NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — Sept. 20, 2017

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 Causes the Seasons?

Autumn officially begins with the autumnal equinox on Sept. 22. Temperatures are starting to cool, and leaves are beginning to change color. But what causes Earth to have seasons?

This article from NASA’s Space Place explains! https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/seasons/en/

Have You Seen This?

Did you keep your sun-viewing glasses after the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse? If you did, you can use them to sneak a peek at sunspots. Check out this article to learn more!

Keep Your Eclipse Glasses to See the Sun’s ‘Freckles’
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/keep-your-eclipse-glasses-to-see-the-suns-freckles

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

2017 von Kármán Lecture Series — Attend in Person or View Online
Audience: All Educators; Students in Grades 9-12 and Higher Education
Next Lecture Date: Sept. 21 and Sept. 22, 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:

A Volcanologist’s Paradise
Event Date: Sept. 21 and Sept. 22, 2017, at 7 p.m. PDT (10 p.m. EDT)
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2017&month=9
Volcanoes helped to transform the surface of Earth. But the biggest volcanic eruptions in the solar system aren’t happening on Earth: They’re taking place on Jupiter’s moon, Io. Join research scientist Ashley Davies, a volcanologist at JPL, for a discussion of how studying volcanoes on Earth leads to a clearer understanding of how Io’s volcanoes work and how best to study them from spacecraft.

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.

**NEW** NASA’s 2018 Drop Tower Challenge: Microgravity Expulsion From Water
Audience: 9-12 Students
Proposal Deadline: Nov. 10, 2017

NASA challenges teams of high school students to design and build objects that sink in water in normal gravity but will be expelled as far as possible out of water during free fall in NASA’s 2.2 Second Drop Tower at Glenn Research Center. The expulsion must result from hydrophobic surface properties of the object.

Top-performing teams will be invited to present their results in a poster session at the 2018 meeting of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research.

Proposals are due Nov. 10, 2017. For more information, visit https://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/education-outreach/expulsion/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Ed-DropTower@lists.nasa.gov.

**NEW** International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids Exploratory Research Experiments
Audience: Students in Grades 8-12
Design Submission Deadlines: March 1, 2018

NASA and Portland State University in Oregon are challenging students in grades 8-12 to design microgravity experiments investigating capillary action, similar to those conducted on the space station. Teams or individuals create their own experiment using computer-aided design with a provided template and submit short proposals presenting the experiments. Selected experiments will be tested in the university’s 2.1-second drop tower, and video results will be available for analysis and reporting.

Design ideas are due March 1, 2018. For more information, visit http://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/CELERE/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to celere@lists.nasa.gov.

 

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

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.

There’s Space in Your Classroom for Cross-Curricular: Who Will Feed the World?
Audience: 4-10, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Sept. 20, 2017, at 5 p.m. EDT
STEAM Educators will explore problem-based learning using the NASA resource, Mission Geography. This activity includes an investigation that focuses on meeting the food needs of an increasing global population. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/271243

Hurricanes in Your Classroom: Ask a Hurricane Hunter Pilot
Audience: 5-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Sept. 21, 2017, at 6 p.m. EDT
Learn how to use real NASA data and STEM lessons to explore hurricanes in your classroom. A U.S. Air Force Reserve “Hurricane Hunters” pilot from Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, will share his experiences and expertise in the study of hurricanes. He also will take time to answer questions from participants. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/265134

**NEW** There’s Space in Your Classroom for Cross-Curricular: Rockets
Audience: K-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Sept. 26, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
Learn about NASA’s journey to Mars and how rockets impact planning for the trip. Participants also will learn about current research taking place at NASA and about rocketry activities to be used in the classroom or during after-school time. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/281489

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

Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to Steve Culivan at stephen.p.culivan@nasa.gov.

NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies Seek Educators for Climate Change Research Initiative
Audience: 9-12 STEM Educators
Application Deadline: Sept. 21, 2017

This yearlong STEM engagement opportunity allows high school STEM educators to work directly with NASA scientists, to lead research teams, and to develop STEM curricula for their current classes. Educators participating in this opportunity will become associate researchers who integrate NASA education resources and content into their classrooms while improving STEM education within their communities. All applicants must be U.S. citizens and full-time STEM educators who reside within a 50-mile radius of GISS, located in New York City.

Applications are due Sept. 21, 2017. For more information, visit http://www.giss.nasa.gov/edu/ccri/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Matthew Pearce at matthew.d.pearce@nasa.gov.

NASA Mars Science: MAVEN Outreach Webinar — Deep Dips: Designing a Mission Orbiter
Audience: K-12 and Informal Educators
Event Date: Sept. 27, 2017, 7 p.m. EDT

Join the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, mission team for a professional development webinar for formal and informal educators, troop leaders, museum docents, and others interested in MAVEN and Mars science.

The MAVEN spacecraft has been orbiting Mars since 2014, making periodic “deep dips” to sample Mars’ upper atmosphere. Guy Beutelschies from Lockheed Martin will discuss the challenges engineers face in designing missions like MAVEN for success.

For more information, visit http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/maven/education-outreach/maven-outreach-webinars/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to epomail@lasp.colorado.edu.

Solar System Ambassadors Program Accepting Applications
Audience: All Educators
Application Period: Sept. 1-30, 2017

The Solar System Ambassadors Program, a nationwide network of space enthusiast volunteers, is seeking highly motivated individuals to represent NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as volunteer Solar System Ambassadors to the public. Enthusiasts nationwide are eligible — and those in Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories are especially encouraged to apply.

Applications will be accepted Sept. 1-30, 2017. For more information, visit https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/ssa/home.cfm.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to ambassad@jpl.nasa.gov.

 

Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies Seek Students for Climate Change Research Initiative
Audience: Graduate Students
Application Deadline: Sept. 21, 2017

The CCRI internship is a yearlong opportunity for graduate students to work directly with NASA scientists and research teams on a NASA research project related to climate change. This opportunity will not conflict with the student’s course work and class schedule during the fall and spring. The internship is considered a part-time position that supports the graduate student’s major area of study. All applicants must be U.S. citizens who reside within a 50-mile radius of GISS, located in New York City.

Applications are due Sept. 21, 2017. For more information, visit http://www.giss.nasa.gov/edu/ccri/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Matthew Pearce at matthew.d.pearce@nasa.gov.

NASA Internships, Fellowships, and Scholarships Virtual Career Summit
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Event Date: Sept. 27, 2017, 1-2:30 p.m. EDT

Join the NASA Internships, Fellowships, and Scholarships recruiting team for this event showcasing the NIFS programs as well as highlighting the different types of available opportunities. Participants will learn about NASA opportunities, eligibility requirements and tips for the application process. Previous and current interns will share their experiences. The session will allow students to ask questions and have them answered live by NASA professionals.

For more information and to register to attend, visit http://bit.ly/2x9oZJp.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to https://intern.nasa.gov/oic/.

2018 BIG Idea Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Students and Faculty
Notice of Intent Deadline: Oct. 1, 2017
Entry Deadline: Nov. 30, 2017

NASA’s 2018 Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-changing (BIG) Idea Challenge is an engineering design contest open to full-time undergraduate and graduate students. This competition seeks innovations in the design, installation and sustainable operation of a large solar power system on Mars. Top teams present their concepts via a design review at either NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia or NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio. The winning team will receive NASA internship offers.

A notice of intent is requested by Oct. 1, 2017. Entries are due Nov. 30, 2017.

For more information, visit http://BigIdea.nianet.org.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to BigIdea@nianet.org.

Check out the ‘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 http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/current-opps-index.html
— Students http://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 http://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: http://www.nasa.gov/education
For Educators: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html
For Students: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html
NASA Kids’ Club: http://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/