Tag: For Colleges & Universities

Career Spotlight: Engineer (Ages 14-18)

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3 Min Read Career Spotlight: Engineer (Ages 14-18) What does an engineer do? An engineer applies scientific principles to design, build, and test machines, systems, or structures to meet specific needs. They follow the steps of the engineering design process to ensure their designs work as planned while meeting a variety of requirements, including size, weight, safety, and cost. NASA hires several types of engineers to help tackle a range of missions. Whether it’s creating quieter supersonic aircraft, building powerful space telescopes to study the cosmos, or developing spacecraft to…

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NASA Selects Three University Teams to Participate in Flight Research 

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3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA / Lillian Gipson NASA has selected three university teams to help solve 21st century aviation challenges that could transform the skies above our communities.  As part of NASA’s University Leadership Initiative (ULI), both graduate and undergraduate students on faculty-led university teams will contribute directly to real-world flight research while gaining hands-on experience working with partners from other universities and industry.  By combining faculty expertise, student innovation, and industry experience, these three teams will advance NASA’s vision for the…

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NASA Astronauts to Answer Questions from Students in Ohio, Texas

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NASA’s Space X Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait. Credit: NASA Students from Ohio and Texas will have the chance to hear NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station answer their prerecorded questions this week. At 12:55 p.m. EST, Wednesday, March 5, NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Nick Hague, Butch Wilmore, and Don Pettit will respond to questions submitted by students from Puede Network, in partnership with The Achievery in Dallas. At 10:30 a.m., Thursday, March 6, a separate call with NASA astronauts Williams, Hague, and Wilmore, will answer questions…

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NASA University Research Program Makes First Award to a Community College Project

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4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The Project F.I.R.E. team, part of Falcon Research Labs and current students at Cerritos Community College in California, is researching the use of drones to extinguish fires as part of a NASA research award called the University Student Research Challenge. From left, Logan Stahl, Juan Villa, Angel Ortega, Larisa Mayoral, Jenny Escobar, and Paola Mayoral-Jimenez. Falcon Research Labs Great ideas, and the talent and passion that bring them to life, can be found anywhere. In that spirit, NASA’s University…

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NASA, Columbia U. Enact Collaborative Space Act Agreement

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Dr. Jeannette Wing and Dr. Christa Peters-Lidard sign a collaborative Space Act Agreement at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. NASA/Travis Wohlrab NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and Columbia University in New York, New York, enacted a collaborative Space Act Agreement to advance research and education opportunities during a signing ceremony Monday, Dec. 16, at Goddard. Presiding over the ceremony were Dr. Christa Peters-Lidard, director of Goddard’s Sciences and Exploration directorate, and Dr Jeannette Wing, executive vice president for research and professor of…

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They Grow So Fast: Moon Tree Progress Since NASA’s Artemis I Mission

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3 Min Read They Grow So Fast: Moon Tree Progress Since NASA’s Artemis I Mission In the two years since NASA’s Orion spacecraft returned to Earth with more than 2,000 tree seedlings sourced in a partnership with USDA Forest Service, Artemis I Moon trees have taken root at 236 locations across the contiguous United States. Organizations are cultivating more than just trees, as they nurture community connections, spark curiosity about space, and foster a deeper understanding of NASA’s missions. Universities, federal agencies, museums, and other organizations who were selected to…

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Aaron Yazzie: Bridging Indigenous Heritage and Space Exploration

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4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Aaron Yazzie’s dream of being part of humanity’s exploration of space took him on a journey from his childhood home on the Navajo Nation to working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California. His journey reflects not only his personal ambition, but also a commitment to elevating Indigenous representation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. “Getting an internship at NASA was the culmination of a lot of work done by myself, and many of the…

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Why NASA Is a Great Place to Launch Your Career 

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2 Min Read Why NASA Is a Great Place to Launch Your Career  Students at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory pose for photos around the laboratory wearing their eclipse glasses. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech  Recently recognized as the most prestigious internship program by Vault.com, NASA has empowered countless students and early-career professionals to launch careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. NASA interns make real contributions to space and science missions, making it one of the best places to start your career.  “NASA internships give students the chance to work on…

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Northwestern University Takes Top Honors in BIG Idea Lunar Inflatables Challenge 

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Following eight months of intense research, design, and prototyping, six university teams presented their “Inflatable Systems for Lunar Operations” concepts to a panel of judges at NASA’s 2024 Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-Changing (BIG) Idea Challenge forum.  The challenge, funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and Office of STEM Engagement, seeks novel ideas from higher education on a new topic each year and supports the agency’s Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative in developing new approaches and innovative technologies to pave the way for successful exploration on the surface of the Moon.…

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Student-Built Capsules Endure Heat of Re-entry for NASA Science

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4 Min Read Student-Built Capsules Endure Heat of Re-entry for NASA Science The five capsules of the KREPE-2 mission are pictured on Earth prior to flight. Credits: University of Kentucky. In July 2024, five student-built capsules endured the scorching heat of re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere as part of the second Kentucky Re-Entry Probe Experiment (KREPE-2). Scientists are now analyzing the data from the KREPE-2 experiments, which could advance the development of heat shields that protect spacecraft when they return to Earth. The mission was designed to put a variety of…

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