Check out the following NASA opportunities for the education community. Full descriptions are listed below.

Free Education Webinar Series from NASA Educator Professional Development
Audience: K-12 and Informal Educators
Next Webinar Date: April 24, 2014, at 5:30 p.m. EDT

NASA’s Digital Learning Network™ Event — Mission Mars Virtual Field Trip
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Friday, April 25, 2014, 2 – 3 p.m. EDT

Live Video Chat for Students — LADEE: New Look at the Moon — No Cheese, Plenty of Dust and an Atmosphere!
Audience: Grades 5-10 Students and Educators
Event Date: April 28, 2014, at 1 p.m. EDT

NASA’s Digital Learning Network™ Event — Chat with an Engineer En Español
Audience: Spanish-speaking Educators and Students
Event Date: April 30, 2014, 1 – 2 p.m. EDT

2015 eXploration Habitat (X-Hab) Academic Innovation Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Proposal Due Date: April 30, 2014

NES Web Seminar — Engineering Design: Forces and Motion — The Great Boomerang Challenge
Audience: 9-12 and Informal Educators
Event Date: May 1, 2014, at 6:30 p.m. EDT

NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event — Music in Space Downlink With the International Space Station
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: May 2, 2014, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. EDT

Live Video Chat for Students — Astronaut Stephanie Wilson: Living and Working in Space
Audience: Grades 4-12 Students and Educators
Event Date: May 2, 2014, at 3 p.m. EDT

RockOn 2014 University Rocket Science Workshop
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Registration Deadline: May 2, 2014
Workshop Dates: June 14-19, 2014

Center for Astronomy Education Teaching Excellence Workshops
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Event Dates: Multiple Dates May – September 2014

2014 Thacher Environmental Research Contest
Audience: 9-12 Students
Entry Deadline: May 5, 2014

Kepler Art of Discovery Art Contest
Audience: Artists ages 13 and older
Entry Deadline: May 5, 2014

2014 NASA Unmanned Aerial Systems Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Students and Faculty
Entry Deadline: May 9, 2014

2015 NASA Scholars
Audience: Higher Education Students
Application Deadline: May 16, 2014

2015 NASA MUREP Scholarship
Audience: Higher Education Students
Application Deadline: May 16, 2014

2014 IGES Earth Day Photo and Essay Contest
Audience: Students in Grades 5-8
Entry Deadline: May 16, 2014

Lunar and Planetary Institute Workshop: Mars Through Time
Audience: 9-12 Educators and Pre-service Teachers
Application Deadline: May 16, 2014
Workshop Dates: July 8-11, 2014

Proposal Solicitation for Game Changing Development Program: Advanced Energy Storage Systems
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Proposal Deadline: May 27, 2014

Space Grant Community Colleges and Technical Schools Solicitation
Audience: Space Grant Consortia Members
Proposal Deadline: May 28, 2014

2014-15 Virginia Space Grant Consortium STEM Bridge Scholarship
Audience: Higher Education Students
Extended Application Deadline: May 30, 2014

NASA Mars Educator Symposium — The Search for Habitable Environments: Finding Curiosity in Your Classroom
Audience: All Educators
Symposium Dates: June 16-20, 2014

Solar System Exploration Pre-Service Teacher Institute
Audience: Future Middle School Science Teachers and Mentoring Educators
Workshop Dates: June 23-27, 2014

Don’t miss out on upcoming NASA education opportunities.
For a full list of events, opportunities and more, visit the Educator and Student Current Opportunity pages on NASA’s website:
— Educators http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html
— Students http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/current-opps-index.html

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Free Education Webinar Series from NASA Educator Professional Development

NASA Educator Professional Development is presenting a series of free webinars open to all educators. Join NASA education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources to bring NASA into your classroom.

Humans in Space: Higher “Standards” of Living
Audience:
Pre-service and in-service, Home School and Informal Educators of grades 5-8
Event Date: April 24, 2014, at 5:30 p.m. EDT
During this 90-minute webinar, participants will explore how humans have adapted to the space environment, particularly on the International Space Station.

Life Science Resources for Grades 4-12
Audience:
Pre-service and in-service, Home School and Informal Educators educators of grades 4-12
Event Date:
April 29, 2014, at 4 p.m. EDT
This hourlong webinar will give participants tools they can use to give life science lessons a NASA twist. Participants will browse through interactive simulation sites, and download or print life science content.

Solar System and the Periodic Table
Audience:
Pre-service and in-service, Home School and Informal Educators of grades 3-12
Event Date: April 30, 2014, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
During this 90-minute webinar, participants will journey from the center to the outer boundaries of our solar system and discover that the periodic table is everywhere!

For more information about these webinars and to register online, visit https://paragon-tec.adobeconnect.com/admin/show-event-catalog.

Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to John Entwistle at [email protected].

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NASA’s Digital Learning Network™ Event — Mission Mars Virtual Field Trip

NASA’s Digital Learning Network™, or DLN, the U.S. Department of State’s Collaboratory, and Google’s Connected Classrooms invite educators and students to their Mission Mars Mission Virtual Field Trip. The online event will take place on Friday, April 25, 2014, from 2-3 p.m. EDT, in conjunction with the 2014 USA Science and Engineering Festival at the Washington D.C. Convention Center.

This virtual event will feature a special lesson about Mars rovers presented by education and content experts from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. Middle schools from Texas and New Jersey, along with international schools from Nicaragua and Argentina, will connect and interact via Google Hangouts with on-site guests and local students at the Festival in Washington, D. C. The event will be hosted by Lisa May, the program executive at NASA Headquarters for the Mars Exploration program. She will be accompanied by Dr. Jim Green, NASA Headquarters Planetary Science Division director, and a prominent State Department official. Join us in celebrating National Science and Technology Week, and let’s get youth excited about STEM education!

For more information and to view the live webcast of the event, visit https://plus.google.com/events/clh5chhn9eqbl0cv4rfm0eqk788. Email questions about this event to [email protected].

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Live Video Chat for Students — LADEE: New Look at the Moon — No Cheese, Plenty of Dust and an Atmosphere!

NASA Explorer Schools is hosting a 45-minute live video chat for students in grades 5-10 on April 28, 2014, at 1 p.m. EDT. During the video chat, Brian Day, public outreach lead for the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer, or LADEE, mission, will answer student questions about the mission. NASA’s LADEE spacecraft impacted the surface of the moon, as planned, between 9:30 and 10:22 p.m. PDT Thursday, April 17. It was studying the structure and composition of the very thin lunar atmosphere and how these vary over time.

For more information and to participate in the video chat, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/nes2/home/ladee-chat.html.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to [email protected].

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NASA’s Digital Learning Network™ Event — Chat with an Engineer En Español

NASA invites students and educators to chat with NASA engineer Heriberto Soto in Spanish. This special Digital Learning Network event will be a live interview from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to audiences across the country whose first language is Spanish. Learn about Soto’s career path, challenges he faced, projects he has worked on at NASA and the future for students who want to become engineers. During the chat, ask your question by sending it via email to [email protected] or tweet the question with #askDLN.

The event will be webcast on the NASA DLiNfo Channel on Wednesday, April 30, 2014, at 1 p.m. EDT.

For more information and to view the webcast, visit http://dln.nasa.gov.

Questions about this event should be directed to Rachel Power at [email protected].

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2015 eXploration Habitat (X-Hab) Academic Innovation Challenge

In a continuing effort to engage and retain students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields and provide a real-world challenge, exposing students to the engineering and design processes, the Advanced Exploration Systems Habitation Systems Deep Space Habitat Project team has begun accepting applications for the 2015 eXploration Habitat, or X-Hab Challenge.

Post-secondary students engaged in a variety of curricula will work together to create a solution to a need for living and working in space or on another celestial body. The winners of the challenge will receive between $10,000 and $20,000 to design and produce functional products of interest to the Deep Space Habitat project.

Proposals are due April 30, 2014, and awardees should expect to deliver their product to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, in May or June of 2015.

Proposals will be accepted from university faculty who are U.S. citizens and currently teach an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology accredited engineering senior or graduate design, industrial design or architecture curriculum at an accredited university in the U.S.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and other minority serving educational institutions are particularly encouraged to apply. Proposals from women, members of underrepresented minorities groups and persons with disabilities also are highly encouraged.

For more information about the challenge, visit http://spacegrant.org/xhab/.

If you have any questions about the X-Hab Challenge, please email[email protected].

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NES Web Seminar — Engineering Design: Forces and Motion — The Great Boomerang Challenge

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences, the NASA Explorer Schools project and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a free 90-minute professional development Web seminar for educators on May 1, 2014, at 6:30 p.m. EDT. Learn about the Boomerang Design Challenge and two extensions featuring free computer simulations that teach students about airflow around airfoils. The activity provides opportunities for incorporating national science, technology and mathematics standards into the curricula and addresses middle school Next Generation Science Standards.

This is the final time this Web seminar will be offered during the current school year.

For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES4/webseminar17.aspx.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to the NES Help Desk at [email protected].

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NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event — Music in Space Downlink With the International Space Station

Join the Digital Learning Network at NASA’s Johnson Space Center for a live International Space Station downlink with commander Koichi Wakata on May 2, 2014, from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. EDT*. Students from the Pearl Hall Elementary in Pasadena, Texas, will perform songs with astronaut Catherine Coleman, Houston Symphony violinist Sergei Galperin and violinist Kenji Williams. From the space station, commander Koichi Wakata will perform a piece of the ancient Gagaku music with the sho Japanese instrument.

Students from Pearl Hall Elementary and Japan’s Tenri University will speak to Wakata and explore the connection between the Arts and science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM.

The live program will be broadcast on NASA TV and webcasted on the DLiNfo Channel. To watch the webcast online, visit https://dln.nasa.gov.

Questions about the event should be directed to Patricia Moore at [email protected].

*The event time is subject change due to communication with the space station. Please go to http://dln.nasa.gov for current information.

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Live Video Chat for Students — Astronaut Stephanie Wilson: Living and Working in Space

NASA Explorer Schools is hosting a 45-minute live video chat for students in grades 4-12 on May 2, 2014, at 3 p.m. EDT. During the video chat, astronaut Stephanie Wilson will answer students’ questions about living and working in space. She was selected to become an astronaut in April 1996 and flew as a mission specialist astronaut on three shuttle missions. She has logged 42 days in space.

For more information and to participate in the video chat, visit http://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/nes2/home/steph-wilson-chat.html.

To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.

Email any questions about this opportunity to [email protected].

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RockOn 2014 University Rocket Science Workshop

University and community college faculty and students are invited to a weeklong workshop to learn how to build and launch a scientific experiment into space. NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia is hosting the RockOn 2014 workshop June 14-19, 2014, in partnership with the Colorado and Virginia Space Grant Consortia. Workshop participants must be U.S. citizens. The registration deadline for the workshop is May 2, 2014.

The hands-on workshop teaches participants to build experiments that fly on sounding rockets. During the week, participants will work in teams of three to construct and integrate a sounding rocket payload from a kit. On the fifth day of the workshop, the experiments will fly on a sounding rocket expected to reach an altitude of more than 70 miles.

Each experiment will provide valuable scientific data, analyzed as part of the student-led science and engineering research. The program engages faculty and students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills critical to NASA’s future engineering, scientific and technical missions.

For more information about RockOn and to register online, visit http://spacegrant.colorado.edu/rockon/.

Questions about the workshop or the registration process should be directed to Chris Koehler by email at [email protected] or by telephone at 303-492-4750.

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Center for Astronomy Education Teaching Excellence Workshops

NASA’s Center for Astronomy Education, or CAE, announces a series of educator workshops for astronomy and space science educators.

These workshops provide participants with experiences needed to create effective and productive active-learning classroom environments. Workshop leaders model best practices in implementing many different classroom-tested instructional strategies. But more importantly, workshop participants will gain first-hand experience implementing these proven strategies. During many microteaching events, you will have the opportunity to role-play the parts of student and instructor. You will assess and critique each other’s implementation in real time as part of a supportive learning community. You will have the opportunity to use unfamiliar teaching techniques in collaboration with mentors before using them with your students. CAE is funded through NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Exoplanet Exploration Program.

May 3, 2014 — Oceanside, Calif.
CAE Southwest Regional Teaching Exchange

May 31-June 1, 2014 — Boston, Mass.
CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop for Current and Future Astronomy and Space Science Instructors

June 23-27, 2014 — College Park, Md.
New Faculty Workshop for Physics and Astronomy

August or September, 2014 — South Carolina
CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop for Current and Future Astronomy and Space Science Instructors

For more information and to register for workshops online, visit http://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/workshops/index.cfm.

Inquiries about this series of workshops should be directed to Gina Brissenden at [email protected].

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2014 Thacher Environmental Research Contest

The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies is pleased to invite U.S. high school students to participate in the 2014 Thacher Environmental Research Contest. This annual contest gives students the opportunity to show off their science and technology skills by submitting research projects focused on the use of remote sensing and analysis tools. Students are asked to identify a U.S. protected area of interest, and design a research project that identifies why the area is unique, why it significantly contributes to our society, how this area has changed over time, and ways remote sensing and geospatial tools can be used to monitor these environmental treasures.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens in grades 9-12. Students in public, private, parochial, Native American reservation and home schools are eligible. Entries may be submitted by individuals or teams. The grand prize winner will have their work featured in a geospatial publication. Cash awards will be given to students in the top three places. Awards will also be given to the winning students’ teachers.

Entries must be postmarked by May 5, 2014. Entries may also be submitted electronically.

For full contest rules and to enter, visit http://strategies.org/education/student-contests/thacher-contest/.

Questions about this contest should be emailed to [email protected].

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Kepler Art of Discovery Art Contest

Commemorate the fifth anniversary of NASA’s Kepler mission to search for habitable planets with the Kepler Art of Discovery art contest. The contest is open to artists ages 13 and older who reside in the continental U.S. The contest invites artists to submit creative artwork that depicts, or relates to, the exciting discoveries made possible by the Kepler spacecraft and its team of scientists and engineers.

The best artwork, selected by a combination of participants’ votes and expert judges’ scores, will be displayed as the Top 100 in the Gallery of the Art of Discovery website.

The contest registration deadline is May 5, 2014. Entries are due May 12, 2014.

For full details on the contest and to submit artwork, visit http://keplerart.seti.org.

Questions about the contest should be directed to [email protected].

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2014 NASA Unmanned Aerial Systems Challenge

NASA invites college teams to take part in the 2014 NASA Aeronautics Mission Directorate’s Unmanned Aerial Systems Challenge. Students are invited to propose a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial system to track hurricanes. Design assessment will be based on projected effectiveness, cost, innovation and ease of use and operation inside the National Air Space.

The contest is open to teams of full-time students enrolled in higher education institutions of the United States or its territories. This category includes universities, colleges, trade schools, community colleges, professional schools, etc. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged.

Final entries are due May 9, 2014.

For more information and a complete list of rules, visit http://aero.larc.nasa.gov/university-contest/.

Questions about the challenge should be directed to Elizabeth Ward at [email protected].

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2015 NASA Scholars

The NASA Office of Education is accepting applications for NASA Scholars. The NASA Scholarship is a competitive opportunity that focuses on students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, disciplines, to address the critical shortage of qualified STEM professionals that the nation is facing.

Eligible students include rising freshman (high school graduating seniors or GED recipients not yet enrolled in college), sophomores and juniors, at the undergraduate level, who will complete their undergraduate degree in spring 2016 or later and community college students with at least two years remaining at the community college.

The scholarship includes up to a $9,000 academic scholarship, not to exceed 75 percent of verified tuition, and a $6,000 stipend for a 10-week internship at a NASA center during summer 2015. The internship provides scholars with a unique NASA research experience and preparation for global competitiveness.

Applications are due May 16, 2014.

Applications should be submitted through the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative at https://intern.nasa.gov. Applicants should be sure to select “scholarships” for the type of application.

NASA Office of Education scholarships cannot be concurrently accepted or combined with another U.S. government scholarship or funding, irrespective of the scholar’s status.

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2015 NASA MUREP Scholarship

NASA’s Office of Education is accepting applications for Minority University Research and Education Program Scholars. The MUREP Scholarship is a competitive opportunity that focuses on underserved and underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, disciplines, to address the critical shortage of qualified STEM professionals that the nation is facing.

Eligible students include rising freshman (high school graduating seniors or GED recipients not yet enrolled in college), sophomores and juniors, at the undergraduate level, who will complete their undergraduate degree in spring 2016 or later and Minority Serving Institution community college students with at least two years remaining at the community college.

The goal is to address the agency’s mission-specific workforce needs and target areas of national need in minority STEM representation. The scholarship includes up to a $9,000 academic scholarship, not to exceed 75 percent of verified tuition, and a $6,000 stipend for a required 10-week internship at a NASA center during summer 2015. The internship provides scholars with a unique NASA research experience and preparation for global competitiveness.

Applications are due May 16, 2014.

Applications should be submitted through the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative at https://intern.nasa.gov/. Applicants should be sure to select “scholarships” for the type of application.

MUREP scholarships cannot be concurrently accepted or combined with another U.S. government scholarship or funding, irrespective of the scholar’s status.

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2014 IGES Earth Day Photo and Essay Contest

The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, or IGES, invites students in grades 5-8 to submit photos to the 2014 IGES Earth Day Photo and Essay Contest.

We know that our Earth is dynamic, constantly changing and shifting due to weather, seismic activities, erosion and even asteroids! Change is part of living on Earth. To participate in the contest, take a photograph of something that is changing in your local natural environment. The photo can be taken anytime from Monday, April 14 through Friday, April 25, 2014. (Earth Day is April 22.) The photo can showcase something changing in your backyard or neighborhood, near your school or in a local park, on the ground or high in the sky, in the distance toward the horizon or anywhere you happen to be. After selecting a photo, write an essay of up to 400 words to describe the change happening in your photo.

First-, second- and third-place prize winners will receive gift cards. The top 10 entries will receive a photo book showcasing the winning artwork and essays. Winning photos and essays also will be featured on the IGES website.

Entries are due May 16, 2014.

For complete contest rules and information about how to enter, visit http://strategies.org/education/student-contests/photo-contest/2014-photo-contest/.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to [email protected].

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Lunar and Planetary Institute Workshop: Mars Through Time

The Lunar and Planetary Institute and the ChemCam instrument team invite high school teachers, both in-service and pre-service, to attend the Mars Through Time workshop. This four-day workshop will take place July 8-11, 2014, at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM.

Attendees will discover the relationship between technology and science as it relates to our understanding of Mars. Attendees will also discuss the nature and process of science with invited speakers. Classroom resources will be provided.

Workshop registration is free. This workshop is limited to 20 participants. Interested educators are encouraged to apply early to secure a spot. Qualified applicants will be accepted in the order they apply. The application closes May 16, 2014.

For more information and to apply for the workshop, visit http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/workshops/mars/.

Questions about the workshop should be directed to Andy Shaner at [email protected].

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Proposal Solicitation for Game Changing Development Program: Advanced Energy Storage Systems

NASA is seeking proposals for the development of new, more capable energy storage technologies to replace the battery technology that has long powered America’s space program.

The core technologies solicited in the call for proposals will advance energy storage solutions for the space program and other government agencies. NASA’s solicitation has two category areas: “High Specific Energy System Level Concepts,” which will focus on cell chemistry and system-level battery technologies, such as packaging and cell integration; and “Very High Specific Energy Devices,” which will focus on energy storage technologies that can go beyond the current theoretical limits of Lithium batteries while maintaining the cycle life and safety characteristics demanded of energy storage systems used in space applications.

Proposals will be accepted from NASA centers and other government agencies, federally funded research and development centers, educational institutions, industry and nonprofit organizations. NASA expects to make approximately four awards for Phase I of the solicitation, ranging in value up to $250,000 each.

Through solicitations and grants, NASA’s investments in space technology provide the transformative capabilities to enable new missions, stimulate the economy, contribute to the nation’s global competitiveness and inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and explorers.

The deadline for submitting proposals is May 27, 2014.

For more information, visit http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={95A5FFC3-E045-ED8E-3636-C8E3CAACF400}&path=open.

Please email any questions about this opportunity to Ryan Stephan at [email protected].

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Space Grant Community Colleges and Technical Schools Solicitation

NASA’s Office of Education is accepting proposals from Designated, Program Grant and Capability Enhancement consortia for a 2014 Space Grant opportunity for community college and technical school students and faculty. Each funded proposal is expected to engage community college and technical school faculty and undergraduate students enrolled in STEM degree programs, or the equivalent of the available general/liberal arts degree program with a STEM focus.

This opportunity is open to Space Grant consortia in each state plus the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Proposals must be submitted to NASA from the lead Space Grant institution in each consortium, with the consortium director serving as the lead principal investigator for any proposed effort. Only one proposal per consortium is permitted for submission.

Interested parties are requested to submit a notice of intent by April 14, 2014. Proposals are due May 28, 2014.

For more information, visit http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId=%7bA3C96F5E-3DDF-CAEF-40BF-8C3110D3C90F%7d&path=init.

Questions about this solicitation should be directed to Lenell Allen at [email protected].

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2014-15 Virginia Space Grant Consortium STEM Bridge Scholarship

The Virginia Space Grant Consortium, or VSGC, is offering renewable scholarships to sophomore undergraduate students studying science, technology, engineering or mathematics, or STEM. The STEM Bridge Scholarships are $1,000 and are available to students who are U.S. citizens from any federally recognized minority group enrolled fulltime at one of the five VSGC member universities: The College of William and Mary, Hampton University, Old Dominion University, University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.

The STEM Bridge Program bridges students to future opportunities by mentoring and guiding them to future VSGC scholarships and NASA-related paid internships. The program encourages students to explore how their majors can apply to NASA’s Mission.

This is a competitive program, and awards are based on student academic merit, quality of interest essay as well as letters of recommendation from current college faculty who can attest to students’ interest in STEM areas.

The deadline for submitting applications has been extended to May 30, 2014.

For more information, visit http://vsgc.odu.edu/sf/Bridge/. Please email any questions about this opportunity to [email protected].

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NASA Mars Educator Symposium — The Search for Habitable Environments: Finding Curiosity in Your Classroom

How do scientists search for habitable environments beyond Earth? What makes an environment habitable? Are the criteria for life the same or different beyond Earth? The science of astrobiology is at the forefront addressing these types of challenging questions, including where can life exist?

Currently, NASA’s Curiosity Rover is exploring Gale Crater on Mars to investigate a site that has a very interesting history that could include habitability! Join the Mars Rover scientists as they lead a five-day interdisciplinary, immersive educator field experience to explore areas on Earth similar to environments on Mars. Help expand your students’ understanding of how biology, geology and chemistry are essential to this fascinating search for life elsewhere.

The symposium will take place June 16-20, 2014, at the Arizona State University campus in Tempe, Ariz. Participants will be responsible for transportation to and from Arizona State University, lodging and meals. Transportation between campus and the field trip sites will be provided. Some hiking will be required to participate in this field experience.

Participants will receive a certificate with a minimum of 45 professional development hours.

Space is limited to 30 participants. Registration will remain open until all positions are filled.

For more information, visit http://marsed.asu.edu/curiositysymposium-ft2014.

Questions about the symposium should be directed to Sheri Klug Boonstra at [email protected].

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Solar System Exploration Pre-Service Teacher Institute

The Solar System Exploration Pre-Service Teacher Institute is a free workshop for future middle school science teachers and the educators who mentor them. Presented by the NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and the Lunar Planetary Institute, the workshop will take place in Houston, Texas.

Workshop participants will explore questions relating to the nature of science and how scientists conduct their work. Planetary scientists will be available to discuss their research and recent discoveries. Hands-on activities will be demonstrated, and participants will discover ways to connect solar system topics to Earth science, life science and physical science. A tour of the lunar rock laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center is also planned.

The workshop will take place June 23-27, 2014. Registration is free, and lunches are included. Participants will receive a certificate for professional development hours.

For more information and to apply for the workshop, visit http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/workshops/SSE/.

Questions about the workshop should be directed to Christine Shupla at [email protected].