STEM Engagement at NASA – Page 5

Moon Tree Planted at U.S. Capitol Marks Enduring NASA, Artemis Legacy

June 4, 2024 NeRD

NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman provides remarks at a Moon Tree dedication ceremony Tuesday, June 4, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. The American Sweetgum tree was grown from a seed that flew around the Moon during the agency’s Artemis I mission in 2022. In April, NASA announced the agency selected organizations from across the country to receive ‘Moon Tree’ seedlings to plant in their communities. Since returning to Earth, the tree seeds have been germinating under the care of the United States Department of Agriculture Forest…

NASA Awards University Research Projects to Support Agency Missions

June 4, 2024 NeRD

Credits: NASA NASA announced the recipients of the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) grants, which will support scientific and technical research projects for more than 20 universities and organizations across the United States. “NASA’s EPSCoR awards are a tool to strengthen research capacity in areas across our nation that have historically been underrepresented in government research,” said Torry Johnson, deputy associate administrator of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Engagement Programs at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The goal with each award is to provide institutions a long-term and…

Aerospace Trailblazer: Shirley Holland-Hunt’s Visionary Leadership Transforms Space Exploration

June 4, 2024 NeRD

From pioneering space initiatives to championing diversity and innovation, Shirley Holland-Hunt’s multifaceted leadership at NASA exemplifies the future of aerospace exploration. Her efforts have driven technological advancements and advocated for the inclusion of women and minorities in STEM fields. Holland-Hunt currently serves as the associate division chief for Houston’s Johnson Space Center Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division, where she drives engineering design, development, testing, and evaluation for all phases of space flight. She supports the identification and establishment of center partnerships and Space Act Agreements that drive the research and…

Artemis Generation Shines During NASA’s 2024 Lunabotics Challenge

June 3, 2024 NeRD

A team from Iowa accepts the Artemis grand prize award during NASA’s Lunabotics competition on Friday, May 17, 2024, at the Center for Space Education near the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Derrol Nail Photo credit: NASA/Derrol Nail Members of the Artemis Generation kicked up some simulated lunar dust as part of NASA’s 2024 Lunabotics Challenge, held at The Astronauts Memorial Foundation’s Center for Space Education at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. When the dust settled, two teams emerged from Artemis Arena as the…

Students Across US to Hear from NASA Astronaut Aboard Space Station

May 16, 2024 NeRD

An image of NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps using the glovebox BioFabrication Facility in the Columbus European Laboratory during Expedition 71 on April 10, 2024. Credits: NASA/Michael Barratt Students of a volunteer service organization will have the opportunity next week to hear from NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will stream live at 11:40 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 21, on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. Media interested in covering the event must RSVP no later than 5 p.m., Monday, May 20,…

NASA Awards Expand Research Capabilities at Institutions Nationwide

May 10, 2024 NeRD

A photo of a team of researchers from the University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras while working to discover a more efficient water recycling system for use on space missions. The team is comprised of doctoral students Liz Santiago-Martoral, on the left, and Alondra Rodriguez-Rolon, and their mentor Professor Eduardo Nicolau. One of their experiments can be seen on the countertop to the left of the group. Credits: NASA NASA is awarding approximately $45 million to 21 higher-education institutions to help build capacity for research. The awards were made possible through…

NASA Invites Media to Annual Lunabotics Competition

May 10, 2024 NeRD

From left to right, Cielo Torres, Jacob Liorca, Thomas Jaycard, and Gavin Fitzgerald work on a robotic rover inside the University of Central Florida’s robotics lab ahead of the 2024 Lunabotics Challenge. University of Central Florida/Antoine Hart NASA’s 2024 Lunabotics Challenge offers more than 40 college teams from across the country the chance to design, build, and operate their own lunar robots, with the top 10 teams advancing to the final demonstrations phase. Media are invited to attend the finals on May 16-17 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex…

NASA Challenge Gives Artemis Generation Coders a Chance to Shine

May 7, 2024 NeRD

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement selected seven student teams to participate in a culminating event for the 2024 App Development Challenge (ADC), one of the agency’s Artemis Student Challenges, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston from April 15-18, 2024. The 2024 App Development Challenge top teams in front of the Orion Capsule in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The coding challenge, celebrating its fifth year and a part of NASA’s Next…

NASA Selects Students for Europa Clipper Intern Program

May 2, 2024 NeRD

4 min read NASA Selects Students for Europa Clipper Intern Program NASA has selected 40 undergraduate students for the first year of its Europa ICONS (Inspiring Clipper: Opportunities for Next-generation Scientists) internship program, supporting the agency’s Europa Clipper mission. Europa ICONS matches students with mentors from the mission’s science team for a 10-week program to conduct original scientific research on topics related to the mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa. Artist’s rendering of NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft. NASA/JPL-Caltech The program is planned to run every year until Europa Clipper completes its prime…

NASA Grants Support Academic Collaborations for STEM Student Success

April 30, 2024 NeRD

Credit: NASA NASA has awarded $3.9 million to 13 teams at under-resourced academic institutions across the country, to support collaborative projects with NASA that offer students mentorship and career development in science, technology, engineering, and math. This is the second round of seed funding awards given through the agency’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Bridge Program, which was established in 2022 to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the science and engineering communities, as well as NASA’s workforce. “We are thrilled to welcome 13 new teams into our community,” said…