NASA has selected 43 consortia in the National Space Grant
College and Fellowship Program (Space Grant) to receive funding
in 2004 for aerospace work force development.
The agency is awarding $3.75 million in response to proposals
submitted by state organizations to NASA’s Office of Education
in Washington. Awards are in two categories: single-state
proposals (42) and multi-state proposals (4 awards for 16
states).
The consortia were selected based on a competitive evaluation
of their plans to enlarge and enhance the “pipeline,” or
resource pool, of higher education graduates and faculty
involved with NASA as employees, contractors or principal
investigators. In support of the agency’s vision and mission,
this program will increase the number and diversity of highly
qualified individuals knowledgeable of NASA’s research mission.
“These awards will allow Space Grant to continue its work of
attracting talented individuals who are qualified and trained
to make significant contributions to the agency’s mission,”
said Dr. Adena Loston, NASA’s Associate Administrator for
Education. “These efforts advance our commitment, in President
Bush’s words, to inspire a ‘new generation of innovators and
pioneers.'”
The National Space Grant Program, mandated by Congress in 1989,
consists of 52 consortia in the 50 states, the District of
Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. All carry out
programs in education, research and public service.
NASA received 52 single-state and seven multi-state proposals
in response to this Space Grant program announcement. The
proposals were reviewed using criteria that included merit of
the activities, relationships with NASA Centers, potential
impact to the student pipeline, workforce development, and
effective evaluation methods. The awards range from $11,500 to
$100,000 and average $68,000 for single-state programs. Multi-
state awards range from $40,000 to $175,000.
For a list of the Space Grant recipients for 2004 on the
Internet, visit:
http://calspace.ucsd.edu/spacegrant/workforce
For information about other NASA education programs on the
Internet, visit:
For more information about NASA and agency programs on the
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