Saturday, February 25, 2023

Funding Opportunities for Colleges - Minority University Research and Education Project - NASA opportunities for Minority Serving Institutions (MSI)

 Greetings,

 

Here are the latest updates on NASA opportunities for the Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) community from NASA’s MSI Engagement Team. This update is a service of the Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP). If you no longer wish to receive these occasional updates, reply “STOP” to this email.  If you would like to invite your MSI colleagues to receive this newsletter, encourage them to register here.   

 

Highlights in This Issue

 

  • New Funding Opportunities:
    • MUREP Space Technology Artemis Research (M-STAR) is open to all MSIs and the pre-proposal webinar recording is available
    • NASA’s Science Mission Directorate’s Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2023 omnibus has been released
  • Deadline: NASA’s Gateways to Blue Skies: Clean Aviation Energy Competition - due February 28
  • Student Opportunity: Summer Internship Program application deadline is March 1
  • Save the Date: April 18-20: NASA HBCU/MSI Technology Infusion Road Tour, University of Central Florida in Orlando

Training and Events

 

  1. Increase Your Competitive Advantage: Submit Your Capability Statement to the MSI Exchange! A capability statement is a resume-like tool your MSI can leverage to open doors for partnership on grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts with NASA, industry, and academia. Register for capability statement training on March 6 to learn how to create or update your MSI’s document, or submit your capability statement to the MSI Exchange at NASA-MSIExchange@mail.nasa.gov. We look forward to supporting you!
  2. Join the NASA Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program on February 28 - March 2 for “imaginAviation,” a virtual event that will let participants experience the latest innovations in NASA aeronautics through the eyes of the University Innovation, Convergent Aeronautics Solutions, and the Transformational Tools and Technologies projects. In addition, this year’s event will include technology maturation and market infusion potential with support from industry, other government agencies, and the Advanced Air Vehicles, Airspace Operations and Safety, and Integrated Aviation Systems Programs. Register to receive additional details. Click here to view the schedule and agenda for the three-day virtual event or contact angela.d.surgenor@nasa.gov for more information.
  3. The NASA HBCU/MSI Technology Infusion Road Tour will be hosted on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The event will feature presentations from NASA Mission Directorates, the Office of Procurement, prime contractors, MSIs and other key collaborators to highlight NASA’s efforts to build competitiveness at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Save the date: April 18-20. More details will follow.

Funding Opportunities 

 

  1. Have You Created Your NSPIRES Profile Yet? To get a jumpstart on applying for future funding opportunities, visit the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) website and create an account. Need assistance setting up your account? Contact nspires-help@nasaprs.com. Be sure to register for their newsletter to get announcements on new funding opportunities and calls for reviewers where you can share your subject matter expertise. 
  2. Engagement Opportunities in NASA STEM (EONS 2023) is Now Available! EONS is an omnibus announcement that includes a range of NASA STEM Engagement opportunities for basic and applied science and technology research and education. Specific opportunities with individual requirements and milestones will be added periodically throughout the year as appendices to this solicitation as funds are made available for new awards. EONS opportunities are announced via the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) website and Grants.gov and prospective proposers are required to be registered on NSPIRES. Visit the EONS Grant Forecasting page to view upcoming or newly added opportunities throughout the year. Current appendices include: 
  • New Funding Opportunity! NASA MUREP is seeking proposals from MSIs to strengthen and develop research capacity and infrastructure through the MUREP Space Technology Artemis Research (M-STAR) activity. The purpose of M-STAR is to strengthen the research capacity of MSIs and enable students’ capacity for research in areas of priority to NASA Mission Directorates, while engaging diverse students in authentic learning experiences through curriculum improvement and development and culturally relevant and responsive teaching, learning and support. Successful M-STAR proposals will be funded as multi-year cooperative agreements with a three-year period of performance, with the possibility to extend for one additional year. Click here to access the recording of the February 23 M-STAR Pre-proposal webinar.
      • The next M-STAR pre-proposal webinar is scheduled for March 14 from 4:00 - 5:00 pm ET. Please visit the M-STAR landing page for information on how to join. Any changes to this session will be posted on NSPIRES. Proposers are strongly advised to check for updates prior to the call.  For general inquiries, please contact: NASAMSTAR@nasaprs.com The proposal deadline is April 10.

 

  • The MUREP Curriculum Awards (MCA) is open to all MSIs! NASA MUREP solicits proposals from 2-year/community colleges and 4-year/colleges or universities for this new funding opportunity. The purpose of the MCA activity is to strengthen the research capacity of MSIs and enable students’ capacity for research in areas of priority to NASA Mission Directorates. MCA activity will engage diverse students in authentic learning experiences through curriculum improvement and development, and culturally relevant and responsive teaching, learning and support. The award amount is a maximum of $400k/year for three years..
      • Check the MCA website for full proposal details, FAQs and updates. Proposers are strongly advised to check for updates while the solicitation is open. For general inquiries, please contact: MCA@nasaprs.com. The proposal deadline is May 1.

 

  • Calling All Women’s Colleges & Universities! Help NASA engage and retain more women in STEM degrees and careers by leveraging your women-centered experience, expertise, and approach through the brand-new MUREP Women’s Colleges and Universities (WCU) solicitation. MUREP WCU is a new initiative seeking to address the significant gender gap and disparate experiences of women in STEM in the United States, both in higher education and the workforce. MUREP WCU contributes to NASA’s goals and priorities for STEM engagement by inspiring, training, and equipping women students from groups traditionally underrepresented and underserved in STEM fields with the motivation, knowledge, and skills needed for success in undergraduate and graduate STEM degree programs and afterward in STEM careers. By providing students with access to NASA STEM Engagement content, resources, and technical assistance, MUREP WCU enhances critical thinking and problem-solving skills, college/university and career readiness, student’s STEM efficacy, and personal investment and motivation to continue in STEM, thereby advancing U.S. national workforce development and educational goals. Applicants will choose between two tracks: researching best practices to increase retention of women in STEM college degrees (Track 1) or in STEM careers (Track2).

 

  1. Wondering How to Accelerate Your Early-to-Mid Technology Readiness Level Idea? NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) released the Lunar Surface Technology Research Opportunities (LuSTR23) Appendix in support of the Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative (LSII). LSII technologies will enable human and robotic exploration of the Moon and future operations on Mars. The goal of the LuSTR is to accelerate the development of groundbreaking technologies that support and enable lunar surface activities to be conducted both by NASA and the commercial space sector under Artemis – the core of NASA’s exploration and human spaceflight plans for the next decade. LuSTR23 solicits ideas from universities for the creation of early-to-mid technology readiness level lunar surface technologies and fosters interactions between NASA and the university-led teams to accelerate the infusion of technologies into NASA missions. This release features three topics that address specific challenges in three of the LSII focus areas: Dust Mitigation, Extreme Access, and In-Situ Resource Utilization. View the LuSTR appendix in NSPIRES for eligibility requirements, teaming information and FAQs. Please direct questions to hq-LuSTR@mail.nasa.gov. Proposals must be submitted by April 24, with Notice of Intents due March 22.
  2. NEW! Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2023 is open! ROSES is an omnibus solicitation with many individual program elements, each with its own due date(s) and topic(s). From the NSPIRES website, you can view the list of opportunities in Table 2 (organized by due date) or Table 3 (organized by research) including hyperlinks to element descriptions in the Appendices. You can also view the list of open program elements here. Together, these program elements cover the wide range of basic and applied supporting research and technology in space and Earth sciences supported by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. Visit the SARA ROSES blog for updates, clarifications and amendments. Here are a few of the many ROSES opportunities that are open and forthcoming:     

Faculty Opportunities

 

  1. New Faculty Opportunity! NASA Headquarters has released the Early Career Faculty (ECF) solicitation as an appendix to the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) "Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion 2023 (SpaceTech-REDDI-2023) umbrella announcement. ECF is focused on supporting outstanding faculty researchers early in their careers as they conduct space technology research of high priority to NASA’s Mission Directorates. NASA plans to make approximately six awards in early October 2023. Visit the ECF NSPIRES landing page for more information. Notices of Intent are strongly encouraged by March 16. Proposals are due on or before April 13, 2023. Please submit inquiries to hq-ecf-call@mail.nasa.gov.
  2. Have Questions About Applying for NASA Grants? Does the process seem overwhelming? Don’t miss the virtual discussion about how to apply for NASA grants and cooperative agreements! This session is ideal for MSIs that have not received NASA grant or cooperative agreement awards in the past or would like a refresher on the grants and cooperative agreement rules and tools. Representatives from NASA’s granting and policy community will be available to discuss best practices in applying for grant funding, discuss programs relevant to the MSI community, and answer questions about how to apply for NASA grants. Save the date: March 29 at 12:30 - 1:30 ET. Registration and event link to follow. Please email NASA Grant Policy and Compliance with any questions about this event at hq-dl-grants-policy-compliance@mail.nasa.gov.
  3. Apply for an ‘ideas*’ Faculty Fellowship! The NASA Human Research Program and the NASA Human Health and Performance Directorate at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX are partnering to inspire leaders in research through a new summer faculty fellowship. The goal of the ‘ideas*’ fellowship is to enable under-represented scientists to pursue careers in space research by encouraging non-traditional faculty partnerships. ‘ideas*’ stands for inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and space exploration. We believe NASA research and technology objectives are enriched by a diverse exchange of ideas to solve challenges in human space exploration. This 10-week faculty experience is expected to augment academic excellence in STEM education by infusing NASA content into classroom curricula. Two awards will be selected, with submissions due March 3. For more information, please contact jsc-health-performance-lab@mail.nasa.gov.

 

  1. You’re Invited to the Introduction to ArcGIS for Planetary Science one-day workshop on March 10 in conjunction with the 2023 Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC). This will be an all-remote session, and while it is being advertised through LPSC as a virtual peripheral event, you do not need to be registered for LPSC to attend the workshop. This will be the last time this workshop will be taught in both ArcMap/Desktop and Pro. The next workshop, planned for October 13 at GSA 2023, will be taught entirely in ArcGIS Pro. Visit this link for registration and more information.

 

  1. Space Station Research Announcement Open Now through June 19! The International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory is soliciting flight projects for in-space production applications focused on advanced materials and manufacturing. Flight investigations should demonstrate space-based manufacturing and production activities that enable new business growth and capital investment, represent scalable and sustainable market opportunities, and produce recurring value with the potential to generate demand for and revenue from access to space. Please visit the website to learn more.
  2. You’re invited to join the Research Security Training: Risk Management and Mitigation Project focus group. The project aims to develop a training module for the U.S. research community to facilitate international collaborations by providing information, practices and tools for identifying, managing, and mitigating associated risks. Focus group participants will be asked about their knowledge and thoughts on research security related to international collaborations and foreign talent programs and what should be considered when developing the training module. The project is a collaborative effort between University of Pennsylvania (prime recipient), University of Chicago, University of Pittsburgh, UW-Madison, and the Van Andel Institute. Focus group participants will participate in a single, 90-minutes session. If you are interested click the link and indicate your interest so a project team member can reach out to you.
  3. Are You a Subject Matter Expert? If so, consider exploring the opportunity to serve in the peer review process! A great way to learn about NASA proposal development is to review proposals submitted to NASA opportunities. Serving as a peer reviewer allows one to learn what’s new in the field, get first-hand experience with the review process, and network with colleagues. Create an NSPIRES account and register your interest to serve as a peer reviewer today! Need assistance setting up your account? Contact nspires-help@nasaprs.com.
  4. Become a Protégé! NASA’s Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) encourages NASA prime contractors to assist eligible Protégés, such as MSIs, thereby enhancing the Protégés’ capabilities to perform on NASA contracts and subcontracts. MPP fosters the establishment of long-term business relationships between MSIs and NASA prime contractors and increases the overall number that receive NASA contract and subcontract awards. You’ll also receive relevant technical and developmental assistance and qualify for sole-source contracts from Mentors. For more information, visit the MPP website and view a recent webinar recording. Submit your Mentor-Protégé Agreement (MPA) packet anytime as there are no application due dates. Contact msfc-nasamentorprotegeprogram@mail.nasa.gov for questions. 
  5. CONNECT with NASA’s Community of Practice for Educators! NASA CONNECTS offers users a chance to connect and collaborate with educators and NASA scientists, engineers, and other experts nationwide. Sign up today to access NASA resources, join groups focused on your interests, and gain access to exclusive events.
  6. Check out NASA TechPort! If you are looking for information about NASA-developed technologies that can be utilized or built-upon, or to see where there may be gaps to fill, check out NASA TechPort. Showcasing NASA’s portfolio of active and completed technology projects, TechPort contains information for over 15,000 NASA-developed technologies, representing over $12 billion in applied research and experimental development investments. TechPort allows technologists and researchers to find technologies by organization, maturity, technology area/discipline, and work location. Each record has detailed information about the development including the benefits provided, research findings, partners/collaborators, points of contact, and more. Take a tour of the website and see how your research and expertise may be able to connect to NASA technologies.     

Student Opportunities

 

  1. NASA’s Gateways to Blue Skies: Clean Aviation Energy Competition is now open. In the push toward net-zero emissions by 2050, NASA seeks to crowdsource ideas for potential new clean aviation energy sources. Through the 2023 Blue Skies Competition, teams of two to six students will conceptualize and analyze the climate impacts along the source-to-flight lifecycle of one potential, primary clean aviation energy source of the future, and create a five- to seven-page research proposal and two-minute video summary. Finalist teams will receive a $6,000 stipend to participate in the 2023 Blue Skies Forum at a NASA center in June 2023. Winners are eligible for NASA internships in the academic year following the competition. Proposal and video submissions are due February 28. For questions, contact BlueSkies@nianet.org. 
  2. Students can gain hands-on experience working at NASA! Visit NASA’s Internship Program website for pertinent information about programs and deadlines, and to receive guidance about best practices that can be used in the application process. The Summer Internship Program deadline is March 1.
  3. NASA’s Space Life Sciences Training Program (SLSTP) is a challenging 10-week experience at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California that pairs students with NASA scientists and engineers working on cutting-edge bioscience research. SLSTP Summer 2023 will include space biology-related projects ranging from microbial communities in microgravity to yeast-based biosensors for a lunar surface mission. Applications are being accepted through the NASA OSTEM Gateway and are due on March 1. Please contact arc-slstp@mail.nasa.gov for more information.
  4. The 2023 NASA Heliophysics Summer School is a unique educational experience with hands-on learning and lectures focusing on the physics of space weather events that start at the Sun and influence atmospheres, ionospheres and magnetospheres throughout the solar system. To enable larger participation, there will be a virtual week of lectures from July 17-21, followed by a funded in-person week in Boulder, Colorado from August 7-11. Applicants must be graduate students and early postdoctoral fellows majoring in physics with an emphasis on astrophysics, geophysics, plasma physics, or space physics, and be pursuing a career in heliophysics or astrophysics. There is no tuition cost for the virtual lectures, and each in-person participant receives full travel support for airline tickets, lodging, and per diem costs. The application deadline is Friday, March 3. Contact krodd@ucar.edu for more information.
  5. The 2023 RASC-AL Competition is seeking undergraduate and graduate teams to develop new concepts that leverage innovation to improve our ability to operate on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. This year’s themes range from supporting lunar operations and tourism at the south and north poles to enabling long-term survival on the surface of Mars. Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI). Proposals are due March 13. 
  6. MUREP Innovation and Tech Transfer Idea Competition (MITTIC) is your #SpaceToPitch! Can you turn a creative idea into a real-world application? Do you want to be an entrepreneur? Are you fascinated by NASA technology? Then MITTIC is your #SpaceToPitch! MITTIC is a spinoff challenge to develop new ideas for commercialization open to multi-disciplinary student teams attending MSIs. Teams selected to participate will receive up to $5,000 with the winning team receiving an additional $10,000! Contact HQ-MITTIC@mail.nasa.gov to schedule a personalized info session, exclusively geared to faculty and/or students at your institution. To get started on your NASA MITTIC journey, visit the website. Check out the new enhancements for this year’s MITTIC competition! Spring 2023 proposal deadline is March 15. Teams may use ANY NASA Intellectual Property (IP) from the patent portfolio as the basis for their spinoff concept. A list of 45 suggested technologies can also be found on our website. Prerequisites are not required for training courses to be completed before a team may submit a proposal for the competition.  
  7. Become a NASA Partnership Eclipse Ambassador! NASA and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific are inviting undergraduate students to become Eclipse Ambassadors and help prepare their community for a pair of exciting celestial events! Two solar eclipses will cross North America: an annular solar eclipse on October 14, 2023, and a total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Hundreds of college students across the country will be partnered with amateur astronomers to bring eclipse science, safe viewing techniques, and cultural connections for the eclipses to their communities as trained Eclipse Ambassadors. The project hopes to reach 500 communities across the country, with a particular emphasis on connecting with traditionally underserved audiences. We ask students, of any major, to join us to learn new skills, make connections, and share their enthusiasm about eclipses and science with the public! Click here to learn more! 
  8. Dreaming of a career at NASA? Create a USAJOBS account, upload your resume, and set your preferences for notifications of job opportunities open to the public at NASA or other departments of the federal government. Don’t wait until you hear about an opening the day before it closes to get started. Be prepared to jump on those opportunities as soon as they’re posted! Be sure to check out the resources to help you put your best foot forward in the federal application process.  

We hope you enjoyed this week’s update from your NASA MSI Engagement Team. Stay engaged through our trainings and events, invite your STEM faculty and grants and contracts administrators to subscribe to our newsletter, and create or update your capability statement then send it to NASA-MSIExchange@mail.nasa.com to get the ball rolling! We look forward to supporting your success!   

 

Sincerely,          

 

MSI Engagement Team

NASA Office of STEM Engagement
Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP)  

 

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