NASA has selected 45 consortia in the National Space
Grant College and Fellowship Program (Space Grant) to receive
funding for aerospace workforce development. A total of $3.56
million is being awarded in response to proposals submitted
by the state organizations to NASA’s Education Division in
the Office of Human Resources and Education at Headquarters
in Washington.
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 who
stay connected to or become involved with NASA as employees,
contractors or principal investigators. In support of the new
NASA Vision and Mission as articulated by NASA Administrator
Sean O’Keefe, this program will increase the number and
diversity of highly qualified individuals knowledgeable of
and experienced in NASA’s research mission.
The National Space Grant Program, mandated by Congress in
1987, consists of 52 State 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 51 proposals in response to this Space Grant
program announcement. These proposals were reviewed using
criteria that included innovation, connections with NASA
Centers, faculty and curriculum development, student
research, and effective evaluation methods. The awards ranged
from $20,000 to $100,000 and averaged approximately $78,000.
“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 NASA mission,” said
Frank Owens, Director, NASA Education Division.
