Submissions are now being accepted for the Iowa Space Grant Consortium’s competition for academic projects. For all of the details on this opportunity please visit our page: Academic Projects – Request for Proposals
The deadline for proposals is June 29, 2020.
The NASA Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) (https://www.iaspacegrant.org/) is conducting the competition and will award two grants up to $15,000 each for Academic Projects that support research aligned with one of NASA’s Mission Directorates (MD). The Mission Directorates include Science Mission Directorate (SMD), Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEO), and Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD). Proposed projects will align with the MD scientific pursuits and NASA’s mission/strategies at the non-core academic affiliate campuses. As the new base programs are limited to the four core institutions, the ISGC has created Academic Projects for the non-core academic institutions. This allows the non-core Academic Affiliates to participate in mission directorate NASA research. At present, faculty at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) and Loras College are eligible to apply.
The ISGC works to coordinate and improve Iowa’s future in NASA related Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM); and to stimulate research education and outreach activities throughout the state that contribute to NASA’s mission. The Consortium outcomes shaped this call and were described in the response to the NASA National Space Grant CAN for 2020-2024 derived from the ISGC affiliate program review, NASA’s 2018 strategic plan, and Iowa’s STEM priorities. The following areas will be addressed by the new Academic Projects:
- Promote and support student experiences through internships, fellowships, and scholarships.
- Engage applied research at higher education institutes to assist in solving NASA Mission Directorate challenges.
- Educate and engage pre-college STEM students and educators to prepare the next generation of explorers.
- Elevate the impact of the ISGC across Iowa.
- Promote the involvement of women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities.
Each Academic Affiliate is eligible to submit proposals for this program. Proposals must target the NASA MDs and be a good fit for DMACC and Loras College. Proposals must identify how they will support student recruitment and retention efforts in the STEM fields at the respective campus. To be considered for selection, a program must be conducting innovative research directly aligned with the MDs. Engaging undergraduate students with the project is encouraged (with emphasis on women, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities) and will strengthen the proposal. Priority will be given to proposals which collaborate with other affiliates (not restricted to non-core academic affiliates). Projects will be selected through a competitive process that will use the selection criteria put forth in this RFP. Projects that are successful in year one will be eligible to apply in subsequent years. All awards are dependent upon NASA funding availability. To better understand NASA and the ongoing work and priorities within the Mission Directorates, click on this link: https://www.nasa.gov/about/org_index.html.