Funding Opportunities – NASA 'Science WOW!'

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

Check out the latest edition of NASA’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 Pluto Time?

On average, Pluto is 3.6 billion miles away from the Sun. Though sunlight is much weaker when it reaches Pluto than on Earth, Pluto’s surface is not completely dark during its “day.” Check out this site to find out what time of day in your area is similar to “high noon” on Pluto.

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/pluto/plutotime

Have You Seen This?

Have you started making plans for next New Year’s Eve? Add New Horizons to your party plans! Shortly after midnight Eastern Time on Jan. 1, 2019, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft will buzz by the most primitive and most distant object ever explored!

Learn more at http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/News-Article.php?page=20180104.

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

**NEW** 2018 NASA STEM Enhancement in Earth and Space Science Internship
Search for Gravitational Waves With ‘Gravity Spy’ Citizen Science Project

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

**NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
**NEW** Free Education Workshops From NASA Stennis Space Center Office of Education
Free Webinar — Parachuting on Mars: Developing Crosscutting Breakthrough Technologies
**NEW** Summer Institute — Liftoff 2018: Reach New Heights, Reveal the Unknown, Benefit All Humankind

Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

Call for Proposals — NASA Research Announcement for NASA Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II)
2018 Lunar and Planetary Institute’s Exploration Science Summer Intern Program
**NEW** Now Accepting Applications for NASA Summer Internships

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

**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/.

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 Science WOW! newsletter?
Visit the Science WOW! blog for an archive of previous messages.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/educationsciencewow/

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

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

Happy Holidays from the “Science WOW!” team! We will not be sending a message on Dec. 27, 2017. We hope you enjoy the holiday season and look forward to sharing lots of science opportunities with you in 2018!

Science Always Starts With a Question …

This Week’s Question: How Far Away Is the Sun?

The Sun is the closest star to Earth, but how close is it? Learn the answer to this question, and find out how our sun’s position in the sky changes due to Earth’s rotation, revolution and tilt.

https://nasaeclips.arc.nasa.gov/video/ourworld/our-world-suns-position

Have You Seen This?

Want to learn more about the electromagnetic waves that make up all the different kinds of light and energy in the universe? Take a Tour of the Electromagnetic Spectrum — This NASA resource includes activities, videos and more!

https://science.nasa.gov/ems

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

**NEW** 2018 von Kármán Lecture — Explorer 1’s 60th Anniversary: A Celebration of Six Decades of Earth Science Discoveries
Free Program — Cubes in Space™
International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids Exploratory Research Experiments

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

**NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
**NEW** Free Webinar — Parachuting on Mars: Developing Crosscutting Breakthrough Technologies

Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

**NEW** Call for Proposals — NASA Research Announcement for NASA Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II)
2018 Lunar and Planetary Institute’s Exploration Science Summer Intern Program
2018-2019 NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowships
**NEW** 2018 Planetary Geology and Geophysics Undergraduate Research Program
**NEW** Call for Abstracts: 69th International Astronautical Congress

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

**NEW** 2018 von Kármán Lecture Series — Attend in Person or View Online
Audience: All Educators; Students in Grades 9-12 and Higher Education
Next Lecture Date: Jan. 25 and 26, 2018, at 7 p.m. PST (10 p.m. EST)

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. PST (10 p.m. EST). 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:

Explorer 1’s 60th Anniversary: A Celebration of Six Decades of Earth Science Discoveries
Event Date: Jan. 25 and 26, 2018, at 7 p.m. PST (10 p.m. EST)
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2018&month=1
The Explorer 1 satellite marked the start of the Space Age for the United States. For the world, it heralded the study of Earth from space. Join NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory documentarian Blaine Baggett and historian Dr. Erik Conway as they go on a multimedia journey from the dawn of Earth science exploration to today’s modern fleet of satellites dedicated to studying our home planet.

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.

Free Program — Cubes in Space™
Audience: Students Ages 11-18 and Educator Mentors
Registration Deadline: Feb. 2, 2018

NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility and Langley Research Center, along with the Colorado Space Grant Consortium and idoodledu, inc., are offering a free STEAM education program for students ages 11-18. Cubes in Space™ lets students design and compete to launch an experiment into space. Selected student-designed payload cubes will be launched via a sounding rocket from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, in late June 2018 or from a high-altitude scientific balloon from NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in New Mexico in late August 2018.

Registration closes on Feb. 2, 2018. For more information, visit http://www.cubesinspace.com/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to info@cubesinspace.com.

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

**NEW** NASA Aeronautics: Forces and Motions of Flight
Audience: 4-8, Informal and Pre-service Educators
Event Date: Jan. 4, 2018, at 6 p.m. EST
Learn how to explore the principles and physics of flight by flying things in your classroom. Using NASA online resources and simple, inexpensive STEM classroom activities and design challenges, investigate the parts of an airplane, what makes an airplane fly, and how to design and build aircraft that can fly in a classroom. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/302617

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.

**NEW** 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.

Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

**NEW** 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.

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.

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.

2018-2019 NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowships
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Proposal Deadline: Feb. 1, 2018

The NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship program is accepting proposals for the 2018-2019 academic year. Applications must be from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees in Earth and space sciences, or related disciplines.

NASA will award training grants to the respective universities, with the advisor serving as principal investigator. The maximum NESSF award is $45,000 per year.

Proposals are due Feb. 1, 2018. For information, visit https://go.nasa.gov/2AsHckq.

Questions about Earth Science Research NESSF opportunities should be directed to Claire Macaulay at Claire.I.Macaulay@nasa.gov.

Questions about Heliophysics Research, Planetary Science Research and Astrophysics Research opportunities should be directed to Marian Norris at mnorris@nasa.gov.

**NEW** 2018 Planetary Geology and Geophysics Undergraduate Research Program
Audience: Undergraduate Students Majoring in Geology or a Related Science
Application Deadline: Feb. 21, 2018

The Planetary Geology and Geophysics Undergraduate Research Program pairs qualified undergraduate students with NASA-funded investigators at research locations across the U.S. for eight weeks during the summer. Students spend the summer at the NASA scientists’ home institutions. Selected students receive a cost-of-living stipend and compensation for housing and travel.

Undergraduate students majoring in geology or related sciences are eligible to apply. Students graduating in 2018 who have not started graduate school yet are also eligible. Preference is given to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Applications are due Feb. 21, 2018.

For more information, visit http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~tgregg/pggurp_homepage.html.

If you have questions about this opportunity, please email Robyn Wagner, PGGURP administrator, at pggurp@buffalo.edu.

**NEW** Call for Abstracts: 69th International Astronautical Congress
Audience: Full-time U.S. Graduate Students Attending U.S. Universities
Submission Deadline: Feb. 27, 2018

NASA is seeking abstracts from full-time graduate students interested in presenting at the 69th International Astronautical Congress taking place Oct. 1-5, 2018, in Bremen, Germany. Abstracts must be original, unpublished papers that have not been submitted in any other forum. Abstracts must be 400 words or less, written in English and related to NASA’s ongoing vision for space exploration.

Abstracts are due Feb. 27, 2018. For more information, visit https://iac.nasaprs.com/iac/home/index.cfm.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to abstract@nasaprs.com.

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/.

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — March 8, 2017

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

Do you want to get the NASA Education “Science WOW!” newsletter delivered directly to your inbox? Sign up at https://www.nasa.gov/education/sciencewow/.

Science Always Starts With a Question …

This Week’s Question: Can a Planet Have Phases Like the Moon?

Earth’s moon goes through phases, such as a full moon and a first-quarter moon. Can a planet have phases too? Watch this month’s “What’s Up?” video to find out and to learn more about objects visible in the night sky during March 2017.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/video/details.php?id=1460

Have You Seen This?

Teaching students about moon phases can be complicated. Check out the following hands-on activities to help students grasp the science behind this celestial cycle.

Moon Phases Activity: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/moon-phases/
Recreating Moon Phases With Cookies: https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/oreo-moon/en/

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

Celebrate Women’s History Month With a Series of Webcast Events From NASA’s Digital Learning Network
**NEW** NASA Pi Day Challenge 2017
**NEW** Celebrate Women’s History Month: Download New NASA Women of Color Lithograph
**NEW** What’s New at the NASA Space Place Website?

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

**NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
Celebrate Solar Week — Spring 2017
**NEW** Exploration of the Moon and Asteroids by Secondary Students (ExMASS) High School Research Program

Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

Call for Papers: 2017 International Space Station Research and Development Conference
**NEW** 2017 Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

Celebrate Women’s History Month With a Series of Webcast Events From NASA’s Digital Learning Network
Audience: All Educators and Students
Next Event Date: March 8, 2017, 1 p.m. EST

NASA’s Digital Learning Network will be celebrating Women’s History Month all throughout the month of March by featuring some of the amazing women that work at NASA. Each 45-minute program will feature a different female lead at the agency and how they started their career with NASA.

March 8, 2017, at 1 p.m. EST — Shideh Naderi — Electrical and Software Engineer from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center
March 16, 2017, at 1 p.m. EDT — Nettie Halcomb — Fluid Mechanics Engineer from NASA’s Ames Research Center
March 23, 2017, at 2 p.m. EDT — Erica Alston — Atmospheric Scientist from NASA’s Langley Research Center
March 28, 2017, at 2 p.m. EDT — Kaitlin Liles — Thermal Engineer from NASA’s Langley Research Center

The events will be livestreamed for all schools to watch. For more information, visit https://www.nasa.gov/dln/virtual-visit.

To learn about other Digital Learning Network events, visit http://www.nasa.gov/dln.

**NEW** NASA Pi Day Challenge 2017
Audience: Educators and Students in Grades 6-12
Challenge Release Date: March 10, 2017
Pi Day: March 14, 2017

Celebrate Pi Day with NASA! On March 10 — in advance of the math world’s favorite holiday, Pi Day (March 14) — NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will release the fourth installment of its popular Pi Day Challenge. The illustrated math problem set gets students and adults thinking like NASA scientists to find solutions to real problems posed in space and planetary exploration. It’s a great way to get students excited about the “M” in STEM.

To learn more and to check out challenges from past years, visit https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/events/2017/3/14/nasa-pi-day-challenge/.

**NEW** Celebrate Women’s History Month: Download New NASA Women of Color Lithograph
Audience: All Educators and Students

Through their accomplishments and dedication to their jobs, women at NASA embody the essence of Women’s History Month. They serve as role models to young women in their pursuit of careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The new “Women of Color: Pioneers and Innovators” lithograph features administrators, astronauts, pilots and mathematicians who have been or are currently pioneers and innovators in the fields of aeronautics and astronautics. To download this lithograph, visit https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Women_of_Color_Lithograph.html.

Are you looking for more insight into the innovative work being done by women across NASA? Visit the NASA Women of STEM website to read career profiles, watch videos and more! Check it out at http://www.nasa.gov/education/womenstem.

**NEW** What’s New at the NASA Space Place Website?
Audience: K-6 Educators

NASA Space Place is a NASA website for elementary students, their teachers and their parents. Check it out at www.spaceplace.nasa.gov.

Don’t forget to subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter, the NASA Space Place Gazette! http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/subscribe

New Resources

What Are Gravitational Waves? — Gravitational waves are invisible (yet incredibly fast) ripples in space. Here’s how we know they exist:
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/gravitational-waves.

Sun’s Corona — The corona is the outermost part of the sun’s atmosphere. Its high temperatures are a bit of a mystery! Find out why.
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/sun-corona

What’s a Barycenter? — We say that planets orbit stars, but that’s not exactly the whole truth! Planets and stars actually orbit around their common center of mass — the barycenter. Learn more about barycenters and how they can help us find other planets outside our solar system.
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/barycenter

Why Do We Care About Water on Mars? — We care because on Earth, almost everywhere there is water, there is also life! If water once flowed on Mars, did life once thrive on the Red Planet too?
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/mars-adventure2

What Are Satellite Galaxies? — They are less massive galaxies that orbit a larger galaxy. Our Milky Way has a number of satellite galaxies, but the biggest one is called the Large Magellanic Cloud.
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/satellite-galaxies

Science Fair — Are your kids searching for some science fair project ideas? Look no further! Click to explore various topics.
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/science-fair

Space and Earth Glossary — What’s the difference between an asteroid and a comet? Check out our glossary to find out and explore more space and Earth terms!
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/glossary

Special Days to Celebrate
Find out about noteworthy days in NASA and space history that you can observe in your classroom.

March 13 — Uranus was discovered on this day in 1781.
Learn all about this blue planet here: http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/all-about-uranus.

March 14 — Albert Einstein was born on this day in 1879.
Learn about gravitational waves, which Einstein predicted over 100 years ago! http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/gravitational-waves

March 20 — Today is the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.
Why do we have seasons? http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/seasons

April 22 — Happy Earth Day!
Explore Earth’s atmospheric layers: http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/atmosphere.

April 28 — Astronomer Jan Oort was born on this day in 1900.
Learn all about the Oort Cloud that was named after him! http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/oort-cloud

April 29 — Happy Astronomy Day!
Budding astronomers can learn more about our solar system here: http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/menu/solar-system.

Share
Do you want some help spreading the word about NASA Space Place? We have a page with ready-to-use website descriptions, logos and links to all our social media. Check out http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/share.

Subscribe to Our Monthly E-newsletter!
Are you interested in keeping up with the latest and greatest news from NASA Space Place? Subscribe to the NASA Space Place Gazette. The NASA Space Place Gazette is for educators, parents and space enthusiasts of all ages. It includes special bulletins for noteworthy days and NASA events, such as a lunar eclipse, planet flyby or rover landing. It’s easy to subscribe — just click here.
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/subscribe

Send Feedback
Please let us know your ideas about ways to use NASA Space Place in your teaching. Send them to info@spaceplace.nasa.gov.

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

**NEW** Earth Right Now: Mission Geography
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School, and Informal Educators of Grades 5-9
Event Date: March 9, 2017, at 6 p.m. EST
NASA Mission Geography is an Earth-based curriculum that integrates STEM, geography and the language arts with Earth observations, remote sensing, and maps that investigate Earth and the processes that shape it, both natural and human-influenced. Using the unique perspective from space, Mission Geography brings Earth to life by promoting active, exciting student learning. The curriculum uses multi-disciplined content and models research and investigation. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/225703

**NEW** Earth Right Now — GLOBE Atmosphere
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-12
Event Date: March 14, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EDT
NASA’s fleet of satellites, its airborne missions and researchers address some of the critical challenges facing our planet today. Learn about clouds and contrails using the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment, or GLOBE, program. This international science and education program provides students and the public worldwide with the opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process, and to contribute meaningfully to our understanding of the Earth system and global environment. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/229949

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.

Celebrate Solar Week — Spring 2017
Audience: Educators and Students in Grades 5-9, Informal Educators
Event Dates: March 27-31, 2017

Solar Week provides a weeklong series of web-based educational classroom activities and games with a focus on the sun-Earth connection. This spring’s Solar Week activities will take place March 27-31, 2017, and will highlight safe solar viewing and the total solar eclipse happening on Aug. 21, 2017.

Solar Week is ideal for young teens or groups wanting to know more about the solar system, the stars or astronomy in general. Students can learn about solar careers, sunspots, solar energy and solar storms through a series of activities, games and lessons. Many activities are suitable for fun in the computer lab as well. Participants can interact on the online bulletin board with leading scientists at the forefront of sun-Earth research.

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** Exploration of the Moon and Asteroids by Secondary Students (ExMASS) High School Research Program
Audience: Educators of Grades 9-12
Application Deadline: March 31, 2017
Program Dates: September 2017 – April 2018

NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and the Center for Lunar Science and Exploration at the Lunar and Planetary Institute are looking for 10 teams of motivated high school students and their teachers to participate in a national standards-based lunar/asteroid research program for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Supervised by their teacher and aided by a scientist advisor, participants undertake student-led open-inquiry research projects that engage them in the process of science and support the goals of the NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute. At the end of the year, four teams compete for a chance to present their research at the Exploration Science Forum held at NASA’s Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, California, in July 2018.

Participation in the ExMASS program is free. Interested teachers must submit an application. Applications are due March 31, 2017.

For more information and to apply for the ExMASS program, visit http://www.lpi.usra.edu/exploration/education/hsResearch/.

Please direct questions about the ExMASS program to Andy Shaner at shaner@lpi.usra.edu.

Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

Call for Papers: 2017 International Space Station Research and Development Conference
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Abstract Submission Deadline: March 24, 2017

The sixth annual International Space Station Research and Development Conference will be held July 17-20, 2017, in Washington, D.C.

NASA, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, and the American Astronomical Society are seeking abstracts under the categories of Biology and Medicine; Human Health in Space; Commercialization and Nongovernment Utilization; Physical Sciences and Materials Development; Plant Science; Earth Science and Remote Sensing; Technology Development and Demonstration; Finances, and STEM Education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Topics should relate to science, exploration and technology activities (past, present, planned or under development) on the International Space Station.

Both the conference and abstract submittal are open to entrepreneurial, commercial, academic and government agency attendees, both from and outside the United States. Eligible attendees include professionals, young professionals, students and interested parties. The working language for the conference is English. The conference will include plenaries for topics of general interest and technical sessions for focused discussions.

Because of the large number of expected submissions, presenters are encouraged to submit abstracts early. The deadline is March 24, 2017.

For more information about the conference and how to submit an abstract for consideration, visit http://www.issconference.org/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to ISSTechChair@atdl-inc.com.

**NEW** 2017 Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Abstract Submission Deadline: May 19, 2017
Workshop Dates: Aug. 21-25, 2017

The annual Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop will be held Aug. 21-25, 2017, at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop encourages knowledge sharing, professional development, and networking throughout the thermal and fluids engineering community within NASA, academia and the aerospace community at large. STEM faculty and university students are encouraged to attend, submit a poster or paper on their thermal/fluids work, take free training, or do a combination thereof.

Registration to attend the workshop is free. Participants interested in presenting at the conference, via manuscript or technical poster, must submit an abstract by May 19, 2017.

For more information about the workshop and how to submit an abstract for consideration, visit https://tfaws.nasa.gov/.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Ramona Cummings at ramona.o.cummings@nasa.gov.

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/.

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/

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — Feb. 22, 2017

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 an Exoplanet?

Here’s a hint: It’s not found in our solar system! Visit the link below to find out what exoplanets are and how NASA is searching for them.

https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/all-about-exoplanets/en/

Have You Seen This?

Download the “Eyes on Exoplanets” app, and fly to planets far beyond our solar system. This fully rendered 3D universe is scientifically accurate and allows you to zoom in for a close look at more than 1,000 exotic planets known to orbit distant stars.

http://eyes.jpl.nasa.gov/eyes-on-exoplanets.html

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event — Live Video Chat: NASA STARS en Español
2016-2017 Cassini Scientist for a Day Essay Contest
International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids Exploratory Research Experiments
**NEW** Celebrate Women’s History Month With a Series of Webcast Events From NASA’s Digital Learning Network
**NEW** NASA Seeks Creative Arts Inspired by Cassini’s Mission to Saturn
**NEW** Help NASA Search the Realm Beyond Neptune at Backyard Worlds: Planet 9

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

**NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
Celebrate Solar Week — Spring 2017

Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

Call for Proposals — 2017 NASA Education Aeronautics Scholarship and Advanced STEM Training and Research (AS&ASTAR) Fellowship
Call for Abstracts: 68th International Astronautical Congress

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event — Live Video Chat: NASA STARS en Español
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Feb. 23, 2017, 12-12:30 p.m. EST

Do you want to be one of NASA’s STARS? In this series of live Spanish video chats, listen as “Students Talk About Real STEM” with NASA professionals who work in these areas. Join NASA’s Digital Learning Network and Educator Professional Development Collaborative for an inside look at NASA missions, research and careers.

This special 30-minute NASA STARS en Español event is part of a series for “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day” and will be webcast on the NASA DLiNfo Channel on Feb. 23, 2017, at Noon EST.

Submit questions via Twitter using #NASASTARS or via email to astrosdeNASA@gmail.com. Or sign up at https://www.txstate-epdc.net/nasa-stars/ for your class to connect directly.

For more information, visit https://www.nasa.gov/dln/special-events. Please send questions about this event to astrosdeNASA@gmail.com.

NASA’s Digital Learning Network Event — NASA STARS en Español
Audiencia: Todos Los Educadores y Estudiantes
Fecha del Evento: 23 de febrero de 2017, Mediodía-12:30 p.m. EST

¿Quieres ser uno de los Astros de NASA? En esta serie de video conferencia en español y en vivo, los estudiantes hablarán de lo que es en realidad STEM (ciencias, tecnología, ingeniería y matemáticas) con profesionales de NASA que están trabajando en estas ramas. Acompaña a los programas de conexión digital de NASA (DLN for sus siglas en inglés) y el programa de colaboraciones de desarrolló profesional educativo (EPDC por sus siglas en inglés) hablando de diferentes misiones, investigaciones y carreras en NASA.

El siguiente programa será transmitido por NASA DLiNfo Channel el 23 de febrero de 2017 a la 12 p.m. EST.

Envia tus preguntas por medio de Twitter usando #NASASTARS ó por correo electrónico astrosdeNASA@gmail.com. O inscribe tu escuela y conectate.

Para más información, visite la página https://www.nasa.gov/dln/special-events. Escribanos si usted esta interesado en conectarse directo para participar y cualquier pregunta sobre el programa astrosdeNASA@gmail.com.

2016-2017 Cassini Scientist for a Day Essay Contest
Audience: 5-12 Students
Entry Deadline: Feb. 24, 2017

The Cassini Scientist for a Day contest challenges students to become NASA scientists studying Saturn. Participants examine three of the best scientific targets imaged by the Cassini spacecraft in its 12 years at Saturn. After researching the topics, students are to choose the one they think yielded the best scientific results. This year’s targets are Enceladus’ plumes, Titan’s lakes and Saturn’s hexagon. After researching the three options, students write an essay of fewer than 500 words explaining their choice.

The contest is open to all students in the United States in grades 5-12. The essays will be divided into three groups for scoring: grades 5-6, 7-8 and 9-12. All submissions must be students’ original work. Participants may enter as individuals or as part of a team of up to four students.

The deadline for entries is Feb. 24, 2017.

For more information, visit http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/scientist-for-a-day.

If you have questions about this contest, please email scientistforaday@jpl.nasa.gov.

International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids Exploratory Research Experiments
Audience: Grade 8-12 Educators and Students
Entry Deadlines: March 1, 2017

NASA and Portland State University are seeking participants for the International Space Station Research Design Challenge: Capillary Effects on Liquids Exploratory Research Experiments, or CELERE. This design challenge enables students to do microgravity research on capillary action, similar to that 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. Portland State University then manufactures test cells using the CAD drawings and a computer-controlled laser cutter. Each experiment is conducted in a drop tower. Video of the drop is provided for student analysis and reporting of results.

CELERE is open to individuals and teams in grades 8-12. To facilitate the participation of informal science clubs, scouts, etc., teams may include younger students as long as at least one team member is in grades 8-12. Teams may be of any size and may include an entire class or science club. The program is limited to students from the U.S., including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Students at Department of Defense Education Activity schools (www.dodea.edu), including those outside the U.S., are also eligible to participate.

The CELERE design challenge is a relatively new program and, as a result, the odds of selection are high. In 2014-2016, 100 percent of the entries were selected for full participation, where the student experiments were built and tested in microgravity. In 2017, selection of at least one qualifying entry is guaranteed from each state and listed territory, at least one DODEA school, and at least one Bureau of Indian Education school (http://bie.edu/). Students are strongly encouraged to apply!

Design proposals are now being accepted. Submissions are due March 1, 2017.

For more information about this opportunity, visit http://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/CELERE/.

If you have questions about this opportunity, please email your inquiries to the CELERE team at celere@lists.nasa.gov.

**NEW** Celebrate Women’s History Month With a Series of Webcast Events From NASA’s Digital Learning Network
Audience: All Educators and Students
Next Event Date: March 8, 2017, 1 p.m. EST

Four schools will be selected to interact with speakers during each event. To apply for this special opportunity, visit https://goo.gl/forms/FD6Toxowp1Ngkptp2. Schools may register for only one event. Registration ends Feb. 28, 2017, at 5 p.m. EST.

To learn about other Digital Learning Network events, visit http://www.nasa.gov/dln.

**NEW** NASA Seeks Creative Arts Inspired by Cassini’s Mission to Saturn
Audience: All Educators and Students Ages 13 and Older

During nearly two decades in space, Cassini has inspired people on Earth. Cassini has sent home thousands of images of icy moons and resplendent rings. It helped discover erupting water geysers on Enceladus and seas of methane on Titan. It showed us a view of Earth as a blue dot.

Now the mission is moving toward its “Grand Finale,” and in September 2017 it will finally draw to a dramatic end. NASA’s Cassini team would like to know this: How has Cassini inspired you?

Visit the Cassini Inspires website to explore images and more from the mission. Then use inspiration to get creative. Write a poem. Paint a picture. Choreograph a dance. Tell a story. The possibilities are endless!

Share your creation with the NASA Cassini team on the social media platform of your choice, such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or others. Tag it #CassiniInspires. Or send it directly to cassinimission@jpl.nasa.gov.

To learn more, visit https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/cassiniinspires/.

**NEW** Help NASA Search the Realm Beyond Neptune at Backyard Worlds: Planet 9
Audience: All Educators and Students
Project Timeframe: Ongoing

Is a large planet at the fringes of our solar system awaiting discovery, a world astronomers call Planet Nine? Using data from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mission, NASA scientists are looking for this planet and for new brown dwarfs in the backyard of the solar system. But they need your help! Finding these dim objects requires the human eye to comb through the images to distinguish moving celestial bodies from ghosts and other artifacts. Participants in this citizen science project will share the credit for their discoveries in any scientific publications that result from the project.

For more information and to learn how to participate, visit the “Backyard Worlds: Planet 9” website at http://backyardworlds.org.

To learn more about NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and its mission to image the entire sky in the infrared, visit https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/WISE/main/index.html.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Marc Kuchner at marc.j.kuchner@nasa.gov.

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

**NEW** Picking Up STEAM: Using Models and Data to Understand Clouds
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-10
Event Date: Feb. 23, 2017, at 8 p.m. EST
Practice STEAM through the use of inquiry-based science activities from the NASA curriculum guides. The activities and NASA educational websites introduced will provide the educators new curriculum ideas to assist in meeting the Next Generation Science Standards and CORE learning outcomes standards. This STEAM webinar will guide participants through inquiry-based learning activities related to clouds, phase change, light, water cycle, weather and climate. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/218765

**NEW** Earth Right Now: Understanding the A-Train
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 6-12
Event Date: March 1, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. EST
This webinar gives an overview of the Earth-observing satellites known as the A-Train and of related education resources. Discussion will include modifications of activities and accommodations. The webinar addresses the Next Generation Science Standards ESS2 and ESS3. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/224557

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.

Celebrate Solar Week — Spring 2017
Audience: Educators and Students in Grades 5-9, Informal Educators
Event Dates: March 27-31, 2017

To learn more and to register to participate, visit http://www.solarweek.org.

Questions about Solar Week may be emailed to solarweek@solarweek.org.

Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

Call for Proposals — 2017 NASA Education Aeronautics Scholarship and Advanced STEM Training and Research (AS&ASTAR) Fellowship
Audience: First-year Master’s or Doctoral Students
Proposal Deadline: Feb. 24, 2017

NASA Education is seeking proposals for a NASA Education Aeronautics Scholarship and Advanced STEM Training and Research, or AS&ASTAR, Fellowship opportunity. The NASA Education AS&ASTAR Fellowship provides funding for fellowship candidates to perform graduate research at their respective campuses during the academic year under the guidance of their faculty adviser and a NASA researcher.

To be eligible to submit a proposal, candidates must be U.S. citizens or naturalized citizens who hold a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field earned prior to Aug. 31, 2017. Candidates must be enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree program no later than Sept. 1, 2017, and intend to pursue a research-based master’s or Ph.D. program in a NASA-relevant field.

Proposals are due Feb. 24, 2017.

For full program details, visit http://go.nasa.gov/2fYxdsn.

Questions concerning this program element may be directed to Elizabeth Cartier at elizabeth.a.cartier@nasa.gov.

Call for Abstracts: 68th International Astronautical Congress
Audience: Full-time U.S. Graduate Students Attending U.S. Universities
Submission Deadline: Feb. 27, 2017

NASA announces its intent to participate in the 68th International Astronautical Congress, or IAC, and requests that full-time U.S. graduate students attending U.S. universities respond to this “Call for Abstracts.”

The IAC — which is organized by the International Astronautical Federation, or IAF; the International Academy of Astronautics, or IAA; and the International Institute of Space Law, or IISL — is the largest space-related conference worldwide and selects an average of 1,000 scientific papers every year. The upcoming IAC will be held Sept. 25-29, 2017, in Adelaide, Australia. NASA’s participation in this event is part of an ongoing effort to connect NASA with the astronautical and space international community.

This “Call for Abstracts” is a precursor to a subsequent submission of a final paper, which may be presented at the 68th IAC. Student authors are invited to submit an abstract regarding an original, unpublished paper that has not been submitted in any other forum. A NASA technical review panel will select abstracts from those that have been accepted by the International Astronautical Federation. This opportunity is for graduate students majoring in fields related to the IAF research topics. Students may submit technical (oral) presentations and/or posters. Students may submit abstracts that are co-authored with their Principal Investigators. However, the student must be the “lead author,” and only the student will present at the IAC. Students must be available to travel to the conference to represent NASA and their universities. Students must be U.S. citizens, attending a U.S. university, who plan to enter a career in space science or aeronautics. Pending the availability of funding, graduate students selected by NASA to participate in the IAC will be considered for subsidy funding from NASA.

Many students and professors currently are involved in NASA-related research that could be considered for this submission. Students submitting abstracts are strongly encouraged to seek advice from professors who are conducting NASA research and/or from NASA scientists and engineers. Abstracts must be related to NASA’s ongoing vision for space exploration and fit into one of the following IAC categories:

— Science and Exploration — Systems sustaining missions, including life, microgravity, space exploration, space debris and Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence, or SETI
— Applications and Operations — Ongoing and future operational applications, including earth observation, communication, navigation, human space endeavors and small satellites
— Technology — Common technologies to space systems including astrodynamics, structures, power and propulsion
— Infrastructure — Systems sustaining space missions including space system transportation, future systems and safety
— Space and Society — Interaction of space with society including education, policy and economics, history, and law

The criteria for the selection will be defined according to the following specifications:
— Abstracts should specify purpose, methodology, results, conclusions and areas for discussion.
— Abstracts should indicate that substantive technical and/or programmatic content is included.
— Abstracts should clearly indicate that the material is new and original; they should explain why and how.
— Prospective author(s) should certify that the paper was not presented at a previous meeting.

Abstracts must be written in English, and the length should not exceed 400 words. Tables or drawings are not allowed in the abstract.

NOTE: If you plan to seek assistance from NASA, you must submit to the International Astronautical Federation and to NASA.
— Submit your abstract to the IAF at their website www.iafastro.org by Feb. 28, 2017 (11:59:00 CET).
— Submit your abstract to NASA at https://iac.nasaprs.com no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, Feb. 27, 2017.

IAC Paper Selection
Submitted abstracts will be evaluated by the Session Chairs on the basis of technical quality and relevance to the session topics. Selected abstracts may be chosen for eventual oral or poster presentation. Any such choice is not an indication of quality of the submitted abstract. Their evaluation will be submitted to the Symposium Coordinators. They will make acceptance recommendations to the International Programme Committee, which will make the final decision. Please note that any relevance to the Congress main theme will be considered as an advantage.

The following information must be included in the submission: paper title, name of contact author, name of co-author(s), organization(s), full postal address, phone, email of the author and co-author(s). The abstract should specify purpose, methodology, results and conclusions. The abstract should indicate that substantive technical and/or programmatic content is included, as well as clearly indicate that the material is new and original and explain why and how.

Please check the IAF website (www.iafastro.org) regularly to get the latest updates on the Technical Programme.

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 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/.

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/

NASA Education “Science WOW!” Message — Dec. 14, 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: How Do Snowflakes Form?

A snowflake is not simply a frozen droplet of water falling from a cloud. To find out how these wintry crystals form, visit http://scijinks.jpl.nasa.gov/snowflakes/.

Have You Seen This?

Are you ready to go on a “Wild Weather Adventure“? Check out this online game that lets you hop on a weather research blimp to explore Earth and its weather.

http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/wild-weather-adventure/en/

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

**NEW** 2016 von Kármán Lecture — Spinning Black Holes, Exploding Stars and Hyperluminous Pulsars: Results From the NuSTAR Satellite
2017 Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut “Walk to the Moon” Challenge
**NEW** Update From NASA Space Place — Space Place App Discontinued

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

**NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
Educator Workshop: Making Moon Craters
**NEW** 2017 Space Exploration Educators Conference

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
2017 High-Altitude Student Platform Opportunity
Center for Astronomy Education Regional Teaching Exchanges and Workshops — Fall/Winter 2016-2017

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: Dec. 15, 2016, at 7 p.m. PST (10 p.m. EST)

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:

Spinning Black Holes, Exploding Stars and Hyperluminous Pulsars: Results From the NuSTAR Satellite
Event Date: Dec. 15 and Dec. 16, 2016, at 7 p.m. PST (10 p.m. EST)
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/lectures_archive.php?year=2016&month=12
NASA’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, launched in June 2012 and became the first telescope in orbit to focus high-energy X-ray light. Join NuSTAR project scientist Dr. Daniel K. Stern for a discussion about the highlights from the first four years of NuSTAR observations, including the surprising discovery of a new class of hyperluminous neutron stars, measurements of how fast black holes spin, and unique insight into the physics of supernova explosions.

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.

2017 Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut “Walk to the Moon” Challenge
Audience: All Educators and Students, Home School Parents and After-school Groups
Registration Deadline: Dec. 31, 2016
Challenge Dates: Jan. 12 – April 28, 2017

Mission X encourages children of all ages, as well as people with particular needs, to pursue healthy lifestyles based on the model of training like an astronaut. During six- to nine-week “challenges” each fall and spring, schools and student groups from around the world complete Mission X classroom-based science lessons and physical education activities.

In 2017, Mission X is challenging Fit Explorers around the world to work together to perform activities that will move Astro Charlie the 478 million steps it would take to walk from Earth to the moon! That’s 238,857 miles, or 384,403 kilometers! At an average walking speed, that would take one person about nine years to complete.

The challenge kicks off in January. For full challenge details and to do your part to help reach this out-of-this-world goal, visit http://trainlikeanastronaut.org/wttm. The deadline to register for this challenge is Dec. 31, 2016. You may apply for Team USA at http://trainlikeanastronaut.org/usa_application.

In 2016, Mission X was represented by 30 countries and more than 53,000 participants. The challenge was available in 17 languages.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Nubia Carvajal at nubia.a.carvajal@nasa.gov.

**NEW** Update From NASA Space Place — Space Place App Discontinued
Audience: K-6 Educators and Students

The NASA Space Place app, known as Space Place Prime, is being removed from the iTunes App Store and Google Play. However, the NASA Space Place website is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate! You can check it out on your smartphone at http://spaceplace.nasa.gov.

Please send any comments or feedback to SpacePlaceConnect@jpl.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** Teachers Connect: LaRC Centennial Badge Webinar
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School, and Informal Educators of Grades 6-8
Event Date: Dec. 15, 2016, at 4 p.m. EST
This webinar will focus for the first half-hour on clouds and their role in Earth’s “energy budget” and on implementation ideas using GLOBE for different classroom settings as part of the “Earth Right Now: LaRC 100th” digital badge. We also will talk about student badge implementations, extension ideas and extra resources. The second half-hour will be very similar but centered on the engineering design process using the Drag Race to Mars Engineering Design Challenge as part of the “Journey to Mars: LaRC 100th” digital badge. This portion of the webinar will focus on forces and motion and math calculations using paper airplanes and testing different materials as part of the “Aeronautics: LaRC 100th” digital badge. This webinar meets requirements of teacher discussions within the NASA Langley 100th Educator Professional Development Collaborative digital badges. To learn more about the Langley 100th digital badges, log in to https://nasatxstate-epdc.net/ and search for LaRC 100th. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/207902

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.

Educator Workshop: Making Moon Craters
Audience: Pre-service Educators and Educators of Grades 1-6
Event Date: Dec. 17, 2016, 10 a.m. – Noon PST

Learn how to use baking ingredients to whip up a moonlike crater as a demonstration for students in classrooms, camps or at home. Join NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on Dec. 17, 2016, from 10 a.m. to noon PST for this workshop at the Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey, California.

The workshop is free for all pre-service and fully credentialed teachers! Participants must bring their teacher or student ID the day of the workshop. Lunch will be provided. Pre-registration is required.

For more information and to register to attend, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/events/2016/12/17/making-moon-craters/.

Can’t make it to the workshop? Explore the lesson online at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/make-a-crater/.

Please direct questions about this workshop to Sandra Valencia at (562) 231-1205.

**NEW** 2017 Space Exploration Educators Conference
Audience: K-12 Educators
Early Bird Registration Deadline: Dec. 30, 2016
Event Date: Feb. 9-11, 2017

Make plans to attend the 23rd Annual Space Exploration Educators Conference to be held Feb. 9-11, 2017, at Space Center Houston. This conference is for all K-12 educators. Activities presented use space-related themes to teach across the curricula. The activities may be used for science, language arts, mathematics, history and more.

Attend sessions hosted by scientists and engineers working on exciting projects like the International Space Station and the exploration of Mars and other parts of our solar system. Hear from astronauts who will be “leading the charge” in exploration. Attend sessions presented by educators and receive ready-to-implement classroom ideas. Attendees can earn up to 24 hours of continuing professional education credit.

For discounted registration, sign up to attend before the Early Bird Registration deadline on Dec. 30, 2016!

For more information, visit http://spacecenter.org/teacher-programs/teachers-seec/.

Please email any questions about the conference to seec@spacecenter.org.

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
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/.

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

2017 High-Altitude Student Platform Opportunity
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Application Deadline: Dec. 16, 2016

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 on a high-flying scientific balloon.

The annual project, supported by the NASA Balloon Program Office and LaSPACE, provides near-space access for 12 undergraduate and graduate 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.

The experiments are flown aboard the High-Altitude Student Platform, or HASP, a balloon-born instrument stack launched from the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility’s remote site in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. The goals of the project are to provide a space test platform to encourage student research and stimulate the development of student satellite payloads and other space-engineering products.

HASP seeks to enhance the technical skills and research abilities of students in critical science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.

The deadline for applications is Dec. 16, 2016.

For application information and technical details about the program, visit http://laspace.lsu.edu/hasp.

Questions about the High-Altitude Student Platform opportunity should be directed to T. Gregory Guzik at guzik@phunds.phys.lsu.edu.

Center for Astronomy Education Regional Teaching Exchanges and Workshops — Fall/Winter 2016-2017
Audience: Current and Future College Instructors of Astronomy
Next Event Date: Jan. 4, 2017

NASA’s Center for Astronomy Education, or CAE, announces a series of regional teaching exchanges and workshops for astronomy and space science educators.

Teaching exchanges foster a sense of community among geographically linked current and future college instructors of astronomy. Regional experts from the broader CAE community are ready to provide the opportunity for you to meet your neighbors, expand your instructional repertoire and share your own expertise.

Workshops provide participants with experiences needed to create effective and productive active-learning classroom environments. Workshop leaders model best practices in implementing many different classroom-tested instructional strategies. But more importantly, workshop participants will gain first-hand experience implementing these proven strategies.

Jan. 4, 2017 — Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas
CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop — New Methods for Teaching About Exoplanets

Jan. 5, 2017 — Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas
CAE Tier I Teaching Excellence Workshop — New Methods for Teaching in the Flipped Classroom

For more information and to register for the teaching exchanges, visit http://astronomy101.jpl.nasa.gov/workshops/index.cfm.

Inquiries about this series of events should be directed to Gina Brissenden at gbrissenden@as.arizona.edu.

CAE is funded through NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Exoplanet Exploration Program.

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/.

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 — Nov. 30, 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 Light?

Light is all around us and takes many forms. Watch the video to learn about the different types of light and how telescopes and other instruments help us to see what would otherwise be invisible to us.

http://chandra.si.edu/learn_light.html

Have You Seen This?

Bring the excitement of computer coding into the classroom with Recoloring the Universe With Pencil Code. Using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other satellites, grade 4-12 students with no prior coding experience can learn how to use computers to create images and understand astronomical data. The website features tutorial videos, scaffolded sets of activities and background information.

http://chandra.si.edu/code

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

2017 Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut “Walk to the Moon” Challenge
**NEW** 2016-2017 Cassini Scientist for a Day Essay Contest

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

**NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
**NEW** Educator Workshop: Making Moon Craters

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
2017 High-Altitude Student Platform Opportunity

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

In 2016, Mission X was represented by 30 countries and more than 53,000 participants. The challenge was available in 17 languages.

Please direct questions about this opportunity to Nubia Carvajal at nubia.a.carvajal@nasa.gov.

**NEW** 2016-2017 Cassini Scientist for a Day Essay Contest
Audience: 5-12 Students
Entry Deadline: Feb. 24, 2017

The Cassini Scientist for a Day contest challenges students to become NASA scientists studying Saturn. Participants examine three of the best scientific targets imaged by the Cassini spacecraft in its 12 years at Saturn. After researching the topics, students are to choose the one they think yielded the best scientific results. This year’s targets are Enceladus’ plumes, Titan’s lakes and Saturn’s hexagon. After researching the three options, students write an essay of fewer than 500 words explaining their choice.

The deadline for entries is Feb. 24, 2017.

For more information, visit http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/scientist-for-a-day.

If you have questions about this contest, please email scientistforaday@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.

Teachers Connect: LaRC Centennial Badge Webinar
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School, and Informal Educators of Grades 6-8
Event Date: Nov. 30, 2016, at 4 p.m. EST
This webinar will focus for the first half-hour on clouds and their role in Earth’s “energy budget” and on implementation ideas using GLOBE for different classroom settings as part of the Earth Right Now: LaRC 100th digital badge. We also will talk about student badge implementations, extension ideas and extra resources. The second half-hour will be very similar but centered on the engineering design process using the Drag Race to Mars Engineering Design Challenge as part of the Journey to Mars: LaRC 100th digital badge. This portion of the webinar will focus on forces and motion and math calculations using paper airplanes and testing different materials as part of the Aeronautics: LaRC 100th digital badge. This webinar meets requirements of teacher discussions within the NASA Langley 100th EPDC digital badges. To learn more about the Langley 100th digital badges, log in to https://nasatxstate-epdc.net/ and search for LaRC 100th. Register online to participate.
https://www.etouches.com/207894

Picking Up STEAM: Using Models and Data to Understand Clouds
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades 4-10
Event Date: Dec. 6, 2016, at 5 p.m. EST
Practice STEAM through the use of inquiry-based science activities from NASA curriculum guides. The activities and NASA educational websites introduced will provide participants with new curriculum ideas to assist in reaching the Next Generation Science Standards and CORE learning outcomes standards. This STEAM workshop will guide participants through inquiry-based learning activities related to clouds, phase change, light, water cycle, weather and climate. Participants will use authentic data sets to model STEAM lessons. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/205303

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** Educator Workshop: Making Moon Craters
Audience: Pre-service Educators and Educators of Grades 1-6
Event Date: Dec. 17, 2016, 10 a.m. – Noon PST

For more information and to register to attend, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/events/2016/12/17/making-moon-craters/.

Can’t make it to the workshop? Explore the lesson online at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/make-a-crater/.

Please direct questions about this workshop to Sandra Valencia at (562) 231-1205.

Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

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

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

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

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

2017 High-Altitude Student Platform Opportunity
Audience: Higher Education Educators and Students
Application Deadline: Dec. 16, 2016

HASP seeks to enhance the technical skills and research abilities of students in critical science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.

The deadline for applications is Dec. 16, 2016.

For application information and technical details about the program, visit http://laspace.lsu.edu/hasp.

Questions about the High-Altitude Student Platform opportunity should be directed to T. Gregory Guzik at guzik@phunds.phys.lsu.edu.

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

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.”

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

**NEW** Girl Scout Destinations — Reaching for the Stars: NASA Science for Girl Scouts
**NEW** Photo Contest — Win a Trip to Space Camp With Space Racers
NASA Invites You to #SpotHubble

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

**NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
**NEW** Sally Ride EarthKAM @ Space Camp Announces Fall 2016 Mission

Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

ROSES-16 Amendment 33: New Program Element — Interdisciplinary Science for Eclipse 2017
Postdoctoral Fellowships in Space Biology to Study the Microbiome of the International Space Station as a Built Environment

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

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

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.”

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

Fly Your Exoplanet on the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
Be a Citizen Earth Scientist With New ‘GLOBE Observer’ App

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

**NEW** Celebrate Solar Week — Fall 2016
**NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development
Free Educator Workshop — Technology Drives Exploration: Deep Space Atomic Clock

Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

Call for White Papers: NASA iTech Initiative
ROSES-16 Amendment 33: New Program Element — Interdisciplinary Science for Eclipse 2017
Postdoctoral Fellowships in Space Biology to Study the Microbiome of the International Space Station as a Built Environment

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

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

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.

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

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 — Sept. 28, 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 the Hubble Space Telescope?

The Hubble Space Telescope helps scientists understand how planets and galaxies form. Check out these articles written for students that give the scoop on Hubble!

K-4: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/nasa-knows/what-is-the-hubble-space-telecope-k4.html
5-8: https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-is-the-hubble-space-telecope-58.html

Have You Seen This?

Hubble is more than a science spacecraft; it’s a cultural phenomenon! NASA wants to know where you #SpotHubble!

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. Share your photos with NASA on Instagram, Twitter, Flickr and Facebook. https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/2016/spothubble

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

Join STEM@NASA Goddard in Celebrating International Observe the Moon Night!
**NEW** Live Video Chat With Researcher Studying Plants on the Space Station

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

**NEW** New Classroom Activity From JPL Education: Stomp Rockets
Solar System Ambassadors Program Accepting Applications
**NEW** Free Education Webinars From NASA Educator Professional Development

Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

**NEW** Call for Proposals — NASA Research Announcement for Use of the NASA Physical Sciences Informatics System: Appendix C
NASA’s Centennial Challenges: Vascular Tissue Challenge
NASA Unveils New Public Web Portal for Research Results

Opportunities for Future Scientists of All Ages

Join STEM@NASA Goddard in Celebrating International Observe the Moon Night!
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Sept. 28, 2016, 1-1:30 p.m. EDT

Are you ready to look at the moon in an entirely new way? Join NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center on Sept. 28, 2016, at 1 p.m. EDT for STEM@NASA Goddard: International Observe the Moon Night. During this 30-minute event, Andrea Jones, education specialist for Planetary Science Institute at NASA Goddard, will share how International Observe the Moon Night encourages appreciation and understanding of our moon and its connection to NASA planetary science and exploration.

The program will stream live on NASA Goddard’s Ustream channel, and participants will be able to submit questions by email and Twitter.

For more information, please contact Erin McKinley at erin.e.mckinley@nasa.gov.

**NEW** Live Video Chat With Researcher Studying Plants on the Space Station
Audience: All Educators and Students
Event Date: Sept. 30, 2016, 11-11:45 a.m. EDT

Connect your class with NASA’s Digital Learning Network to talk with Dr. Anna-Lisa Paul, a research professor from the University of Florida studying plants currently on the International Space Station. This unique platform lets Paul study how plants react to stress with no gravity and provides a window into the origins of adaptive processes. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space manages the U.S. National Laboratory and sponsors this experiment.

The 45-minute event will be webcast on the NASA DLiNfo Channel on Sept. 30, 2016, at 11 a.m. EDT.

Ask questions via Twitter using #askDLN or via email to DLiNfochannel@gmail.com.

The DLN currently is accepting requests from middle and high school classes interested in participating interactively during an upcoming CASIS Academy Live Event.

Upcoming CASIS Academy Live Events (Each 45-minute event begins at 11 a.m. ET.):

Friday, Oct. 21 — Freeze Drying in Space, Dr. Jeremy Hinds, Eli Lilly & Co.
Monday, Nov. 28 — Hard-to-Wet Surfaces in Space, Dr. Ken Savin, Eli Lilly & Co.
Friday, Dec. 9 — Ants in Space, Dr. Deborah Gordon, Stanford University

To be considered, please send an email to dlinfochannel@gmail.com at least two weeks prior to the event. Use “CASIS Academy Live (Event Date)” in the message Subject line and include the following information in the email message:

Point of Contact (POC) Name
School Name
POC Email
POC Phone Number
Grade Level of Students Who Will Participate
Approximate Number of Students Who Will Participate

Please direct questions about these events to DLiNfochannel@gmail.com.

For more information about other DLN events, visit https://www.nasa.gov/dln.

Science Opportunities for Educators of Grades K-12

**NEW** New Classroom Activity From JPL Education: Stomp Rockets
Audience: Educators of Grades 4-9

Bring the excitement of rocketry to your classroom with a new activity from the Education team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The “DIY Space: Stomp Rockets” classroom activity is a hands-on way to get students excited about rocketry, the engineering design process and mathematics.

Visit the website for the standards-aligned lesson plan and extension activities, plus video tutorials to help with lesson prep.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/teach/activity/stomp-rockets

Solar System Ambassadors Program Accepting Applications
Audience: All Educators
Application Period: Sept. 1-30, 2016

The NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Solar System Ambassadors Program, a nationwide network of space enthusiast volunteers, will be accepting applications from Sept. 1 through Sept. 30, 2016.

Highly motivated individuals will be given the opportunity to represent NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as volunteer SSAs to the public for a one-year, renewable term beginning Jan. 1, 2017.

While applications are being sought nationwide, interested parties from the following areas are especially encouraged to apply: Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. SSA hopes to add 100 new volunteers to the program in 2017.

To learn more about the SSA Program and to apply online, visit https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/ssa/home.cfm. The Announcement of Opportunity and application form will be available on Sept. 1.

If you have questions about this opportunity, contact Kay Ferrari, SSA coordinator, by email at ambassad@jpl.nasa.gov.

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

NASA Weathering the Storm — Earth Right Now: Wild Weather Adventure With NASA SciJinks
Audience: Pre-service, In-service, Home School and Informal Educators of Grades K-8
Event Date: Oct. 4, 2016, at 6 p.m. EDT
Explore a selection of images and visualizations of weather, wind, storms and their effects on Earth. SciJinks is a joint NASA/NOAA educational website for school-age children and their educators. The website explores weather and Earth science through articles, videos, images and games. Register online to participate. https://www.etouches.com/203244

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.

Science Opportunities for Higher Education and Informal Institutions

**NEW** 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.

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.

NASA’s Centennial Challenges: Vascular Tissue Challenge
Audience: All Interested U.S. Citizens, Including Higher Education Educators and Students
Deadline: No Later Than Sept. 30, 2019

NASA, in partnership with the nonprofit Methuselah Foundation’s New Organ Alliance, is seeking ways to advance the field of bioengineering through a new prize competition. The Vascular Tissue Challenge offers a $500,000 prize to be divided among the first three teams that successfully create thick, metabolically functional, human vascularized organ tissue in a controlled laboratory environment.

Competitors must produce vascularized tissue that is more than .39 inches (1 centimeter) in thickness and maintains more than 85 percent survival of the required cells throughout a 30-day trial period. To win an award, teams must demonstrate three successful trials with at least a 75 percent success rate. In addition to the laboratory trials, teams must submit a proposal that details how they would further advance some aspect of their research through a microgravity experiment that could be conducted in the U.S. National Laboratory on the International Space Station.

The first registered team(s) to meet the required guidelines and complete their trials by Sept. 30, 2019, will win the awards.

The Vascular Tissue Challenge prize purse is provided by NASA’s Centennial Challenges Program, part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. Centennial Challenges, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is NASA’s citizen-inventor prize program. It invites the nation to help advance the technologies that will enable us to go to Mars and beyond, as well as improve life on Earth. The New Organ Alliance is administering the competition on behalf of NASA. The alliance is a nonprofit organization focused on regenerative medicine research and development to benefit human disease research and tissue engineering.

For information about the Methuselah Foundation’s New Organ Alliance, official challenge documents, rules and schedule of events, visit https://neworgan.org/vtc-prize.php.

For more information about the Vascular Tissue Challenge, visit https://www.nasa.gov/vtchallenge.

NASA Unveils New Public Web Portal for Research Results
Audience: All Educators and Students

With the launch of a new agency public access portal, public access to NASA-funded research data now is just a click away. PubSpace is a repository of original science journal articles produced by NASA-funded research and available online without a fee.

While the agency always has made access to its research a high priority, the focus now is to make NASA science data more easily obtainable via “one-stop shopping.” This increased public access is intended to accelerate the dissemination of fundamental research results to advance scientific knowledge and help ensure the nation’s future prosperity.

The NASA-Funded Research Results portal was created in response to a 2013 request from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, which directed science-funding agencies to develop plans to increase access to the results of federally funded research. NASA’s public access plan was developed in coordination with the science and technology research community across the agency. NASA will continue to consult with the scientific community, academic institutions, publishers and other federal agencies to implement this plan and increase access to research results.

For more information, visit https://www.nasa.gov/open/researchaccess.

Do you want more NASA science? Visit http://science.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

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/