MassTEC What's New for Students

What's New for Students

Updated January 9th, 2012

Monday May 7, 2012 Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Worcester, MA VISION: A one day program to excite and encourage young people to pursue careers in materials science, applied sciences and engineering disciplines.
WHEN: Monday May 7, 2012 8:30 am to 3:30 pm WHO: The camp is open to HIGH SCHOOLSophomores and Juniors.
WHERE: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA
WHAT: Students selected for this one day Materials Camp will participate in hands-on learning modules designed to demonstrate the nature of materials.
Topics will demonstrate how materials are engineered through processing to perform as desired. Modules include Casting, Cryogenics, Shape Memory Alloys & more!
COST: FREE! Note: Participants must make their own transportation arrangements.
APPLY: On line through the electronic version of this flyer at www.asm-ma.org Applications will be accepted starting January 2, 2012.
For more information, please send us an e-mail at MatCampNE@gmail.comFind us on FaceBook!
To watch a video of a previous year at ASM Materials Camp New England visit www.youtube.com/ASMCampNE
Sponsored by the Boston, Northern New England, Rhode Island and Central Massachusetts Chapters of ASM International, Corporate Sustaining Members and the ASM Materials Education Foundation

We are pleased to announce the National Academy of Engineering’s EngineerGirl! website’s 12^th annual Essay Contest. Students are asked to write about the role of engineering in providing safe and nutritious food. Details and rules can be found on the EngineerGirl! website: http://www.engineergirl.org/CMS/Contest/food2012.aspx.
Participation is open to both girls and boys in grades 3-12 and submissions must be entered by 6:00 pm (EST) on March 1, 2012. All winning entries will be published on the EngineerGirl! website and winners will receive cash prizes: first place winners $500, second place winners $250, third place winners $100. The 2012 EngineerGirl! Essay Contest was made possible by the generous support of Lockheed Martin Corporation.
The EngineerGirl! website is designed to spark the curiosity of young people, girls in particular, and encourage them to consider careers in engineering. EngineerGirl! provides career descriptions, profiles of successful women engineers, information about exciting engineering projects, and interactive tools for girls, parents, teachers, and guidance counselors, all designed to encourage girls to pursue an engineering education and career. Launched in 2001, the site is visited by more than 18,000 unique visitors a month and has been featured by the Girl Scouts of America, the Society of Women Engineers, and local and national media in the United States and around the world. Engineer Girl! is a trusted and entertaining resource for young girls, parents, educators, and volunteer engineers involved in student outreach. In a 2011 poll, girls’ reported that viewing the EngineerGirl! website or participating in its annual essay contest caused 63% of them to consider a career in engineering and 81% to consider studying engineering in college. Please visit www.engineergirl.org to learn more.
We look forward to reading some exciting and creative essays and we hope you will help us to spread the contest announcement. If you have questions, or seek clarification, please contact the EngineerGirl! team at engineergirl@nae.edu.
Best,
Vickie
Victoria Gunderson, Ph.D.
Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Fellow
National Academy of Engineering
vgunderson@nae.edu
www.engineergirl.org

• Calling Students to Join Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge
Through the challenge, students team up with classmates under teacher/mentors to solve environmental problems in their school (Grades K-5), community (Grades 6-8), and world (Grades 9-12). Students at all levels use scientific investigation and web-based curriculum tools powered by Discovery Education to create a replicable green solution. Nearly 18,000 elementary, middle, and high school students competed in last year's challenge, offering innovations in areas such as food-waste-to-energy, community-scale battery recycling, phantom-power load reduction, systematic behavior change, erosion control, wildlife habitat restoration, and sustainable agriculture for arid zones.
Teachers and mentors can register for the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, add their student teams, and begin formulating their projects at www.wecanchange.com . Student and teacher/mentor prizes, which vary according to grade level and value more than $250,000 total, include scholarships, savings bonds, school grants, adventure trips, and a chance to present their idea at the United Nations. A panel of environmental experts and science educators will judge teams based on their research, analysis, and the ability of the solution to be replicated on a larger scale. High school students are specifically challenged to address: energy, biodiversity, land management, water conservation and cleanup, or air and climate. The deadline for all entries is March 15, 2012.

•Centennial Challenge: Sample Return Robot Challenge
NASA and the Worcester Polytechnic Institute are seeking teams to compete in a robot technology demonstration competition with a potential $1.5 million prize purse. During the Sample Return Robot Challenge, teams will compete to demonstrate a robot that can locate and retrieve geologic samples from a wide and varied terrain without human control. The objective of the competition is to encourage innovations in automatic navigation and robotic manipulator technologies. Innovations stemming from this challenge may improve NASA's capability to explore a variety of destinations in space, as well as enhance the nation's robotic technology for use in industries and applications on Earth.
The competition is planned for June 2012 in Worcester and is anticipated to attract hundreds of competitors from industry and academia nationwide. Early-bird registration and fees for the competition are due by January 2, 2012.
For more information about the Sample Return Robot Challenge and to register online for the competition, visit http://challenge.wpi.edu. Questions about the Sample Return Robot Challenge should be sent to challenge@wpi.edu

YouTube’s Space Lab Challenges Students to Design an Experiment for the International Space Station
NASA has partnered with Space Adventures and YouTube on a global competition that challenges 14- to 18-year-old students to design a science experiment that can be performed in space. The winning experiment will be conducted aboard the Space Station in 2012.
Students, either alone or in groups of up to three, are invited to submit a video describing their experiments to YouTube.com/SpaceLab . Six regional finalists will gather in the United States in March 2012 to experience a zero-gravity flight and receive other prizes. From the finalists, two global winners will be announced and will see their experiments performed in space and streamed online that summer. Additionally, the global winners will get to choose a unique space experience as a prize: either a trip to Japan to watch their experiment blast off to the space station, or a trip to Star City, Russia, for an authentic space training experience at the Russian cosmonaut facility.
Videos will be accepted through December 7, 2011. For more information about the challenge, visit www.youtube.com/spacelab.
ION Mini-Urban Challenge 2012 High School Robotics Competition
The ION Mini-Urban Challenge (MUC) is a national high school robotics competition that challenges students to design and operate a robotic car to autonomously navigate a competition course. The robotic cars used in the competition are developed using Lego Mindstorms® Education kits that are provided to each participating high school free of charge. Regional competitions are held in California, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, and Washington, DC. Travel grants are given to teams that qualify for the National Competition, which will be held on May 26, 2012 at The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.For more information, visit www.miniurbanchallenge.com or contact megan@miniurbanchallenge.com. The application deadline is January 2, 2012.

NASA Releases New Interactive Space Communications Game
NASA has released an interactive, educational video game called NetworKing that depicts how the Space Communication and Navigation, or SCaN, network operates. NetworKing gives players an insider's perspective into how astronauts, mission controllers, and scientists communicate during space missions.
To successfully construct fast and efficient communication networks, players first must establish command stations around the world and accept clients conducting space missions, such as satellites and space telescopes. Resources are earned throughout the game as players continue to acquire more clients. Players can use accumulated resources strategically to enhance and increase their networks' capabilities.
NetworKing is available to the public for play on the NASA 3D Resources website. Players can access the game using an Internet browser. To play the NetworKing game, visit www.nasa.gov/multimedia/3d_resources/scan.html.
For more information about SCaN, visit https://www.spacecomm.nasa.gov/spacecomm/default.cfm. For more information about NASA's education programs, visit www.nasa.gov/education.

2011 OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Video Contest
NASA has opened registration for the 2011 OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Video Contest. Featuring OPTIMUS PRIME, the leader from the popular TRANSFORMERS brand, the contest highlights spinoffs from NASA technologies that are used on Earth. The goal is to help students understand the benefits of NASA technology to their daily lives.
For 2011, the contest has been expanded to include students in Grades 3-12. Each student, or group of students, will submit a three- to five-minute video on a selected NASA spinoff technology listed in NASA’s 2010 “Spinoff” publication. Videos must demonstrate an understanding of the NASA spinoff technology and the associated NASA mission, as well as the commercial application and public benefit associated with the spinoff technology.
Participants must register for the contest by January 3, 2012. Video entries are due January 17, 2012. For more information, visit the OPTIMUS PRIME Spinoff Contest website at http://ipp.gsfc.nasa.gov/optimus. Questions about this contest should be directed to Darryl Mitchell at Darryl.R.Mitchell@nasa.gov.

• Ability One Network Design Challenge
The Design Challenge encourages students to develop assistive technologies that empower people with disabilities to overcome barriers to employment. Register today and receive updates and feedback as you embark on “What’s Next?” this school year.
The design challenge is a service learning opportunity for students in Grades 9-12 in the High School Program or any college student or student team at the graduate or undergraduate level in the University Program that also enhances science, engineering, and technology skills.
High School teams work through the fall to research, design, and submit a presentation featuring their device. The top five teams win a trip to Washington, DC to present their devices and compete for cash prizes up to $5,000.
First Place: $5,000; Second Place (2): $3,000; Finalists (2) $1,000
High School Deadline: Wednesday, December 14, 2011 5PM EST
High School Finals Event: Winter/Spring Washington, DC March 8, 2012
University students work throughout the academic year and are eligible to win cash prizes up to $10,000.
First place: $10,000; Second place: $5,000; Third place: $3,000
University Deadline: Friday, April 20, 2012 5PM EST
Winner Showcase: Spring/Summer 2012, Washington, DC

Enrollment open for 2nd Annual SciTech Girl Expo
This event is hosted by Jr.Tech in partnership with Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
For high school girls who love science, technology, engineering & math (STEM) and are interested in a career using STEM.
The Keynote Speaker is Faith Ball, Engineering Sr. Manager at Lockheed Martin Marion.
SciTech Girls will work directly with successful women working as experts in their STEM fields during hands-on breakout sessions (new breakout topics for 2012).
Expo will focus on careers for girls in emerging fields including health services, engineering, marine and science careers. Giveaways and lunch included.
Location Mass. Maritime Academy Campus, Buzzards Bay.
Saturday - April 7
Start time - 8:30am to 3:30pm
Enrollment fee - Individual student enrollment $50.
School District may enroll via a group discount fee.
Call 774-994-2097 or email phyllis@juniortech.org
Enrollment details at http://www.juniortech.org
Phyllis Russell
President and Executive Director
Jr.Tech, Inc
Member of the Advisory Board for the Southeastern Mass STEM
Network
774-994-2097
phyllis@juniortech.org
www.juniortech.org
join Jrku.Tech on Face book and Twitter
Subscribe to the STEM Ed. RSS feed at:
http://www.umassk12.net/feed.xml
2012 NASA Lunabotics Mining Competition
NASA is challenging U.S. and international undergraduate and graduate student teams to design and build a telerobotic or autonomous excavator, called a lunabot, that could be applied to an actual lunar excavation device or payload. The lunabot must be able to mine and deposit a minimum of 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of lunar simulant in 10 minutes.
Design teams must include one faculty advisor from a college or university and at least two undergraduate or graduate students. Universities may work in collaboration, and multidisciplinary teams are encouraged. Selected teams will compete in the Lunabotics Mining Competition at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 21-26, 2012. Registration is limited to the first 60 approved teams and limited to one team per university campus. Internationally, registration is limited to 10 teams per country.
Registration will end when NASA approves 60 applications, or on November 30, 2011, whichever occurs first.
For more information about the competition and to apply online, visit www.nasa.gov/lunabotics.
Email questions to Susan.G.Sawyer@nasa.gov.

Calling all engineering, design, and manufacturing students: Dimension 3D Printers, a division of Stratasys, has once again launched its Extreme Redesign contest. We're looking for CAD students worldwide to submit their most creative, useful, and innovative Extreme Redesigns. Whether it's a new perspective on an everyday product or a fresh vision for a piece of art, animation, or architecture, Dimension will award student scholarships based on the design's creativity, usefulness, part integrity, and aesthetics. http://www.dimensionprinting.com/extreme-redesign/extreme-redesign-main.aspx

REGISTRATION OPEN FOR 2012 TEAM AMERICA ROCKETRY CHALLENGE
Registration is open for the Team America Rocketry Challenge 2012, a national model rocket competition for U.S. students in grades 7-12. Thousands of students compete each year, making TARC the world's largest model rocket contest. Teams of three to 10 students are challenged to design, build, and fly a model rocket that will climb to 800 feet with a payload of two raw eggs and stay aloft for 43 to 47 seconds. The payload must then return to earth unbroken. Cash prizes are awarded to the top finishers. NASA invites top teams to participate in their Student Launch Initiative, an advanced rocketry program. Participation is limited to the first 1,000 teams who register by Nov. 30, 2011. For more information, visit www.rocketcontest.org.
To view the permanent link on the Classroom Resources page click here

Robotics Program Showcased by will.i.am to Promote Science and Technology on Network TV, Launches a New Season FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an organization to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology, officially launched its 2011/2012 FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC®) season with an online Kickoff event unveiling this year's game, BOWLED OVER!T
More than 21,000 high-school-aged students are expected to participate in this year's competition. The object of the game will be to design and build robots robust enough to push a bowling ball uphill, yet sophisticated enough to pick up racquetballs and place them into crates and stack the crates to score points. The final 30 seconds of the driver-controlled period is called the end game, where each Alliance, consisting of two opposing teams, is challenged to push its bowling ball into their "home zones" to score additional bonus points. FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org.

Solving the Challenges of Space in the RealWorld and InWorld
The RealWorld-InWorld NASA Engineering Design Challenge encourages students in Grades 7-12 to explore and build skills essential for successful careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through two phases of project-based learning and team competition.
RealWorld (Phase 1): Teams of middle- and high-school-aged students, with support of their teachers/coaches/parents, work collaboratively as engineers and scientists to explore and design solutions related to the James Webb Space Telescope and Robonaut. RealWorld (Phase 1) began September 1, 2011 and ends January 27, 2012. To be considered to move to the InWorld phase, all RealWorld work must be submitted by this deadline.
InWorld (Phase 2): Participating college students select teams of two to four middle- and high-school-aged students who have completed the RealWorld phase to build their InWorld teams. Participation is limited to U.S. citizens. Teams work in a 3-D virtual online environment using 21st Century tools to refine designs and to create 3-D models of their design solutions. InWorld (Phase 2) begins January 28, 2012 and ends April 20, 2012.
To learn more about the challenge and to register for online resources for this free and flexible project, visit www.nasarealworldinworld.org.

Christopher Columbus Awards Challenge Teams of Middle School Students to Solve Community Problems Using Science and Technology
Finalist Teams Win Trip to Walt Disney World®
The Christopher Columbus Awards, a free program that challenges middle school students to explore opportunities for positive change in their communities, announces the program's Call for Entries for the 2011-2012 school year. Teams of up to four students and a coach identify a community issue and use the scientific process to solve it. Finalist teams win an all-expense-paid trip to Walt Disney World® where they attend the Christopher Columbus Academy and compete for gold medals and U.S. Savings Bonds.
For more information and competition guidelines, call 800-291-6020 or visit www.christophercolumbusawards.com. Coaches may be teachers, parents, community leaders, or mentors. It is free to enter, and teams do not need to be affiliated with a school. The deadline for receipt of entries is Monday, February 6, 2012.

2012 NASA Space Settlement Design Contest
Design a space settlement! Space settlements are permanent communities in orbit, as opposed to being on the moon or other planets. Designing a space settlement involves physics, mathematics, space science, environmental science, and many other disciplines. The NASA Space Settlement Design Contest is for 11-18-year-old students from anywhere in the world. Individuals or teams may enter. Grades 6-8, 9-10 and 11-12 are judged separately, except for the grand prize. All participants will receive a certificate.
Submissions must be received by March 15, 2012. For more information about the NASA Space Settlement Design Contest, visit http://settlement.arc.nasa.gov/Contest/. If you have any questions about the contest, please email Al Globus at aglobus@mail.arc.nasa.gov.

Hi Everyone,
Below is information about the Real World Design Challenge. I'm sending it as an FYI. This year a team from Marlboro High School went to the national competition in Washington D.C. The PTC Corporation, based here in Massachusetts, is a big supporter of this competition.
Charlie
Sign up now for the Real World Design Challenge. It is an annual aviation design competition for teams of 3-7 high school students. The Challenge is FREE for students and teachers. And each teacher that signs up a team will receive $1 million in professional engineering software as well as access to mentors from industry, government, and academia.
The Real World Design Challenge will create many opportunities for your students. Every state champion team receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC. Students have earned paid internships through their participation. And last year’s National Champions got to present their work to President Obama at the White House.
Sign up today and take advantage of our summer teacher training. You can sign up as many teams as you want, and if you are not sure which students will participate, don’t worry you can change the team members between now and the beginning of the competition.
Just go to www.realworlddesignchallenge.org and click the link to register a team.
Click here to view the link on the resources page under contests Real World Design Challenge

Internship Opportunities
The Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) is coordinating two NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) internship opportunities at NASA Langley Research Center during the summer of 2011. The purpose of these internships is to train and develop the highly skilled scientific, engineering, and technical workforce of the future needed to implement the Vision for Space Exploration.
Students will be engaged in hands-on engineering projects with a placement mentor starting June 6th and ending August 12th. The internships will be open to sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students. This summer’s ESMD internship positions include a stipend of $6,000. No additional funding for travel or lodging will be provided. These positions are open only to full-time students attending Virginia Space Grant Consortium member universities and colleges. These institutions include Hampton University, Virginia Tech, University of Virginia, College of William and Mary, Old Dominion University, and the Virginia Community College System, and you must be a U.S. citizen to be eligible.
ESMD website: www.nasa.gov/exploration/home/index.html
Virginia Space Grant Consortium website: www.vsgc.odu.edu/internships/ESMD08.shtml

We would like to call your teachers' attention to the opportunity to field test Survival Master, a computer game designed for 8th Grade Engineering and Technology Education Teachers and their Students. Survival Master is a National Science Foundation-funded 3D game that teaches STEM Concepts and is aligned with the Standards for Technological Literacy.
The game challenges eighth grade students to virtually build a model of a shelter that can keep victims in Alaska alive after a devastating earthquake. If you would like to know more about the game, you can view an introductory three-minute video at www.gaming2.learn.org. A parallel physical modeling version of the curriculum (to be taught more traditionally using tools and materials) has also been created.
Our Project team needs 12 technology and/or engineering education eighth grade teachers from across the country to field test these new materials. Space is limited. We would like to ask you to publicize this initiative among your teachers for them to consider participating as a field test site. During about six weeks of instructional time teachers would teach components of both curriculum delivery approaches (the game and the physical modeling version) and collect data through pre- and post-testing. A field test training workshop will be conducted on Long Island from August 9-12, 2011. All expenses will be paid, materials will be provided, and teachers who are accepted will be paid an honorarium of $1500 once the field test has been completed and data has been submitted.
Teachers will be able to play survival master at booths 113-114 at the ITEEA conference in Minneapolis on March 24-25. For further information and an application to participate, contact Michael Hacker, Project Director, at mhacker@nycap.rr.com.

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE "BODY FORWARD" CHALLENGE FOCUSES ON BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), is engaging 171,000 children, ages 9 to 14, in more than 50 countries to explore the exciting world of Biomedical Engineering through hands-on, minds-on teamwork in the 2010 FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Challenge called "Body Forward." "Body Forward" is a two-part robotics challenge that requires research to complete the project phase, and science and engineering to master the complex missions of the robot game phase. In the project phase, teams will research a body part, function, or system; create an innovative solution to protect, repair, heal, or improve it; and share their solution(s) with the global community. In the robot game phase, teams will confront some of today's medical issues and apply robotics, sensor technology, and ingenuity to solve them. Robot missions in the FLL Challenge range from the familiar, including bone repair, rapid blood screening, and pace makers, to the futuristic, such as nerve mapping, bionic eyes, and object control through thought. The robots, designed by the children and built using LEGO MINDSTORMS technologies, will require a variety of mechanical capabilities to accomplish the missions set forth in the Challenge.
"Every FIRST LEGO League Challenge of the last eleven years has helped children discover how imagination and creativity combined with science and technology can solve real-world problems," said Dean Kamen, FIRST founder. "With medical issues impacting each and every one of us in our lifetime, we will need a new generation of innovators to build on the miracles of modern medicine and ensure future advances in healthcare, for us and for themselves. This year's focus on Biomedical Engineering introduces these young scientists to an exciting field that is virtually exploding with possibilities." "Body Forward" was developed with the input of Biomedical Engineering experts to provide a practical and realistic challenge project and robot missions. Currently in its twelfth year, FIRST LEGO League anticipates its biggest season ever, with more than 17,000 teams competing in hundreds of Qualifying Tournaments and Championship Tournaments. To learn more, visit www.firstlegoleague.org.

Rubber Band Contest for Young Inventors
Are you ready to stretch your imagination? The Akron Global Polymer Academy of The University of Akron is hosting the third annual Rubber Band Contest for Young Inventors to encourage students in grades 5-8 to demonstrate their creativity and ingenuity by creating an invention that incorporates the use of rubber bands.
There will be two separate divisions of competition-Arts & Leisure and Science & Engineering. Four finalists will be brought to Akron, Ohio, where the first place winner and runner-up in each division, will be announced at an awards ceremony on May 14, 2011.
The first place winner in each division will receive a $1,000 savings bond, while the runner-up in each division will receive a $500 savings bond, respectively. The top eight semifinalists who are not chosen as finalists will each receive a $50 gift card. The top four schools with the most entries will each receive a $250 donation. For more information about the contest, visit http://rubberbandcontest.org/.

NASA's DIME and WING Student Team Competitions
NASA is hosting two national science competitions that challenge student teams to develop and prepare a microgravity experiment. Dropping in a Microgravity Environment (DIME) and What If No Gravity (WING) are components of a NSTA competition program that allows student teams to design and build a science experiment, which will then be operated in a NASA microgravity drop tower facility. This program is a project-oriented activity that lasts one school year for the selected teams. A DIME team will be comprised of high-school-aged students while a WING team will be comprised of students in grades 5-8.
Teams interested in competing will develop an experiment concept, write a proposal for an experiment, and submit the proposal to NASA .
A panel of NASA scientists and engineers will evaluate and select the top-ranked proposals by Dec. 1, 2011. The winning teams then will design and build the experiments that will be conducted in the 2.2-Second Drop Tower at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. When an experiment is "dropped" into the 79-foot tower, it experiences weightlessness, or microgravity, for 2.2 seconds. Researchers from around the world use this tower to study the effects of microgravity on physical phenomena such as combustion and fluid dynamics, and to develop new technology for future space missions.
Proposals are due November 1. For more information about entering NASA's DIME and WING student team competitions, visit http://spaceflightsystems.grc.nasa.gov/DIME.html.

New England Institute of Technology has two Career Education Days planned for you and your students for the upcoming school year. Career Education Days have been designed to allow your students the opportunity to discover the skills needed and current employment trends in a variety of technical career choices.
Career Education Days will offer technical skills demonstrations, employment information, and presentations on current issues in the field. High school groups must pre-register for the day. Please use the pre-registration form enclosed. If you require any additional information contact Amanda Metzger at 1-800-736-7744 ext. 3377, or by e-mail at Ametzger@neit.edu.
Automotive Career Education Day
Friday October 29, 2010 RSVP by October 19, 2010
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
A continuous program of informational workshops highlighting career choices available in the Automotive, Automotive High Performance, Automotive Collision Repair and Marine Technology fields. Schools will be given schedules for arrival as well as workshops.
Building Technologies Career Education Day
Friday, November 19, 2010 RSVP by November 3, 2010
8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
A continuous program of informational workshops highlighting career choices available in Building Construction, Construction Management, Cabinet Making, Architectural Building Engineering, Electrical, Plumbing, Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology fields. Schools will be given schedules for arrival as well as workshops. New England Tech
Career Education Day
High School Pre-Registration Form
To reserve space for your group at one or all of the career education days, please complete this form and mail or fax it to the attention of Amanda Metzger.(see below). Reservations will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. Space is limited.
Transportation assistance from NEIT is not available for these programs.
Automotive Career Education Day – Friday October 29, 2010
RSVP by October 19, 2010
____ Yes, I am bringing a group of students to the career day.
Number of students ________.
____ We will _____ will not _____ be staying for lunch.
____ No, I am unable to attend this day. Please have a representative from NEIT contact me to set up an appointment to visit with my class.
Building Technologies Career Education Day – Friday November 19, 2010
RSVP by November 3, 2010
____ Yes, I am bringing a group of students to the career day.
Number of students ________.
____ We will _____ will not _____ be staying for lunch.
____ No, I am unable to attend this day. Please have a representative from NEIT contact me to set up an appointment to visit with my class.
Name ______________________________Title_______________________
High School ___________________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________________
City, State, Zip _________________________________________________
Department ____________________________________________________
Phone number ____________________________Fax __________________
E-Mail Address _________________________________________________
Please mail or fax this completed form by the deadline to Amanda Metzger, NEIT Admissions, 2500 Post Road, Warwick, RI 02886. Fax 401-732-9792, E-mail ametzger@neit.edu.

ExploraVision Returns
The Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards program is back for its 19th year, and the application to participate will be available online August 30, 2010, at www.exploravision.org. The ExploraVision program is open to K-12 students who could win up to $10,000 in savings bonds and other valuable prizes. To start the year off right, NSTA will host the first in a series of free web seminars designed to answer questions and assist teachers in using the ExploraVision program in their classrooms. "What is ExploraVision and How Can I Use It?" is scheduled for Wednesday, September 15, 2010, at 6:30 pm ET. Coaches of prior winning teams will share their experiences, give tips, and answer questions. If you have questions, contact us at 1-800-EXPLOR9 or e-mail us at exploravision@nsta.org We have a permanent link to the contest, click here for the link.

Carnegie Mellon Launches $7 Million Initiative Using Robots to Boost Science, Technology Majors
A new four-year, $7 million educational initiative by Carnegie Mellon University will leverage students' innate interest in robots and other forms of "hard fun" to increase U.S. enrollments in computer science and steer more young people into scientific and technological careers. The initiative, called Fostering Innovation through Robotics Exploration (FIRE), is sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and designed to reverse a significant national decline in the number of college students majoring in computer science, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (CS-STEM). FIRE will develop new tools that enable middle and high school students to expand upon their interest in robots, leading them from one CS-STEM activity to the next. Examples are programming tools that create game-like virtual worlds where robot programs can be tested, as well as computerized tutors that teach mathematics and computer science in the context of robotics.

The initiative will target robotic competitions such as FIRST, VEX, and Robofest that already are popular among secondary school students, but also will create new competitions for autonomous, multi-robot teams and for computer animations that will attract a broader array of students and offer new challenges… For more information and to register to receive updates for this project, visit www.fire.cs.cmu.edu.

NASA is offering undergraduate students an opportunity to test experiments in microgravity aboard NASA's reduced gravity aircraft. The opportunity is part of NASA's Reduced Gravity Education Flight Program, which gives aspiring explorers a chance to propose, design, and fabricate a reduced-gravity experiment. Selected teams will test and evaluate their experiment aboard NASA's reduced-gravity airplane. The aircraft flies about 30 roller-coaster-like climbs and dips during experiment flights to produce periods of weightlessness and hypergravity ranging from 0 g to 2 g.
Proposals are due October 27, 2010. Interested students also should submit a letter of intent by September 22, 2010. This step is optional but serves as an introductory notice that a team plans to submit a proposal for the upcoming competition.
NASA will announce selected teams December 8, 2010. The teams will fly in the summer of 2011. Once selected, teams also may invite a full-time, accredited journalist to fly with them and document the team's experiment and experiences. All applicants must be full-time undergraduate students, U.S. citizens, and at least 18 years old.
To learn more about this opportunity, visit http://microgravityuniversity.jsc.nasa.gov.
Questions about this opportunity should be emailed to jsc-reducedgravity@nasa.gov.
NASA Team Unveils Virtual Student Engineering Competition
NASA is going virtual in its latest attempt to excite high school students about engineering and real-life design challenges facing future space explorers. NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA, and Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD are collaborating with the National Institute of Aerospace (NIA), USA TODAY Education, and LearniT-TeachiT for the upcoming RealWorld-InWorld Engineering Design Challenge. The competition offers high school students a unique opportunity to work with university students and engineering mentors in a 3-dimensional virtual world to solve authentic NASA-inspired, design-based engineering problems using 21st century technology tools and skills.NIA's team developed the competition in two phases. During the RealWorld phase, high school students use the engineering design process to develop possible solutions to one of two problems related to the Webb [Space] Telescope. Once the RealWorld component is completed, teams may move into the InWorld challenge. In a multiuser virtual world, developed by NIA, the team will expand to include engineering and information technology university students and an engineering expert. Working collaboratively, RealWorld groups will transform ideas into three-dimensional models and simulations. The top five teams will present their ideas to evaluators, including Webb [Telescope] researchers, during a special education forum. In order to be considered for the InWorld phase of the challenge, high school students and their coaches are asked to submit their final RealWorld project solutions by December 15, 2010. Teams can register for the challenge online. Registration is free of charge. More details are at www.nasarealworldinworld.org.
Sports Authority has recently announced the “Sports Authority Move It Challenge,” a new invention competition designed to uncover exciting youth-created sporting and backyard games and products.
The “Sports Authority Move It Challenge” will offer exciting prizes for kids and educators. The grand prize winner will receive $10,000, with four finalists each receiving $1,000 and their nominated teacher receiving a $500 Sports Authority gift card. Teachers and students can learn more about the challenge and submit entries by going to www.moveitchallenge.com. Entries will be accepted online or by mail beginning October 1, 2010, through January 3, 2011. Complete rules are available online. There is no fee to enter the competition and no limit to the number of entries a student can make.
By Kids For Kids is working with Sports Authority to distribute fun and engaging activities for educators to use in the classroom that inspire kids to create new games, sports training devices, and fitness-tracking devices while learning the benefits of staying healthy and fit. All of the activities will be distributed for free to educators around the country.
University students worldwide can shape the future of flight and win €30,000 in a global competition launched July 21st by Airbus at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom.The Airbus Fly Your Ideas (FYI) competition challenges students worldwide to develop new ideas for a greener aviation industry. It concludes with a final at next summer’s International Paris Airshow in Le Bourget, France. The winners will share the top prize of €30,000; the runners-up €15,000.Students of any age, nationality, gender, or discipline—from engineering to marketing; business to science; philosophy to design—are invited to take part. Proposals are welcome on all aspects of the "Environmental Life Cycle"—an innovative approach Airbus uses to improve the environmental performance of an aircraft and its production process. It consists of five stages: design, supply chain, manufacturing, aircraft operations, and aircraft end-of-life.To enter FYI 2011, students must register as a team of three to five members on the competition website by November 30, 2010. For further information or to register, visit: www.airbus-fyi.com. Project proposals must be submitted by December 10, 2010.
RealWorld-InWorld NASA Engineering Design Challenge
The RealWorld-InWorld NASA Engineering Design Challenge invites high school students to work cooperatively as engineers and scientists to solve real-world problems related to the James Webb Space Telescope.
In Phase 1 of this education initiative, students explore and design solutions to two real-world problems related to the James Webb Space Telescope. For this phase, participants work in teams of three to five students. Final RealWorld project solutions from this first phase of the challenge are due on December 15, 2010.
Teams that complete Phase 1 are then paired with participating college engineering students to begin Phase 2, the InWorld phase of the challenge. Working in a virtual world setting, each newly formed InWorld team uses 21st Century tools to refine designs and create 3-D models of the Webb telescope.
For more information about the challenge, visit www.nasarealworldinworld.org/.
Questions about this opportunity should be directed to RWIW@nianet.org.
NASA’s Glenn Research Center to Release MUST Cooperative Agreements Notice
NASA’s Glenn Research Center is releasing a Cooperative Agreement Notice to invite proposals to administer the Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology project. The MUST project is a competitive scholarship opportunity for undergraduate students specifically targeting rising sophomores and juniors from underrepresented and underserved groups. The focus is on students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines.
MUST Scholars who maintain the required minimum 3.0 GPA may renew through their senior year and are granted paid internships at NASA centers each summer. Participants also receive academic enrichment opportunities including access to tutoring, leadership development workshops, a formal mentoring system, and invitations to STEM lectures and other related programs. The MUST project addresses the national shortage of STEM fields by providing assistance and support to students during the early years of their collegiate experience.
Upon its release date, the CAN will be available electronically through http://nspires.nasaprs.com/.
Proposals will be accepted from Minority Serving Institutions, which include Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and Universities, and nonprofit organizations serving under served and underrepresented students. Partnerships among these institutions and/or organizations are encouraged to apply.
Proposal due date and exact location of submissions will be identified in the CAN. Proposals received after that deadline will not be considered. For this notice, the provisions contained in the NASA Grant and Cooperative Agreement Handbook (NPR 5800.1) apply.
Please send direct questions specifically regarding this solicitation to: Saundra R. Gage at Saundra.R.Gage@nasa.gov.
A video from the 2010 National TSA Conference Awards Ceremony has received high praise from those in attendance. This video is an excellent marketing tool, and TSA is pleased to be able to make it available via a YouTube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYQTqmMU1Kw. National TSA is grateful to Virginia TSA member Jason Dreyzehner from Abingdon High School for creating this video. Please feel free to use it in your school, community, and state to assist you in your promotion of TSA.
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Bookmark – All Grades
The downloadable bookmark has the Web address to information about how students can use amateur radio to talk directly with International Space Station crew members.
www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/ Amateur_Radio_Bookmark.html
UMass Lowell's DESIGNCAMP is a summer science and engineering enrichment program that offers a wide range of project-based workshops for students in grades 5 to 10*. If you like to invent things, do experiments, build things, and figure out how things work, then this is the place for you!At DESIGNCAMP, you get to think of your own ideas and build them. All of our programs engage kids in interesting and challenging projects. If you come to camp, you could learn how to design a security system for your bedroom, build a hot air balloon, program a search-and-rescue robot, build a PVC pipe submarine, or design your own stereo speakers--and those are only a few of the cool projects we do at DESIGNCAMP!
DESIGNCAMP is a challenging and creative program developed and taught by an outstanding team of experienced science and technology teachers who have specialized in teaching engineering design to kids. We are talking about a totally hands-on learning experience that will involve you in the real work of scientists and engineers: design, exploration, experimentation and invention!
Each workshop is built around a series of design projects, interesting science activities and problems to solve. All workshops include tours of UMass Lowell’s engineering laboratories. You might get to see how Frisbees are made, how baseball bats are tested, how electric cars work, or how to control a computer using your mind. Applications due June 14th
NASA Opportunity for Students in Grades 9-12: INSPIRE
High school students throughout the United States are invited to participate in NASA's Interdisciplinary National Science Program Incorporating Research Experience, or INSPIRE, through the program’s Online Learning Community. Applications are being accepted through June 30, 2010. NASA will make selections for the program in September. Selectees will participate in an online learning community in which students and parents have the opportunity to interact with their peers and NASA engineers and scientists. The online community also provides appropriate grade-level educational activities, discussion boards, and chat rooms. Participants and their families also gain exposure to the many careers and opportunities at NASA.
Students selected for the program will have the option to compete for unique grade-appropriate experiences during the summer of 2011 at NASA facilities and participating universities throughout the nation. INSPIRE is designed to encourage ninth- through twelfth-grade students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. The summer experience provides students a hands-on opportunity to investigate education and careers in those disciplines. INSPIRE is part of NASA's education strategy to attract and retain students in the science, technology, engineering, and math disciplines critical to NASA's missions.
For more information about this opportunity, visit www.nasa.gov/education/INSPIRE.
If you have questions about this opportunity, please email your inquiries to INSPIRE Project Manager Steve Chance at steven.h.chance@nasa.gov.
Kids Are Curious About the Oil Spill – NWF Supplies Answers for Educators
Teachers might be stumped when their students ask questions about the oil spill. How do you answer those questions in terms children will understand? How can the oil spill be incorporated into lesson plans to provide teachable moments? Are there hands-on classroom activities that will give kids a better understanding about the impacts an oil spill has on sensitive wetland eco-systems? National Wildlife Federation’s Eco-Schools team has developed a useful website with lots of information for kids and educators. Check it out and share it with your students so they can be better informed about this environmental crisis with long-lasting effects: www.nwf.org/oilspill/kids.
The AFCEA Educational Foundation will offer scholarships of $5,000 to students actively pursuing an undergraduate or graduate education degree for the purpose of teaching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) subjects at a U.S. middle or secondary school. At least 35 scholarships will be awarded annually. The scholarships are made possible by a generous contribution from AFCEA International. In addition to the STEM Teacher Scholarship, each graduating AFCEA STEM Teacher Scholar will receive a $1,000 AFCEA Science Teaching Tools grant per year for three years, on the condition they continue to teach a STEM subject. Grants can be used for a variety of purposes including: purchase of STEM-focused classroom supplies, purchase of hardware/software, or to support STEM extra-curricular activities and clubs.
Check www.afcea.org/education/scholarships/undergraduate/TeachersScholarship.asp for eligibility and additional information. Questions? Email Norma Corrales at scholarship@afcea.org Application Deadline: June 10
Trash to Treasure
Design Squad recently launched its second Trash to Treasure Competition. The contest challenges kids to take everyday recycled materials and re-engineer them into functional projects. Three grand prize winners will win a trip to the development lab at Continuum to build a prototype of their winning design and appear on Season 4 of Design Squad. Complete information is available at http://pbskids.org/designsquad/contest/index.html For ages 5-19. Enter online from April 5 to September 5, 2010.
NASA OPENS APPLICATIONS FOR 'INSPIRED' HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
High school students in the United States are invited to participate in NASA's Interdisciplinary National Science Program Incorporating Research Experience, or INSPIRE, through the program's online learning community. Applications are being accepted through June 30. NASA will make selections for the program in September. Selectees and their parents will participate in an online learning community with opportunities to interact with peers, NASA engineers, and scientists. The online community also provides appropriate grade level educational activities, discussion boards, and chat rooms for participants to gain exposure to careers and opportunities available at NASA.
Students selected for the program will have the option to compete for unique grade-appropriate experiences during the summer of 2011 at NASA facilities and participating universities. INSPIRE is designed to encourage students in ninth through 12th grades to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM. The summer experience provides students with a hands-on opportunity to investigate education and careers in those disciplines. INSPIRE is part of NASA's education strategy to attract and retain students in the STEM disciplines critical to NASA's missions. For information about INSPIRE, visit www.nasa.gov/education/INSPIRE. For information about NASA's education programs, visit www.nasa.gov/education.
Summer Pathways - A program to engage 11^th + 12^th grade girls in STEM careers
I am writing about an exciting one-week, residential program that will take place from~July 9-16th this summer at Boston University. Summer Pathways, now in its fourth year, targets girls from Boston area high schools who will be entering their junior or senior year in September 2010, and who show promise and/or interest in science, math, or engineering. Tuition for the program is $575, but scholarships of up to $500 are available to students with demonstrated financial need.
Over the course of the week, participants in Summer Pathways~will have the opportunity to engage in many hands on science activities and gain first hand knowledge of a wide range of careers in STEM disciplines. They will also have the opportunity to interact with successful women at all levels of science and engineering -- undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and members of industry. The goal of Summer Pathways is to provide participants with mentoring and exposure to careers in STEM. We hope this experience will serve to motivate them not only to pursue higher education, but also majors in STEM fields.
Participants will live in a BU dormitory, and during this week, they will visit laboratories, engage in science exploration activities, listen to career panels, visit local companies, learn about the college admissions process, and go on science-related field trips to various local destinations, such as the Museum of Science, the New England Aquarium, and the MIT Museum.
Information about the program can be found at http://www.bu.edu/lernet/spathways. Students who would like to participate in the program should complete and submit an online application via the website. Each applicant will be required to obtain two recommendations from past or present teachers. Teacher recommendations also should be submitted via the website. All applications and letters of reference must be received by~May 15, 2010.
We are very excited about this opportunity to provide resources and encouragement to promising young women from our local schools, and would appreciate your help in bringing this program to the attention of qualified applicants. If you have any questions, please call me at 617-353-7021 or send email to cab@bu.edu.
p.s. you can download program brochure here: http://www.bu.edu/lernet/spathways/s_pathways_brochure.pdf
Summer Transportation Institute (STI)
The Summer Transportation Institute (STI) at UMass Amherst is sponsored by the Federal Highway Department and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation & Public Works, and is designed to expose rising 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th graders to the field of transportation.
We are actively recruiting students for this summer and hope that it may be of some interest to your current students. The program is Federally funded so there is no cost to the students if they are accepted.
To give you some idea of what STI is the program runs Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm for the from Tuesday July 6th to Friday July 30.
We use one of the interactive classrooms in the college of engineering, so every student gets a new computer with a flat screen and high speed internet.
UMass faculty, staff and graduate students provide lectures and lead discussions throughout the program on all modes of transportation, sustainability in transportation and careers in transportation.
Students also participate in preparing project presentations in teams, and all sorts of hands on activities. We take about a half dozen field trips, including things like a cruise of Boston Harbor and a visit to the State House to see the Governor speak. We also include some purely recreational activities such as hiking and kayaking on the CT River.
Interested participants or those with questions should feel free to contact Dr. Michael Knodler or Katrina Hecimovic in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UMass-Amherst via phone or email at 413.545.0228 or mknodler@ecs.umass.edu or katrinahecimovic@gmail.com, respectively.
The Green Aviation Student Challenge (High School)
The Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project of the Integrated Systems Research Program, Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate at
NASA, invites students to propose ideas and designs for future aircraft that use less fuel, produce less harmful emissions, and make less noise. Students are asked to submit a well-documented paper and a short video to explain their ideas. The ERA project intends to reward top-scoring students by airing their videos on NASA websites, and students may win a trip to an aviation event. To learn more visit
http://aero.larc.nasa.gov/era_high/competitions_high_era.htm.
Deadline December 15th 2010
FITCHBURG STATE INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS EXCEL AT NATIONAL COMPETITION
FITCHBURG – Fitchburg State College’s Industrial Technology students made another strong showing at the recent Technology Education Collegiate Association national conference in Charlotte, N.C., winning first place for their problem-solving skills. It was the second consecutive year that Fitchburg State took the honor in the national competition.
Students Jason Ciccariello of Burlington, Michael Wilbur of Mashpee and John Dembkowski of Northampton made the trip to North Carolina during spring break with Industrial Technology Department Chairman James P. Alicata. The students were presented with common household items – including a Styrofoam bowl, a plastic cup and some rubber bands – and told to create a working candy dispenser that would issue 10 to 15 jelly beans per activation. The materials were presented on Wednesday night, March 17, and the finished product, along with documentation explaining how the machine was created and functioned, was put to the test that Friday morning.
“My students were up until 2:30 Friday morning,” Alicata said.
Their creation worked as designed, and their supporting documentation helped garner them the highest score in the competition, which consisted of 17 colleges and universities such as Old Dominion, Ball State and Brigham Young University.
Dembkowski, president of the local Technical Education Collegiate Association, said his team’s attention to detail paid off this year and last, as some of his competitors used unauthorized materials in trying to solve the design problem.
“We treat these competitions very seriously, because we want to represent our institution with pride because we are the best,” Dembkowski said. “As future educators, we have to be ahead of the game. Technology is always changing and that means we are always learning new ways to do things and think critically.”
“They showed the detail of their design,” Alicata said. “That was what put them up there. I’m very proud of them. We only bring three to four students to this competition, where other schools may have 30. We’re thrilled we can compete, and outperform them.”
The Fitchburg State contingent also placed third in a technology challenge during the competition.
“I was very surprised we placed third in the technology challenge, because we didn't even know we were competing until we arrived,” Dembkowski said.
All three students plan to pursue careers in technology education.
[In photo, left to right: Jason Ciccariello, Michael Wilbur, John Dembkowski, James P. Alicata, taken at TECA competition on March 20, 2010, Charlotte, N.C.
]

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS AND RAYTHEON LAUNCH "THE POWER TO HEAR" ENGINEERING DESIGN CHALLENGE "The Power to Hear" competition will challenge New England middle and high school students in grades 6 through 12 to create a cost-effective functional parabolic microphone. Throughout the competition, students will apply their knowledge and understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in the development of their device in addition to gaining hands-on experience in the engineering design process. Members of the winning team will earn the exclusive opportunity to use their device on the field during a Patriots training camp practice. Registration for the design challenge opens March 15 and concludes March 30. Adult team coaches are encouraged to register their teams consisting of three to six members and access "The Power to Hear" competition requirements and rules online at http://www.patriot-place.com/thehalleducation.aspx.

NASA invites college students to get involved with space exploration by helping to design the tools and instruments needed for the next-generation explorers. Student projects will tackle real problems to be solved for a successful manned or robotic mission.
Examples of problems include:
New methods of navigation.
Sample retrieval and on-site analysis.
Radiation detection and avoidance.
Communication with planetary outpost, with orbiters, and with Earth.
Video capture of sorties for transmission back to Earth.
Astronaut rescue and recovery.
Radiation and dust mitigation strategies for rovers and space suits.The contest is open to U.S. citizens enrolled full-time in an accredited post-secondary institution in the U.S., including universities, colleges, trade schools, community colleges, and professional schools. Interdisciplinary teams are encouraged, across departments and institutions.
Final entries are due on or before May 15, 2010. For more information about the contest and to register online, visit http://moontasks.larc.nasa.gov. Questions about the contest should be directed to Dr. Elizabeth Ward at Elizabeth.B.Ward@nasa.gov.
2009-2010 Life and Work on the Moon Art and Design Contest
NASA invites high school and college students from all areas of study, including the arts, industrial design, architecture and computer design, to submit their work on the theme "Life and Work on the Moon." Artists are encouraged to collaborate with science and engineering students. Such collaboration is not required but would help to ensure that the work’s subject is valid for the moon’s harsh environment.
Entries will be accepted in three categories: two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and digital, including video. For the first time, entries in literature (poetry and short stories) will also be accepted. Judges will evaluate entries not only on their artistic qualities, but also on whether they depict a valid scenario. Prizes include awards and exhibit opportunities. International students are encouraged to participate, but they are not eligible for cash prizes.
Entries are due no later than April 15, 2010. For more information about the contest and to register online, visit http://artcontest.larc.nasa.gov/. Questions about the contest should be directed to Dr. Elizabeth Ward at Elizabeth.B.Ward@nasa.gov.
The Environmentally Responsible Aviation project of the Integrated Systems Research Program, Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, has announced a new student contest. The Green Aviation Student Challenge invites students to propose ideas and designs for future aircraft that use less fuel, produce less harmful emissions, and make less noise.
The contest spans a full calendar year, so high school and college students have multiple opportunities to enter. The deadline for the first round for high school entries is May 1, 2010. First-round entries from college students are due December 15, 2010. The second round deadlines are in December 2010 for high school entries and May 2011 for college entries.
Students are asked to submit a well-documented paper and a short video to explain their ideas. The ERA project intends to reward top-scoring students by airing their videos on NASA web sites, and students may win a trip to an aviation event. Top college students may also earn a paid internship at a NASA center.
For more information about the high school contest, visit http://aero.larc.nasa.gov/era_high/competitions_high_era.htm.
For more information about the college contest, visit http://aero.larc.nasa.gov/era_univ/competitions_univ_era.htm.
Questions about the contest should be directed to Elizabeth Ward at Elizabeth.B.Ward@nasa.gov.
NASA/USA Today No Boundaries Competition
NASA and USA Today partnered to bring the No Boundaries science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career curriculum and competition to middle and high school classrooms.
No Boundaries is a free, eight-week, cross-curricular project that introduces 7th to 12th grade students to NASA careers in STEM through a cooperative learning experience.
Students collaborate to gather web-based research on the variety of career options available with NASA. Students then develop a fun and creative way to present the opportunities to other students. Cash prizes will be awarded (up to $2,000) in addition to a "VIP NASA experience."
More information and all project resources are available at http://www.usatoday.com/educate/nasa/index1.html.
Deadline for contest: April 15, 2010
Apply to Join the JASON National Argonaut Team to Explore Space, Climate,
and Forces & Motion!
The JASON Project is seeking a diverse, creative, and adventurous group of students and teachers to venture into the field with JASON Host Researchers and Video Production Crew to perform cutting-edge science explorations. The Argonauts will embark on a two-year journey starting in July 2010, during which they will:
Attend an Argonaut Boot Camp in mid July, 2010 in Washington D.C. to prepare them for their field work.
Work side by side with JASON Host Researchers in the field, completing a JASON Mission Research Field Assignment around our next curriculum topics: Space, Climate, and Forces & Motion.
After the Mission, help review and refine JASON videos, print curriculum, and website materials, which will feature the Argonauts and their JASON experiences.
Serve as a mentor and role model for the JASON Community.
Regularly interact with the entire JASON community through speaking engagements, message board postings, web casts, pod casts, chats. and more!
Over the two-year period, Student Argonauts will spend up to 15 days in the field and up to 20 hours engaged in non-field work. Teacher Argonauts will spend up to 15 days in the field and up to 50 hours in non-field work. JASON will pay for all travel, lodging, food (meals and snacks), and programming/equipment costs related to JASON Argonaut activities over this time.
Applications are being accepted now, with a deadline of Friday, February 5, 2010. Student and teacher selection will be finalized by late April, 2010, with the Argonaut experience beginning in mid July. Students should be 14 or 15 years old by June 1, 2010 to apply. Teachers need five years of classroom experience and continuation as an educator in 2010-2011.

For more information or to apply, visit the Argonaut Application page in the JASON Mission Center to download complete application guidelines, instructions, and forms. If you haven't been to the JASON Mission Center before, you can register now for free. Additional questions regarding the JASON National Argonaut program can be sent to argo@jason.org.

National Academy of Engineering Sponsors an Engineering Essay Contest
Every year, the EngineerGirl website sponsors a contest dealing with engineering and its impact on our world. The contest for this year, entitled “Survival Design Challenge,” has been posted. Students in Grades 3–12 can compete for cash prizes by writing an essay that addresses the requirements in the contest description. The deadline for this year is March 1, 2010. Visit www.engineergirl.org/CMS/Contest.aspx for complete contest description and rules.
MIT InvenTeams Initial application deadline: April 23, 2010
The InvenTeam initiative, created by the Lemelson-MIT Program, offers an unparalleled opportunity for high school students to cultivate their creativity and experience invention. InvenTeams are teams of high school students, teachers, and mentors that receive grants up to $10,000 each to invent technological solutions to real-world problems. Each InvenTeam chooses its own problem to solve. Check it out at http://web.mit.edu/inventeams/.
Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, through March 15, 2010
Over 2,000 students participated in the inaugural year of the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, which asked teams of two to three students in sixth through eighth grade, under the mentorship of a teacher or adult supervisor, to identify an environmental issue in their community, research the issue using scientific investigation, and create a replicable green solution using web-based curriculum tools powered by Discovery Education. The initiative now includes elementary schools and will expand to high schools in 2010. For more information on the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, check out: www.wecanchange.com.
“Kids in Micro-g!” Challenges Students to Design an Experiment for the Space Station
"Kids in Micro-g!" is a student experiment design challenge geared toward Grades 5-8. Its purpose is to give students a hands-on opportunity to design an experiment or simple demonstration that could be performed both in the classroom and aboard the International Space Station.
The winning experiments will have observably different results when the experiments are performed in the "1-gravity" or "1-g" environment of the classroom, compared to when the experiments are performed by astronauts in the "Micro-g" (one-millionth of 1-g) environment of the space station. The apparatus for the demonstration must be constructed using materials from a materials tool kit provided to the astronauts on board the space station. The tool kit consists of materials commonly found in the classroom and used for science demonstrations.
Experiment proposals may be submitted by educators on behalf of their student groups. Proposals may be submitted via email or postal mail during the period from January 4, 2010, through February 19, 2010. The winning experiment proposals will be announced on April 2, 2010. For more information about the challenge, including a scoring rubric, proposal requirements, and a list of materials available to the astronauts, visit www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/science/nlab/experimentchallenge.html.
Questions about this challenge should be directed to jsc-iss-payloads-helpline@mail.nasa.gov.
2009-2010 Life and Work on the Moon Art and Design Contest
NASA invites high school and college students from all areas of study, including the arts, industrial design, architecture, and computer design, to submit their work on the theme "Life and Work on the Moon." Artists are encouraged to collaborate with science and engineering students. Such collaboration is not required but would help to ensure that the work’s subject is valid for the moon’s harsh environment.
Entries will be accepted in three categories: two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and digital, including video. For the first time, entries in literature (poetry and short stories) will also be accepted. Judges will evaluate entries not only on their artistic qualities, but also on whether they depict a valid scenario. Prizes include awards and exhibit opportunities. International students are encouraged to participate, but they are not eligible for cash prizes or student internships.
Entries are due no later than April 15, 2010. For more information about the contest and to register online, visit http://artcontest.larc.nasa.gov/. Questions about the contest should be directed to Dr. Elizabeth Ward at Elizabeth.B.Ward@nasa.gov.
EXPLORAVISION AWARDS PROGRAM NOW ACCEPTING ENTRIES
The Toshiba/National Science Teachers Association ExploraVision Awards Program, the world's largest K-12 science and technology competition, is now accepting entries for its 2010 program year. ExploraVision students are able to discover the wonders of science and the potential for technological advancement, while using their imaginations to contemplate a better future. The deadline for entries is February 2, 2010. The ExploraVision program, sponsored by Toshiba and administered by Triangle Coalition member, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), challenges teams of 2-4 students to research scientific principles and current technologies as the basis for designing innovative technologies that could exist in 20 years. Since the program's inception in 1992, nearly 260,000 students have submitted entries. In addition to providing students with the opportunity to win money they can use for college tuition, ExploraVision gives educators a valuable tool for helping motivate students to excel in science. As a testament to its value as an educational tool, the program has become so popular among teachers that many across the U.S. and Canada now include it as part of their regular science curriculum. Notably, the ExploraVision program was crafted to motivate and inspire students in STEM -- or science, technology, engineering, and math education -- a focus area recognized for its importance by many top educators and policy makers.
Students on the four first-place ExploraVision winning teams will each receive a $10,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bond valued at maturity. Students on second-place teams will each receive a $5,000 bond valued at maturity. The eight teams will also receive an expenses-paid trip with their families, mentor, and coach to Washington, DC for a gala awards weekend in June 2010. Activities will include a visit to Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and a "science showcase" during which the students will display and demonstrate their winning ideas. The highlight of ExploraVision weekend will be a gala awards banquet and ceremony where students will be formally recognized for their creativity and accomplishments. For more information or an application for 2010, visit www.exploravision.org.

.NASA Education Launches New Careers Web Page
NASA Education has launched a new Web page that serves as a starting point to learn about jobs at NASA. Visit the site to learn more about scientists, technical experts, engineers, mathematicians, physicists, accountants, attorneys, astronauts, educators, pilots, astronomers, and experts in many other fields. Career information on the site includes the following: Opportunities for students to intern at NASA

Programs for visiting faculty Profiles of NASA employees Descriptions of jobs at NASA Posters and resources with career information Descriptions of NASA education programs
Career pages with content sorted by grade levels.

Visit the new NASA Education Careers Web page at http://www.nasa.gov/education/careers.

From the Model Bridge Contest Web Site Welcome to the Model Bridge Contest Web Site! The 2009 contest is now officially underway! The contest will take place at the Curry Student Center at Northeastern University on Saturday, February 7th. Again we will be holding the event in the Curry Student Center, and like last year, we will be on the lower level by the window. Every year, participants in the competition construct a model bridge to a given set of specifications using various materials. This year the bridges will be constructed using bamboo and natural twine. The WEIGHT of the bridges is very different than last year, and the abutments have been modified to resist thrust and to allow suspension bridges. Click here for more information about the Model Bridge Contest http://www.engineeryourfuture.org/model_bridge/model_bridge_contest.html
Future City: Now that the dust has settled from Scituate taking 4^th nationally and getting on national news (http://www.futurecity.org/home_media.aspx) we are starting again. We need schools. We need mentors. Of course, we also need sponsors but to even get there we need volunteers to help us pull this all together! We have now established a relationship with Citizen Schools and we’re looking for volunteers to make a 10 week commitment to them for their apprenticeships. We tested out an alternate version of Future City (dubbed “Now City”) that works well for the spring or for students older than 8^th grade. Commitments can vary widely – there’s something for any level of commitment, from a few hrs/mo to a few hrs per week. The local event is mid-January and the finals in DC are mid-February.
Massachusetts Future City contest information- Engineer your future http://www.engineeryourfuture.org/, or New England Region
National Engineers Week Future City Competition http://www.engineeryourfuture.org/future%20city%20web/futurecityhome.htm

*** Nuclear Engineering
In the most recent issue of JETS' Pre-Engineering Times, you'll find the tools to help your students explore.assess.and experience engineering! From a look into the world of Ross Radel and his work to find cost-effective options for nuclear power on the Moon and on Mars to enjoying a hands-on activity where students will control energy production in a nuclear reactor, students will learn firsthand how nuclear engineering is all around them. Enjoy! Source: JETS Pre-Engineering Times, November 2008
JETS e-newsletter is a unique and free publication distributed monthly from September to May. Each issue introduces a different type of engineering career, highlights an "Extreme Engineer," and offers activities to truly help students Explore, Assess, and Experience engineering. www.jets.org/newsletter/index.cfm

DAVIDSON INSTITUTE SEEKS EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVERS TO RECEIVE SCHOLARSHIPS
The Davidson Institute for Talent Development is offering high achieving young people across the country the opportunity to be named as 2009 Davidson Fellows, an honor accompanied by a $50,000, $25,000, or $10,000 scholarship in recognition of a significant piece of work in Science, Technology, Mathematics, Music, Literature, Philosophy, or Outside the Box. To be eligible, applicants must be under the age of 18 as of October 1, 2009, and a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident residing in the United States. There is no minimum age for eligibility. The deadline to apply is March 4, 2009. Applicants must submit an original piece of work recognized by experts in the field as significant and it must have the potential to make a positive contribution to society. The scholarship must be used at an accredited institute of learning. For more information on the Davidson Fellows scholarship, or to download an application, visit www.DavidsonFellows.org .

Plant growth will be an important part of space exploration in the future as NASA plans for long-duration missions to the moon. NASA scientists anticipate that astronauts may be able to grow plants on the moon, and the plants could be used to supplement meals.
In anticipation of the need for research into lunar plant growth, NASA and the International Technology Education Association, or ITEA, present the NASA Engineering Design Challenge: Lunar Plant Growth Chamber for the 2007-2008 school year. Elementary, middle and high school students design, build and evaluate lunar plant growth chambers -- while engaging in research- and standards-based learning experiences. Students participate in the engineering design process and learn how to conduct a scientific experiment.
Choose from three ways to participate in the challenge:
1. Design, Build and Evaluate a Chamber
2. Design and Evaluate a Chamber
3. Evaluate a Chamber
If you are interested in participating in this Challenge click here for more information http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/plantgrowth/home/index.html