NASA “Science WOW!” Message — Jan. 10, 2018

**NEW** 2018 NASA STEM Enhancement in Earth and Space Science Internship
Audience: Current High School Sophomores and Juniors
Application Deadline: March 1, 2018

NASA, the Texas Space Grant Consortium, and The University of Texas at Austin Center for Space Research have joined forces to encourage high school students’ interest in STEM careers. The SEES project allows students to work remotely prior to their onsite internship in Austin, Texas, July 14-28, 2018. Participants will learn how to interpret NASA satellite data while working with scientists and engineers in their chosen area of work. Housing, transportation and meals will be provided.

For more information, visit http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/sees-internship/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Margaret Baguio at baguio@tsgc.utexas.edu.

Search for Gravitational Waves With ‘Gravity Spy’ Citizen Science Project
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Timeframe: Ongoing

In 1916, Einstein predicted the existence of ripples in spacetime known as gravitational waves. A century later, on Sept. 14, 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, or LIGO, made the first direct detection of this elusive phenomenon. This discovery is the first of many that will give researchers a whole new way to explore the universe. However, LIGO needs your help!

Being the most sensitive and most complicated gravitational experiment ever created, LIGO is susceptible to many instrumental and environmental noise sources called “glitches.” These glitches are difficult to model using computers, can mimic true astrophysical signals, and generally make LIGO less sensitive to gravitational waves.

Classifying glitches using computers has proven to be an exceedingly difficult task. That’s where the Gravity Spy Zooniverse Citizen Science Project comes in! Human intuition has proven time and time again to be a useful tool in pattern recognition problems such as this. One of the innovations of this project is that citizen scientists and computer algorithms will work in a symbiotic relationship, helping one another to optimally classify and characterize glitches. By selecting the right classification for a given glitch, you will help computers learn to do this classification themselves on much larger datasets. That capability will help scientists determine and eliminate the sources of noise.

For more information and to learn how to participate, visit the “Gravity Spy” website at https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/zooniverse/gravity-spy.

To learn more about the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory and its mission to detect gravitational waves, visit https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/nsf-s-ligo-has-detected-gravitational-waves.

Download the “Direct Observation of Gravitational Waves” Educator Guide for activities and background information designed for grades 5-12. https://dcc.ligo.org/LIGO-P1600015/public.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Tyson Littenberg at tyson.b.littenberg@nasa.gov.

“Gravity Spy” is a collaboration between the following entities:
–Northwestern University, led by Scott Coughlin and Michael Zevin with PI Vicky Kalogera and co-PI Aggelos Katsaggelos. Northwestern’s team is composed of a LIGO group in the CIERA astrophysics research center and a machine learning group in the Image and Video Processing Laboratory.
–The Adler Planetarium Zooniverse Team, led by co-PI Laura Trouille.
–Syracuse University, led by co-PI’s Kevin Crowston and Carsten Østerlund.
–California State University at Fullerton, led by co-PI Josh Smith.
–The LIGO Scientific Collaboration, of which NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Goddard Space Flight Center are member institutions.

The project is funded by the National Science Foundation.

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.

Advanced Gravity With NASA
Audience: 9-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 10, 2018, at 6 p.m. EST
Participants will get an overview of NASA gravity missions and resources for teaching about advanced gravity concepts including gravity waves and relativistic frame dragging. This webinar addresses the Next Generation Science Standards PS2. For lessons, please go to https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/303533

Teaching Force and Motion With Rocket Activities
Audience: 4-10, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 11, 2018, at 5 p.m. EST
This project-based STEAM webinar will guide participants through hands-on and inquiry-based learning activities related to forces, motion, and the engineering design process. Lessons that will be explored in this webinar include Stomp Rockets, Foam Rockets, Green Propellant Rockets and Balloon Rockets. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/303606

**NEW** NASA Aeronautics: Exploring the Extreme
Audience: 5-8, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 16, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Participants will get an overview of NASA’s “Exploring the Extreme” educator guide. Discussion will focus on hands-on activities to teach the concepts of force and motion. The activities in this webinar address the Next Generation Science Standard PS2.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/301147

**NEW** NASA Spotlites — Science by Students for Students
Audience: K-12, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 17, 2018, at 6:30 p.m. EST
Learn about a problem-based activity in which students produce NASA Spotlite videos. These 90- to 120-second videos are written, filmed, edited and produced by students using the engineering design process. Each video targets a misconception about science. All steps of creating a Spotlite video can be done using cell phones, tablets and laptops.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/296985

**NEW** NASA Aeronautics: Elementary Balloons and Kites
Audience: K-5, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 18, 2018, at 5 p.m. EST
Learn how to use aeronautic teaching guides to teach STEAM lessons that incorporate children’s literature and art. By using popular children’s books, students are engaged in the cross-cutting principles and the science and engineering process skills of the Next Generation Science Standards.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/302503

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.

Free Education Workshops From NASA Stennis Space Center Office of Education
Audience: In-Service, Pre-service, Home School and Informal STEM Educators

The NASA Stennis Space Center Office of Education is presenting a series of free workshops open to all educators. All workshops will take place at the Infinity Science Center in Pearlington, Mississippi. (map) Registration is required to participate. Each workshop is limited to 30 participants. To register, simply click on the link provided beneath the webinar description.

**NEW** Our Solar System and Beyond
Audience: Educators of Grades 4-8
Registration Deadline: Jan. 14, 2018 (maximum of 30 participants)
Event Date: Jan. 18, 2018, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CST
Take an exciting journey through our solar system and beyond! NASA’s exploration strives to span the universe and boldly research the outer reaches of space. While using NASA STEM activities and online resources, participants will investigate worlds beyond our planet and probe the origins of our universe.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/298598

**NEW** Network of States Lunar Sample / Robotics EV3 EPD Workshop
Audience: NASA Network of States Educators Phase 2, and In-service STEM Educators of Grades 5-12 Interested in Joining the NASA Network of States Educator Institute
Registration Deadline: Jan. 22, 2018 (maximum of 50 participants)
Event Date: Jan. 27, 2018, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. CST
Join the Stennis Space Center Office of Education for a free workshop on the use and security of lunar and meteorite sample disks. Learn about hands-on activities designed to integrate use of the sample disks into curricula. Participants will be certified to borrow lunar and meteorite sample disks from NASA for the classroom. The workshop will include a short follow-up training session on EV3 robotics.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/276901

**NEW** International Space Station: Beyond the Classroom
Audience: Educators of Grades 4-8
Registration Deadline: Feb. 4, 2018 (maximum of 30 participants)
Event Date: Feb. 8, 2018, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CST
Explore ways to integrate the International Space Station into your STEM, arts and social studies instruction. Participants also will learn about the Year of Education on Station — two former classroom teachers, now astronauts, spending a combined year in space delivering STEM activities related to the space station.
https://www.eiseverywhere.com/298599

For a full schedule of upcoming educator workshops, visit https://www.nasa.gov/centers/stennis/education/educators/workshops.html.

Questions about this series of webinars should be directed to April McIntosh at april.l.mcintosh@nasa.gov.

Free Webinar — Parachuting on Mars: Developing Crosscutting Breakthrough Technologies
Audience: 5-8 Educators
Event Date: Jan. 17, 2018, at 6 p.m. EST

Join NASA’s Beginning Engineering, Science and Technology, or BEST, educators for a free 60-minute educator professional development webinar. Learn how NASA is developing large, sturdy and lightweight systems to deliver the next generation of rovers and landers to Mars. Using NASA’S BEST engineering design process, participants will design a prototype of new drag devices to potentially land humans, habitats and rovers safely on Mars.

For more information and to register to participate, visit https://nasabest-epd.eventbrite.com.

Please send questions about this opportunity to afrc-nasabestedu@mail.nasa.gov.

**NEW** Summer Institute — Liftoff 2018: Reach New Heights, Reveal the Unknown, Benefit All Humankind
Audience: Educators of Grades 4-12
Application Deadline: March 30, 2018
Institute Dates: June 24-29, 2018

The 2018 LiftOff Summer Institute is a weeklong training event sponsored by NASA’s Texas Space Grant Consortium and held at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The theme is “Reach New Heights, Reveal the Unknown, Benefit All Humankind.” The event will celebrate all that NASA has contributed and the engineering behind its accomplishments.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens currently employed as classroom teachers of grades 4-12, with at least one year teaching experience prior to the institute.

For more information and to register to attend, visit http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/liftoff/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Margaret Baguio at baguio@tsgc.utexas.edu.

Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

Call for Proposals — NASA Research Announcement for NASA Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II)
Audience: Informal Education Institutions
Pre-Proposal Telecom: Dec. 21, 2017, at 11:30 a.m. EST
Notice of Intent Deadline: Jan. 16, 2018
Proposal Deadline: Feb. 28, 2018

NASA is seeking proposals for the NASA Research Announcement: NASA Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions. Eligible proposers include U.S. nonprofit science museums, planetariums, youth-serving organizations and libraries.

Proposals are solicited to perform NASA education or research for inquiry- or experiential-based educational opportunities that directly align with major NASA missions within these congressionally directed topics: space exploration, space science or microgravity. Proposed projects shall partner with major networks of other informal education institutions, youth-serving organizations, libraries, and/or K-12 schools along with commercial entities, higher education institutions, and/or other agencies that support federal STEM education goals.

A pre-proposal teleconference will take place on Dec. 21, 2017, at 11:30 a.m. EST. To join, dial 888-390-0676 and use the passcode 7710486.

An optional but strongly encouraged Notice of Intent is requested by Jan. 16, 2018. Proposals are due Feb. 28, 2018.

For more information, visit https://informal.jpl.nasa.gov/museum/sites/default/files/2018%20TEAM%20II%20NRA%20Announcement.pdf.

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

2018 Lunar and Planetary Institute’s Exploration Science Summer Intern Program
Audience: Graduate Students
Application Deadline: Jan. 19, 2018

Join the Lunar and Planetary Institute for a 10-week program for graduate students in geology, planetary science, planetary astronomy and related programs. Learn how to integrate scientific input with exploration activities in a way that mission architects and spacecraft engineers can use. Activities will support missions to the Moon that use the Orion crew vehicle, the Deep Space Gateway and robotic assets on the lunar surface.

Interns will receive stipends and travel expense reimbursement. Applications are due Jan. 19, 2018.

For more information, visit https://www.lpi.usra.edu/exploration_intern/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to explorationintern@lpi.usra.edu.

**NEW** Now Accepting Applications for NASA Summer Internships
Audience: High School, Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Application Deadline: March 1, 2018

Now is your chance to apply for exciting hands-on internship opportunities available this summer at all NASA centers. High school, undergraduate and graduate students are needed to help NASA scientists and engineers with ongoing scientific and engineering research, technology development and spaceflight operations activities. Internships also exist in nontechnical areas such as communications, budget, procurement, education and human resources. NASA internships are stipend-paid and offer students mentor-directed, degree-related, NASA-relevant tasks.

If you think you have what it takes to be a NASA intern, please visit https://intern.nasa.gov today to apply or to learn more about the numerous opportunities available.

The deadline for summer applications is March 1, 2018!

Please submit inquiries about NASA Internships and Fellowships via https://intern.nasa.gov/oic/.