Filed under: Conference, K-12, NASA, STEM, Science, Teacher Development, Teacher Opportunities, Webcasts
Join NASA and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum for the Apollo Space Program Virtual Conference for Educators, a FREE online conference taking place on Nov. 10, 2009, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST.
Forty years ago the Apollo Space Program met President Kennedy’s goal of landing a man on the moon, one of the most significant achievements of the 20th Century. Join experts as they present the challenges of the Apollo program and examine the remarkable technologies that made the moon landings possible.
Participate in interactive discussions that highlight the Apollo program and its impact on American and world history and our lives today. Explore ways to teach your students how to use primary source materials.
The online conference includes sessions of general interest and sessions for secondary teachers with ties to the NASA History Advanced Placement and Human Geography Advanced Placement projects.
Are you new to virtual conferencing? A virtual or online conference is similar to other professional conferences, only you access it online. Registration is free and open to everyone. All of the conference sessions are recorded and archived so they may be played at any time.
Registration is required. To learn more and to register online, visit http://www.nasm.si.edu/events/eventDetail.cfm?eventID=1609
Filed under: Astronomy, Conference, Educational Materials, Higher Education, K-12, NASA, Professional Development, STEM, Science, Teacher Development, Teacher Opportunities
Join NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Education Office for an education conference being held Oct. 17, 2009, near Pasadena, Calif. The conference will celebrate the most prominent and vital feature in solar system, the sun.
During this day-long conference, experts from the Voyager, Ulysses, Genesis, STEREO and Earth-exploring missions will be on hand to discuss the structure and content of the sun; current study of its composition; solar cycles; the importance of the sun to Earth; and the inner and outer heliosphere. The presenters will discuss and demonstrate activities that can be used in the classroom to promote a greater appreciation of the inspirational aspects of space exploration.
This conference is open to all formal and informal educators interested in Earth and space science and exploration. Students in high school and college can also attend.
Pre-registration is required. Participants must register by Oct. 5, 2009. Walk-up registration will not be possible for this conference.
For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/centers/jpl/education/sunconf-20090921.html
Registration is now open for the Chandra’s First Decade of Discovery Symposium. This symposium will take place on Sept. 21-25, 2009, in Boston, Mass.
Chandra’s First Decade of Discovery is the fifth in a series highlighting unique imaging and spectroscopic results from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. This event will highlight key science results from the first 10 years of operation of the Chandra X-ray Observatory. The focus will be on results that have had the largest impact on astrophysics. These results include The Cosmic Evolution of AGN (Active Galactic Nucleus), AGN outflows, evolutionary processes in galaxy cluster, and our understanding of normal galaxies including Earth’s own galactic center. More locally, high-resolution studies of compact objects, supernova remnants and star-forming regions have led to changes in human understanding of the stellar life cycle.
The registration deadline is Sept. 4, 2009.
For more information about the Chandra’s First Decade of Discovery Symposium, visit http://cxc.harvard.edu/symposium_2009/
Filed under: Aeronautics, Astronomy, Conference, Environmental Science, NASA, Professional Development, Science
Join the Satellite Educators Association for an education conference being held Aug. 13-15, 2009, in Los Angeles, Calif. The annual conference is for educators interested in discovering ways to use satellites and related technologies in the classroom. Participants learn ways to help students appreciate and understand the complex interrelationships among science, technology, individuals, societies and the environment. Conference attendees also learn to develop and apply inquiry and technology skills to study authentic questions and problems.
The conference is sponsored by California State University Los Angeles, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA, Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing, Lockheed-Martin and Northrop Grumman.
For more information, visit http://www.sated.org/index.html
Filed under: Aeronautics, Astronomy, Conference, NASA, STEM, Science, Teacher Opportunities
Join NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Education Office for an education conference being held May 30-31, 2009, near Pasadena, Calif. The conference will celebrate the Hubble Space Telescope, the STS-125 space shuttle mission to Hubble and the International Year of Astronomy.
The Hubble Space Telescope launched on a 15-year mission to explore the universe. Now, just past its 19th birthday, the telescope is getting a new lease on life. Space shuttle mission STS-125 is slated to replace and repair Hubble’s science instruments, computers, batteries, gyroscopes and blankets. This final Hubble servicing mission should allow the telescope to operate as a fully operational, enhanced astronomical observatory for many more years.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is taking this opportunity to revisit the Hubble mission and the work of JPL’s Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2, Hubble’s workhorse science instrument. The camera has taken most of the revolutionary images attributed to Hubble. A recap of the shuttle mission activities will take place as well.
2009 is also the International Year of Astronomy. This event is a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture. IYA marks the 400th anniversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei. The aim of IYA is to stimulate interest, especially among young people, in astronomy and science under the central theme “The Universe, Yours to Discover.” Conference attendees will learn about IYA 2009 events and activities and about ways to promote a greater appreciation of the inspirational aspects of astronomy.
The conference is designed for all formal and informal educators and students in high school and above. Students under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a registered adult. Registration is due by May 22, 2009. Pre-registration is required.
For more information, visit http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/events/conf-20090530.html
Filed under: Conference, K-12, NASA, Professional Development, STEM, Science, Teacher Development
Visit with NASA representatives at the National Afterschool Association 2009 annual conference in New Orleans, LA, April 2-4, 2009.
The NAA annual convention is the largest nationwide gathering of professionals representing before school, after-school and summer school programs, youth-serving organizations, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, parks and recreation departments; administrators from all public, private, faith-, school- and community-based sectors; and local, state and national policymakers. The NAA is partnering with the National Association of Elementary School Principals in a joint conference that will bring together an exceptional array of presentations, including the following NASA workshops:
Small Worlds in the Solar System: Hands-On Modeling Activities
April 2, 2009, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Participants will engage in hands-on learning activities developed by NASA’s Dawn and EPOXI mission education programs. Learn about science activities appropriate for after-school programs: Modeling in 3-D, Comet on a Stick and Where Are You? Free handouts will be provided.
The Thrill of Discovery — Engage Students in NASA Space Exploration Activities
April 2, 1:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m.
Experience a thematic set of inexpensive classroom-ready activities linked to content information and resources that can be used in after-school settings to involve students in NASA space exploration. Hand-outs include resource guides and posters.
From Out-of-School to Outer Space
April 3, 9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Use the excitement of exploration to build science skills and understanding of science concepts with this set of theme-based science activities. Participants will engage in fun hands-on activities tied to NASA’s exploration of the solar system.
Explore! Health in Space: Keeping Astronauts (and Children) Healthy
April 3, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Participate in hands-on activities that examine the challenges to astronauts living and working in space. Explore what astronauts — and children — need to do to stay healthy. Participants receive lesson plans and learn about extensive free online materials.
Ready-to-Go Space Science Activities for Young Explorers
April 3, 2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Make the most of children’s curiosity about space! Explore fun, hands-on activities for exploring the sun, Earth and moon. Using easy-to-find materials, learn how to do activities that will excite children and bring out the scientist in all of them!
Edible Rocks, Meteorites and Meteorwrongs!
April 3, 4:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Engage in hands-on learning activity and an online interactive developed by NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the NASA Dawn mission. Learn about science activities appropriate for after-school programs: Edible Rocks, Find a Meteorite, and Exploring Meteorite Mysteries: Noblesville Fall.
Kids Can Learn Space Science Through Fiction: Everyone Loves a Story
April 4, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Discover how children can learn about space science through narratives. Using an engaging story, students will be able to organize facts and data, illustrate procedures, and simulate possible outcomes.
For more information about the 2009 NAA conference, visit http://www.naaconvention.org
Filed under: Aeronautics, Conference, Funding, Higher Education, Research, Science
AeroInnovate 2009
May 13 & 14, Oshkosh WI
AeroInnovate brings innovators together, brings new technology to the forefront, creates a
consortium for sharing ideas, and a platform that brings investors together with start up efforts.
WHAT?
The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Council for Innovation (CFI) will host the
inaugural AeroInnovate event in May 2009. AeroInnovate will highlight cutting edge
technologies, entrepreneurs, emerging companies, investment trends and other recent
developments in the aerospace/aviation sector, broadly defined. It is positioned as a national
event on a par with established industry/venture conferences in the major high impact business
centers.
WHO?
The target audience (beyond presenting individuals and companies) will include
venture capital and investors/partners in the aerospace sector, aerospace entrepreneurs and
early stage aerospace companies, aerospace managers from larger companies, , academic
researchers in the aerospace field, pioneers in commercial human spaceflight, and global
companies in both aviation and aerospace.
FORMAT
AeroInnovate is a two day event, kicking off with a networking dinner/reception and
a keynote speaker at the EAA Museum. The second day includes a display where innovators
will showcase emerging technologies; break out sessions to educate innovators and investors
on commercialization in academic, government and industry contexts; networking opportunities;
another keynote speaker on commercialization in large industrial firms; and twenty-four (24)
pitches by innovators. Pitching companies will be chosen via an online vote of their 2-minute
video pitch by the AeroInnovate.org community.
FAQs & REGISTRATION
These are addressed on the website http://www.AeroInnovate.org
Filed under: Conference, Higher Education, NASA, STEM, Science, Student Opportunities
NASA announces its intent to participate in the 60th International Astronautical Congress, “Space for Sustainable Peace and Progress,” and requests that full-time graduate students attending U.S. universities respond to this “Call for Abstracts.” Unfortunately, at this point there is no NASA funding available to sponsor students for this event. If funding opportunities become available, selected students will be notified immediately. NASA encourages each student to seek non-NASA funding, which might include the student’s university or private industry.
The IAC is organized by the International Astronautical Federation, or IAF, the International Academy of Astronautics, and the International Institute of Space Law. The IAC is the largest space-related conference in the world and selects an average of 1000 scientific papers every year. The upcoming IAC will be held Oct. 12-16, 2009, in Deajeon, Republic of Korea. NASA’s participation in this event is an ongoing effort to continue to connect NASA with the international astronautical and space community.
This “Call for Abstracts” is a precursor to a final paper, which may be presented at the 60th IAC. Student authors are invited to submit an abstract regarding an original, unpublished paper that has not been submitted in any other forum. A NASA technical review panel will select abstracts to be considered by the IAF. This opportunity is for graduate students majoring in fields related to the IAF research topics. Students may submit technical (oral) presentations and/or posters. Students may submit abstracts that are co-authored with their Principal Investigators; however, the student must be the “lead author,” and only the student will present at the IAC. Students must be available to travel to the conference to represent NASA and their universities. Students must be U.S. citizens, attending a U.S. university, who plan to enter a career in space science or aeronautics.
Many students and professors are currently involved in NASA-related research that could be considered for this submission. Students submitting abstracts are strongly encouraged to seek advice from professors who are conducting NASA research and/or from NASA scientists and engineers. Abstracts must be related to the Vision for Space Exploration and fit into one of the following IAF Conference themes: Agency, Industry, Climate, Exploration and Peace.
The following information must be included in the submission: paper title; author’s name and e-mail address, organization/institution, mailing address, phone number, fax number, names of the coauthors, and e-mail address of coauthors.
Please submit your abstracts at the IAF Web page at http://www.iafastro.org
Unregistered persons should log onto the site for submission of papers.
IAC Paper Selection
The Session Chairs, on the basis of technical quality and suitability, will evaluate abstracts submitted. Their relation to the Congress theme “Space for Sustainable Peace and Progress” will also be considered. The abstracts will be selected for presentation and discussion on the basis of potential for discussion but with no distinction in terms of quality threshold. All selected abstracts must reach the same high level of quality and will be accorded the same level of recognition by the Congress. Papers with the potential for extended discussion will be chosen for interactive presentations wherever possible. The Session Chairs’ evaluations will be submitted to the responsible Symposium Coordinators, who will make acceptance recommendations to the International Programme Committee, which will take the final decision. Ensuring the high quality of the papers presented at the 60th Congress will be the primary goal of the International Programme Committee.
The criteria for the selection will be defined according to the following specifications:
- Abstracts should specify: purpose, methodology, results, conclusions and areas for discussion.
- Abstracts should indicate that substantive technical and/or programmatic content is included.
- Abstracts should clearly indicate that the material is new and original; they should explain why and how.
- Prospective author(s) should certify that the paper was not presented at a previous meeting and that financing and attendance of an author at the respective IAC at Daejeon to present the paper is assured.
NASA Submission Guidelines
All abstracts must be submitted electronically to mabel.j.matthews@nasa.gov via e-mail by Feb. 25, 2009. Submit abstracts in MS Word or Adobe PDF format, as an attachment or as text pasted within the body of the e-mail.
In addition, please include an education/citizenship statement: I verify that I am a U.S. citizen and a full-time graduate student majoring in a field or fields related to the IAF research topics. The abstract submitted is original and has not been presented at another meeting.
Filed under: Conference, Higher Education, K-12, NASA, STEM, Science, Teacher Opportunities, Webcasts, Workshop
The Kepler Mission is set to launch in March 2009 on a search for habitable planets. The Kepler spacecraft will look at the very slight dimming of starlight as a planet passes in front of it. The spacecraft could find hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets. The following opportunities are planned for educators.
NASA Kepler Mission — A Search for Habitable Planets Workshop
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Jan. 24, 2009
Join Kepler Mission deputy principal investigator Dr. David Koch for an exciting day of science and hands-on activities for middle and high school teachers. This event will take place on Jan. 24, 2009, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Dr. Koch will discuss the science behind NASA’s Kepler Mission. Each participant will receive a complete transit model that includes a LEGO orrery, a Vernier light sensor, interface and graphing software, and a lamp and light bulb. A letter verifying eight hours of professional development can be provided.
Pre-registration is required. To learn more about this workshop, visit http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed/workshops.html
NASA Kepler Mission — A Search for Habitable Planets Workshop
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Jan. 31, 2009
Join Kepler Mission co-investigator Dr. Nick Gautier for an exciting day of science and hands-on activities for middle and high school teachers. This event will take place on Jan. 31, 2009, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory near Pasadena, Calif. Dr. Gautier will discuss the science behind NASA’s Kepler Mission. Participants will take part in standards-based, classroom-ready activities. Each participant will receive a complete transit model that includes a LEGO orrery, a Vernier light sensor, and interface and graphing software. A letter verifying eight hours of professional development can be provided.
Pre-registration is required. To learn more about this workshop, visit http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed/workshops.html
NASA Kepler Mission Videoconference
Online Professional Development, March 25, 2009
NASA’s Digital Learning Network presents a videoconference for educators to stay current on the latest developments in NASA’s Kepler Mission. The Kepler Mission will allow scientists to search the galaxy for Earth-size or smaller planets orbiting sun-like stars. With this cutting-edge capability, Kepler may help to answer one of the most enduring questions humans have asked throughout history: Are there others like us in the universe? This event will take place on March 25, 2009, from 4-5 p.m. EST.
To learn more, visit http://kepler.nasa.gov/ed/workshops.html
Join Dawn scientists and engineers along with educators from around the country in a set of unique, simultaneous workshops in California, Colorado, Oregon and West Virginia on March 7, 2009.
The Dawn spacecraft flies by Mars in February 2009 with all science instruments turned on for testing. Dawn science and engineering members will be sharing key updates and information with conference participants regarding the spacecraft’s gravity assist at Mars and the Dawn Mission in general. Using Ion Propulsion, Dawn is expected to arrive at its first intended destination, the asteroid Vesta, in 2011. Terrific curricular materials are part of this unique opportunity!
For more information and to register online, go to: http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/getInvolved/mga_ed_conf.asp
