About

A part of NASA’s National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program since 1990, the ISGC continually strives to improve and inspire Iowa’s future in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The ISGC supports aerospace research, education and outreach activities for all Iowans with NASA internships, fellowships, and scholarships, competitions for grants within higher education members (with NASA Mission Directorate alignment), as well as informal education grants with outreach affiliates. The ISGC is primarily funded under NASA Award No. 80NSSC20M0107.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Iowa Space Grant Consortium (ISGC) supports and upholds the NASA Diversity and Inclusion Policy Statement. “The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is committed to a culture of diversity and inclusion, where all employees feel welcome, respected, connected, and engaged. As the world’s leader in aeronautics, space exploration, science, and technology, we embrace the critical importance of cultivating and empowering a diverse and inclusive workforce and work environment-enabling NASA to attract the widest and deepest pools of talent, leverage the capabilities of our exceptional workforce; and empower all personnel to be authentic, to participate, and to fully contribute. We understand this provides NASA access to the highest levels of knowledge, capabilities, creativity, problem solving, decision making, and performance. And this will enable NASA to achieve the greatest mission success.”

The ISGC strives to align our Consortium policies, plans, and priorities with the Iowa Department of Education’s Equity Education for Iowa’s K-12 schools as well as each of our member institutions’ DEI plans: DMACC, Drake, ISU, Iowa, Loras, UNI. In addition, ISGC works to provide an inclusive and interdisciplinary cohort of students, mentors, affiliates, and more, and aligns those efforts with the Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.

With the help of seven universities across the state, as well as a few private industries, educational and government organizations, and science museums, ISGC is able to carry out its goals. ISGC funding for grants and projects is allocated through our affiliates, listed below.

Affiliate Members

Core Institutions

Institution	Contact
	Dr. Heidi Sleister Associate Dean, College of Arts & Sciences Professor, Biology Drake University 208 Science Connector Bldg. Des Moines, IA 50311 Voice: 515-271-3765 heidi.sleister@drake.edu
	Dr. Reza Montazami Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Iowa State University 2094 Black Engineering Ames, IA 50011 Voice: 515-294-8733 reza@iastate.edu
	Dr. Jasper S. Halekas Associate Professor, Physics & Astronomy The University of Iowa 414 Van Allen Hall Iowa City, IA 52242 Voice: 319-335-1929 jasper-halekas@uiowa.edu
	Dr. Patrick P. Pease Associate Provost for Academic Affairs University of Northern Iowa Seerley Hall 020 Cedar Falls, IA 50614 Voice: 319-273-2518 patrick.pease@uni.edu

Academic Affiliates

Institution	Contact
	Mr. Scott F. Schultz Dean of Arts and Sciences Des Moines Area Community College 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd. Ankeny, IA 50023 Voice: 515-965-7123 sfschultz@dmacc.edu
	Dr. Danial J. Neebel Professor, Engineering & Computer Science Loras College Science Hall, Room 234, Box 210 Dubuque, IA 52001 Voice: 563-588-7815 danial.neebel@loras.edu
	Dr. Dave Slaven Associate Professor, Natural & Mathematical Scs Morningside University 1501 Morningside Ave, Science Center 139 Sioux City, IA 51106 Voice: 712-274-5581 slaven@morningside.edu

Industrial Affiliates

Company	Contact
	Aerodyne Labs Jennifer Nelson
	Collins Aerospace Zachary Haralson
	Softronics, Ltd. Robert Stemowski

Government Affiliates

Department	Contact
	Ames National Laboratory, U.S. DoE Thomas Lograsso
	Iowa Dept. of Education Christopher Like
	Iowa DOT – Aviation Bureau Tim McClung
	National Lab for Agriculture and the Environment Thanos Papanicolaou

Outreach Affiliates

Organization	Contact
	Grout Museum District Carrsan Morrisey
	Iowa Academy of Science Craig Johnson
	Iowa Aviation Promotion Group, Inc. Vacant – Rep. Pending
	ISU Extension and Outreach 4-H Youth Development Debbie Nistler
	National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium Wendy Scardino
	Putnam Museum Rachael Mullins
	Science Center of Iowa Curt Simmons