NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI)

NASA X-Hab offers $10k to $49k Grants

admin — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:36:22 +0000

The NASA eXploration Habitat (X-Hab) 2013 Academic Innovation Challenge is a university level challenge for undergraduate senior design courses and graduate-level design curricula. Students design, research, develop, and manufacture a functional habitat prototype for space exploration missions. NASA will directly benefit from the challenge by sponsoring the development of innovative habitation-related concepts and technologies from universities, which will result in innovative ideas and solutions that could be applied to exploration habitats.

The Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Habitation Systems Deep Space Habitat (DSH) project will offer multiple X-Hab awards of $10K – $49K each to design and produce functional products of interest. The short video below explains how to access http://NASAMICIConference.com to view a complete overview video which features the contest organizer.

Deadline for submission for proposals is May 2, 2012. Those universities selected for an award will complete their projects in May/June 2013

NASA MICI Grants

admin — Tue, 17 May 2011 21:06:31 +0000

The NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI) is offering Minority Serving Institutions the opportunity to apply for a $5,000 grant to assist their school in entering the 2012 NASA University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) or the 2012 NASA Lunabotics Mining Competition (Luanbotics) .

USLI is a competition that challenges university-level students to design, build and launch a reusable rocket with a scientific or engineering payload to one mile above ground level. The project engages students in scientific research and real-world engineering processes with NASA engineers. It culminates in an actual launch competition in April 2012 at the Marshall Space Flight Center.

Lunabotics is a competition challenges university-level students to design and build a remote controlled or autonomous excavator, called a lunabot, which can collect and deposit a minimum of 10 kilograms of lunar simulant within 15 minutes. It culminates in an actual excavation competition in May 2012 at the Kennedy Space Center.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: June 30, 2011
MAXIMUM AMOUNT AVAILABLE: $5,000 per competition.
ALLOWED USE OF FUNDS: Up to $1,000 may be used in the form of a stipend for a faculty member who is responsible for the project AND establishes at least a one credit course around a competition. Plus, other expenses associated with entering including equipment, materials, travel expenses.
ELIGIBILITY: Open to Universities and Community Colleges classified as a Minority Serving Institution by the US Department of Education. Schools that have participated in USLI during the last 5 years or Luanbotics during the last 2 years are ineligible to apply for a grant.
APPLICATION FORM: DOWNLOAD NOW
APPLICANT VIDEO CONFERENCE: Recordings of video sessions explaining the application submission process can be found at the NASA MICI conference site. To view – REGISTER AT http://nasamiciconference.com , click “Presentations” , then click the USLI presentation banner to watch the USLI application video. Or click the Lunabotics presentation banner to watch the Luanbotics application video .

TO LEARN HOW TO ACCESS THE VIDEOS REGARDING THE APPLICATION PROCESS WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW:

MICI offers $5K Grants to NASA Lunabotics Competition

admin — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 19:16:45 +0000

The NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI) will be offering Minority Serving Institutions the opportunity to apply for a $5,000 grant to assist their school in entering the 2012 NASA Lunabotics Mining Competition. Lunabotics is a university-level competition designed to engage and retain students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). It encourages innovative lunar excavation concepts from universities which may result in clever ideas and solutions which could be applied to an actual lunar excavation device or payload. The challenge is for students to design and build a remote controlled or autonomous excavator, called a lunabot, that can collect and deposit a minimum of 10 kilograms of lunar simulant within 15 minutes. The complexities of the challenge include the abrasive characteristics of the lunar simulant, the weight and size limitations of the lunabot, and the ability to control the lunabot from a remote control center.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: June 30, 2011
MAXIMUM AMOUNT AVAILABLE: $5,000
ALLOWED USE OF FUNDS: Up to $1,000 may be used in the form of a stipend for a faculty member who is responsible for the project AND establishes at least a one credit course around this project. Plus, other expenses associated with entering including equipment, materials, travel expenses.
ELIGIBILITY: Open to Universities and Community College classified as a Minority Serving Institution by the US Department of Education. Schools that have participated in Lunabotics in the past are ineligible to apply for a grant.
APPLICATION FORM: DOWNLOAD NOW!
APPLICANT VIDEO CONFERENCE: May 11, 2011 at 3pm - REGISTER AT http://nasamiciconference.com , click “Presentations” , then click the Lunabotics presentation banner.

Watch the recording of the APPLICANT VIDEO CONFERENCE which was held on May 11, 2011. To learn how to register to view this recording view the video below.

2011 NASA Fall Internships and Scholarships

admin — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 20:11:04 +0000

The NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI) is offering a free interactive video session on applying for 2011 NASA opportunities! Tomorrow, Friday, March 25, 2011 at 3:00pm Eastern, Cathalina Juarez, NASA Recruitment Coordinator for the NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative (OSSI), will discuss the NASA internship opportunities and how to apply. The opportunities have a deadline of May 1, 2011 so don’t miss this session!

This session will also feature Erika Viramontes, Scholarship Program Manager for the Hispanic College Fund. She will be presenting on the different types of scholarships available, general tips for scholarships, and NASA scholarship opportunities.

The session will also allow for a question and answer period where you can ask questions, and obtain guidance for your individual situation. The short video below shows how you can enter MICI’s virtual conference lobby, and gain access to all the content on this subject, as well as many NASA University Challenge profiles and other NASA opportunities.

TO LEARN HOW TO REGISTER FOR THIS SESSION BY WATCHING THE VIDEO BELOW

MICI offers $5,000 Grants for NASA University Student Launch Initiative Teams

admin — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:16:36 +0000

The NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI) will be offering Minority Serving Institutions the opportunity to apply for a $5,000 grant to assist their school in entering the 2012 NASA University Student Launch Initiative (USLI). USLI is a competition that challenges university-level students to design, build and launch a reusable rocket with a scientific or engineering payload to one mile above ground level. The project engages students in scientific research and real-world engineering processes with NASA engineers. It culminates in an actual launch competition in April 2012 at the Marshall Space Flight Center.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: May 31, 2011
MAXIMUM AMOUNT AVAILABLE: $5,000
ALLOWED USE OF FUNDS: Up to $1,000 may be used in the form of a stipend for a faculty member who is responsible for the project AND establishes at least a one credit course around this project. Plus, other expenses associated with entering including equipment, materials, travel expenses.
ELIGIBILITY: Open to Universities and Community College classified as a Minority Serving Institution by the US Department of Education. Schools that have participated in USLI during the last 5 years are ineligible to apply for a grant.
APPLICATION FORM: DOWNLOAD NOW
APPLICANT VIDEO CONFERENCE: Recording from April 6, 2011 - REGISTER AT http://nasamiciconference.com , click “Presentations” , then click the USLI presentation banner.

To learn how to register for the
RECORDING OF THE APPLICANT VIDEO CONFERENCE
from April 6, 2011, view the video below.

2011 NASA Summer Internships

admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:02:26 +0000

The NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI) is offering free interactive video sessions which guide undergrad/grad students through the step-by-step process of applying for NASA internships, fellowships, scholarships, and other NASA opportunities. Applications for 2011 summer internships are due March 1, 2011. A recorded session featuring Cathalina Juarez, NASA Recruitment Coordinator is available for viewing now. On February, 17, 2011 MICI will feature a live interactive presentation from Juan Carlos Lopez, a NASA Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology (MUST Scholar) and former NASA-JSC intern. This will be followed by a presentation on February, 22, 2011 from Denisse Aranda, a NASA Student Ambassador. Both upcoming sessions will also allow for a question and answer period where you can ask questions, and obtain guidance for your individual situation. The short video below shows how you can enter MICI’s virtual conference lobby, and gain access to all the content on this subject, as well as many NASA University Challenge profiles and other NASA opportunities.

To register with MICI, go to at http://NASAMICIconference.com

Reduced Gravity

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 20:32:40 +0000

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden recently announced that NASA is seeking undergraduate teams to participate in the 2011 NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunity program. This initiative allows undergraduate students to fly aboard an airplane which achieves zero gravity. This program provides a unique academic experience for undergrads to successfully propose, design, fabricate, fly and evaluate a reduced gravity experiment. The overall experience includes scientific research, hands-on experimental design, test operations and educational/public outreach activities. The reduced gravity aircraft generally flies 30 parabolic maneuvers over the Gulf of Mexico, allowing participants and their experiments to experience about 25 seconds of microgravity (0G) during each maneuver.

Administrator Bolden and NASA are seeking to increase the participation of Minority Serving Institutions and Community Colleges within this program. If you are a student or faculty who is interested in learning more please register at NASAMICIconference.com to learn details. By registering at this website, you will gain access to program information AND free webinars on:
12/14/10 at 3pm eastern and 1/12/11 at 3pm eastern.

Content can be accessed by taking the following steps:

1. VISIT http://NASAMICICONFERENCE.COM and select your user type

2. CLICK THE REGISTER BUTTON AND ENTER YOUR REGISTRATION DATA

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3. TEST YOUR COMPUTER and then START VIEWING CONTENT
A video about the Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunity can be located at the top of the “Presentations Page”. Live presentations will follow on 12/14/10 and 1/12/11.

4. ALSO, VISIT THE EXPO HALL TO GET MORE CONTENT
Click on the “EXPO HALL” link at the top of the page. Then, scroll to the right until you reach the Reduced Gravity booth OR simply select the booth from the pull down menu and select “GO”

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5. ENTER THE REDUCED GRAVITY BOOTH to view videos, download program documents, and get NASA contact info.

NASA MICI Welcomes Tom Joyner Listeners

admin — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 06:54:39 +0000

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden appeared on radio’s famous Tom Joyner Morning Show. Administrator Bolden discussed the NASA Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunity program which allows undergraduate students to fly aboard an airplane which achieves zero gravity. This program provides a unique academic experience for undergrads to successfully propose, design, fabricate, fly and evaluate a reduced gravity experiment. The overall experience includes scientific research, hands-on experimental design, test operations and educational/public outreach activities. The reduced gravity aircraft generally flies 30 parabolic maneuvers over the Gulf of Mexico, allowing participants and their experiments to experience about 25 seconds of microgravity (0G) during each maneuver.

Content can be accessed by taking the following steps:

1. VISIT http://NASAMICICONFERENCE.COM and select your user type

2. CLICK THE REGISTER BUTTON AND ENTER YOUR REGISTRATION DATA

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

…………………………………………………………………………………

5. ENTER THE REDUCED GRAVITY BOOTH to view videos, download program documents, and get NASA contact info.

MICI “strings” August presentations together for NASA Strong Tether month

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:54:15 +0000

In August, the Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI) completed its month long presentations focused on the NASA Strong Tether Competition. This competition, sponsored by NASA, featured potential cash prizes totaling $2 million if competitors could achieve certain technological thresholds.

The month included presentations from: Ben Shelef (upper left) the contest organizer; Dr. Gilberto Brambilla, a competitor in the 2010 Competition; Dr. Mario Encinosa, a professor at Florida A&M who discussed the theory nanotube technology; and Dr. Kalayu Belay, a professor at Florida A&M who provided an advanced discussion of carbon nanotubes.
These presentations can be viewed for free by registering at http://www.NASAMICIconference.com

July heats up at MICI with NASA Lunabotics

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:47:24 +0000

In July, the NASA Minority Innovation Challenges Institute (MICI) concluded its Lunabotics Challenge Month. There was an opening presentation by the NASA Contest Organizer – Gloria Murphy (upper left); video interviews with 3 different student competitors including Rayna Thompson (center); a presentation with Kennedy Space Center Intern Laila Rahmatian (upper right), regarding soil mechanics; and a discussion with Rob Mueller (bottom left), the NASA Lunabotics technical advisor, and Paul Van Susante (bottom right) a NASA fellow from the Colorado School of Mines.

All of these presentations can be viewed by registering for MICI at http://NASAMICIconference.com