Congrats to Ed Stone who took USA to Interstellar Space

Voyager Project Scientist Honored by NASA–Via Stephen Colbert

MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
PASADENA, CALIF. 91109 TELEPHONE 818-354-5011
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov

2013-349
December 4, 2013

VOYAGER PROJECT SCIENTIST HONORED BY NASA–VIA STEPHEN COLBERT

Galactic commander and talk show host Stephen “Tiberius” Colbert presented Ed Stone, the project scientist of NASA’s Voyager mission, with a NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal. Stone was a guest on Colbert’s show on Dec. 3, 2013. Image Credit: Courtesy of K. Long › larger image

Against the backdrop of an image of Saturn’s rings taken by NASA’s Voyager mission, project scientist Ed Stone describes the 36-year journey of the two Voyager spacecraft. Stone was a guest on the Colbert Report on Dec. 3, 2013. Image Credit: Courtesy of K. Long › larger image

Ed Stone, the project scientist of NASA’s Voyager mission, stands with his NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal and accompanying certificate. He received the award on the talk show The Colbert Report on Dec. 3, 2013. Image Credit: Courtesy of K. Long › larger image

As if NASA’s Voyager mission didn’t have enough firsts in its 36-year journey, what with sending the first spacecraft to Uranus, Neptune and, most recently, interstellar space! Now, it has another first back here on Earth: on last night’s episode of the Colbert Report (12/3/13), host Stephen Colbert floated across the stage in a spacesuit worthy of a1950s-era sci-fi movie and presented Voyager Project Scientist Ed Stone with a NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal. The prestigious award honors Stone for his work as project scientist of the venerable Voyager spacecraft since 1972.
“I was on the Colbert Report to talk about what I think of as humankind’s greatest — and certainly most extensive — journey of exploration, and I certainly didn’t expect the host to hand me an award,” said Stone, a professor of physics at the California Institute of Technology and former director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. “That surprise on my face was real.”
The NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal is the highest honor for a non-government individual. The citation, put forth by NASA’s associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate, John Grunsfeld, commended Stone “for a lifetime of extraordinary scientific achievement and outstanding leadership of space science missions, and for his exemplary sharing of the exciting results with the public.”
Stone grew up in Burlington, Iowa, and attended Burlington Junior College and the University of Chicago. He was inspired to enter the fields of planetary science and space exploration by the launch of Sputnik in 1957, and his career has spanned the space age.
Stone has been a member of the Caltech faculty since 1967. In 1972, he became the Voyager project scientist, and he has the distinction of serving as Voyager’s one-and-only project scientist. He has seen the two spacecraft, Voyager 1 and 2, through the planetary encounters of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune and is now eagerly poring through the data coming back from Voyager 1, now exploring interstellar space.
While serving as director of JPL from 1991 to 2001, Stone oversaw numerous NASA projects, such as Galileo’s mission around Jupiter, the launch of the Cassini mission to Saturn, a new generation of Earth science satellites and the successful Pathfinder landing on Mars.
Stone’s current projects also include serving as vice chair of the board of directors of the Thirty Meter Telescope project, which is preparing to build the most advanced and powerful optical telescope to date.
A clip of last night’s show is online at: http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/430941/december-03-2013/ed-stone . The clip showing Ed Stone receiving the award is athttp://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/430942/december-03-2013/sign-off—honoring-ed-stone.
A Q&A about Stone and Voyager 1’s arrival in interstellar space is online at: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/interstellarvoyager/q-and-a/
The Voyager spacecraft were built and continue to be operated by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in Pasadena, Calif. Caltech manages JPL for NASA. The Voyager missions are a part of NASA’s Heliophysics System Observatory, sponsored by the Heliophysics Division of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
For more information about Voyager, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/voyager and http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov.
Jia-Rui Cook 818-354-0850
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
jc****@******sa.gov
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[ECP] Educational CyberPlayGround NASA STEM Education

Free Smithsonian’s Stars Lecture Series
Curious about our nearest star, water on Mars, the first trip to Pluto and other wonders of the universe? Come to the Smithsonian’s Stars Lecture Series presented by Smithsonian researchers who are exploring the sun, the moon, planets, stars, galaxies and the universe. These speakers will share behind-the-scenes details about how their research is done and technologies that advance new discoveries. The lectures will be held at the Albert Einstein Planetarium at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
Each lecture begins at 5:15 p.m. ET and is followed by a question-and-answer session. A Discovery Station activity will take place at 4 p.m. prior to each lecture. Stay after the lecture to visit the museum’s observatory, weather permitting.

Dec. 7, 2013 — Oh, Swear Not by the Inconstant Sun
For 50 years, the Smithsonian monitored changes in the sun’s power. Secretary Charles Greeley Abbott asserted that solar variations could influence weather patterns and crop yields. What was he detecting? Dr. David DeVorkin will explore the inconstant nature of the sun.
Dec. 14, 2013 — First Mission to Pluto: The Origins and Voyage of New Horizons
In July 2015, New Horizons will become the first spacecraft to fly through the Pluto system. Dr. Michael Neufeld will discuss the goal of this mission and the promise of new science from it.
Jan. 11, 2014 — Solar Loops: Tackling a 40-Year-Old Mystery
The loops that cover the sun’s outer atmosphere have been studied for over 40 years, but their basic properties remain unknown. Astrophysicist Henry “Trae” Winter will discuss the attempts to unravel these mysteries.
For more information about the Smithsonian’s Stars Lecture Series, visithttp://airandspace.si.edu/events/lectures/smithsonian-stars/.
Questions about this lecture series should be directed to the visitor service line at 202-633-1000.
The Smithsonian’s Stars Lecture Series is made possible by a grant from NASA.
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2014 RASC-AL Robo-Ops Competition

NASA and the National Institute of Aerospace announce the 2014 Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts-Academic Linkage Exploration Robo-Ops, also known as RASC-AL Robo-Ops, competition. This design competition is aimed at university-level engineering students.
The RASC-AL Robo-Ops contest challenges participants to build a planetary rover prototype and demonstrate its capabilities in field tests at NASA’s Johnson Space Center’s Rock Yard. Up to three members of the team (plus the faculty advisor) may travel to Johnson Space Center for the onsite testing. The remaining team members will stay behind at the local university to conduct mission control tasks. The prototype rovers will be tele-operated by the mission control team members and must negotiate a series of obstacles while accomplishing a variety of tasks that include sample collection and acquisition. The only information available to the rover controller to perform the required tasks will be information transmitted through onboard rover video camera(s) or other onboard sensors.
Teams must submit a project plan for their proposed project by Dec. 8, 2013. The RASC-AL Robo-Ops Steering Committee of NASA experts will evaluate the project plans and select as many as eight teams to compete against each other at the Rock Yard in June 2014.
The RASC-AL competition is open to full-time undergraduate or graduate students majoring in engineering or science at an accredited university. University design teams must include one faculty or industry advisor with a university affiliation and two or more undergraduate or graduate students. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged.
For more information about this competition, visithttp://www.nianet.org/RoboOps.
If you have questions about this competition, please contact Stacy Dees at st********@****et.org or Shelley Spears at sh************@****et.org.
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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.
Exploring the Engineering Design Process: An Introduction
Audience: Grades 3-8 and Informal
Event Date: Dec. 9, 2013, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Attend this 60-minute webinar and learn how to engage students in the engineering design process through NASA resources. The resources provide opportunities for addressing national science and mathematics learning standards as well as the Next Generation Science Standards.
Earth and Mars: An Atmospheric Perspective
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Informal and Home School Educators
Event Date: Dec. 11, 2013, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Attend this 60-minute Web seminar and learn the key components of atmospheres that NASA used to safely land the newest and largest rover, Curiosity, on the surface of Mars.
Physics Resources for Elementary Educators
Audience: K-5 and Informal Educators
Event Date: Dec. 12, 2013, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Explore grades K-5 NASA resources designed to help you teach physics concepts.
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 jo**************@**sa.gov.
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NES Web Seminar — Skeletal System: Human Physiology in Space
NASA Explorer Schools and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute live professional development Web seminar for educators on Dec. 10, 2013, at 6:30 p.m. EST. The seminar focuses on human physiology. Obtain information about the effect microgravity has on the physiology of astronauts and learn about the countermeasures NASA uses to help overcome these effects when they return to Earth.
Outer space is an exciting part of our lives and promises to be an even more exciting part of the future for your students. It provides scientists with a unique laboratory, allowing scientific studies never possible in the history of civilization. Future space missions will continue to involve sending humans into space. But after extended stays in microgravity, astronauts must return safely to Earth and lead normal, healthy lives.
This seminar will provide instruction on how to integrate the Skeletal System: Human Physiology in Space lesson into your curriculum. There are two classroom activities in this lesson focusing on the effects of spaceflight on human physiology.
Both activities provide opportunities for incorporating national science, technology, and mathematics learning standards into the curriculum as well as addressing high school Next Generation Science Standards.
This seminar will be repeated on March 4, 2014.
For more information and to register online, visithttp://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES4/webseminar28.aspx.
To learn more about the NASA Explorer Schools project, visit http://explorerschools.nasa.gov.
Email any questions about this opportunity to the NASA Explorer Schools help desk at NA*******************@*******sa.gov.
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Green Strides Webinar Series

The U.S. Department of Education presents the Green Strides Webinar Series. These webinars feature experts from various federal programs. The webinars are free, and events are scheduled throughout the 2013-2014 school year.
The next webinar takes place on Dec. 11, 2013, at 4 p.m. EST.
For more information and registration, visithttp://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/green-strides/webinar.html.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed toGr******************@**.gov.
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National Air and Space Museum Super Science Saturday Events
Join the National Air and Space Museum on the second Saturday of each month during 2013 for Super Science Saturday at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Through demonstrations and hands-on activities, visitors of all ages will become immersed in science, technology, engineering and mathematics topics related to aviation and space exploration. Each event takes place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Admission is free, and parking is $15.
Upcoming topics include:
Dec. 14, 2013 — The Wright Brothers
Jan. 11, 2014 — From the Wright Brothers to the Right Stuff
Feb. 8, 2014 — Scientists & Inventors
March 8, 2014 — Space Shuttle
For more information, visithttp://airandspace.si.edu/events/superscience/.
Questions about this series of lectures should be directed to na****************@**.edu.
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NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event — Small Bodies: Comets ISON

Fly-by asteroids, asteroids disintegrating over Earth, fly-by comets have made 2013 an exciting year for studying and observing small solar system bodies. Join NASA’s Dr. Claudia Alexander, Rosetta project scientist as she discusses Comet ISON and the Rosetta mission in a live teleconference on Dec. 18, 2013, at 1 p.m. EST. Dr. Alexander will discuss different types of small bodies and answer student questions.
If your class is interested in participating in this event via live video conferencing, contact Lyle Tavernier atly************@******sa.gov.
To view a live webcast of the event and submit questions via email, visithttp://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/dln/webcast/webcast.html.
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Historical NASA Space Artifacts Available for Educational Use

NASA invites eligible U.S. educational institutions, museums and other organizations to screen and request historical artifacts of significance to spaceflight. This is the 20th screening of artifacts since 2009.
Eligible schools, universities, museums, libraries and planetariums may view the artifacts and request specific items through Dec. 23, 2013. Online registrations should include an assigned Department of Education number. Registration also can be made through the State Agency for Surplus Property (SASP) office in their state. For instructions, registration, and to view and make requests for artifacts online, visithttp://gsaxcess.gov/NASAWel.htm.
The artifacts are free of charge and are offered “as-is.” Organizations must cover shipping costs and any handling fees. Shipping fees on smaller items will be relatively inexpensive, while larger items may involve extensive disassembly, preparation, shipping and reassembly costs. NASA will work closely with eligible organizations to address any unique handling costs.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed toGS**********@*sa.gov.
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2014 NASA Student Airborne Research Program
The NASA Airborne Science Program invites highly motivated undergraduate students currently in their junior year to apply for the NASA Student Airborne Research Program, also known as SARP, 2014. The program provides students with hands-on research experience in all aspects of a major scientific campaign, from detailed planning on how to achieve mission objectives to formal presentation of results and conclusions to peers and others. Students will assist in the operation of airborne instruments onboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft.
The program takes place in summer 2014. Preparatory information and data analysis will take place at the University of California, Irvine. Instrument and flight preparations, and the research flights themselves, will occur at NASA’s Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif.
Successful applicants will be awarded a stipend and meals allowance for eight weeks of participation in the program. Round-trip travel to California, housing and transportation will be provided.
The deadline for applications is Feb. 7, 2014.
For more information and to download the program application, visit http://www.nserc.und.edu/sarp/sarp-2014.
Specific questions about the program should be directed to SA******@*******nd.edu.
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2014-15 Virginia Space Grant Consortium Undergraduate STEM Research Scholarship
The Virginia Space Grant Consortium is offering undergraduate research scholarships of up to $8,500 to encourage talented individuals to conduct research in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, or STEM, fields.
Applicants must participate in an active faculty-mentored research experience that aligns with the aerospace sector and meets NASA’s mission. Student stipends and research support totaling $4,000 during the academic year and $4,500 during a summer semester are available.
These one-year awards are nonrenewable and based on student academic merit, quality of the research proposal and alignment of research with the goals of NASA and the aerospace sector. Underrepresented minority students, female students and students with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and enrolled at one of the five Virginia Space Grant member universities: The College of William and Mary, Hampton University, Old Dominion University, University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.
The deadline for submitting applications is Feb.10, 2014.
For more information, visithttp://vsgc.odu.edu/sf/undergrad/. Please email any questions about this opportunity to rk******@*du.edu.
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2014-15 Virginia Space Grant Consortium Graduate STEM Research Fellowship
The Virginia Space Grant Consortium’s Graduate STEM Research Fellowship Program provides fellowships of $5,000 in add-on support to graduate students to supplement and enhance basic research support. The objective of this science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, research fellowship opportunity is to encourage talented individuals to pursue careers in STEM industries that support NASA’s mission.
Participants in the Graduate STEM Research Fellowship Program must take part in an active faculty‐mentored research experience that aligns with the aerospace sector and meets NASA’s mission. Awards are made annually and are renewable for one year for students making satisfactory academic and research progress.
This is a competitive fellowship program, and awards are based on merit recognizing high academic achievement and promise. Underrepresented minority students, female students and students with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and enrolled at one of the five Virginia Space Grant member universities: The College of William and Mary, Hampton University, Old Dominion University, University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.
The deadline for submitting applications is Feb.10, 2014.
For more information about this opportunity and to apply online, visit http://vsgc.odu.edu/sf/gradfellow/. Please email any questions about this opportunity tork******@*du.edu.
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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 is March 17, 2014.
For more information, visithttp://vsgc.odu.edu/sf/Bridge/. Please email any questions about this opportunity to rk******@*du.edu.
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2014-15 Virginia Space Grant Consortium Community College STEM Scholarship

The Virginia Space Grant Consortium, or VSGC, encourages academically talented individuals to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. The VSGC is offering a limited number of scholarship opportunities to students majoring in STEM fields at any campus in the Virginia Community College System, or VCCS.
These $2,000 scholarships are competitive awards based on academic merit for students demonstrating an interest in NASA’s missions and STEM-related careers. The VSGC strongly supports students in technical career pathways who are preparing to transfer to institutions of higher learning while developing the essential skills for a competitive global workforce.
Underrepresented minority students, female students and students with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and enrolled in the VCCS.
The deadline for submitting applications is March 17, 2014.
For more information, visithttp://vsgc.odu.edu/sf/ccstem/. Please email any questions about this opportunity to rk******@*du.edu.
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NASA Exploration Design Challenge
Students from Kindergarten through 12th grade will have the opportunity to play a unique role in the future of human spaceflight through participation in NASA’s Exploration Design Challenge, or EDC. NASA EDC invites students around the world to think and act like scientists in order to overcome one of the major hurdles of deep space long-duration exploration — the dangers associated with space radiation. Students taking part in the challenge will discover how to plan and design improved radiation shielding aboard the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, currently being developed by NASA, Lockheed Martin and other partners to carry astronauts to space, venturing farther than humans have ever gone before.
Through a series of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, engagement activities, students in grades K-8 will analyze different materials that simulate space radiation shielding and recommend materials that best block radiation and protect astronauts. Students in grades 9-12 will think and act like engineers as they apply what they learn to design shielding to protect a sensor on the Orion crew module from space radiation. After a review of the design solutions submitted by teams in the grades 9-12 challenge, five finalist teams will be selected and matched with a mentor from NASA to test their designs in a virtual simulator. The winning team will build a prototype radiation shield that will be analyzed and submitted to Lockheed Martin for flight certification on the inaugural flight of the Orion Exploration Flight Test, or EFT-1.
The five U.S. finalist teams from the grades 9-12 challenge will be invited to attend the EFT-1 launch, currently scheduled for November 2014. The names of all students, grades K-12, participating in the NASA EDC will fly aboard the spacecraft as honorary virtual crewmembers for Orion’s first flight. The deadline to register students for the virtual crew is July 31, 2014.
For more information and to register online, visithttp://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/spacelife/explorationdesign/overview/index.html#.UdLvoBZU3dI.
For more information about Orion, visithttp://www.nasa.gov/orion.
Email any questions about this opportunity tona*****@****et.org.
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MissionSTEM Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Video Series Topic 2
On behalf of NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden, the NASA Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity is pleased to post the second set of videos in the MissionSTEM Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Series.
This new set of videos features top university leaders describing specific strategies they have used to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, fields. The video series supports the national goal of educating one million STEM graduates needed in the coming decades to bolster innovation and productivity, educate our citizens and expand our economy.
Over the coming months, the Series will offer several additional diversity and inclusion perspectives and promising practices. Each new set of videos will emphasize a new topic, with previous topics still available on the website. NASA invites you to watch the videos and offer your comments and/or ideas on this critical area for national discussion. By sharing these success stories, NASA strives to help create more diverse STEM education communities and, in turn, advance our Nation’s leadership role in cutting edge technology.
For more information and to view the video series, visit http://missionstem.nasa.gov/diversityInclusionLeadrshp.html.

[ECP] K12 Newsletters : NASA Education Opportunities

Free Education Webinar Series from the Aerospace Education Services Project
The Aerospace Education Services Project is presenting a series of free webinars throughout September 2013. All webinars can be accessed online. Join aerospace education specialists to learn about activities, lesson plans, educator guides and resources to bring NASA into your classroom.
Here an Earth, There an Earth, Everywhere an Earth: The Kepler Telescope’s Search for Habitable Planets Beyond Our Solar System (Grades 6-12)
Sept. 19, 2013, at 7 – 8 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Steve Culivan will discuss NASA’s Kepler telescope and its search for Earth-like planets orbiting other stars. Participants will learn how to use Johannes Kepler’s Third Law and actual Kepler telescope data to construct graphs to record and interpret data that determine if a planet orbiting a star in another solar system is a possible candidate to support life.
Applying the Engineering Design Process to STEM Content (Grades 3-8)
Sept. 23, 2013, at 4 – 5 p.m. EDT
Join aerospace education specialist John Weis as he discusses ways to modify lessons to teach the engineering process while still covering required content. Upon completion, participants will be able to modify lessons and units to incorporate engineering design into any science, technology, engineering and mathematics subject as recommended in the Common Core standards.
Weather and Climate Introduction (Grades 3-8)
Sept. 24, 2013, at 4 – 5 p.m. EDT
Aerospace education specialist Marilé Colón Robles will discuss the differences in scope between weather and climate. Participants will gain a better understanding of the components of weather that are measured and how long-term weather measurement relates to climate change.
For more information about these webinars, and to see a full list of webinars taking place through September 2013, visit http://aesp.psu.edu/programs/webinars/.
Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Chris Gamrat at ga****@*su.edu.

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NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event — Teach for America Event With STEM BrainTrust

Join NASA’s Digital Learning Network, or DLN, for a live education webcast event on Sept. 20, 2013, from 9 a.m. – Noon EDT. Learn more about how to close the achievement gap and strengthen the workforce through Teach for America’s partnership with STEM BrainTrust, which encourages students of color to strive for STEM jobs.
This event is in support of Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, both advocates for Teach for America. As a national nonprofit dedicated to confronting the educational inequity in this country, Teach For America sees the value of embedding itself in communities of color, where the disparities disproportionately have had the greatest negative impact, to let those communities know that we want to work with them in a holistic way to address needs to employ people of color in STEM fields.
NASA’s DLN will webcast this event on location, enabling viewers to watch as students make presentations about their experiences and to hear various speakers address the issues of opportunities of employment in STEM fields.
To view a live webcast of the event, visit http://dln.nasa.gov.
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Centaur Design Challenge
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Centaur rocket with an educational engineering design challenge featuring key elements of the rocket’s capabilities. Dubbed “America’s Workhorse in Space,” the Centaur rocket has been used for more than 200 unmanned missions.
NASA’s Glenn Research Center’s Educational Programs Office is challenging teams of 7th- through 9th-grade students in the Cleveland, Ohio, area to design an air-propelled vehicle with a 25-gram payload that will travel along the ground from a launch site to a rendezvous point with a required mid-course correction.
An educator professional development session will be held on Sept. 24, 2013, to discuss the challenge and for participants to discover how to implement the challenge in their classrooms. Registration for the session closes on Sept. 20, 2013.
Registration for the design challenge opens on Oct. 1, 2013, and runs through Nov. 1, 2013.
On Nov. 22, 2013, NASA’s Glenn Research Center will host a Student Design Challenge Event. During this event, students will represent their schools and present their solutions to a panel of NASA judges. Prizes will be awarded to top-scoring teams.
To learn more about the challenge, visit http://www.nasa.gov/content/centaur-design-challenge.
Please email any questions about this challenge to Angela Surgenor at An***************@**sa.gov.

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Heritage Family Day Events at Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum
The 2013 Heritage Family Day event series celebrates the diverse ethnic and cultural communities that have contributed to aviation and space exploration. Events will commemorate historic and current contributions through presentations and activities for the entire family. The events will take place at the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va., and at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. The events are free and open to the public.
Hispanic Heritage Month: Innovators in Air and Space
Sept. 21, 2013, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. EDT
Celebrate Latin America’s historical contributions to aviation and space exploration. Meet current Hispanic scientists and engineers through the Smithsonian Latinos in STEM initiative. Listen to bilingual stories and participate in hands-on activities.
http://airandspace.si.edu/events/eventDetail.cfm?eventID=4837
To see a list of all upcoming Heritage Family Days events, visit http://airandspace.si.edu/heritage-days/.
Questions about this series of events should be directed to the Visitor Service line at 202-633-1000.

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Green Strides Webinar Series
The U.S. Department of Education presents the Green Strides Webinar Series. These webinars feature experts from various federal programs. The webinars are free, and events are scheduled throughout the 2013-2014 school year.
The next webinar takes place on Sept. 25, 2013, at 3 p.m. EDT.
For more information and registration, visit http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/green-strides/webinar.html.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Gr******************@**.gov.
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NES Web Seminar — Algebraic Equations: Transit Tracks — Finding Habitable Planets

As part of a series of electronic professional development experiences for educators, NASA Explorer Schools and the National Science Teachers Association are hosting a 90-minute live professional development Web seminar for educators on Sept. 25, 2013, at 6:30 p.m. EDT.
Seminar participants will receive an in-depth view of the featured student activity, “Finding Habitable Planets.” In this engaging activity, students analyze NASA’s Kepler Mission light curve data on planetary systems and determine the orbital period, orbital radius, size and habitability of a planet. The seminar includes a description of how the activity addresses Earth’s place in the universe performance expectations of the Next Generation Science Standards and the lesson’s alignment to the high school Common Core Mathematics Standards for functions and equations.
For more information and to register online, visit http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/NES4/webseminar2.aspx.
This seminar will be repeated on Dec. 18, 2013.
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 NA*******************@**sa.gov.
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Earthzine Essay Contest: Science Technology for Observing Earth’s Climate

Earthzine invites undergraduate and graduate students from around the world to submit an essay to its 2013 Student Essay Contest on “Science Technology for Observing Earth’s Climate.” The 2013 Student Essay Contest is a platform to share views on earth science technology, which includes hardware for data collection, computer infrastructures for data management and software and algorithms for data analysis.
Accepted essays will be published at http://www.Earthzine.org and judged by a panel of experts. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top entries.
Essays should not exceed 1000 words, and must include at least one image with caption and credit information. The author must have the rights or permission to use the image.
Submissions are due Sept. 26, 2013. Winners will be announced on Oct.18, 2013.
For more information, visit http://www.earthzine.org/2013/07/02/earthzine-seeks-student-essays-on-science-technology-for-observing-earths-climate-for-international-contest/.
Please email any questions about this contest to Barbara Hofer at bh****@*******ne.org.

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NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event — Radio Astronomy in the Classroom

Join NASA’s Dr. Steve Levin, project scientist for the Juno mission to Jupiter, for a live interactive education event on Sept. 27, 2013, at 1 p.m. EDT. Levin will share information about the Goldstone Apple Valley Radio Telescope program and how students can participate in real research using a 34-meter radio telescope. Students and teachers who have participated in the program also will take part in the discussion.
If your class is interested in participating in this event via live video conferencing, contact Lyle Tavernier at ly************@******sa.gov.
To view a live webcast of the event and submit questions via email, visit http://dln.nasa.gov.

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REGISTRATION EXTENDED: Zero Robotics High School Tournament 2013

The Zero Robotics High School Tournament 2013 offers high school students the opportunity to design experiments that will be tested in space.
Zero Robotics challenges high school student teams to write their own algorithms to fly the Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites, or SPHERES. The competition starts online where teams compete to solve an annual challenge guided by mentors. Students can create, edit, share, save, simulate and submit code, all from a Web browser. After several phases of virtual competition, finalists are selected to compete in a live championship aboard the International Space Station!
A limited number of mini-grants are available to new teams that join and to existing teams that recruit new teams. Sign up for this opportunity when you register your team.
Teams may register now:
1) Go to http://www.zerorobotics.org.
2) Log in or create an account. (Note: You can start programming in the online integrated development environment at this point!)
3) Click Tournaments and register for the High School Tournament 2013.
4) Create a team and invite other users.
5) Visit Resources to get started.
The practice round of the competition is underway! Registration remains open through Sept. 27, 2013.All teams must submit code to the practice competition by Sept 29, 2013,^.to continue.
Zero Robotics is organized by Massachusetts Institute of Technology Space Systems Laboratory, Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation and TopCoder, and is sponsored by The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, NASA and the Center for Advancement of Science in Space.
Please email any questions about this opportunity to ze**********@*it.edu.
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Mars Educator Conference at Arizona State University

Are you looking for ideas on how to transform your classroom to align with Common Core and the Next Gen Science Standards? Are you curious about how NASA themes can fit into your curriculum and help you meet these new expectations? To find out, join the Arizona State University Mars Education Program for the “Transforming Your Classroom: Red Planet Resources and Lessons Aligned to Common Core and Next Gen Science Standards” conference.
During the conference, Mars geologist Dr. Phil Christensen will share the latest news from the current missions exploring the Red Planet. Join our education experts as they showcase NASA’s Mars lessons that are newly and fully aligned to Common Core, Next Generation Science Standards and the 21st Century Skills and find out how to teach this content thematically in your classroom.
The conference will take place on Sept. 28, 2013, at the Arizona State University main campus in Tempe, Ariz.
The conference is free, but registration is required. A certificate for 6.5 hours of professional development will be given for this conference. Participants will receive lesson plans, NASA materials and other resources.
For more information and to register for the conference, visit http://marsed.asu.edu/transforming_your_classroom_registration.
Questions about the conference should be directed to ma****@*su.edu.
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Solar System Ambassadors Program Accepting Applications

The NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Solar System Ambassadors, or SSA, Program, a nationwide network of space enthusiast volunteers, will accept applications from Sept. 1 through Sept. 30, 2012.
Highly motivated individuals will be given the opportunity to represent NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as volunteer Solar System Ambassadors to the public for a one-year, renewable term beginning Jan. 1, 2014.
While applications are being sought nationwide, interested parties from the following states are especially encouraged to apply: Alaska, Delaware, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming and the District of Columbia. SSA hopes to add 100 new volunteers to the program in 2014.
To learn more about the Solar System Ambassador Program and to apply online, visit http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/ambassador/. The Announcement of Opportunity and application form will be available beginning Sept. 1, 2013.
If you have questions about this opportunity, contact Kay Ferrari, SSA Coordinator, by email at am******@******sa.gov.

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Robert Noyce Fellowship in Informal STEM Learning
Applications are being accepted for the Robert Noyce Fellowship in Informal Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, or STEM, Learning. This two-year fellowship at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Innovation and Improvement will begin in fall 2013.
Candidates for the fellowship should have substantial experience in the field of informal and out-of-school time STEM learning. This can include academic work, as well as expertise gained through direct work with afterschool programs, K-12 schools, museums, libraries, foundations, companies and others that are involved in STEM education. A strong network within informal STEM learning is essential. Familiarity with federal education policy and the ability to build strong partnerships inside and outside government are also desired.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens. An undergraduate degree is required, and a graduate degree is strongly preferred.
Applications are due Oct. 1, 2013.
For more information about this fellowship opportunity or to submit a resume, please contact Sara Spiegel at sa**@******dn.org.

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OSSI — Spring 2014 Opportunities
The NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative, or OSSI, strives to provide students at all institutions of higher education access to a portfolio of internship, fellowship and scholarship opportunities offered by NASA mission directorates and centers.
Visit the Office of Education Infrastructure Division LaunchPad to find information on internship, fellowship and scholarship opportunities. The site features the OSSI online application for recruiting NASA Interns, Fellows and Scholars, or NIFS. This innovative system allows students to search and apply for all types of higher-education NASA internship, fellowship and scholarship opportunities in one location. A single application places the student in the applicant pool for consideration by all NASA mentors.
Applications for spring 2014 opportunities are due Oct. 11, 2013.
To find available opportunities and to fill out an OSSI online application for recruiting NIFS, visit https://intern.nasa.gov.
Inquiries about the OSSI should be submitted via https://intern.nasa.gov/oic/.

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2014 GLOBE Calendar Art Competition
The Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment, or GLOBE, Program is sponsoring an international art competition to encourage students to highlight and document GLOBE communities around the world. GLOBE is asking students to draw, paint or show via some other artistic medium how their local community is unique. Do not send photographs, please!
The GLOBE calendar is viewed by students, teachers, scientists and community members from around the world. This is an opportunity for students to show off their local environment!
Winning entries will be featured in the 2014 GLOBE calendar. All participants will receive a calendar.
Entries are due Oct. 15, 2013. For full contest details and rules, visit http://www.globe.gov/web/scrc/overview/competitions/calendar-competition-2014-calendar/.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to sc*****@***be.gov.

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Celebrate Solar Week — Fall 2013
Solar Week, Oct. 21-25, 2013, provides a weeklong series of Web-based educational classroom activities and games with a focus on the sun-Earth connection. Students in upper elementary, middle and high school students can learn about solar careers, sunspots, solar energy and solar storms through a series of activities, games and lessons.
Solar Week is ideal for students studying the solar system, the stars or astronomy in general. Many lessons are suitable for fun computer lab activities as well. After doing the activities, students can interact on the bulletin board with leading scientists at the forefront of sun-Earth research. Solar Week is great for learning about our nearest star, the sun.
To learn more and to register to participate, visit http://www.solarweek.org.
Questions about Solar Week may be emailed to so*******@*******ek.org.

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National Science Foundation — East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes

The National Science Foundation’s East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes, or EAPSI, program provides U.S. graduate students an opportunity to spend eight weeks (10 weeks for Japan) during the summer conducting research at one of seven host locations in East Asia and the Pacific: Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan. The program is a collaboration between the National Science Foundation and counterpart agencies in each host location.
EAPSI is open to graduate students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and are enrolled in a research-oriented master’s or doctoral program in science or engineering. Applicants must propose a research project in a field of science, engineering or STEM education supported by NSF, including Engineering; Computer and Information Science and Engineering; Mathematical and Physical Sciences; Biological Sciences; Geosciences; Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences; Education (STEM); and Multidisciplinary Research in these fields.
The National Science Foundation provides EAPSI Fellows with a $5,000 stipend and roundtrip airplane ticket to the host location. Our foreign counterparts provide in-country living expenses and accommodations (arrangements vary by host location).
The application submission deadline for summer 2014 institutes is Nov. 25, 2013.
For additional information, visit http://www.nsf.gov/eapsi.
Please email any questions about this opportunity to oi************@*sf.gov.