Upcoming Events     

1. SMD Community Town Hall October 6, 2022. NASA’s Science Mission Directorate will hold a community town hall meeting with Associate Administrator for Science Thomas H. Zurbuchen and his leadership team on Thursday, October 6 at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time, to discuss updates to NASA’s science program and share the current status of NASA activities. Members of SMD, the science community, academia, the media, and the public are invited to participate by joining at this link. If prompted, please use event number 2764 141 1204, followed by event password PNpncwFe834 (76762933 from phones). Participants are invited to submit questions and/or vote up questions already posted here. Users must provide their first and last name and organization and can submit their own questions or vote up questions submitted by others. The meeting leaders will try to answer as many of the submitted questions as possible. Presentation materials will be available here for download and a recording available later that day.  

2. Bridge Program Workshop October 17-21, 2022! NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is committed to a culture of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility where all employees feel welcome, valued, respected, and engaged. The SMD Bridge Program is a new initiative that aims to increase engagement and partnering between NASA centers and MSIs, with a focus on paid research and engineering student positions at participating institutions. One goal of the SMD Bridge Program is to increase opportunities for student participants to transition from undergraduate studies into graduate schools and/or employment at NASA. The purpose of the workshop is to bring all stakeholders in the NASA SMD Bridge Program together to build on the framework established by the Bridge Program Workshop Organizing Committee (BPWOC) and collaboratively co-create a program that increases the diversity of the NASA Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce. More details on the workshop goals can be found here. For questions, contact Padi.Boyd@nasa.gov.  

Funding Opportunities   

3. NASA Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II) Funding Opportunity! Team II is now accepting proposals for the new Community Anchor Awards for TEAM II (ANCHR), designed to support institutions, including Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), in strengthening themselves as a local NASA STEM informal education community resource. The basic goal of the TEAM II solicitation is to further NASA Strategic Objective 4.3: “Build the next generation of explorers” by engaging students to build a diverse future STEM workforce. Selected parties will offer NASA education directly aligned with space exploration, aeronautics, space science, earth science, or microgravity. Eligible proposers include U.S. non-profit science museums, planetariums, youth-serving organizations, and libraries. Proposals due October 18, 2022. Full information here.  

4. Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) Cooperative Agreement invites the submission of multi-institutional team-based proposals for research as participating members of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI). Proposals must clearly articulate an innovative research program addressing basic and/or applied research fundamental to understanding the nature of the Moon and its near space environment to enable future human and/or robotic exploration of the Moon with Artemis and CLPS. In addition, proposals that focus on developing the sample science community, especially studying lunar samples, are of particular interest. “Mars forward” proposals that use lunar focused research to develop approaches to Mars exploration also are welcome. Step-1 proposals are due October 18, 2022, and Step-2 proposals are due December 15, 2022. Clarification questions regarding this solicitation should be submitted via email no later than 14 calendar days prior to the Step-2 proposal due date to HQ-SSERVI@mail.nasa.gov.  

5. Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2022 Released! ROSES is an omnibus solicitation with many individual program elements, each with its own due dates and topics. From the NSPIRES website, you can view the list of opportunities in Table 2 (organized by due date) or Table 3 (organized by subject matter) including hyperlinks to element descriptions in the Appendices. You can also view the list of open program elements here. Together, these program elements cover the wide range of basic and applied supporting research and technology in space and Earth sciences supported by NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. Visit the SARA ROSES blog for more information. Here are a few of the many ROSES opportunities:     

• C.26 Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis (ANGSA) Program The goal of this program is to maximize the science derived from samples returned by the Apollo Program in preparation for future lunar missions anticipated in the 2020s and beyond. To achieve this goal this 2^nd ANGSA call will focus on small, high-value samples that are nearing their pristinity limit. Step-1 proposals are due October 17, 2022, and Step-2 proposals are due January 19, 2023. Questions and comments may be directed to HQ-ANGSA@mail.nasa.gov.  
• D.7 Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT). The focus of this program is maturation of key technologies for incorporation into future strategic astrophysics flight missions. The SAT program is designed to support the maturation of technologies whose feasibility has already been demonstrated to the point where they can be incorporated into NASA flight missions. The search for and study of planets outside the Solar System, the origin and evolution of the Universe, and the birth of stars and galaxies are all represented within the SAT program. Mandatory Notices of Intent are due October 21, 2022, and proposals are due December 15, 2022. Direct questions to mario.perez@nasa.gov, or to any of the points of contact for the three science themes: Exoplanet Exploration: douglas.m.hudgins@nasa.gov, Physics of the Cosmos: valerie.connaughton@nasa.gov, Cosmic Origins: eric.v.tollestrup@nasa.gov  
• F.10 Payload and Research Investigations on the Surface of the Moon (PRISM) solicits proposals for an investigation that include development and flight of science-driven suites of instruments that will be delivered to the lunar surface by the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS). This PRISM call is for science investigations that will be delivered to the lunar surface in mid-Calendar Year CY27. Program elements are detailed in the FAQ document available on the NSPIRES page. Step-1 proposals are due October 24, 2022, and Step-2 proposals are due December 20, 2022. Questions and comments may be directed to Debra Needham and Ryan Watkins at HQ-PRISM@mail.nasa.gov.  
• E.8 Physical Sciences Informatics solicits proposals that utilize data from the Physical Sciences Informatics (PSI) system, an online database of completed physical science reduced-gravity flight experiments conducted on the International Space Station (ISS), Space Shuttle flights, X-37B, Free Flyers, or commercial cargo flights to and from the ISS, and completed physical science ground-based experiments. Notices of intent are requested by October 31, 2022, and the due date for proposals is January 10, 2023. Questions may be directed to Francis Chiaramonte at francis.p.chiaramonte@nasa.gov. Proposal submission questions may be directed to: BPS-PhysicalSciences@nasaprs.com.  
• C.27 Precursor Science Investigations for Europa (PSI-E). The goal of this program is to further the understanding of critical topics in Europa exploration in advance of the Europa Clipper mission. This precursor work will provide critical context to enable more efficient analysis of Clipper data by the science community and will help generate discoveries and new questions that will feed into mission planning for the latter half of the prime mission and for any potential extended mission. This will maximize the science return from the radiation-limited lifetime of the Europa Clipper. Step-1 proposals are due November 1, 2022, and Step-2 proposals are due December 16, 2022. Questions may be directed to Curt Niebur at curt.niebur@nasa.gov.  
• A.32 Weather and Atmospheric Dynamics solicits research using NASA data to advance our understanding of processes relevant to The Weather and Atmospheric Dynamics Focus Area. Proposals are due November 2, 2022.   
• F.14 Transform to OPen Science Training (TOPST) solicits proposals to advance open science literacy for all who do research on topics relevant to NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) through training and workshops targeting audiences from undergraduate students to established scientists and managers. Optional notice of intent to propose are requested by November 10, 2022, and proposals are due December 8, 2022. NASA TOPS staff will host an informational session during their regular monthly Community Forum on October 13, 2022, at 1 PM ET / 10AM PT. Register here and sign up to the TOPS email list for additional information.  
• B.9 Heliophysics Low Cost Access to Space (H-LCAS) supports investigations addressing NASA Heliophysics Science Goals using investigator-developed instrumentation that must be completed through suborbital flights. Suborbital launch vehicle services include those provided by the NASA Sounding Rocket Program Office, the NASA Balloon Program Office, and NASA Airborne Science Program, as well as services provided by the Space Technology Mission Directorate commercial sub-orbital Flight Opportunities Program. The mandatory NOI and proposal must include a Payload Requirements Document. The due date for mandatory NOIs is November 17, 2022, and the due date for proposals is January 12, 2023. Questions may be directed to Dan Moses at dan.moses@nasa.gov.  
• F.2 Topical Workshops, Symposia, and Conferences (TWSC F.12 of ROSES) solicitation. NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) solicits proposals for events, including asynchronous and virtual workshops, Open-Source Initiatives, etc., that contribute to SMD’s equity, science, technology and exploration goals. As a no due date or rolling submissions competition, TWSC proposals may be submitted at any time through May 12, 2023. General questions may be sent to mary.f.sladek@nasa.gov.     
• A.51 Applications-Oriented Augmentation for Research and Analysis The Earth Science Research and Analysis (R&A) and Applied Sciences programs are collaborating to support current R&A investigators in enabling them to work across the traditional boundaries between research and applications by adding end-user and stakeholder engagement to existing work to support “research to applications” and/or “applications to research” activities. This effort is intended to develop the capacity of investigators to work with end users. Proposals may be submitted at any time throughout the year until March 29, 2023.     
• B.20 Heliophysics Tools and Methods (HTM) program solicits proposals to advance the goal of a robust, vital, and cohesive Python environment for Heliophysics through Solar, Heliospheric, Magnetosphere, and Ionosphere/Thermosphere/Mesosphere. Proposals may be submitted at any time throughout the year until March 29, 2023.    

6. Apply for the NASA Innovation Corps™ Pilot! The NASA I-Corps™ Pilot is aimed to accelerate the transition of promising ideas from the lab to the marketplace, while encouraging collaboration between academia and industry by supporting teams with access to training in innovation and entrepreneurship skills through a grant, for up to $10,000, and the opportunity to apply for additional funding, up to $40,000. Read the full NASA announcement and the full solicitation to submit a proposal on NSPIRES.  View the recording and slides from the informational webinar here. Application deadlines:  

• Due November 17th for award start date February 2023   
• Due January 20th for award start date April 2023  

7. Get ready to apply for future funding opportunities! Start by visiting the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) website and creating an account. Then you’ll be ready to apply when new funding opportunities become available. Need assistance setting up your account? Contact nspires-help@nasaprs.com. Be sure to register for their newsletter to get announcements when new solicitations are posted.   

Faculty Opportunities   

8. CONNECT with NASA’s Community of Practice for Educators! Are you interested in connecting with other higher education faculty and NASA team members? The NASA CONNECTS community of practice will host a monthly virtual CONNECT-ing Informal Networking Group. During this time, we want to hear from YOU. Engage with members by joining the CONNECT-ing group. Not a member of NASA’s online community of practice for educators? Click here to join CONNECTS and stay up to date on the latest NASA resources, collaborate with educators, and gain access to exclusive events.  

9. Sign up to be a proposal reviewer! A great way to learn the NASA solicitation proposal process, contribute to your professional development, and support the mission of NASA is to sign up to be a proposal reviewer through NSPIRES. Whether you’re new to the federal awards process, or a seasoned veteran in applying for NASA solicitations, share your time, expertise and perspective while getting a feel for what makes a good proposal to inform your future submissions. First create an NSPIRES account then sign up to be a reviewer as opportunities arise!  

10. DEADLINE ALERT: Apply to DEVELOP for cultivation of the next generation of leaders and Earth observation users! DEVELOP provides 10-week research opportunities for participants to address environmental and policy concerns through the practical application of NASA Earth science information and geospatial data. Working in interdisciplinary teams and with the support of science advisors and mentors, DEVELOP participants build research and science communication skills that help them succeed in the workforce. The Spring 2023 Deadline is October 7, 2022. Click here for full project details and application information.   

11. DEADLINE ALERT: NASA Releases RFI for Technology Development Priorities! NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate has released the third and final Request for Information (RFI), this time for the EXPLORE and LAND thrusts, in the series of STAR RFI’s that are intended to help NASA learn from the space community what they think of their technology development priorities. This RFI seeks to obtain information and feedback from commercial industry, other government agencies and academia. This RFI will not result in any direct follow-on acquisitions, however responses may be used to shape future technology investment strategies. Responses are due October 6, 2022.  

12. DEADLINE ALERT: Request for Information: NASA’s Terra, Aqua, and aura Drifting Orbits Workshop. NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) seeks input from the science community that will be considered in the development and implementation of a Terra, Aqua, and Aura Drifting Orbits workshop planned for later this calendar year. NASA Headquarters Earth Science Division (ESD) requests input from the science community addressing 1) science that is uniquely enabled by observations during the period of orbital drift and 2) the benefits to and impact on current societal applications. The RFI seeks information for planning purposes only. NASA does not intend to award a contract or assistance, i.e., grant or cooperative agreement, funding at this time. RFI responses should address the potential for new, unique science made possible with the observations provided by the orbital drift of the platforms. All responses to this RFI must be submitted in an electronic format only via NSPIRES. Questions and comments concerning this RFI to Lucia.S.Tsaoussi@nasa.gov and use in the subject line: “NASA’s T, A & A Drifting Orbits Workshop RFI Question/Clarification.” Responses are due October 11, 2022.  

13. Space Health Impacts for the NASA Experience (SHINE) Training Program invites applications for a training course focused on the scientific aspects of space radiation but also agency risk management strategies. This course is designed as a virtual training program targeted to graduate students, postdocs, research scientists, early career investigators and potential new investigators to learn about the relevant scientific elements of the Human Research Program (HRP). The 6-month course will include formal didactic lectures covering essential learning material along with more informal interactive coffee hours to facilitate networking with space radiation thought leaders. The course will take place virtually from February 2023-August 2023. Questions regarding SHINE will be accepted by email only and must be addressed to jsc-hrp-space-radiation-element@mail.nasa.gov using a subject line that states “SHINE 2022 Application”. Responses are due October 31, 2022.  

14. Call for Members to the Science Definition Team for the Arctic-COLORS Field Campaign. NASA is soliciting applications for members of the Arctic-COastal Land Ocean inteRactionS (Arctic-COLORS) field campaign Science Definition Team (SDT). Arctic-COLORS is a proposed NASA-funded field campaign designed primarily to quantify the biogeochemical response of the Arctic coastal environment to global change and anthropogenic disturbances. Interested applicants should respond to this call by sending a Letter of Application to the Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Program Manager at NASA Headquarters no later than 5:00 PM Eastern time on December 2, 2022. For more information on Arctic-COLORS and how to apply, refer to the full text of the call.  

15. TRISH Fellowship Seeks to Train Space Health Scientists. The Translational Research Institute for Space Health (TRISH) postdoctoral fellowship program supports early career scientists pursuing research with the potential to reduce the health risks associated with spaceflight and improve performance. Selected fellows will participate in TRISH’s Academy of Bioastronautics, a mentorship community for space health professionals, and receive a two-year salary stipend. The Institute views its postdoctoral fellowship as a tool to develop the next generation of space biomedical researchers. TRISH encourages diverse candidates and underrepresented groups to participate in this research solicitation. HBCUs, HSIs, TCUs, and small businesses and organizations owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals or women are particularly encouraged to participate in proposals as lead institution or co-institutions. The solicitation is available online here. Full proposals submitted through NSPIRES will be due on January 26, 2023. Sign up for the TRISH newsletter here.   

16. Check out NASA TechPort! If you are looking for information about NASA-developed technologies that can be utilized or built-upon, or to see where there may be gaps to fill, check out NASA TechPort. Showcasing NASA’s portfolio of active and completed technology projects, TechPort contains information for over 15,000 NASA-developed technologies, representing over $12 billion in applied research and experimental development investments. TechPort allows technologists and researchers to find technologies by organization, maturity, technology area/discipline, and work location. Each record has detailed information about the development including the benefits provided, research findings, partners/collaborators, points of contact, and more. Take a tour of the website and see how your research and expertise may be able to connect to NASA technologies.     

MSIs in the News – This could be you!  

NASA Announces Teams for the 2023 Student Launch Challenge  

Human Exploration Rover Challenge Propels Students Toward NASA Careers  

NASA Awards $3.8 Million to Recruit Students into STEM  

Winners of First NASA TechLeap Challenge Take Flight  

NASA Awards Help Universities Advance Next-Generation Space Tech  

NASA Awards $500,000 in Break the Ice Lunar Challenge  

Here are selected highlights from the latest NASA Newsletter on opportunities for the Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) community from NASA’s MSI Engagement Team, including upcoming events, funding opportunities, and other opportunities for faculty and students.

Upcoming Events  

1. REGISTRATION NOW OPEN: NASA MUREP’s HBCU/MSI Technology Infusion Road Tour hybrid event at Texas Southern University in Houston! Is your Minority Serving Institution interested in applying for NASA funding or partnering with large and small businesses on NASA contracts? Then join us in person or online at our next Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) HBCU/MSI Technology Infusion Road Tour hybrid event September 13-15, 2022! Register now to hold your spot!Email NASA-MSIExchange@mail.nasa.gov for more information.   

Funding Opportunities 

2. Now Open: Applications for NASA Innovation Corps™ Pilot. In an exciting, expanded 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 is aimed 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, for up to $10,000, and the opportunity to apply for additional funding, up to $40,000. Read the full NASA announcement. Eligible teams must include at least three members from higher education (two- to four-year institutions) or non-profit institutions with a NASA-relevant research focus. Proposing teams need not have received a previous NASA award to apply. Read the full solicitation and submit a proposal on NSPIRES. The recording from the June 29th webinar is here and the slides are posted under “Other Documents” on the NSPIRES page. Applications will be reviewed throughout the year with the following deadlines and targeted award start dates:   

• Due September 16th for award start date December 2022 
• Due November 17th for award start date February 2023 
• Due January 20th for award start date April 2023 

3. NASA Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II) Funding Opportunity! Team II is now accepting proposals for the new Community Anchor Awards for TEAM II (ANCHR), designed to support institutions, including Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), in strengthening themselves as a local NASA STEM informal education community resource. Proposals due October 18, 2022. Full information here.
4. Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2022 Released! ROSES is an omnibus solicitation with many individual program elements, each with its own due dates and topics.
5. From the NSPIRES website, you can view the list of opportunities in Table 2 (organized by due date) or Table 3 (organized by subject matter) including hyperlinks to element descriptions in the Appendices. You can also view the list of open program elements here.
6. Get ready to apply for future funding opportunities! Start by visiting the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) website and creating an account.

Faculty Opportunities 

7. Sign up to be a proposal reviewer! A great way to learn the NASA solicitation proposal process, contribute to your professional development, and support the mission of NASA is to sign up to be a proposal reviewer through NSPIRES. Create an NSPIRES account and sign up to be a reviewer as opportunities arise! 
8. NASA Opens Second Phase of $3.5 Million Lunar Excavation Competition. NASA launched the second phase of its Break the Ice Lunar Challenge to advance technology that is – quite literally – groundbreaking. Phase 2 contains three levels, will last for 23 months, and offers a total prize purse of $3 million. Phase 1 teams, as well as new competitors, are encouraged to register for Phase 2 on the challenge site by 11:59 p.m. CT on September 30, 2022. For more information about the challenge, visit https://breaktheicechallenge.com/ 
9. Apply to DEVELOP for cultivation of the next generation of leaders and Earth observation users! DEVELOP provides 10-week research opportunities for participants to address environmental and policy concerns through the practical application of NASA Earth science information and geospatial data. Working in interdisciplinary teams and with the support of science advisors and mentors, DEVELOP participants build research and science communication skills that help them succeed in the workforce. The Spring 2023 Deadline is October 7, 2022. Click here for full project details and application information.