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:

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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”

…………………………………………………………………………………

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

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.

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.

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

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

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”

…………………………………………………………………………………

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

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

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

Administrator Bolden’s message will be followed by a live presentation from MICI organizers including: Ms. Theresa Martinez, NASA MUREP project manager; Dr. Clement Allen, Florida A&M Associate Professor for the Department of Computer Information Sciences, and Mr. Paul Secor, president of Secor Strategies, LLC who is serving as a project coordinator for MICI. These individuals will explain how MICI works and how students and faculty can access this free year-round program which seeks to mentor students to compete in NASA technical challenges. The event will conclude with a question and answer session. Immediately following the kick-off event will be a live presentation starting at 3pm EDT from Julie Clift at the Marshall Space Flight Center explaining how students and faculty can get involved in the NASA University Student Launch Initiative. The entire month of September within MICI will be focused on this particular challenge and will feature weekly presentations on the subject.

MICI provides a year-round virtual conference platform where students from across the country can participate in free interactive educational sessions of their choosing. Many of the sessions will focus on competitions found within NASA’s Centennial Challenges program, which provides cash prizes ranging from $50,000 to $2 million. Students will also learn how to compete in other NASA sponsored competitions created specifically for Universities including: the Fundamental Aeronautics Student Competition for Colleges/Universities, The NASA University Student Launch Initiative, University Business Plan Contest for Engineering Technology, and the Great Moonbuggy Race.

Students and faculty are encouraged to register in advance for the September 8, 2010 Academic Year Kick-off Event by visiting http://www.NASAMICI.com/register . Please email questions concerning this program to mary@nasamici.com .