OSGC Educational Resources Blog

This NASA Research Announcement, entitled Research Opportunities in Aeronautics (ROA) — 2008, solicits foundational research in support of NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. One of the projects supported by this NRA is the Supersonics project.

The Supersonics project is a broad-based effort designed to develop knowledge, capabilities and technologies that support vehicles that fly in the supersonic speed regime. In this solicitation, the Supersonics project is seeking proposals in the Light Weight, Durable Airframes and High Altitude Emissions Technical Challenges.

Awards will be made as grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts, depending on the nature of the proposing organization and/or program requirements. It is anticipated that the majority of awards will be cooperative agreements or contracts due to the expected collaborative nature of the work specified.

Participation in this program is open to U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including educational institutions. Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Other Minority Universities are encouraged to apply. Working as teams is highly encouraged.

All proposals must be submitted electronically. Electronic proposals must be submitted by May 2, 2008.

For more information, visit http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={07FD9BA7-1416-AF40-D212-CB36AD8D0915}&path=open

This NASA Research Announcement, entitled Research Opportunities in Aeronautics (ROA) — 2007, solicits foundational research in support of NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. One of the projects supported by this NRA is the NextGen-Airportal Project.

The NextGen-Airportal Project will work in close collaboration with the NextGen-Airspace Project to conduct airspace and airportal foundational research and discipline-based technology development. The NextGen-Airportal Project will focus on achieving the highest possible efficiency in the use of such airportal resources as gates, taxiways, runways and terminal airspace.

Awards will be made as grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts, depending on the nature of the proposing organization and/or program requirements. It is anticipated that the majority of awards will be cooperative agreements or contracts due to the expected collaborative nature of the work specified.

Participation in this program is open to U.S. and non-U.S. organizations, including educational institutions. Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Other Minority Universities are encouraged to apply. Working as teams is highly encouraged.

All proposals must be submitted electronically. Electronic proposals must be submitted by April 25, 2008.

For more information, visit http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={A44DEF35-FF34-B95D-3EE1-3F337DC65AAA}&path=open

Astrobiology Techniques: A research-based laboratory course for Pre-Service and In-Service Science Teachers

Offered by: Portland State University, Department of Geology July 28 – August 1, 2008

Details:
G410/510, Astrobiology Yellowstone Techniques - 2 credits
Lab Fee: $50 – covers chemicals and electron microscope beam time
Undergraduate Tuition Fees: $375 for 2 credits
Graduate Tuition Fees: $701 for 2 credits

Course Description:
The field of astrobiology focuses on the search for early life on Earth and the possibility of life on other planets. The Cady Research Group ( http://cadylab.pdx.edu/ ) investigates how life leaves an imprint on the rock record. This course will focus on laboratory techniques used to detect fossil signatures left by microorganisms. Specifically, we will examine samples acquired from Yellowstone National Park using the optical light microscope (OLM) and the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Lectures will cover fundamental concepts in astrobiology and microscopy. Laboratory projects will focus on samples gathered during the Yellowstone field trip, and will give students hands-on experience in OLM and SEM techniques. Class discussions will also consider methods to incorporate Astrobiology concepts and laboratory techniques into K-12 science curriculum. The final assignments, due Aug 8, are to write a short research report and draft a K-12 astrobiology lab. Contact Professor Sherry Cady - (503)725-3377, cadys@pdx.edu and/or Dr. Rick Hugo - (503)725-3356, hugo@pdx.edu for more information.

Help NASA on the quest for signs of water on the Red Planet!

The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera now orbiting Mars is helping NASA search for signs of water on Mars. Students are invited to help choose regions of Mars for HiRISE to image. The HiRISE team will pick several suggestions and image them with the camera in the coming months. The participants will represent the first people on Earth to see the resulting image and will have the chance to search for signs of water in the image.

Background information, teacher guides, student activity books and tutorials are available online to help students choose a region. Interested teachers and students are encouraged to register online to receive more information about how to participate.

Initial hypotheses are due March 23, 2008.

For more information, visit http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/hirise/

Summer 2008 Aerospace Science and Engineering Research Opportunities at the University of Illinois

The Department of Aerospace Engineering (AE) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) announces Summer 2008 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs). Funding for the REUs comes from a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant.

The ten-week research program focuses on multidisciplinary research in aerospace science and engineering (ASE). We invite highly-motivated juniors (rising seniors) with backgrounds in engineering, computer science, and physics to apply for an REU position.

This program will involve students who will:

• Contribute actively to an intensive research project on the UIUC campus for ten weeks in the summer 2008.
• Participate in a set of aerospace-related activities (seminars, informal meetings, final paper). These activities will be designed to teach research and communication skills.
• Present the outcome of their research activities at a symposium at the end of the ten weeks.

Projects

• Project 01: Design and assessment of self-healing polymers and composites
  http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/opportunities/reu/proj1.html
• Project 02: Reliability analysis for Martian life support systems
  http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/opportunities/reu/proj2.html
• Project 03: Design and verification of safety-critical algorithms for uninhabited aerial vehicles
  http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/opportunities/reu/proj3.html
• Project 04: Unixial material response of Zr under dynamic tension
  http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/opportunities/reu/proj4.html
• Project 05: Designing, building, and testing small reconfigurable mission-flexible UAV concepts
  http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/opportunities/reu/proj5.html
• Project 06: Three-Axis Attitude Control for Nanosatellites
  http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/opportunities/reu/proj6.html
• Project 07: Computer interface for digital image correlation
  http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/opportunities/reu/proj7.html
• Project 08: Neural interfaces for control of semi-autonomous robotic systems
  http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/opportunities/reu/proj8.html
• Project 09: Multiscale analysis of thin films used in MEMS devices
  http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/opportunities/reu/proj9.html
• Project 10: Compressible Flows in Geological Applications: Directed volcanic blasts
  http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/opportunities/reu/proj10.html
• Project 11: Electrospinning Apparatus for Production of Polymeric Nanofibers
  http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/opportunities/reu/proj11.html

Eligibility:

• Junior (rising senior) enrolled full-time in an accredited undergraduate degree program. Preference will be given to non-University of Illinois UC students.
• GPA of 3.0/4.0 or higher
• US citizen or permanent resident

The REU will take place June 2 – August 8, 2008, with a 40-hour work week. Participants will receive a $4,000 stipend (based on ten weeks of work) and $2,000 toward travel and living expenses. We will arrange for lodging.

Please go the Web site http://www.ae.uiuc.edu/opportunities/reu/ for further information and how to apply. Application Deadline is February 29, 2008

The Pennsylvania State University in University Park, PA will host the 2008 Summer Astrobiology Program on June 8-August 16, 2008.

Program details:  There will be independent research under the guidance of one or more astrobiologists, a field trip to NASA and astrobiology-related sites around Washington, D.C., weekly seminars, laboratory tours, stargazing opportunities, discussion group, and a research symposium.  Travel and living expenses will be covered and participants will receive, in addition, a stipend of $4000 for the summer.

Eligibility: U.S. citizens or permanent residents between their freshman and senior years at a college or university other than Penn State. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Applicants should have a research interest in astrobiology and be contemplating a career in science. College graduates are not eligible.   Ten students will be selected from among the applicants.

Application deadline:  Review of applications will begin February 15th.  Applicants will be notified of acceptance results during March. Please visit the official Astrobiology Summer Program website for more details: http://evo.bio.psu.edu/asp/

The Genetically Engineered Materials Science and Engineering Center (GEMSEC) at the University of Washington will host a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program from June 16th through August 23rd, 2008. Engineering and science students with broad interests across disciplines focusing on biomimetics, materials science, or nanotechnology are eligible to apply.

Participants in this ten-week program will be actively involved in hands-on scientific research with broad applications - e.g., bio-engineering, chemistry, electronics, materials science, optics, optoelectronics, physics, and the life sciences. Research projects will be designed and supervised by faculty members and interns will also work closely with graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and technical staff on projects using the unique resources offered through GEMSEC. Participants will both write up and present their research at the end of the summer.

Participants will receive a $3,800 stipend, plus housing; travel expenses to and from the UW may be covered for non-local students. Interns will be responsible for their own meals.

Eligible Student Participants: Participants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions, and must be enrolled in a degree program (part-time or full-time) leading to a baccalaureate or associate degree; students who are transferring from one college or university to another may participate. Students who have received their bachelor’s degrees are not eligible.

For more information, please visit the official website at   http://depts.washington.edu/gemsec/education/REU.html

Applications are now being accepted for NASA’s Graduate Student Researchers Project. Through GSRP, NASA awards fellowships for graduate study leading to research-based master’s or doctoral degrees in science, mathematics and engineering fields related to NASA research and development.

GSRP supports approximately 300 graduate students annually. Applicants must be currently enrolled or accepted as full-time students at an accredited U.S. college or university. Applicants must also be U.S. citizens.

All application materials must be received no later than Feb. 1, 2008. For more information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/programs/Graduate_Student_Researchers_Project.html 

Kennedy Space Center in Florida is seeking Faculty and Student teams for the Kennedy Summer Internship Program (KIP).  Funded by NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD), these 10-week internships provide stipends and a travel allowance to both the faculty and student participants.

Eligibility: Each team must be composed of one faculty and one student. Team members must be U.S. citizens.
Dates: June 2 –August 8, 2008 (10 weeks)
Stipends: Faculty $14,000 and up to $1,500 travel allowance; Student $5,000 and up to $1,000 travel allowance
Application Deadline: February 1, 2008

Teams must apply for specific SOMD project slots and must indicate slot preferences during the application process. To access the application forms and review descriptions of each available project slot, visit the following website: https://secureworkgroups.grc.nasa.gov/fast
password = FAST ; Click on “join” then Option “A”.

The NASA Administrator’s Fellowship Program is a unique program designed to enhance the professional development of NASA employees and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) faculty at Minority Institutions (MIs)1. The program also strives to increase the capability of MIs to respond to NASA’s research, development, and education needs.

Since 1997, eighty-nine (89) fellows have entered the NAFP. Through the development and implementation of professional development plans tailored to each individual fellows’ and host institutions’ needs, the benefits to Minority Institutions, faculty, and NASA employees include:

• Access to NASA’s internal and informal information networks
• Opportunity to gain and expand knowledge of NASA’s technical and scientific needs
• Opportunity to share information about specific MSI capabilities and technologies
• Enhancement of undergraduate and graduate research
• Opportunity to build scholarly publication skills

In order to meet NAFP objectives, two categories of respondents are encouraged to apply:

1) NASA Career Employees – These fellows will teach and/or conduct research at a MI and participate in developmental assignments at NASA Headquarters, NASA centers, NASA related research organizations, other government agencies, or in the private sector. Employee fellows will spend approximately 9 months teaching at a MI and 9-13 months in professional development assignments. Typically, the NAFP tenure for NASA employees is 18-22 months.

2) STEM Faculty of Minority-Serving Institutions – These fellows will conduct research at NASA Headquarters, NASA centers, NASA related research organizations, other government agencies, or in the private sector. They may also pursue other developmental assignments over the course of the fellowship. Faculty fellows will spend 12 months conducting research at a NASA center and 9 months “in-residence” at their home institution conducting NASA-related research. Typically, the NAFP tenure for faculty fellows is 21 months.

The participation of fellows from both NASA and academia will serve to increase knowledge of the scientific and technical needs of NASA as well as increase the capability of MIs to participate in NASA-sponsored research and development (R&D) programs. Fellow participation will also allow NASA to share information about leading edge technologies and establish relationships with the MIs. In addition, fellows will receive training in the latest methods of teaching mathematics, science, and engineering, and in the presentation of research results. These benefits will strengthen the fellows in their careers and provide enhanced capabilities to assist in the academic preparation of future scientists and engineers.

The application deadline for the NAFP program has been extended until February 21, 2008. Please visit the following website for details and application forms.
http://www.uncfsp.org/spknowledge/default.aspx?page=program.view&areaid=1&contentid=179&typeid=nafp