Check out the latest edition of NASA’s “Science WOW!” — your source for NASA science opportunities for educators and students delivered “Weekly On Wednesday.”
Science Always Starts With a Question …
This Week’s Question: What’s That Space Object?
Space scientists around the world are getting excited about this cigar-shaped space object! Click the link to find out what makes the unique object so special.
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/solar-system-s-first-interstellar-visitor-dazzles-scientists
Have You Seen This?
Go on a tour of our galactic neighborhood with the new science podcast from NASA! “Gravity Assist” is a 10-part series featuring lively conversations with some of the world’s leading scientists. Listen in weekly to learn more about our solar system.
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-expands-podcast-selections-with-new-science-series
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
Help Nickname New Horizons’ Next Flyby Target
Audience: All Educators and Students
Entry Deadline: 3 p.m. EST on Dec. 1, 2017
On New Year’s Day 2019, the New Horizons spacecraft will fly past a small, frozen world at the outer edge of our solar system. Officially, the small world is known as “(486958) 2014 MU69.” NASA and the New Horizons team are asking for help in giving “MU69” a nickname.
Visit the site to submit ideas and to vote on names currently under consideration. Submissions and voting closes at 3 p.m. EST/noon PST on Dec. 1, 2017. NASA and the New Horizons team will announce the winning nickname in January.
For more information, visit http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-Article.php?page=20171106.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to Laura Cantillo at laura.l.cantillo@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.
**NEW** Earth Sense — Remote Sensing at NASA: GLOBE Atmosphere
Audience: K-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Nov. 29, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Learn about clouds and contrails using the GLOBE program, an international science and education program that gives students and the public the opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process. They are able to contribute meaningfully to our understanding of the Earth system and global environment. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/281778
**NEW** Earth Sense — Remote Sensing at NASA: Mission Geography, K-5
Audience: K-5, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Nov. 30, 2017, at 6 p.m. EST
Learn about NASA’s Mission Geography resources featuring Earth science lessons that integrate STEM, geography and the language arts with Earth observations, remote sensing and maps. Discover ways to use the unique perspective from space to investigate Earth and the processes that shape it, both natural and human-influenced. Register online to participate. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/285829
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.
Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions
2018 BIG Idea Challenge
Audience: Higher Education Students and Faculty
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.
Entries are due Nov. 30, 2017. For more information, visit http://BigIdea.nianet.org.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to BigIdea@nianet.org.
**NEW** 2018 High-Altitude Student Platform Opportunity
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Application Deadline: Dec. 15, 2017
The Louisiana Space Consortium, or LaSPACE, is accepting applications from students at U.S. colleges and universities who want to send experiments to the edge of space. The annual project, supported by the NASA Balloon Program Office and LaSPACE, provides near-space access for 12 student experiments to be carried by a NASA high-altitude research balloon. The flights typically last 15 to 20 hours and reach an altitude of 23 miles. Experiments may include compact satellites or prototypes.
Applications are due Dec. 15, 2017. For more information, visit http://laspace.lsu.edu/hasp/.
Please direct questions about this opportunity to guzik@phunds.phys.lsu.edu.
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/
Take Part in a Year of Education on Station
September 2017 – September 2018: Although on different crews, astronauts Joe Acaba and Ricky Arnold — both former teachers — will work aboard the International Space Station. Visit NASA’s A Year of Education on Station website for out-of-this-world resources and opportunities for K-16 students and educators.
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/