http://sunearthday.nasa.gov

Sky Rangers Online Workshop For Outdoor Astronomy Interpretation – Deadline Dec 1, 2010

SKY RANGERS ONLINE WORKSHOP FOR OUTDOOR ASTRONOMY INTERPRETATION
(Application Due Dec. 1; Workshop from Jan. 17-March 11)

Sky Rangers workshops, which are part of the Astronomy From the Ground Up program, are designed for educators and interpreters from parks, nature centers and other informal outdoor and environmental educational facilities. This 8-week workshop will teach participants how to locate objects in the night sky, how to interpret those objects to your students, and how to plan and execute astronomy events. Each participant will receive a toolkit of materials. The time commitment for the workshop is about three hours a week for eight weeks, with the ability to participate in weekly videochats with other workshop participants.

For more information, visit: http://www.afguonline.org/mod/resource/view.php?id=1857

NASA’s One Stop Shopping Initiative Accepting Applications – Deadine Feb 1, 2011

New! Now you can apply for nearly all of NASA’s internship opportunities in one place with one easy application!

Introducing OSSI, NASA’s ONE STOP SHOPPING INITIATIVE, and SOLAR, Student On-Line Application for Recruiting interns, fellows, and scholars.
• See all of NASA’s opportunities—graduate and undergraduate—in one, easy-access system
• Submit an application that can be viewed by all NASA mentors
• Submit interest in up to 15 opportunities
• See standard application deadlines across NASA

Application Dates
Apply for Summer 2011 opportunities From Nov 1, 2010 to February 1, 2011
Apply for Fall 2011 opportunities From February 2, 2011 to May 1, 2011

For more information, go to http://intern.nasa.gov and select “Want to Intern at NASA?”

Applications Open For the NASA Academies – Deadline January 18, 2011

APPLY NOW FOR THE NASA ACADEMIES
http://www.AcademyApp.com
Deadline for Completed Applications: January 18, 2011

The Academies are intensive educational programs emphasizing group activities, teamwork, research, and creativity. The curriculum balances direct contact with science and engineering R & D with an awareness of the managerial, political, financial, social and human issues faced by aerospace professionals. Included are seminars, informal discussions, evening lectures, supervised research, visits to other NASA Centers and facilities, group project/s, tours, posters/presentations, and assessment. Additionally, most weekends are filled with group activities, team building and off-site trips. One free weekend is scheduled.

The Academy is not a 9-5 summer research internship program. It is a rigorous, immersive experience that will challenge you. The academy is a space-themed program of high learning about NASA, its projects and collaborations with aerospace industry and academia, with very little down time, but a busy, exciting summer that you will not forget. The Academies have separate focus areas of leadership (NASA Academy), robotics, aeronautics, space and planetary science, and propulsion.

At AcademyApp.com, you may apply to the following programs:
• NASA Academy at Ames Research Center (Mountain View, CA)
• NASA Academy at Glenn Research Center (Cleveland, OH)
• NASA Academy at Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, AL)
• NASA Aeronautics Academy at Glenn Research Center (Cleveland, OH)
• NASA Aeronautics Academy at Langley Research Center (Hampton, VA)
• NASA Lunar and Planetary Science Academy at Goddard Space Flight (Greenbelt, MD)
• NASA Propulsion Academy at Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, AL)
• NASA Robotics Academy at Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville, AL)

To apply for other NASA programs, including the traditional NASA Academy at Goddard Space Flight Center, please visit http://intern.nasa.gov.

The 2011 NASA Academy selections will follow the schedule below:
• Application Deadline: January 18, 2011.
• Application Review: January 19 – February 23, 2011.
• Offers to successful candidates: First two weeks of March.
• Start date of summer internship: June (actual date varies by program)

Eligibility: An applicant for Research Associate with the NASA Academy must:
• have a demonstrated interest in our space program
• have a previous internship or project experience
• be a junior, senior, or first or second year graduate student in Fall 2011
• be in high academic standing (GPA of 3.2 or greater)
• have a propensity for leadership
• be a US citizen*
Note: In 2011, NASA’s partners on the International Space Education Board, the Canadian Space Agency, the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and the Victorian Space Science Education Center, are invited to sponsor a limited number of students in the NASA Academy. Interested applicants from these countries or regions should contact their respective agency regarding its application procedures.

An applicant for the NASA Aeronautics Academy must:
• have a demonstrated interest in our Aeronautics program
• have curricular background in Aeronautics and Aerospace Engineering, and related disciplines
• have a previous internship or project experience
• be in high academic standing (GPA of 3.2 or greater)
• be a full-time junior, senior, or first or second year graduate student in Fall 2011
• be a US citizen*

An applicant the NASA Lunar and Planetary Sciences Academy must:
• have a demonstrated interest in our space program
• have experience in lunar and planetary science research
• be in high academic standing (GPA of 3.3 or greater)
• be a US citizen*
• Research Associates: be a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior student in Fall 2011 in astrophysics, physics, or engineering
• Team Leads: be a senior, or graduate student in Fall 2011 with a strong background in planetary science and/or engineering.

An applicant for the NASA Propulsion Academy must:
• have a demonstrated interest in our space program
• have a curricular background in propulsion
• be in high academic standing (GPA of 3.2 or greater)
• be a US citizen*
• Research Associates: be a sophomore, junior, or senior student in Fall 2011
• Team Leads: be a junior, senior, or first or second year graduate student in Fall 2011

An applicant for the NASA Robotics Academy must:
• have a demonstrated interest in our space program
• have experience in robotics
• be in high academic standing (GPA of 3.2 or greater)
• be a US citizen*
• Research Associates: be a sophomore, junior, or senior student in Fall 2011
• Team Leads: be a junior, senior, or first or second year graduate student in Fall 2011

*Citizens of US territories Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Northern Marianas are considered U.S. citizens.