Upcoming Opportunities 

There are quite a few upcoming opportunities happening over the next couple of months and the MSGC team wants to make sure that you are updated on the latest challenges, programs, internships, contests etc. 

Congratulations to all of our 2023-2024 Awardees! See the full list here: https://myumi.ch/EPdDG

Let the MSGC team know if you plan on participating by sending an email to mispacegrant@umich.edu

FBI Counterterrorism and Forensic Science Research Unit Opportunity
Application Deadline: Open Until Filled
https://myumi.ch/ezXGQ
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Counterterrorism and Forensic Science Research Unit’s (CFSRU) provides technical leadership for the FBI as well as for other law enforcement and intelligence agencies through applied research and development.

Call for Proposals: Lunar Surface Technology Research Opportunities
Notice of Intent Deadline: March 22
Proposal Deadline: April 24
https://myumi.ch/m7JAJ
NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate is seeking proposals for Lunar Surface Technology Research (LuSTR) opportunities. LuSTR solicits ideas from universities for the creation of lunar surface technologies to accelerate the infusion of new technologies into NASA missions, including Artemis. This initiative aligns with the six focus areas of NASA’s Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative. This LuSTR solicitation features specific challenges in three focus areas: Dust Mitigation, Extreme Access, and In-Situ Resource Utilization.

NASA Innovation Corps™ Pilot
Proposal Deadline: March 29, 2023
https://myumi.ch/Aw6nn
In partnership with the National Science Foundation, NASA’s Science and Space Technology Mission Directorates offer a new pathway to participate in Innovation Corps (I-Corps)™. The NASA I-Corps™ Pilot aims to accelerate the transition of promising ideas from the lab to the marketplace while encouraging collaboration between academia and industry. The NASA I-Corps™ Pilot will support teams with access to training in innovation and entrepreneurship skills through a grant, up to $10K, and the opportunity to apply for additional funding, up to $40K. Proposals may be submitted at any time through March 29, 2023, but applications will be reviewed in intervals on the following dates: July 22, 2022; Sept. 16, 2022; Nov. 17, 2022; and Jan 20, 2023.

Department of Energy: New Mexico Lab-Embedded Entrepreneur Program Opportunity
Application Deadline: April 18
https://myumi.ch/PrwQ1
The New Mexico Lab-Embedded Entrepreneur Program (NM-LEEP) matches entrepreneurs with seed capital, a large network of mentors, customers, and investors and the unique expertise and resources of Los Alamos National Laboratory (Los Alamos) and Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia). Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA), New Mexico LEEP provides a tailored business curriculum, technical support, and unique national lab expertise and facilities with the goal of commercializing critical deeptech innovations that impact our national security in the clean energy, biotech, advanced materials, AI and advanced computing, and space sectors. Every year, a cohort of entrepreneurs are recruited from around the country. For two years, you will be embedded in the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) research ecosystem, where DOE/NNSA provides funding, access to Los Alamos and Sandia national labs, and a program of intensive mentorship, tailored business development, and networking.

Department of Energy: Solar Energy Technologies Office Opportunity
Application Deadline: June 15
https://myumi.ch/35q46
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Science, Technology and Policy (STP) is seeking to develop the future leaders in energy efficiency and renewable energy policy. The EERE STP appointments provide an opportunity for highly talented scientists and engineers to participate in policy-related projects at DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Washington, DC. The Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) drives research, manufacturing, and market solutions to make the abundant solar energy resources in the United States more affordable and accessible for Americans. Applicants selected as a participant will join the SETO team responsible for carrying out activities critical to SETO’s technology mission.

Minecraft Education Launches NASA Artemis Missions
Available Now
https://myumi.ch/8eMN2
Kids worldwide unleash their creativity every day as they build and explore their own blocky worlds within the Minecraft universe. Now, they can build and launch a rocket and blast off on an adventure to the Moon through a new Artemis-inspired set of worlds, developed through a partnership between Minecraft Education and NASA. Just like the real NASA Artemis team working to return humans to the Moon, gamers in these new Minecraft worlds can build and launch a rocket, guide their Orion spacecraft, and even establish a lunar base alongside their team. Minecraft Artemis Missions was developed to engage students ages 8 and up in NASA’s next chapter in human spaceflight and encourage them to see themselves as future astronauts or scientists.
The collaboration is part of an existing partnership between NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement and Microsoft, which owns Minecraft. Minecraft Education is a game-based learning platform set in the Minecraft universe.

New Flight Log Experience From NASA Aeronautics
https://myumi.ch/DwRn8
NASA invites you to add your name to NASA’s list of virtual aeronautics passengers with our Flight Log Experience. Your name can ride along on X-planes, drones, and other flights as NASA explores ways to improve aviation for everyone. Print your personalized boarding passes, enter flights into your virtual flight log, earn endorsement stamps and mission patches, and access STEM activities, videos, and more. New options have just been added, so sign up now.

‘First Woman’ Graphic Novel and Camp Experience
https://myumi.ch/Gk8e4
NASA’s “First Woman” graphic novel series takes readers on an epic adventure with Callie Rodriguez, the first woman to explore the Moon. Make a STEM connection to the story with a new set of hands-on activities intended for use in K-12 informal education settings such as after-school programs, summer camps, STEM nights, and weekend workshops. The graphic novel is available in English and Spanish.

Amazon Future Engineer – Callisto: Space Innovation Tour
Available Now on Kahoot!
https://myumi.ch/2mkXm
Come aboard the Orion spacecraft and discover the inner workings of new, special space technology that flew to the Moon during NASA’s Artemis I flight test.

New Smithsonian “STEM in 30” Episode: Pioneering Rotorcraft – From Autogiro to the Helicopter
Available Now
https://myumi.ch/n7J6N
STEM in 30 is an Emmy-nominated program for middle school students produced by the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. These 30 minute episodes are great for classroom use. New episodes are released every month, featuring hands-on activities, explanations of aviation and space topics aligned with national standards, and interviews with experts from the Museum and beyond.

NASA In-person Experience: Earth Day Briefing for Students
Application Deadline: Friday, March 24
Event Date: Thursday, April 20
https://myumi.ch/96Q3y
Registration is open for in-person participation in NASA’s Earth Day Briefing for Students, a hybrid event being hosted at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A select number of schools and informal educational groups will be invited to attend. Schools and organizations are responsible for their own travel to Kennedy. The selected groups will have access to special behind-the-scenes tours of Kennedy’s wildlife preserves and participate in a briefing just like professional media outlets. All schools and organizations are welcome to join virtually as a panel of four NASA experts discuss Earth science and conservation topics and respond to student questions. The event will broadcast live on NASA TV from 1-2 p.m. EDT on Thursday, April 20.

Space Science Series for High School Students
April 8,15,22, and 29, 2023
10:00 am – 12:30 pm (central time zone)
https://myumi.ch/PrwQg
Are you fascinated by space? Are you curious about the origins of the Universe or the evolution of galaxies? The CMB-S4 collaboration, a worldwide scientific organization of professional astronomers and astrophysics invites you to join us for the Saturday Space Science Series! This virtual lecture series for high school students will explore the Big Bang, dark matter, dark energy, the expansion of the Universe, and more. You will learn about current astronomy research and careers in astrophysics and cosmology. Students who attend all four Saturdays will receive a certificate of participation.

Genes in Space – Design and Launch Your DNA Experiment to Space!
Submissions Due April 17, 2023
https://myumi.ch/rrZ24
Calling all students in grades 7 through 12: Have you ever wondered how astronauts might survive a deep-space mission or how we might be able to use biology to transform new worlds? If so, Genes in Space is for you! Genes in Space is a science contest that challenges students to design original experiments that use biotechnology to explore the real-life challenges and opportunities of space exploration. The contest is free and does not require equipment. The winning experiment is conducted by astronauts aboard the International Space Station!

3M Young Scientist Challenge
Entries due April 27
https://myumi.ch/by6AN
Students in grades five to eight are invited to participate in the annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge, a nationwide competition for student innovators produced by 3M and Discovery Education. The middle school science competition allows students to compete for a variety of prizes such as an exclusive mentorship with a 3M scientist, a $25,000 grand prize and the chance to earn the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.” Each year, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge recognizes students who have demonstrated a passion for using science to solve everyday problems and improve the world around them. To enter, students in grades five to eight submit a one-to-two-minute video explaining an original idea using science to help solve an everyday problem. Competition entries are accepted until April 27.

50th anniversary of Astronomy Day
April 29, 2023
https://myumi.ch/EPdN5
April 29, 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Astronomy Day. For all things Astronomy Day including a FREE 70+ page Handbook full of ideas on how to plan and execute Astronomy Day events, an Astronomy Day Fact Sheet, the latest Astronomy Day information, information and entry forms for the 2023 Astronomy Day Award, go to www.astroleague.org and click on “Astronomy Day.”

Celebrate Women’s History Month With CONNECTS
https://myumi.ch/JpRxr
Throughout March, the CONNECTS team will highlight women of NASA and the great work they’ve accomplished. Check the Women in STEM collection weekly to find new resources, fun facts, and trivia. Earn a “Women in STEM” badge by participating in discussions and sharing your own thoughts about the many women who have played essential roles in shaping the history of NASA.

Free STEM Lessons, Powered by Pear Deck
Available Now
https://myumi.ch/AW2b4
Pear Deck has collaborated with NASA to democratize high-quality STEM content and supercharge opportunities for student engagement. With these ready-to-teach lessons powered by Pear Deck, students will be able to explore STEM career possibilities while sparking connections to NASA’s mission and work.

Challenger Center Launches Extension Lessons for Minecraft Education’s Artemis Worlds
Available Now
https://myumi.ch/Xnr7r
To accompany Minecraft Education’s Artemis Worlds, Challenger Center created a suite of extension lessons (including experiments, problem-solving, and idea-sharing activities) that educators can share with students to expand upon what they learned.

Hunt for Planets Around Distant Stars With the “Exoplanet Watch” Project
https://myumi.ch/y2QNR
When planets in other solar systems (exoplanets) pass in front of their stars, the light from their stars looks a little bit dimmer to us. This passage is called a transit, and the graph of that dip in brightness is called a light curve. Exoplanet Watch lets you turn a series of photographs of a star during a planet’s transit into a light curve to help us learn more about the distant world. Join Exoplanet Watch to help study these planets and even discover one of your own! You can use your own telescope to collect data or look for exoplanets in data from other telescopes using a computer or smartphone.

Join us for the next Movie Night: “Big Astronomy”
Starts on Thursday, March 23 · 7pm
https://myumi.ch/MrmE3
The Detroit Observatory is excited to present Big Astronomy, featuring MSU Abrams Planetarium Director, Dr. Shannon Schmoll, as part of our monthly Movie Night series. Each Movie Night showcases a documentary or feature film, followed by a conversation with experts on the subject matter or production. Film screening begins at 7PM, followed by a conversation with Dr. Shannon Schmoll.

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy: Public Listening Sessions for Federal STEM Strategy
Wednesday, March 22, 2023 from 4pm-6pm
Friday, March 24, 2023 from 2pm-4pm
Monday, March 27, 2023 from 6pm-8pm
https://myumi.ch/qG2qE
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) will host a series of virtual listening sessions to inform the development of the 2023- 2028 Federal Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Strategic Plan. As part of a robust public engagement plan, OSTP encourages input from all interested parties, including students, teachers, administrators, parents, researchers, employers, and others to provide information and perspectives on the challenges faced by – and within – the STEM ecosystem in the United States and solutions that might be implemented by the U.S. Government.

American Meteorological Society Summer Courses for K-12 Educators
Application Deadline: March 24, 2023
https://myumi.ch/Qeybz
Enhance your knowledge of Earth system science and earn graduate credit through AMS Education’s teacher professional development programs. Over 22,000 teachers have boosted their STEM curriculum and impacted millions of students across the nation through these initiatives!

Contact Opportunity: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
Proposal Deadline: Friday, March 31
https://myumi.ch/QqkXb
ARISS-US is accepting proposals from U.S. schools, museums, and community youth organizations (working individually or together) to host an amateur radio contact with an astronaut aboard the International Space Station between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2024. To maximize these events, ARISS-US is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. Radio contacts are approximately 10 minutes.

United States Patent and Trademark Office: National Summer Teacher Institute
Application Deadline: Friday, March 31
https://myumi.ch/p7Pry
The National Summer Teacher Institute (NSTI) is a multi-day professional development training opportunity designed to support elementary, middle, and high school teachers as they increase their knowledge of concepts of making, inventing, and intellectual property (IP) creation and protection. NSTI is designed to help teachers inspire the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. The program is open to eligible K-12 teachers nationwide. It combines experiential training tools, practices, and project-based learning models. NSTI 2023 will take place in person July 16-21, 2023, in St. Louis, Missouri.

Educator Training Program
Registration Closes March 31st
https://myumi.ch/73bn6
Get the support and resources you need to join the Modeling the Future Challenge, help your students learn relevant data analysis and mathematical modeling skills, and form award-winning teams during the 2023-24 Challenge season. Earn a $300 stipend and 15 professional development hours.

NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate Early Career Faculty Solicitation
Application Deadline: Thursday, April 13
https://myumi.ch/W2gAA
NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate is seeking proposals from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of outstanding early career faculty members who are beginning independent research careers. The Early Career Faculty solicitation seeks to accelerate the development of groundbreaking, high-risk/high-payoff space technologies to support future space science and exploration needs. Grants will be funded up to $200,000 each per year, with a maximum duration of three years.

NASA International Space Apps Challenge Seeks Local Leads for 2023
Application Deadline: June 15
https://myumi.ch/y2QNn
NASA International Space Apps Challenge is in search of Local Leads for 2023. Local Leads work alongside NASA and the Space Apps Global Organizing Team to organize the Space Apps Challenge for a specific city or town. This includes planning a virtual or in-person local event, supporting local participants, and coordinating local sponsors, judges, and community members. Local Leads get the opportunity to join a global community from 160+ countries/territories and serve as thought leaders in their space, tech, innovation, and creative communities.