Four NASA grants totaling $600,000 awarded to minority and under-represented students

A NASA press release on August 11, 2011, awarded $600,000 worth of grants to four universities and their partner institutions, recognized as serving large numbers of minority and under-represented students.  The purpose of the NASA grants is to strengthen the schools’ STEM programs --- science, technology, engineering and mathematics --- with the grants provided through the NASA Curriculum Improvement Partnership Award for the Integration of Research project (CIPAIR).

NASA, the National Science Foundation, the academic community and the private industry selected the awardees once the proposals were thoroughly reviewed.

The institutions and their partners are:

1.  California State University, San Bernardino, and the College of the Desert in Palm Desert, Calif.
2. Fond Du Lac Tribal College in Cloquet, Minn.
3. Navajo Technical College in Crownpoint, N.M.
4.  Rust College in Holly Springs, Miss., and Mid-South Community College in West Memphis, Ark.

Purpose of NASA grants for CIPAIR 

The purpose of the NASA grants is to meet the emerging needs of the United States, investing in projects that will achieve a competitive aerospace research and technology developmental capability among historical black colleges, tribal universities and colleges, along with Hispanic and other minority-serving institutions.

CIPAIR strategically enhances STEM curricula only, allowing minority institutions to groom STEM students for NASA and the aerospace industry for careers.  NASA grants provide real world experience and theoretical knowledge for a better understanding and increased productivity of these four subjects. Without CIPAIR, the number of under-represented and underserved students would be unable to choose careers in NASA-related fields.

Previous NASA grants to increase STEM learning for minority students

Last September, NASA had awarded nine academic institutions and their partners a total of $1.15 million dollars. Two organizations received planning grants, while seven institutions and their partners received one-year funding from $145,000 to $150,000 dollars per year, up to three years.

Institutions receiving a planning grant

1.  Fayetteville  State University in North Carolina and Southeastern Community in Whiteville, N.C.
2. La Guardia Community College in Long Island, N.Y. and Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Institutions receiving STEM grants

1. Atlanta Metropolitan College 
2.  New York City College of Technology in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Hostos Community College in the Bronx, N.Y. 
3.  San Mateo/Canada Community College in San Francisco and San Francisco State University 
4. Santa Monica Community College in California and the University of California, Los Angeles 
5.  Spelman College in Atlanta and Gadsen Community College in Gadsen, Ala.
6.  United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, N.D. 
7.  Virginia State University in Petersburg, Va., and Louisburg Community College in Louisburg, N.C. 

Other NASA programs

On August 5, another news release regarding NASA's generosity toward students was in regard to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and NASA’s Ames Research Center hiring over 40 students to work in their San Francisco and Silicon Valley offices. Both scientific agencies worked together in order to improve on the country’s environmental and earth science research, the applications of earth science data, technology, environmental management, along with models and technology in environmental decision-making.

“It has been a pleasure to work with our friends at the EPA and share some of the exciting research we are conducting in green technology and Earth science with these college interns,” said Pete Worden, director of NASA Ames. “We hope that this experience has motivated these students to continue working in these important research areas. We look forward to working together in the future.” (Yosemite.epa.gov)