NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — Oct. 26, 2016

Check out the latest edition of NASA Education’s “Science WOW!” — your source for NASA opportunities in science education delivered “Weekly On Wednesday.”

Check out the latest edition of NASA Education’s “Science WOW!” — your source for NASA opportunities in science education delivered “Weekly On Wednesday.”


Science Always Starts With a Question …


This Week’s Question: Which Planet Has the Strongest Winds?

The high wind speeds caused by hurricanes and tornadoes on Earth can be intense. But are they the strongest winds in the solar system? To find out, visit http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/ask/202-Which-planet-has-the-strongest-winds-.


Have You Seen This?


Check out a new publication from Earth Observatory — EO Kids — bringing engaging science stories from Earth Observatory to a younger audience! EO Kids offers hands-on activities, experiments and more. Download it today!

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/eokids/


Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages



Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12



Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions


 


Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages


**NEW** Girl Scout Destinations — Reaching for the Stars: NASA Science for Girl Scouts
Audience: Girl Scouts and Girl Scout Leaders
Application Deadline: As Early as Nov. 1, 2016, Varies by Location

Girl Scout Destinations trips are the ultimate adventure for individual girls ages 11 and older! With different trips every year, there’s something amazing for everyone to experience. Make friends from all over the country as you travel with Girl Scouts from different states and pack your bags full of inspiring, life-changing experiences.

Four upcoming Girl Scout Destinations trips have a NASA connection:

Total Eclipse of the Heartland
http://forgirls.girlscouts.org/travel/total-eclipse-of-the-heartland/
Experience the Great American Eclipse at the point of the longest duration of totality, along with new friends from NASA, scientists, your new solar sisters and other eclipse aficionados.

The Great Eclipse Adventure
http://forgirls.girlscouts.org/travel/the-great-eclipse-adventure/
Experience the Great American Eclipse and spend two days with female professors and students from the University of Missouri’s astronomy, physics and engineering departments as you do hands-on activities.

Eyes to the Sky — A Once in a Lifetime Destination
http://forgirls.girlscouts.org/travel/eyes-to-the-sky-a-once-in-a-lifetime-destination/
Blast into a total solar eclipse weekend as the eclipse path exits the continental U.S. in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina! Time will fly as your time will be packed with amazing experiences — life as an astronaut, space missions, rocket science, planetarium trips and camping under the stars!

Astronomy Camp
http://forgirls.girlscouts.org/travel/astronomy-camp/
This camp is an adventure in scientific exploration using mountaintop telescopes at the Catalina Observatories atop scenic Mt. Lemmon in southern Arizona. You will explore the sky both day and night, make your own observations, and create your own images.

The deadline for Round 1 Destinations applications varies depending on dates set by local Girl Scout Councils. Some are due as early as Nov. 1, 2016. For more information and to find the application deadline for your area, visit http://forgirls.girlscouts.org/travel/take-a-trip/destinations/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to destinations@girlscouts.org.


**NEW** Photo Contest — Win a Trip to Space Camp With Space Racers
Audience: Parents and/or Guardians of One or More Minor Children
Entry Deadline: Nov. 6, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. ET

Space Racers® Season 2 is launching on Nov. 5! This animated TV series follows a group of adventurous spaceship cadets and exposes young children to key aspects of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, curricula. Space Racers is collaborating in a partnership with the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Space Camp, to which NASA serves as technical and educational consultant pursuant to a cooperative agreement.

To celebrate the new season, parents and guardians are invited to submit a photo of their future astronaut for a chance to win a prize! Daily giveaways include memberships to science museums across the country. And a grand prize winner will receive an all-expenses paid family trip to Space Camp!

The deadline to enter is Nov. 6, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

For complete rules and submission guidelines, visit http://contest.spaceracers.org/.

For more information on Space Racers, go to www.SpaceRacers.org.

Please submit questions about this opportunity to info@spaceracers.org.


NASA Invites You to #SpotHubble
Audience: All Educators and Students

Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has sent back mind-blowing images that not only changed our understanding of our universe, but also changed where we see glimpses of our universe in everyday life.

Hubble is more than a science spacecraft; it’s a cultural phenomenon! Take a moment to think about where you’ve seen the Hubble Space Telescope or Hubble images in your daily life. Maybe you own a textbook with a picture of the telescope on the cover, or you walk by a mural inspired by Hubble images every day on your way to work. Perhaps you’ve even created art based on Hubble images. NASA wants to see the Hubble impact in your life! Share your photos with NASA on Instagram, Twitter, Flickr and Facebook.

Images may be submitted on the following social media platforms:

— Flickr:
Submit your photos to the Spot Hubble Flickr Group.
— Instagram: Use the Instagram app to upload your photo, and in the description include #SpotHubble and #NASAGoddard.
Twitter: Share your image on Twitter and include #SpotHubble in the tweet.
— Facebook: Share your image on Facebook and include #SpotHubble in the post.

Your #SpotHubble image may be shared on NASA Hubble social media accounts!

To learn more, visit https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/2016/spothubble.

 


Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12


**NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators

The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University 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 that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

NASA Weathering the Storm — Earth Right Now: Meteorology Educator Guide
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-9
Event Date: Oct. 26, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will be introduced to Meteorology: An Educator’s Resource for Inquiry-Based Learning for Grades 5-9. Discussion will focus on the hands-on activities and low-cost equipment builds included in the guide. This webinar addresses Next Generation Science Standards MS-ESS2.D and HS-ESS2.D. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/199129

NASA Weathering the Storm — Earth Right Now: NASA Weather Resources
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: Oct. 27, 2016, at 4 p.m. EDT
Rain, snow and other forms of precipitation affect every part of life on Earth. NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement, or GPM, mission and the MY NASA Data website provide students and educators with resources to learn about Earth’s water cycle, weather, and climate, and the technology and societal applications of studying them. Discover classroom activities from these great resources. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/204907

Cosmology 101
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: Oct. 31, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will get an overview of the history of the varying scientific views about the structure of the observed universe, from ancient cultures to current theories. This webinar addresses Next Generation Science Standards ESS1.A. Register online to participate.
https://www.etouches.com/199132

For a full schedule of upcoming webinars, visit http://www.txstate-epdc.net/events/.

Please direct questions about this series of webinars to Steve Culivan at stephen.p.culivan@nasa.gov.


**NEW** Sally Ride EarthKAM @ Space Camp Announces Fall 2016 Mission
Audience: K-12 and Informal Educators
Mission Date: Nov. 7-12, 2016

Registration is open for the fall 2016 mission for the Sally Ride EarthKAM @ Space Camp program taking place Nov. 7-12, 2016. During the mission, students worldwide may submit requests to have a camera aboard the International Space Station capture an image of a specific location on Earth. Related resources, including images and activities, are available for use in the classroom. The optional online activities are targeted at middle school students but are adaptable for other grade levels. All students and educators are welcome, including participants in after-school programs.

For more information and to register for the upcoming mission, visit https://www.earthkam.org/.

Please submit questions about the Sally Ride EarthKAM @ Space Camp program via https://www.earthkam.org/contact.


Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions


ROSES-16 Amendment 33: New Program Element — Interdisciplinary Science for Eclipse 2017
Audience: Informal and Higher Education Institutions
Step-1 Proposal Deadline: Oct. 27, 2016

A total solar eclipse is widely regarded as one of the most incredible natural phenomenon visible from Earth. On Aug. 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will traverse the continental U.S. from Oregon to South Carolina. For approximately 90 minutes, city after city along the centerline will experience two to nearly three minutes of darkness during daytime as totality moves from west to east. While the path of totality will cover a swath only 60 miles wide, the contiguous U.S. States will see at least 65% of the sun disappear behind the moon during its progression of phases. A large fraction of the population in North America is expected to witness this natural event (http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/).

The purpose of this program element is to support development of new research or enhancement of existing research, applied to the 2017 eclipse. NASA is seeking proposals that would use the special opportunity presented by the solar eclipse to study the sun, Earth, the moon, astronomy, and/or space science, including the ionosphere-thermosphere-mesosphere system. Building on existing partnerships and the use of interdisciplinary or citizen science approaches is encouraged. Citizen science involves public contributions to science, including formulating research questions, conducting experiments, collecting and analyzing data, interpreting results, making new discoveries, and/or developing new/existing technologies and applications. Citizen science is distinguished from public outreach in that the primary purpose of public involvement is to make contributions to science. All proposals must demonstrate links to the 2017 solar eclipse.

Step-1 proposals are due by Oct. 27, 2016.

Step-2 proposals are due by Nov. 30, 2016.

For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/2cZzz8T.

Please direct questions concerning this program element to Madhulika Guhathakurta at madhulika.guhathakurta@nasa.gov.


Postdoctoral Fellowships in Space Biology to Study the Microbiome of the International Space Station as a Built Environment
Audience: Postdoctoral Students
Required Notice of Intent Deadline: Oct. 31, 2016

NASA is seeking proposals from potential postdoctoral fellows to conduct studies to characterize microbial populations isolated from the International Space Station. Selected studies will provide insight into how microbes and microbial populations adapt to spaceflight. Proposed experiments will use microbial isolates collected from the space station that have been archived at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Proposals will be accepted from graduate students in their final year of their Ph.D. or equivalent degree program; from postdoctoral fellows (Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S., D.V.M., or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution); or from applicants who received a doctoral degree within the past two years but have not yet had postdoctoral training. Applicants must have no more than four years of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the initial or the subsequent resubmission or revision application. The program is open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or persons with pre-existing visas obtained through their sponsoring institutions that permit postdoctoral training for the project’s duration. Sponsoring institutions must be U.S. academic, government or commercial institutions that will provide appropriate mentors.

Interested applicants must submit a required notice of intent no later than Oct. 31, 2016.

For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/2eup7bg.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Dr. David Tomko at dtomko@nasa.gov.


Check out the new ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.

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

Are you looking for NASA educational materials to support your STEM curriculum?
Search hundreds of resources by subject, grade level, type and keyword at https://www.nasa.gov/education/resources/.

Find NASA science resources for your classroom.
NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Visit NASA Education on the web:
NASA Office of Education: https://www.nasa.gov/education
For Educators: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club: https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub

Did you miss last week’s NASA Education Science WOW! newsletter?
Visit the Science WOW! blog for an archive of previous messages.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/educationsciencewow/

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message for Oct. 19, 2016

Check out the latest edition of NASA Education’s “Science WOW!” — your source for NASA opportunities in science education delivered “Weekly On Wednesday.”


Science Always Starts With a Question …


This Week’s Question: What Is a Meteor Shower?

This year’s Orionid meteor shower is set to peak the night of Oct. 21. To find out what a meteor shower is, visit http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/meteor-shower/en/.


Have You Seen This?


The Night Sky Network is a nationwide coalition of amateur astronomy clubs bringing the science, technology, and inspiration of NASA’s missions to the general public. Visit the website to find clubs and events near you, this month’s night sky planner and outreach resources.

https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/


Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages



Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12



Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions



Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages


**NEW** 2016 von Kármán Lecture Series — Attend in Person or View Online
Audience: All Educators; Students in Grades 9-12 and Higher Education
Next Lecture Date: Oct. 20, 2016, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)

The Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, named after the founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and presented by JPL’s Office of Communication and Education, shares the excitement of the space program’s missions, instruments and other technologies.

Lectures take place twice per month, on consecutive Thursdays and Fridays. The Thursday lectures take place in JPL’s Theodore von Kármán Auditorium, and Friday lectures take place at Pasadena City College’s Vosloh Forum. Both start at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT). Admission and parking are free for all lectures. No reservations are required, but seating is limited. The Thursday evening lectures are streamed live for viewing online. Archives of past lectures are also available online.

Next Lecture in the Series:

Asteroid Anchors, Rock-Climbing Robots, Gecko Grippers and Other Ways to Stick in Space
Event Date:
Oct. 20 and Oct. 21, 2016, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2016&month=10
The ability to rove the surface of Mars has revolutionized space missions. With more advanced mobility, new targets such as cliff faces, cave ceilings, and the surfaces of asteroids and comets could be explored. Join Dr. Aaron Parness from the Extreme Environment Robotics group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for a discussion about the work being done at JPL’s Robotics Rapid Prototyping Lab.

For more information about the Theodore von Kármán Lecture Series, including a complete list of upcoming lectures, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures.php.

Questions about this series should be directed to http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/contact_JPL.php.


NASA’s Langley Research Center Centennial Student Art Contest
Audience: K-12 Students
Entry Period: Nov. 1 – Dec. 31, 2016

Calling all artists, grades K-12!

On July 17, 2017, NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, will turn 100 years old! To celebrate, Langley invites you to take part in its Centennial Art Contest. The theme for this year’s contest is “A Storied Legacy, A Soaring Future.”

The contest is open to all children in grades K-12 who are attending public, private, parochial and homeschools in the United States. Artwork entries may consist of drawings, paintings, mixed media and digital creations.

A grand prize winner will be chosen from all contest entries. A first place winner will be chosen from each grade level, as well as second place, third place and honorable mention. Each entry will receive a certificate of participation.

The art contest submission period begins Nov. 1, 2016, and concludes on Dec. 31, 2016, at midnight EST.

For more information, visit https://artcontest.larc.nasa.gov/.

Please direct questions about this contest to Kristina Cors at larc-art-contest@mail.nasa.gov.


Help NASA Study Mars — Planet Four: Terrains
Audience: All Educators and Students

Help NASA study exotic landscape features near the south pole of Mars! In this citizen science project, you will view images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s Context Camera. Your input will help scientists identify possible areas for even more detailed examination with the orbiter’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment camera. HiRISE can reveal more detail than any other camera ever put into orbit around Mars.

Some of Mars resembles deserts on Earth, but seasonal freezing and thawing of carbon-dioxide ice (known on Earth as “dry ice”) at the Martian poles create some unusual landscape features. There’s a lot of territory to cover, so scientists need your help identifying what and where these features are.

For more information and to learn how to participate, visit the “Planet Four: Terrains” website at https://www.zooniverse.org/#/projects/mschwamb/planet-four-terrains.

To learn more about NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and its mission at the Red Planet, visit http://mars.nasa.gov/mro/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Michelle Viotti at michelle.a.viotti@jpl.nasa.gov.


Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12


**NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators

The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University 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 that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

NASA Weathering the Storm — Earth Right Now: Weather to Fly By
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: Oct. 24, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will learn about basic meteorological concepts and how weather conditions and weather phenomena occur. There will be hands-on, standards-aligned mathematics, science and engineering activities about density, mass, fluid dynamics and weather. Real-world connections with NASA and airplanes doing weather research will be discussed as the session highlights a partnership between NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center and NOAA with the Sensing Hazards with Operational Unmanned Technology, or SHOUT, mission. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/196774

NASA Weathering the Storm — Earth Right Now: Meteorology Educator Guide
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-9
Event Date: Oct. 26, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Participants will be introduced to Meteorology: An Educator’s Resource for Inquiry-Based Learning for Grades 5-9. Discussion will focus on the hands-on activities and low-cost equipment builds included in the guide. This webinar addresses Next Generation Science Standards MS-ESS2.D and HS-ESS2.D. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/199129

For a full schedule of upcoming webinars, visit http://www.txstate-epdc.net/events/.

Please direct questions about this series of webinars to Steve Culivan at stephen.p.culivan@nasa.gov.


Mars Survival Kit: Lessons and Activities to Guide Your Exploration of Mars!
Audience: K-12 Educators

NASA is embarking on a journey to Mars! Are your students ready to join in the adventure? Spark excitement in your classroom with the Mars Survival Kit.

The Mars Survival Kit is a collection of educational activities for students in grades K-12. Each educational activity includes a brief description, as well as information about how the activities and lessons align to the Next Generation Science Standards.

Start your classroom’s journey to Mars at http://go.nasa.gov/1NnZ0Rg.

To learn more about NASA’s Journey to Mars, visit https://www.nasa.gov/topics/journeytomars/index.html.


Free ‘NASA’s Journey to Mars’ Planetarium/Dome Show
Audience: Formal and Informal Educators

Are you looking for ways to prepare your students for STEM-related career opportunities? Do you want to spark their interest in pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation? Right now, NASA’s fleet of Mars robotic explorers is paving the way for human exploration of the solar system in the coming decades. Have your students join NASA in preparing for a monumental journey of a lifetime — to Mars!

“NASA’s Journey to Mars” is a short planetarium presentation that can be used in the educational domes of your school district, as well as local planetariums, to inspire interest in STEM. To learn more, including how you can acquire the show for use in your area, visit https://www.nasa.gov/feature/journey-of-a-lifetime-mars-education-resources/.

Please direct questions about the “NASA’s Journey to Mars” planetarium/dome show to Elsie Weigel at elsie.weigel@nasa.gov.


Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions


ROSES-16 Amendment 33: New Program Element — Interdisciplinary Science for Eclipse 2017
Audience: Informal and Higher Education Institutions
Step-1 Proposal Deadline: Oct. 27, 2016

A total solar eclipse is widely regarded as one of the most incredible natural phenomenon visible from Earth. On Aug. 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will traverse the continental U.S. from Oregon to South Carolina. For approximately 90 minutes, city after city along the centerline will experience two to nearly three minutes of darkness during daytime as totality moves from west to east. While the path of totality will cover a swath only 60 miles wide, the contiguous U.S. States will see at least 65% of the sun disappear behind the moon during its progression of phases. A large fraction of the population in North America is expected to witness this natural event (http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/).

The purpose of this program element is to support development of new research or enhancement of existing research, applied to the 2017 eclipse. NASA is seeking proposals that would use the special opportunity presented by the solar eclipse to study the sun, Earth, the moon, astronomy, and/or space science, including the ionosphere-thermosphere-mesosphere system. Building on existing partnerships and the use of interdisciplinary or citizen science approaches is encouraged. Citizen science involves public contributions to science, including formulating research questions, conducting experiments, collecting and analyzing data, interpreting results, making new discoveries, and/or developing new/existing technologies and applications. Citizen science is distinguished from public outreach in that the primary purpose of public involvement is to make contributions to science. All proposals must demonstrate links to the 2017 solar eclipse.

Step-1 proposals are due by Oct. 27, 2016.

Step-2 proposals are due by Nov. 30, 2016.

For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/2cZzz8T .

Please direct questions concerning this program element to Madhulika Guhathakurta at madhulika.guhathakurta@nasa.gov.


Postdoctoral Fellowships in Space Biology to Study the Microbiome of the International Space Station as a Built Environment
Audience: Postdoctoral Students
Required Notice of Intent Deadline: Oct. 31, 2016

NASA is seeking proposals from potential postdoctoral fellows to conduct studies to characterize microbial populations isolated from the International Space Station. Selected studies will provide insight into how microbes and microbial populations adapt to spaceflight. Proposed experiments will use microbial isolates collected from the space station that have been archived at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Proposals will be accepted from graduate students in their final year of their Ph.D. or equivalent degree program; from postdoctoral fellows (Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S., D.V.M., or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution); or from applicants who received a doctoral degree within the past two years but have not yet had postdoctoral training. Applicants must have no more than four years of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the initial or the subsequent resubmission or revision application. The program is open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or persons with pre-existing visas obtained through their sponsoring institutions that permit postdoctoral training for the project’s duration. Sponsoring institutions must be U.S. academic, government or commercial institutions that will provide appropriate mentors.

Interested applicants must submit a required notice of intent no later than Oct. 31, 2016.

For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/NASAMoBE2016.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Dr. David Tomko at dtomko@nasa.gov.


Check out the new ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.

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

Are you looking for NASA educational materials to support your STEM curriculum?
Search hundreds of resources by subject, grade level, type and keyword at https://www.nasa.gov/education/resources/.

Find NASA science resources for your classroom.
NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Visit NASA Education on the web:
NASA Office of Education: https://www.nasa.gov/education
For Educators: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club: https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub

Did you miss last week’s NASA Education Science WOW! newsletter?
Visit the Science WOW! blog for an archive of previous messages.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/educationsciencewow/

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — Oct. 12, 2016

Check out the latest edition of NASA Education’s “Science WOW!” — your source for NASA opportunities in science education delivered “Weekly On Wednesday.”

Check out the latest edition of NASA Education’s “Science WOW!” — your source for NASA opportunities in science education delivered “Weekly On Wednesday.”


Science Always Starts With a Question …


This Week’s Question: What Is a Black Hole?

Black holes are pretty mysterious. Watch this video to find out what a black hole is and how one is formed. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/learn/video/space-place-in-a-snap-what-is-a-black-hole/

 


Have You Seen This?


Check out the new ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!

Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.

 


Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages


 


Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12


 


Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions


 


Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages


Fly Your Exoplanet on the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
Audience: All Educators and Students
Submission Deadline: March 1, 2017

Set to launch in June 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite is an explorer-class planet finder. In the first-ever spaceborne all-sky transit survey, TESS will identify planets ranging from Earth-sized to gas giants and will orbit a wide range of stellar types and orbital distances. As the TESS team prepares for launch, it invites the public to ponder what exoplanets might look like and share their ideas in the form of sketches and graphics.

This opportunity is open to all ages and skill levels. Submissions will be collected via email. To download the template for submitting your artwork, visit https://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/fly_your_exoplanet.html.

The deadline for submissions is March 1, 2017, or when capacity of the drive carrying the submissions to space is reached, whichever occurs first.

To learn more about the TESS mission, visit https://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to GSFC-TESS@mail.nasa.gov.


Be a Citizen Earth Scientist With New ‘GLOBE Observer’ App
Audience: All Educators and Students

Want to be a citizen Earth scientist? To contribute to NASA’s studies of our home planet, all you need is a smartphone, access to the outdoors, and the new “GLOBE Observer” app.

Now available for Apple and Android phones, the app is an initiative of the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment program. For over two decades, GLOBE has enabled schools and students in over 110 countries to investigate their local environment and put their observations in a global context.

To learn more, visit https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/nasa-launches-new-citizen-science-opportunity and http://observer.globe.gov.

 


Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12


**NEW** Celebrate Solar Week — Fall 2016
Audience: Informal Educators and Students in Grades 5-9
Event Dates: Oct. 17-21, 2016

Solar Week, October 17-21, provides a weeklong series of web-based activities with a focus on the sun-Earth connection. Young people ages 10-14 can learn about solar careers, sunspots, solar eclipses, solar energy and solar storms through a series of cool facts, activities and games.

Solar Week is ideal for young teens or groups wanting to know more about the solar system, the stars or astronomy in general. Many activities are suitable for fun in the computer lab as well. After doing the activities, participants 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 solarweek@solarweek.org.


**NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators

The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University 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 that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

NASA Weathering the Storm — Earth Right Now: Space Weather
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades PreK-12
Event Date: Oct. 17, 2016, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
During this webinar about space weather, participants will learn how radiation impacts Earth and how it affects planning for space travel and the upcoming journey to Mars. Attendees also will learn about current research going on at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/196772

NASA Weathering the Storm — Earth Right Now: What Do We Know About Snow?
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-10
Event Date: Oct. 18, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
Investigate ways to use snow studies to explore climate science. Participants will explore lessons that give students opportunities to complete field research and collect data, including how to take measurements and calculate the snow-water equivalent. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/203251

For a full schedule of upcoming webinars, visit http://www.txstate-epdc.net/events/.

Please direct questions about this series of webinars to Steve Culivan at stephen.p.culivan@nasa.gov.


Free Educator Workshop — Technology Drives Exploration: Deep Space Atomic Clock
Audience: K-12 and Informal Educators
Event Dates: Oct. 19, 2016, 4:30-6 p.m. PDT

Precise radio navigation — using radio frequencies to determine position — is vital to the success of a range of deep-space exploration missions. Join NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Office of Education for an educator professional development workshop on the innovative Deep Space Atomic Clock project — a NASA Technology Demonstration Mission that will revolutionize deep-space navigation.

Participants will hear from Dr. Todd Ely, JPL’s Principal Investigator for the Deep Space Atomic Clock project, about this revolutionary new capability that could forever change the way we conduct deep-space navigation. Through hands-on activities and physical demonstrations, educators will learn how to design, construct and test a simple water clock using the NASA Beginning Engineering Science and Technology for Educators Guide and the engineering design process.

The workshop will take place Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, 4:30-6 p.m. PDT at NASA’s Armstrong Educator Resource Center at the AERO Institute in Palmdale, California.

For more information, visit https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/atomic_clock_flyer_10_19_16.pdf.

Please direct questions about this workshop to Sondra Geddes at sondra.l.geddes@nasa.gov.


Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions


Call for White Papers: NASA iTech Initiative
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
White Paper Submission Deadline: Oct. 17, 2016
Forum Dates: Dec. 5-8, 2016

NASA iTech is a yearlong initiative to find innovative ideas with the most potential impact on future space exploration and to support development of the most promising solutions. Ideas may come from U.S. small or large businesses, academia, or other government organizations external to NASA. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.

The first step for potential innovators to participate in NASA iTech is to submit a five-page white paper summarizing a proposed innovation to solve challenges in one of the focus areas. These challenges range from crew health to propulsion.

A panel of experts will review all submitted ideas. The top 25 white papers submitted will be recognized by NASA iTech as semifinalists and evaluated by NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist. Innovators representing the top 10 ideas will be invited to present to the agency and its largest contractors at the NASA iTech Forum on Dec. 5-8, 2016, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The deadline to submit white papers is Oct. 17, 2016.

For more information, visit http://nasaitech.com/#intro.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Tom Flake at t.g.flake@nasaitech.com.


ROSES-16 Amendment 33: New Program Element — Interdisciplinary Science for Eclipse 2017
Audience: Informal and Higher Education Institutions
Step-1 Proposal Deadline: Oct. 27, 2016

A total solar eclipse is widely regarded as one of the most incredible natural phenomenon visible from Earth. On Aug. 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will traverse the continental U.S. from Oregon to South Carolina. For approximately 90 minutes, city after city along the centerline will experience two to nearly three minutes of darkness during daytime as totality moves from west to east. While the path of totality will cover a swath only 60 miles wide, the contiguous U.S. States will see at least 65% of the sun disappear behind the moon during its progression of phases. A large fraction of the population in North America is expected to witness this natural event (http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/).

The purpose of this program element is to support development of new research or enhancement of existing research, applied to the 2017 eclipse. NASA is seeking proposals that would use the special opportunity presented by the solar eclipse to study the sun, Earth, the moon, astronomy, and/or space science, including the ionosphere-thermosphere-mesosphere system. Building on existing partnerships and the use of interdisciplinary or citizen science approaches is encouraged. Citizen science involves public contributions to science, including formulating research questions, conducting experiments, collecting and analyzing data, interpreting results, making new discoveries, and/or developing new/existing technologies and applications. Citizen science is distinguished from public outreach in that the primary purpose of public involvement is to make contributions to science. All proposals must demonstrate links to the 2017 solar eclipse.

Step-1 proposals are due by Oct. 27, 2016.

Step-2 proposals are due by Nov. 30, 2016.

For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/2cZzz8T .

Please direct questions concerning this program element to Madhulika Guhathakurta at madhulika.guhathakurta@nasa.gov.


Postdoctoral Fellowships in Space Biology to Study the Microbiome of the International Space Station as a Built Environment
Audience: Postdoctoral Students
Required Notice of Intent Deadline: Oct. 31, 2016

NASA is seeking proposals from potential postdoctoral fellows to conduct studies to characterize microbial populations isolated from the International Space Station. Selected studies will provide insight into how microbes and microbial populations adapt to spaceflight. Proposed experiments will use microbial isolates collected from the space station that have been archived at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Proposals will be accepted from graduate students in their final year of their Ph.D. or equivalent degree program; from postdoctoral fellows (Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S., D.V.M., or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution); or from applicants who received a doctoral degree within the past two years but have not yet had postdoctoral training. Applicants must have no more than four years of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the initial or the subsequent resubmission or revision application. The program is open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or persons with pre-existing visas obtained through their sponsoring institutions that permit postdoctoral training for the project’s duration. Sponsoring institutions must be U.S. academic, government or commercial institutions that will provide appropriate mentors.

Interested applicants must submit a required notice of intent no later than Oct. 31, 2016.

For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/NASAMoBE2016.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Dr. David Tomko at dtomko@nasa.gov.


Check out the new ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.

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

Are you looking for NASA educational materials to support your STEM curriculum?
Search hundreds of resources by subject, grade level, type and keyword at https://www.nasa.gov/education/resources/.

Find NASA science resources for your classroom.
NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Visit NASA Education on the web:
NASA Office of Education: https://www.nasa.gov/education
For Educators: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club: https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub

Did you miss last week’s NASA Education Science WOW! message?
Visit the Science WOW! blog for an archive of previous messages.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/educationsciencewow/

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — Oct. 5, 2016

Check out the latest edition of NASA Education’s “Science WOW!” — your source for NASA opportunities in science education delivered “Weekly On Wednesday.”

Check out the latest edition of NASA Education’s “Science WOW!” — your source for NASA opportunities in science education delivered “Weekly On Wednesday.”


Science Always Starts With a Question …


This Week’s Question: What Is Science?

Science is an important subject that everyone learns about in school. But what exactly is it? Visit http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/science/en/ to find the answer!


Have You Seen This?


NASA Administrator Charles Bolden has named Thomas Zurbuchen as the new associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.

Zurbuchen is a professor of space science and aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He also is the university’s founding director of the Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Engineering. Zurbuchen’s experience includes research in solar and heliospheric physics, experimental space research, space systems, and innovation and entrepreneurship.

To learn more, visit https://science.nasa.gov/thomas-zurbuchen-named-head-nasa-science-mission-directorate.


Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages



Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12



Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions


 


Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages


**NEW** Participate in International Observe the Moon Night!
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Oct. 8, 2016

International Observe the Moon Night is a worldwide, public celebration of lunar science and exploration held annually since 2010. One day each year, everyone on Earth is invited to observe and learn about the moon together, and to celebrate the cultural and personal connections we all have with Earth’s nearest neighbor. InOMN is an excellent opportunity to share lunar science and exploration with your students and your community. InOMN can help enhance the exposure to space science topics students receive in the classroom.

The seventh annual International Observe the Moon Night is Oct. 8, 2016. Go look at the moon! And invite your students and their families to join you.

To learn more about International Observe the Moon Night, register your InOMN event, and access InOMN resources, visit http://observethemoonnight.org/.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to andrea.j.jones@nasa.gov.


**NEW** Celebrate International Observe the Moon Night at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Oct. 8, 2016, 5:30 – 9 p.m. CDT

Join in the celebration of International Observe the Moon Night with an evening of fun-filled events at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

On Oct. 8, 2016, from 5:30 – 9 p.m. CDT, representatives from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville will be on hand for the celebration taking place inside the Davidson Center for Space Exploration. Enjoy hands-on interactive activities, including an out-of-this-world photo booth, airbrush tattoos, a visit from Janet Ivey from “Janet’s Planet” on PBS, and a chance to see the moon up close with the help of telescopes and astronomers from the Von Braun Astronomical Society.

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information about the event, visit http://rocketcenter.com/calendar/2016-10-08/international-observe-moon-night.

To learn more about International Observe the Moon Night, visit http://observethemoonnight.org/.

Questions about the event at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center should be directed to Stephanie Henry at stephanie.w.henry@nasa.gov.


**NEW** Fly Your Exoplanet on the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
Audience: All Educators and Students
Submission Deadline: March 1, 2017

Set to launch in June 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite is an explorer-class planet finder. In the first-ever spaceborne all-sky transit survey, TESS will identify planets ranging from Earth-sized to gas giants and will orbit a wide range of stellar types and orbital distances. As the TESS team prepares for launch, it invites the public to ponder what exoplanets might look like and share their ideas in the form of sketches and graphics.

This opportunity is open to all ages and skill levels. Submissions will be collected via email. To download the template for submitting your artwork, visit https://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/fly_your_exoplanet.html.

The deadline for submissions is March 1, 2017, or when capacity of the drive carrying the submissions to space is reached, whichever occurs first.

To learn more about the TESS mission, visit https://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/.

Questions about this opportunity should be directed to GSFC-TESS@mail.nasa.gov.

 


Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12


**NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
Audience: In-service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal Educators

The NASA STEM Educator Professional Development Collaborative at Texas State University 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 that bring NASA into your classroom. Registration is required to participate. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

NASA Weathering the Storm — Earth Right Now: Hurricanes in Your Classroom
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 5-8
Event Date: Oct. 6, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
Explore ways to use real NASA data to explore hurricanes while integrating NASA missions, STEM curriculum, design challenges, online resources and the Next Generation Science Standards into your classroom instruction. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/203187

NASA Weathering the Storm — Earth Right Now: NASA Literacy Resources in Earth Science
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-8
Event Date: Oct. 11, 2016, at 5 p.m. EDT
Discover ways to bring literacy and science together! Discussion will include interactive online books available from NASA, plus books available from a collaboration between NASA/NOAA and the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment, or GLOBE, program. Educators will have the opportunity to download the collection of more than 15 books dealing with Earth processes. Register online to participate.
https://www.etouches.com/202757

For a full schedule of upcoming webinars, visit http://www.txstate-epdc.net/events/.

Please direct questions about this series of webinars to Steve Culivan at stephen.p.culivan@nasa.gov.


**NEW** Free Educator Workshop — Technology Drives Exploration: Deep Space Atomic Clock
Audience: K-12 and Informal Educators
Event Dates: Oct. 19, 2016, 4:30-6 p.m. PDT

Precise radio navigation — using radio frequencies to determine position — is vital to the success of a range of deep-space exploration missions. Join NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Office of Education for an educator professional development workshop on the innovative Deep Space Atomic Clock project — a NASA Technology Demonstration Mission that will revolutionize deep-space navigation.

Participants will hear from Dr. Todd Ely, JPL’s Principal Investigator for the Deep Space Atomic Clock project, about this revolutionary new capability that could forever change the way we conduct deep-space navigation. Through hands-on activities and physical demonstrations, educators will learn how to design, construct and test a simple water clock using the NASA Beginning Engineering Science and Technology for Educators Guide and the engineering design process.

The workshop will take place Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, 4:30-6 p.m. PDT at NASA’s Armstrong Educator Resource Center at the AERO Institute in Palmdale, California.

For more information, visit https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/atomic_clock_flyer_10_19_16.pdf.

Please direct questions about this workshop to Sondra Geddes at sondra.l.geddes@nasa.gov.


**NEW** Discover Classroom Activities From NASA JPL Education
Audience: K-12 Educators

Are you looking for standards-aligned lessons and materials for the classroom? How about NASA STEM activities for your education program? These resources and more are available on the JPL Education website!

Explore a database of lesson plans for grades K-12; search by subject matter, grade level — and even educational standards. In an easy-to-browse format, each lesson includes background information, materials lists and related links. New lessons are being added all the time featuring the latest NASA discoveries, missions and research.

To start discovering NASA resources that are just right for your classroom, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/.

 


Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions


Call for Proposals — NASA Research Announcement for Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System: Appendix C
Audience: Graduate Students
Informational Webinar: Oct. 5, 2016, at 1 p.m. EDT
Proposal Deadline: Dec. 15, 2016

NASA is seeking ground-based research proposals from graduate students and established researchers to use NASA’s Physical Sciences Informatics system to develop new analyses and scientific insights. The PSI system is a resource for researchers to data mine information generated from completed physical sciences experiments performed on the International Space Station or from related ground-based studies.

This solicitation appendix focuses on the following five research areas: combustion science, complex fluids, fluid physics, fundamental physics and materials science.

For graduate students (students working toward an advanced degree), this NASA Research Announcement is soliciting proposals that advance fundamental research in one of the physical sciences disciplines identified above and also assist in the awarding of an advanced degree to the graduate student. This call is open to students who meet the following eligibility requirements:

— The student is pursuing an advanced degree directly related to a physical sciences discipline. Only technical degrees are permitted (not degrees in policy or management).
— The student is a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident alien of the U.S., or on a student visa at an accredited U.S. university at the time of application submission.
— The student is enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree program at an accredited U.S. university at the time of application submission. Or, if the student is an undergraduate starting graduate studies, he or she has been accepted to a master’s or doctoral degree program at an accredited U.S. university at the time of application submission and will start during the next academic year.
— The student has an academic graduate advisor who will submit the application for the graduate student. The student must perform the proposed research under the guidance of the assigned graduate advisor.

The agency expects to make approximately 10 awards in spring 2016. Research and development efforts will take place over two years. The typical award will be $75,000-$100,000 per year, for up to two years.

The deadline for submitting proposals is Dec. 15, 2016.

For information, visit http://psi.nasa.gov/.

NASA plans to conduct a proposers’ conference on Oct. 5, 2016, at 1 p.m. EDT. To participate in this WebEx event, navigate to https://nasa.webex.com/ and enter the meeting information:
Meeting Number: 994 156 009
Meeting Password: $Athena-2016.

To hear the audio for the conference, call 1-844-467-6272 and enter the conference passcode 921301#. If you want to submit questions about the  Physical Sciences Informatics system or the NASA Research Announcement before the conference, please send your questions to msfc-dl-psi-support@mail.nasa.gov. For additional information, see the PSI website.

Please direct questions about this NASA Research Announcement to Dr. Francis Chiaramonte at francis.p.chiaramonte@nasa.gov.


**NEW** ROSES-16 Amendment 33: New Program Element — Interdisciplinary Science for Eclipse 2017
Audience: Informal and Higher Education Institutions
Step-1 Proposal Deadline: Oct. 27, 2016

A total solar eclipse is widely regarded as one of the most incredible natural phenomenon visible from Earth. On Aug. 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will traverse the continental U.S. from Oregon to South Carolina. For approximately 90 minutes, city after city along the centerline will experience two to nearly three minutes of darkness during daytime as totality moves from west to east. While the path of totality will cover a swath only 60 miles wide, the contiguous U.S. States will see at least 65% of the sun disappear behind the moon during its progression of phases. A large fraction of the population in North America is expected to witness this natural event (http://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/).

The purpose of this program element is to support development of new research or enhancement of existing research, applied to the 2017 eclipse. NASA is seeking proposals that would use the special opportunity presented by the solar eclipse to study the sun, Earth, the moon, astronomy, and/or space science, including the ionosphere-thermosphere-mesosphere system. Building on existing partnerships and the use of interdisciplinary or citizen science approaches is encouraged. Citizen science involves public contributions to science, including formulating research questions, conducting experiments, collecting and analyzing data, interpreting results, making new discoveries, and/or developing new/existing technologies and applications. Citizen science is distinguished from public outreach in that the primary purpose of public involvement is to make contributions to science. All proposals must demonstrate links to the 2017 solar eclipse.

Step-1 proposals are due by Oct. 27, 2016.

Step-2 proposals are due by Nov. 30, 2016.

For more information, visit http://go.nasa.gov/2cZzz8T .

Please direct questions concerning this program element to Madhulika Guhathakurta at madhulika.guhathakurta@nasa.gov.


**NEW** Postdoctoral Fellowships in Space Biology to Study the Microbiome of the International Space Station as a Built Environment
Audience: Postdoctoral Students
Required Notice of Intent Deadline: Oct. 31, 2016

NASA is seeking proposals from potential postdoctoral fellows to conduct studies to characterize microbial populations isolated from the International Space Station. Selected studies will provide insight into how microbes and microbial populations adapt to spaceflight. Proposed experiments will use microbial isolates collected from the space station that have been archived at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Proposals will be accepted from graduate students in their final year of their Ph.D. or equivalent degree program; from postdoctoral fellows (Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S., D.V.M., or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution); or from applicants who received a doctoral degree within the past two years but have not yet had postdoctoral training. Applicants must have no more than four years of postdoctoral research experience at the time of the initial or the subsequent resubmission or revision application. The program is open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or persons with pre-existing visas obtained through their sponsoring institutions that permit postdoctoral training for the project’s duration. Sponsoring institutions must be U.S. academic, government or commercial institutions that will provide appropriate mentors.

Interested applicants must submit a required notice of intent no later than Oct. 31, 2016.

For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/NASAMoBE2016.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Dr. David Tomko at dtomko@nasa.gov.


**NEW** Call for White Papers: NASA iTech Initiative
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
White Paper Submission Deadline: Oct. 17, 2016
Forum Dates: Dec. 5-8, 2016

NASA iTech is a yearlong initiative to find innovative ideas with the most potential impact on future space exploration and to support development of the most promising solutions. Ideas may come from U.S. small or large businesses, academia, or other government organizations external to NASA. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.

The first step for potential innovators to participate in NASA iTech is to submit a five-page white paper summarizing a proposed innovation to solve challenges in one of the focus areas. These challenges range from crew health to propulsion.

A panel of experts will review all submitted ideas. The top 25 white papers submitted will be recognized by NASA iTech as semifinalists and evaluated by NASA’s Office of the Chief Technologist. Innovators representing the top 10 ideas will be invited to present to the agency and its largest contractors at the NASA iTech Forum on Dec. 5-8, 2016, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The deadline to submit white papers is Oct. 17, 2016.

For more information, visit http://nasaitech.com/#intro.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Tom Flake at t.g.flake@nasaitech.com.


Check out the new ‘Explore NASA Science’ website!
Science starts with questions, leading to discoveries. Explore the redesigned NASA Science site and send us feedback. Visit https://science.nasa.gov. To view the site in Spanish, visit http://ciencia.nasa.gov.

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

Are you looking for NASA educational materials to support your STEM curriculum?
Search hundreds of resources by subject, grade level, type and keyword at https://www.nasa.gov/education/resources/.

Find NASA science resources for your classroom.
NASA Wavelength is a digital collection of Earth and space science resources for educators of all levels — from elementary to college, to out-of-school programs. http://nasawavelength.org/

Visit NASA Education on the web:
NASA Office of Education: https://www.nasa.gov/education
For Educators: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club: https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub

Did you miss last week’s NASA Education Science WOW! message?
Visit the Science WOW! blog for an archive of previous messages.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/educationsciencewow/