Dear Heliophysics E/PO Community,
Upcoming Deadlines:
• 2011 AGU – Session proposals due April 20 http://www.agu.org/meetings
• 2011 ROSES Announcement of Opportunity, Including EPOESS Opportunity (NOI Due 4/8/11; Proposals due 5/6/11) http://bit.ly/fPm8ZK
• 2011 ASP – Abstract Deadline http://m1e.net/c?75116197-syxtZO8hnag0U%406252356-NR2Ahv8sa/1Jk
• 2012 NSTA – Proposals due April 15 – http://smdepo.org/node/1864
• Spring Product Review – Notice of Intent is due by April 11th http://nasareviews.strategies.org/
• Student Questions for Voyager – please submit as soon as possible – see http://smdepo.org/node/1844
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1. Reminder about our Heliophysics Retreat August 4-5, save the date(
2. Registration and Abstracts Now Open for the ASP 2011 Meeting
3. 2010 User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation
4. International Year of Chemistry – Input Requested
5. NSTA 2012 – Proposals Due 15 April – Make a Bigger Impact – Consider Collaborating with A Colleague!
6. Planetary Decadal Survey Newsletter – Download the Survey / Attend a Town Hall Meeting this Spring
7. 2011 Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund Travel Grant Application Opportunity
8. Spring Education Product Review Reminder
9. The State of the News Media 2011
10. NASA Launches New Website, Celebrates Women’s Contributions To Science And Exploration
11. NASA Accepting Applications From ‘Inspired’ High School Students
12. Wanted: Student Questions for Voyager, Humanity’s Farthest Journey
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1. Reminder about our Heliophysics Retreat August 4-5, save the date
Don’t forget to mark your calendar for our Heliophysics retreat August 4-5 in Baltimore. More information will be forthcoming.
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2. Registration and Abstracts Now Open for the ASP 2011 Meeting
(Deadline April 22; July 31-Aug. 3; Baltimore, Md.)
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific in partnership with the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), is pleased to announce the 2011 National Conference on Science Education and Public Outreach. This year’s theme is “Connecting People to Science.” Abstracts are welcome for poster papers, 10-minute oral presentations, one-hour hands-on workshops, and one-hour special interest group discussions. For more information and to register, visit: http://m1e.net/c?75116197-syxtZO8hnag0U%406252356-NR2Ahv8sa/1Jk.
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3. 2010 User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation
Free Resource from NASA MOU partner NSF: 2010 User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation
This handbook is a revision of the National Science Foundation 2002 User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation (NSF 02-057). It provides project directors and principal investigators working with NSF with a basic guide for evaluating NSF’s educational projects.
People who need to learn more about both the value of evaluation and how to design and carry out an evaluation will find this handbook invaluable. It builds on firmly established principles, blending technical knowledge and common sense to meet the special needs of NSF and its stakeholders.
Joy Frechtling, Ph.D., a Vice President, in Westat’s Education Studies Group who directed the work and revised the previous version, noted, “We are pleased to be able to release this updated version. The 2010 Handbook provides all the basic information of its predecessors, along with some special chapters by Dr. Debra Rog and Mel Mark.” The 2010 Handbook was produced under contract to Westat from the NSF Directorate for Education and Human Resources.
Download PDF Here
https://www.westat.com/westat/about/pdf/ufhb.pdf
Or find it on Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/westat.hq
Mary Frances Sladek
Outcome Manager, Informal Education
NASA Headquarters
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4. International Year of Chemistry – Input Requested
As part of the International Year of Chemistry (IYC), the American Chemical Society has requested entries into the IYC2011 calendar (http://iyc2011.acs.org/). The calendar highlights how chemistry has affected the world and our day-to-day lives, with each day focusing on a different topic. This is a great opportunity to highlight how SMD uses chemistry in its research and missions. There are open days beginning in April. If you have any ideas for contributions, please email them to Karin Hauck ([email protected]) noting the date for inclusion and a short write-up.
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5. NSTA 2012 – Proposals Due 15 April – Make a Bigger Impact – Consider Collaborating with A Colleague!
Proposals for NSTA 2012 are due by 15 April – less than a month away!
Tired of carrying innumerable boxes to and from workshops? Pondering how to more effectively and efficiently use personnel at NSTA? Want to have more reach into the curriculum with your teacher professional development? Looking for a way to increase the energy level in your NSTA short courses? Want to get more attendees in your offerings?
Consider collaborating with Heliophysics E/PO colleagues and offering a thematic workshop at NSTA 2011! It’s a great way to have fun, connect more deeply across the curriculum, and not exhaust your entire team!
If you are interested in collaborating to host a workshop or short course at NSTA next year, we invite you to connect with your heliophysics E/PO colleagues and/or share your ideas on the Heliophysics E/PO Community Discussion Board (http://smdepo.org/node/1864).
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6. Planetary Decadal Survey Newsletter – Download the Survey / Attend a Town Hall Meeting this Spring
NOTES:
• We are including this because there is some Heliophysics-related science content that could be relevant to the Planetary Decadal Survey.
• Steve Squyres’ presentation of the Decadal at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference can be viewed via Livestream at: http://www.livestream.com/2011lpsc.
Dear Colleague:
This is the seventh newsletter to the community regarding the planetary science decadal survey.
The report has now been released. You can download it (all 412 pages!) on the web at:
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13117
The mission studies that were performed in support of the decadal survey can also be downloaded at:
http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/SSB_059331
The report describes an exciting program of planetary exploration for the decade 2013-2022, all of it derived from community inputs. Here are some of the highlights:
• Increased R&A funding
• A robust program of technology development for planetary exploration
• Continuation of the Discovery program of PI-led missions
• Two more New Frontiers missions, to be drawn from a list of seven exciting candidates
• Prioritized flagship missions that would begin the process of returning samples from Mars, explore a likely ocean on Europa, and carry out the first in-depth study of an Ice Giant planet.
The report also includes detailed recommendations for many other activities supported by NASA and NSF. I encourage you to download it, read it, and share it with your colleagues. (What’s available now is the prepublication version of the report; the final printed version will be released in a few months.)
The report’s release comes at a time of great challenges to NASA’s planetary exploration program. The President’s budget for FY 2012 provides strong support for planetary exploration, but the budget projections for the years beyond that decline precipitously. The decadal report provides clear decision rules that can be used if necessary to adjust the program in the face of declining budgets. But if the recent budget projections were actually to come to pass, it could mean the end of flagship-class planetary missions at NASA for years to come.
Fortunately, the real budget story has yet to be written. NASA’s budget is negotiated on a year-by-year basis, and the final budget each year must be passed by the Congress. All of us as individuals have the opportunity to communicate with Congress regarding the NASA budget.
And here is a crucial point: In the face of declining budget projections, we as a community need to stand together and argue persuasively for NASA’s program of planetary science and exploration. The decadal report can be a tool for helping us do that. It arose from our community, and it has the full weight of the National Research Council behind it. If we stay united, we can use it to argue effectively for a well-funded program that will give us the kinds of missions we all want to see in the years ahead. If our community fragments, though, we will be much less effective in arguing for planetary exploration over other budget priorities.
Part of the process of letting the community learn more about the decadal survey is a series of town hall meetings that will be held around the country. These are being organized by the DPS. Here’s the schedule as it now stands:
Mountain View, CA March 15
College Park, MD March 25
Boston, MA March 26
Boulder, CO March 29
Tucson, AZ March 30
New York, NY March 31
Orlando, FL March 31 or April 1
St. Louis, MO April 6
Pasadena, CA April 12
Chicago, IL April 13
Members of the decadal steering group will be at each of these town halls to present the details of the report and answer any questions you might have. More details regarding the town halls can be found on the web at:
http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/2013decadal
The decadal survey has been a huge effort for our community, involving two years of work and the efforts of many hundreds of scientists, engineers, and managers. I’d especially like to thank you, the community, for all the effort you put into making this a truly community-wide effort. I’d also like to extend my warmest thanks to our many colleagues who served on the steering group and the panels, Jim Green and everyone else at NASA Headquarters, the CATE team at Aerospace Corporation, the mission study teams at APL, Goddard, JPL, and the other NASA centers, David Smith and everyone at the NRC, and the 18 peer reviewers of the report. It was a splendid effort by all.
Best wishes,
Steve Squyres
Planetary Decadal Survey Chair
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7. 2011 Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund Travel Grant Application Opportunity
Dear Colleagues:
Please distribute this announcement to deserving undergraduate and graduate students in your department or your Space Grant programs.
The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the first of two 2011 Travel Grant application opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and engineering.
The Travel Grants, in the amount of $500, enable student recipients to attend professional meetings to present their research. The first 2011 Travel Grant application deadline is April 15, 2011. Jerry Soffen, a biologist by training, led a distinguished career in NASA, including serving as the Project Scientist for Viking and as an architect for the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The Travel Grant continues Jerry’s dedication to educating and involving future generations in space science and engineering pursuits. The electronic application materials and instructions are located on the Soffen Fund website:
http://nasa-academy.org/soffen/travelgrant/
Questions regarding the application or application process may be sent to:
[email protected]
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8. Spring Education Product Review Reminder
It is time again for another round of the NASA science education product review!
The Notice of Intent is due by Monday, April 11th (optional, but helpful), and products are due via the online submission form and (for printed products) the mail by April 25th, 2011.
The notice of intent (NOI) may be emailed to me at [email protected]. Please include a title, the forum it represents, the intended audience, what format it will be distributed in (e.g. website, PDF document, printed material, etc.), the approximate number of pages of reading that will be involved in their NOI, and any other information they deem important.
The product submission and review information site is http://nasareviews.strategies.org/. Physical products will still need to be mailed to us (10 copies at the address below), but everything that can be distributed electronically (i.e. PDF’s, Websites, Word documents, movie or sound files) can be linked and/or uploaded (10mb limit) to this online form.
Feel free to contact me with any questions that may come up.
Thank you very much!
John Ensworth
Senior Science Education Specialist
The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
Shipments now made to:
507 Cherrywood Dr.
Longmont, CO 80504
Work: (703) 312-0563
Fax: (703)312-8657
Cell: (720)378-2771
[email protected]
www.strategies.org
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9. The State of the News Media 2011
The State of the News Media 2011 has been released. It shows that among the general public, the internet is now a primary source for news; however, local media remains the #1 source for news. http://stateofthemedia.org/
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10. NASA Launches New Website, Celebrates Women’s Contributions To Science And Exploration
WASHINGTON — NASA debuted its new Women@NASA website during a Women’s History Month event at the agency’s Headquarters in Washington at 1 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, March 16. The new website is at http://women.nasa.gov/
Approximately 200 local students from elementary through high school level will attend and learn about the significant and varied roles women have played in the agency’s history.
NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver will host the event. The featured guest will be Valerie B. Jarrett, senior advisor and assistant to the president for intergovernmental affairs and public engagement, and chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls.
The one-hour program will feature NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell-Dyson, who recently returned from a six-month stay aboard the International Space Station, and other notable NASA women whose profiles are on the Women@NASA website. Students in the audience will be able to ask the presenters questions.
A pre-show event for the students runs from 12-12:50 p.m. EDT. Students will participate in an interactive science demonstration with Trena Farrell, a NASA aerospace education specialist. The pre-show also will feature a performance by the Science Cheerleaders, a group of professional cheerleaders-turned-scientists and engineers who challenge stereotypes while helping to inspire young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). STEM education is a key focus of NASA’s education efforts aimed at developing the next generation of scientists, engineers and explorers.
News media representatives are invited to attend both events at the NASA Headquarters Auditorium at 300 E Street, S.W. Reporters should contact Ann Marie Trotta at 202-358-1601 or Sonja Alexander at 202-358-1761 to confirm attendance. The events will air live on NASA
Television and the agency’s website.
The pre-show event will be shown on NASA TV’s Education Channel. The 1 p.m. event will air on NASA’s Public, Education and High Definition channels. For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For information about NASA’s education programs, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/education
For information about the White House Council on Women and Girls, visit:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/cwg
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11. NASA Accepting Applications From ‘Inspired’ High School Students
WASHINGTON — U.S. high school students are invited to participate in NASA’s Interdisciplinary National Science Program Incorporating Research Experience, or INSPIRE, through an online learning community. INSPIRE is designed to encourage students in ninth through 12th grades to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Applications are being accepted through June 30. NASA will make selections for the program in September. The selected students and their parents will participate in an online learning community with opportunities to interact with peers, NASA engineers and scientists. The online community also provides appropriate grade level educational activities, discussion boards and chat rooms for participants to gain exposure to careers and opportunities available at NASA.
Students selected for the program also will have the option to compete for unique grade-appropriate experiences during the summer of 2012 at NASA facilities and participating universities. The summer experience provides students with a hands-on opportunity to investigate education and careers in the STEM disciplines.
INSPIRE is part of NASA’s education strategy to attract and retain students in the STEM disciplines critical to NASA’s missions. For more information about INSPIRE, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/education/INSPIRE
To apply for the program, visit:
https://inspire.okstate.edu/index.cfm?liftoff=login.LoginForm
For information about NASA’s education programs, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/education
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12. Wanted: Student Questions for Voyager, Humanity’s Farthest Journey
NASA’s Voyager spacecraft are hurtling towards the edge of our solar system, more than 10 billion miles away from our sun. Interstellar space – the medium between stars – is a region no human-made craft has ever been. On Apr. 28, 2011, a live NASA TV program will feature mission scientists discussing the distant areas Voyager 1 and 2 are exploring, 10 billion miles away from our sun.
NASA is inviting classrooms to submit their single best question about the Voyager mission and interstellar space to the science panel. We are also inviting students to submit their best idea about what they would put on a new Golden Record, if one were ever created. Teachers interested in submitting a classroom question should email [email protected] as soon as possible to hold a spot in our random drawing. Teachers should send their students’ best idea for the Golden Record by Apr. 21, 2011. Read more at http://smdepo.org/node/1844